FlyTheNest

Have just emailed my sis in Hammersmith to say I've spotted another tweeted photo of her out canvassing today with the Labour crew - and how nice it is to have this weird remote connection during the election campaign. What will I do when it's over and I no longer know what she's up to on Saturday mornings?

rebeccariots2 wrote:Have just emailed my sis in Hammersmith to say I've spotted another tweeted photo of her out canvassing today with the Labour crew - and how nice it is to have this weird remote connection during the election campaign. What will I do when it's over and I no longer know what she's up to on Saturday mornings?

Labour has lots of stuff for us to do after the election, I do assure you.

http://www.visitscotland.org/research_a ... stics.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The English made 38% of trips made to Scotland in 2013 (compared to Scots at 43)
They accounted for 37% of tourist nights spent there
And contributed 35% of its tourism revenue
Equivalent to 1.6 billion quid - almost exactly the same as the total "total overseas" tourism spend

Incredible.

http://dailydip.tv/father-and-daughter- ... t-meeting/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote:Have just emailed my sis in Hammersmith to say I've spotted another tweeted photo of her out canvassing today with the Labour crew - and how nice it is to have this weird remote connection during the election campaign. What will I do when it's over and I no longer know what she's up to on Saturday mornings?

Labour has lots of stuff for us to do after the election, I do assure you.

But will they be publicly tweeting images of us doing it citizen - that's the question? I'm getting accustomed to having my family members beamed into my little ethersphere ... it's strangely very comforting.

rebeccariots2 wrote:

citizenJA wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote:Have just emailed my sis in Hammersmith to say I've spotted another tweeted photo of her out canvassing today with the Labour crew - and how nice it is to have this weird remote connection during the election campaign. What will I do when it's over and I no longer know what she's up to on Saturday mornings?

Labour has lots of stuff for us to do after the election, I do assure you.

But will they be publicly tweeting images of us doing it citizen - that's the question? I'm getting accustomed to having my family members beamed into my little ethersphere ... it's strangely very comforting.

I don't see why not - civic participation documented daily.

rebeccariots2 wrote:Have just emailed my sis in Hammersmith to say I've spotted another tweeted photo of her out canvassing today with the Labour crew - and how nice it is to have this weird remote connection during the election campaign. What will I do when it's over and I no longer know what she's up to on Saturday mornings?

Hire a PI to follow her and tweet random photos for you to comment on?

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote:When you toss in the Scottish LA debt (posted the other night) Scottish finance begins to look a bit wobbly
Scottish councils pile up record debt
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ecord-debt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...and according to this one its now up to £14.8 billion and would seem to be growing
"The Accounts Commission inquiry says councillors were often in the dark about the long-term affordability of record debt levels and were failing to exercise enough oversight of decisions to increase borrowing."

http://www.scot-buzz.co.uk/scottish-cou ... ebt-bulge/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ouch equivalent to about 140 bn debt (UK) and 1/3 needs paying back in ten years!

The key question is probably what the deficit is they are running, I thought the SNP had powers to raise taxes to cover this sort of thing, why haven't they?

Yes I thought they did, can only wonder if they can, why have they not?

ohsocynical wrote:Incredible.

http://dailydip.tv/father-and-daughter- ... t-meeting/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's impossible to watch without blubbing Ohso. Utterly wonderful. I have to go and garden for us now - but will carry that away with me.

Ah - just heard it again (Jeremy Hunt) -

"People want to be sure - blah, blah, blah - at the end of their life,"


What?

rebeccariots2 wrote:

ohsocynical wrote:Incredible.

http://dailydip.tv/father-and-daughter- ... t-meeting/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's impossible to watch without blubbing Ohso. Utterly wonderful. I have to go and garden for us now - but will carry that away with me.

I rarely cry, but had a huge lump in my throat watching it. Humbling.

Revealed: Labour party's general election campaign war room
The Guardian has obtained a floorplan of the heart of the party’s election HQ in Victoria, London. See where key members of its 250-strong operation sit, including Ed Miliband, shadow cabinet members and senior insiders

I liked this quote
"Tony Blair, on a visit to Labour’s campaign HQ this week, looked around the packed war room with a twinkle in his eye and said: “I’m really surprised to see you all here. I was told the party was so poor, I was expecting just to see Ed and Ian, the general secretary, and an empty room.”

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... n-war-room" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA wrote:Renewable energy capacity is huge.

...but it's subsidised by a levy on all UK electricity bills. Would FFA result in losing the E/W/NI contribution? (Rhetorical question).

Not necessarily a good idea to read this if you're feeling a bit depressed.

http://www.blog.rippedoffbritons.com/20 ... SktN_nF-_E" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Eric_WLothian wrote:

citizenJA wrote:Renewable energy capacity is huge.

...but it's subsidised by a levy on all UK electricity bills. Would FFA result in losing the E/W/NI contribution? (Rhetorical question).

A very good question. With indy, I can't see why rUk would care about buying a foreign country's renewables rather than say French nuclear.

With FFA, I assume it's the same. Not our problem. The prospect of indy or FFA actually poisons all investment decisions on both sides. People make good arguments about all the public investment London gets (I think London could raise more money itself for them) but at least the taxes raised from the improved London GDP goes into the UK tax pot.

I wonder if it's a boil that needs to be lanced sooner rather than later by a referendum.

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

Tubby Isaacs wrote: That there's a much bigger deficit than under the current Barnett system?

And also because too much devolution can lead to a race to the bottom. Seen it already with Air Passenger Duty. Devolved to Scotland, then immediately halved. Now if Wales and England don't reduce as well, they miss out on lots of tourism. Free money for airlines and frequent flyers.

Asking the Scots if they want more powers will always get a positive answer. However FFA is barking for a number of reasons.

- the deficit it will instantly create (as above and note the UK equivalent would be over 70 billion).
- Scotland's oil is declining steadily, it is a large part of their economy.
- there is a lot of social deprivation in Scotland and the population is small, as a state the Barnett formula lets them live beyond their means.

When you strip out the economies of scale a large country gives in terms of taxation and spending, and allow for declining oil, you are left with a country that lacks the requisite tax base for the services it now has.

That is why Labour is opposed to FFA, because it is crap for Scotland.

The Nat position is that, freed of the dragging weight of the perfidious English, they will thrive by growing their economy & developing new industries. As an argument it isn't totally devoid of merit, the Scots do have a record of punching above their weight in innovation and entrepreneurship (but they also had the Darien Scheme); as cJA points out, the renewable energy market has massive potential, which the Tories have always fought shy of - the reason being, of course, that it won't give the immediate return beloved of the Tories, so won't be plugging that gap any time soon.

So, in the medium term FFA could work, maybe; in the short term it will be nothing short of disaster.

I think most people think of FFA as being just collecting taxes and spending the money collected on the day to day expenses such as welfare, NHS, transport and so on. Trouble is, it's not that simple. For example, if Scotland accepts the oil tax revenue, should we not also accept decommissioning costs?
What about central government staff (eg in jobcentres, MoD). Would they pay Scottish tax and if so, would it not have to be paid back to the UK as part of the cost of the service being provided?
We would, I am sure, have to contribute, from taxes raised, to the servicing of the UK debt.
Would Scotland even have the power to alter VAT -- either the rates, or what is taxed - given that the rules are set by the EU?
The whole thing is not as simple as the SNP would like us to believe. "Can of worms" is an expression that springs to mind.
If taxes rise, relative to the UK, why would anybody come here or set up a business here?

FFA is not about what's best for Scotland - it's solely about more power for Holyrood at any cost.

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

Eric_WLothian wrote:

citizenJA wrote:Renewable energy capacity is huge.

...but it's subsidised by a levy on all UK electricity bills. Would FFA result in losing the E/W/NI contribution? (Rhetorical question).

A very good question. With indy, I can't see why rUk would care about buying a foreign country's renewables rather than say French nuclear.

With FFA, I assume it's the same. Not our problem. The prospect of indy or FFA actually poisons all investment decisions on both sides. People make good arguments about all the public investment London gets (I think London could raise more money itself for them) but at least the taxes raised from the improved London GDP goes into the UK tax pot.

I wonder if it's a boil that needs to be lanced sooner rather than later by a referendum.

I suspect that Scotland will shortly be a net importer of power, with the imminent closure of Longannet coupled with the policy of 'no nuclear'. Wind is, at best, an intermittent source and wave technology isn't really there yet.

AngryAsWell wrote:

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote: ...and according to this one its now up to £14.8 billion and would seem to be growing
"The Accounts Commission inquiry says councillors were often in the dark about the long-term affordability of record debt levels and were failing to exercise enough oversight of decisions to increase borrowing."

http://www.scot-buzz.co.uk/scottish-cou ... ebt-bulge/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ouch equivalent to about 140 bn debt (UK) and 1/3 needs paying back in ten years!

The key question is probably what the deficit is they are running, I thought the SNP had powers to raise taxes to cover this sort of thing, why haven't they?

Yes I thought they did, can only wonder if they can, why have they not?

Simple - it would be a vote-loser!

AngryAsWell wrote:Revealed: Labour party's general election campaign war room
The Guardian has obtained a floorplan of the heart of the party’s election HQ in Victoria, London. See where key members of its 250-strong operation sit, including Ed Miliband, shadow cabinet members and senior insiders

I liked this quote
"Tony Blair, on a visit to Labour’s campaign HQ this week, looked around the packed war room with a twinkle in his eye and said: “I’m really surprised to see you all here. I was told the party was so poor, I was expecting just to see Ed and Ian, the general secretary, and an empty room.”

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... n-war-room" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting to see how close Balls' team is to the action. Whatever happened to that idea that the Two Eds didn't get on?

Office planning is so important to the efficient running of any organisation. The finance department I worked in had a long open plan office with the finance director at one end and other senior managers down one side. I used to have a desk that was halfway down so that I could keep tabs on practically every section - the number of things I picked up simply keeping eyes and ears open...

edit - and sitting opposite the person responsible for corporate payments was useful too...she didn't miss much either.

Eric_WLothian wrote:
FFA is not about what's best for Scotland - it's solely about more power for Holyrood at any cost.

Is it even about that? I can't believe the SNP want responsibility for making cuts, borrowing lots more or raising taxes.

Its value is as a grievance. If it were conceded, and it shouldn't be, because the fiscal arguments were surely important in the indy ref defeat, the negotiations would be a constant source of grievances. The one you mention about decommissioning would be a classic.

I reckon fracking would come back in about 5 minutes if FFA was a serious runner. Talking of which, Jim Ratcliff doesn't seem all that bothered about the moratorium, does he?

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... y#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I had a good time on the Karren Brady thread.

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

Tubby Isaacs wrote: That there's a much bigger deficit than under the current Barnett system?

And also because too much devolution can lead to a race to the bottom. Seen it already with Air Passenger Duty. Devolved to Scotland, then immediately halved. Now if Wales and England don't reduce as well, they miss out on lots of tourism. Free money for airlines and frequent flyers.

Asking the Scots if they want more powers will always get a positive answer. However FFA is barking for a number of reasons.

- the deficit it will instantly create (as above and note the UK equivalent would be over 70 billion).
- Scotland's oil is declining steadily, it is a large part of their economy.
- there is a lot of social deprivation in Scotland and the population is small, as a state the Barnett formula lets them live beyond their means.

When you strip out the economies of scale a large country gives in terms of taxation and spending, and allow for declining oil, you are left with a country that lacks the requisite tax base for the services it now has.

That is why Labour is opposed to FFA, because it is crap for Scotland.

The Nat position is that, freed of the dragging weight of the perfidious English, they will thrive by growing their economy & developing new industries. As an argument it isn't totally devoid of merit, the Scots do have a record of punching above their weight in innovation and entrepreneurship (but they also had the Darien Scheme); as cJA points out, the renewable energy market has massive potential, which the Tories have always fought shy of - the reason being, of course, that it won't give the immediate return beloved of the Tories, so won't be plugging that gap any time soon.

So, in the medium term FFA could work, maybe; in the short term it will be nothing short of disaster.

When the SNP say Scotland it means them. They'd have joined the Euro as late as 2009, and in 2007 were complaining about Gordon Brown overregulating "Scottish" banks.

Gary ‏@Gazzab72 6 mins6 minutes ago

Police probe after Tory and Labour offices vandalised in Aberdeen. No prizes for guessing who might be responsible.

http://news.stv.tv/north/316854-police- ... -aberdeen/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Nuclear has intermittency issues. When those bad boys need to go off-line, they get taken off-line. And that's the end of energy from nuclear until they get back up again. An investment in wind turbines on & off shore should have happened nationally before now. The UK should have been leading there. The only thing preventing it now is fossil fuel investors all frantic at the thought of renewable energy providing people their energy needs. Scotland is a part of the UK - where Scotland's natural resources are best used, the nation benefits all around. Hydraulic fracturing is end game technology. That process destroys the environment. That's all.

Poor old Jeremy. I bet if he has a dog or a cat they kept out of his way when he got home.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/04 ... _hp_ref=tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And poor old Nigel. Be sure your sins will catch up with you.

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

ohsocynical wrote:Gary ‏@Gazzab72 6 mins6 minutes ago

Police probe after Tory and Labour offices vandalised in Aberdeen. No prizes for guessing who might be responsible.

http://news.stv.tv/north/316854-police- ... -aberdeen/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Duncan Hothersall ‏@dhothersall 20 mins20 minutes ago

Back in from campaigning to hear that Labour (and Tory) offices in Aberdeen have been daubed with swastika and Q for Quisling. Oh, Scotland.

At least whoever did it is being even handed.

Here's someone else who's tried to pin the BBC by letter, and had a mealy mouthed response.

BBC propagandists are busted again over NHS claims
http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2014/09/2 ... hs-claims/

ohsocynical wrote:

ohsocynical wrote:Gary ‏@Gazzab72 6 mins6 minutes ago

Police probe after Tory and Labour offices vandalised in Aberdeen. No prizes for guessing who might be responsible.

http://news.stv.tv/north/316854-police- ... -aberdeen/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Duncan Hothersall ‏@dhothersall 20 mins20 minutes ago

Back in from campaigning to hear that Labour (and Tory) offices in Aberdeen have been daubed with swastika and Q for Quisling. Oh, Scotland.

At least whoever did it is being even handed.

What about the LibDems - won't they be feeling left out?

Eric_WLothian wrote:

ohsocynical wrote:

ohsocynical wrote:Gary ‏@Gazzab72 6 mins6 minutes ago

Police probe after Tory and Labour offices vandalised in Aberdeen. No prizes for guessing who might be responsible.

http://news.stv.tv/north/316854-police- ... -aberdeen/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Duncan Hothersall ‏@dhothersall 20 mins20 minutes ago

Back in from campaigning to hear that Labour (and Tory) offices in Aberdeen have been daubed with swastika and Q for Quisling. Oh, Scotland.

At least whoever did it is being even handed.

What about the LibDems - won't they be feeling left out?

And the SNP.

(icon with halo).

There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

Just made a donation to Labour and they had a photo of Ed M at the end of the process, thought some here might appreciate it:

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

I see what you mean.

What happens next ?

.... Adam .....!

A must watch...Frances Maude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Wue8I ... e=youtu.be

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

If somebody as utterly useless as David Cameron can be PM, anybody can.

He's very "smart" Ed isn't he?

It's a look I've never mastered.

tinyclanger2 wrote:

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

I see what you mean.

What happens next ?

.... Adam .....!

S'me! Will have to look at the thresholds (might be some demotions). That or someone is going to become SoS for the Milky Way

ohsocynical wrote:A must watch...Frances Maude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Wue8I ... e=youtu.be

They are just unbelievable!

refitman wrote:

tinyclanger2 wrote:

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

I see what you mean.

What happens next ?

.... Adam .....!

S'me! Will have to look at the thresholds (might be some demotions). That or someone is going to become SoS for the Milky Way

We become EU MP's, then commissioners, and so on up the EU scale!

refitman wrote:

tinyclanger2 wrote:

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

I see what you mean.

What happens next ?

.... Adam .....!

S'me! Will have to look at the thresholds (might be some demotions). That or someone is going to become SoS for the Milky Way

I do apologize. Was distracted by trying to decide on where to put my parting.

Personally I would prefer to global/intergalactic than to face the terror of a demotion.

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 5 mins5 minutes ago

1st poll of the day, ICM Wisdom Index in which sample estimates party shares, has:

CON 31.8
LAB 31.7.

Other parties not reported in S Tel

refitman wrote:

tinyclanger2 wrote:

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

I see what you mean.

What happens next ?

.... Adam .....!

S'me! Will have to look at the thresholds (might be some demotions). That or someone is going to become SoS for the Milky Way

Oh, I don't know. I quite like a schism of a Saturday.

[youtube]V3q2jDqrjQY[/youtube]
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AngryAsWell wrote:

ohsocynical wrote:A must watch...Frances Maude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Wue8I ... e=youtu.be

They are just unbelievable!

Aren't they just. I've been laughing so hard I'm annoying Mr Ohso

refitman wrote:

tinyclanger2 wrote:

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

I see what you mean.

What happens next ?

.... Adam .....!

S'me! Will have to look at the thresholds (might be some demotions). That or someone is going to become SoS for the Milky Way

Maybe we should adopt the following ranks, which mirror certain ex PMs paths.

Book Tour Promoter
UN Important Person
Party Grandee
Disgruntled Party Grandee
General Troublemaker
Recluse

RobertSnozers wrote:
Where did this BS come from that Scotland has been exploited/dominated or whatever by England? Historically and culturally that's just not how it is, or has ever been (with the possible exception of the Thatcher years, which the SNP helped usher in.

Anglophobia is not a sound basis for running a country.

Indeed. It's this that makes my hackles rise so.

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

refitman wrote:

tinyclanger2 wrote: I see what you mean.

What happens next ?

.... Adam .....!

S'me! Will have to look at the thresholds (might be some demotions). That or someone is going to become SoS for the Milky Way

Maybe we should adopt the following ranks, which mirror certain ex PMs paths.

Book Tour Promoter
UN Important Person
Party Grandee
Disgruntled Party Grandee
General Troublemaker
Recluse

I would find the prospect of this one in particular a great motivator!

Count how many times top Tories dodge a simple question

More

[youtube]xsE9FwK7vT0[/youtube]
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

Maybe it's some sort of augur as to what'll happen after the next election ?
The SNP demanding Sturgeon & Salmond as extra PMs ?

yahyah wrote:

PorFavor wrote:There're an awful lot of Prime Ministers mooching about the place today.

Maybe it's some sort of augur as to what'll happen after the next election ?
The SNP demanding Sturgeon & Salmond as extra PMs ?

I think Salmond's going to want to be at least royalty.