FlyTheNest

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

howsillyofme1 wrote:Evenin' all

Firstly, can I say well done to the two amongst us who have new jobs - if they are as as effective, intelligent and empathetic as on here I am sure they will make a great success of them....

Secondly, I felt it was time to come clean on my current situation. I can do this as I have found a 'political' home with interesting and good 'friends'

I am no longer a UK resident, I have lived in Switzerland (boo hiss!) for a few years now. Before you ask; no I am not a banker - I work on a manufacturing site (albeit situated at the foot of the Alps) doing a similar job to that which I did on two UK sites. So then, you can fairly ask, why do I post about British politics?

I think my perspective have changed since I moved. I am still committed to seeing the UK do the right thing and show its potential to the world - in many ways it has so much to offer and I hate to see it underselling itself as a pseudo-USA. I also intend to retire back to the UK; no matter how many years I live here it will not be 'home'. i am not an ex-Pat. I speak French, I work on a Francophone site, I am integrated but I understand what it is to be, what I am in the end, an economic migrant!

I have family back in the UK and I also know what I believe in. Funnily I cannot vote in Switzerland but can in the UK (Huddersfield and for the next 7 years!!!) - although I don't. I also travel back often enough,to my home town in the West Midlands, often enough to see the effect of Tory governmnt on my area, of which I am immensely proud (and also some years of Labour as well)

I will continue to post here and I wanted everyone to have some context to my posts. Also, Switzerland is a complex society; on one hand the country of tax efficient corporations, on the other one where my commune of 900 people has a council of 50 people and virtually all services are devolved to the communal or, at most, cantonal level

A Huddersfield connection. That's where I'm from if you didn't know? And from the info given I've a good idea where you must work

howsillyofme1 wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

howsillyofme1 wrote:Evenin' all

Firstly, can I say well done to the two amongst us who have new jobs - if they are as as effective, intelligent and empathetic as on here I am sure they will make a great success of them....

Secondly, I felt it was time to come clean on my current situation. I can do this as I have found a 'political' home with interesting and good 'friends'

I am no longer a UK resident, I have lived in Switzerland (boo hiss!) for a few years now. Before you ask; no I am not a banker - I work on a manufacturing site (albeit situated at the foot of the Alps) doing a similar job to that which I did on two UK sites. So then, you can fairly ask, why do I post about British politics?

I think my perspective have changed since I moved. I am still committed to seeing the UK do the right thing and show its potential to the world - in many ways it has so much to offer and I hate to see it underselling itself as a pseudo-USA. I also intend to retire back to the UK; no matter how many years I live here it will not be 'home'. i am not an ex-Pat. I speak French, I work on a Francophone site, I am integrated but I understand what it is to be, what I am in the end, an economic migrant!

I have family back in the UK and I also know what I believe in. Funnily I cannot vote in Switzerland but can in the UK (Huddersfield and for the next 7 years!!!) - although I don't. I also travel back often enough,to my home town in the West Midlands, often enough to see the effect of Tory governmnt on my area, of which I am immensely proud (and also some years of Labour as well)

I will continue to post here and I wanted everyone to have some context to my posts. Also, Switzerland is a complex society; on one hand the country of tax efficient corporations, on the other one where my commune of 900 people has a council of 50 people and virtually all services are devolved to the communal or, at most, cantonal level

A Huddersfield connection. That's where I'm from if you didn't know? And from the info given I've a good idea where you must work

I bet you can! I worked in Hudds for 3 years - lived near Castle Hill. Really enjoyed it and it was a hard decision to move. Had a beer tonight with one of my ex-colleagues who was over here for business!

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

howsillyofme1 wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote: A Huddersfield connection. That's where I'm from if you didn't know? And from the info given I've a good idea where you must work

I bet you can! I worked in Hudds for 3 years - lived near Castle Hill. Really enjoyed it and it was a hard decision to move. Had a beer tonight with one of my ex-colleagues who was over here for business!

That's where my Grandparents lived! Top of Almondbury with a spectacular view of Castle Hill

Robin Brant ‏@robindbrant 24m24 minutes ago
I'm hearing Tory whips acknowledge #ClactonByElection is all but lost BUT gove reckons they can re take it in 2015

rebeccariots2 wrote:

Wisbech: the end of the road for migrant workers
Most of Wisbech’s 10,000 migrant workers have travelled from eastern Europe with dreams of earning a better living – but many find themselves housed in squalid conditions, exploited by corrupt gangmasters
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... ern-europe

This is a pretty distressing read. And it shows many of the practices and issues that need to be dealt with re immigration and work. I've never understood why the 'gangmaster' system is generally portrayed as OK, the acceptable and legitimate way of recruiting and managing immigrant workers - it seems despicable to me.

Local politicians are angry with the factories for outsourcing recruitment to agencies, enabling them to turn a blind eye to abuses. Virginia Bucknor, an independent town and district councillor, representing the deprived Waterlees ward, says: “They are taken advantage of quite appallingly. A lot of agencies are employed by these factories, which are international organisations; when they employ agency workers, the agency pays the employees. Why does the factory decide to employ via the agency? It’s so they can say: any issue, not my problem. I’ve seen employees from eastern Europe receive £7, after deductions, after doing a full week’s work. Deductions are made for transport from eastern Europe, for housing, which is often in an HMO, sometimes bed-sharing, over the shifts.

“My concern is that companies absolve themselves from responsibility because they are taking them on via agencies.”

Earlier this year a local gangmaster was prosecuted for destroying payslips to allow him to underpay his workers.

This has got to be challenged and changed somehow. Could a factory / producer be made responsible for ensuring the proper wage and conditions are in place even if employing through an agency? Something has to be done to shame them into acting responsibly.

A Labour government will tackle the exploitation of migrant workers that undercuts local workers

letsskiptotheleft wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
Good on you! Congrats. I'll be starting a new job next month, for Cameron's favourite organisation, the Welsh NHS!

That's brilliant news lets skip. Hope it's all you wanted

Yep, it is, be good to start now, ta Paul.

howsillyofme1 wrote:Evenin' all

Firstly, can I say well done to the two amongst us who have new jobs - if they are as as effective, intelligent and empathetic as on here I am sure they will make a great success of them....

Secondly, I felt it was time to come clean on my current situation. I can do this as I have found a 'political' home with interesting and good 'friends'

I am no longer a UK resident, I have lived in Switzerland (boo hiss!) for a few years now. Before you ask; no I am not a banker - I work on a manufacturing site (albeit situated at the foot of the Alps) doing a similar job to that which I did on two UK sites. So then, you can fairly ask, why do I post about British politics?

I think my perspective have changed since I moved. I am still committed to seeing the UK do the right thing and show its potential to the world - in many ways it has so much to offer and I hate to see it underselling itself as a pseudo-USA. I also intend to retire back to the UK; no matter how many years I live here it will not be 'home'. i am not an ex-Pat. I speak French, I work on a Francophone site, I am integrated but I understand what it is to be, what I am in the end, an economic migrant!

I have family back in the UK and I also know what I believe in. Funnily I cannot vote in Switzerland but can in the UK (Huddersfield and for the next 7 years!!!) - although I don't. I also travel back often enough,to my home town in the West Midlands, often enough to see the effect of Tory governmnt on my area, of which I am immensely proud (and also some years of Labour as well)

I will continue to post here and I wanted everyone to have some context to my posts. Also, Switzerland is a complex society; on one hand the country of tax efficient corporations, on the other one where my commune of 900 people has a council of 50 people and virtually all services are devolved to the communal or, at most, cantonal level

yahyah wrote:Anyone else feeling nervous about the by elections tomorrow ?

Much as putting trouble Cameron's way would be good, having a UKIP MP would set an awful precedent.

Am just reading CJ Sansom's Dominion, a 'what if' thriller set in 1950's Britain after a pact was made with Hitler.

His heartfelt writing about the perils of nationalism in his notes at the end of the book seemed prescient written a couple of years ago.
Sansom has a particular dislike of Salmond and the SNP but if he was writing it now no doubt UKIP would take up his attention.

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:You can't get better than 33/1 ON Labour winning in Heywood & Middleton.

The same bookies have UKIP at 8/1

So not impossible but I'm not losing sleep

rebeccariots2 wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote: I suppose we can just tell ourselves it's the same person ... cos it is ... it's really just the tie and perfume / smelly changing.

Hmm. Thing is he was never really going to have that much influence in the Tories, but now we'll never stop hearing from him

On which, unbelievably there was a Kipper on Twitter moaning that the Lib Dems were getting too much exposure on the BBC.

If you saw the photo of Carswell on motorbike (his?) put out earlier today .... it should have reassured you that he is going to continue being a prize twat .... nothing can change that .... he might just be an even bigger one. Just what UKIP needs.

AngryAsWell wrote:Former Labour cabinet member for Waltham Forest Afzal Akram has joined Ukip in Ealing
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/w ... ref=twtrec" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mr Akram, who is of Pakistani heritage, reportedly joined the right wing, eurosceptic, anti-immigration party about three months ago after becoming “disenchanted” with Labour.

RogerOThornhill wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote:Former Labour cabinet member for Waltham Forest Afzal Akram has joined Ukip in Ealing
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/w ... ref=twtrec" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mr Akram, who is of Pakistani heritage, reportedly joined the right wing, eurosceptic, anti-immigration party about three months ago after becoming “disenchanted” with Labour.

I've never heard "disenchanted" being used for "thrown out of" before.

howsillyofme1 wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

howsillyofme1 wrote:
I bet you can! I worked in Hudds for 3 years - lived near Castle Hill. Really enjoyed it and it was a hard decision to move. Had a beer tonight with one of my ex-colleagues who was over here for business!

That's where my Grandparents lived! Top of Almondbury with a spectacular view of Castle Hill

I lived just off top of Somerset Road, just before the village, coming from town. Handy for Huddersfield and the way out towards Holmfirth - lovely......

Sun Politics ‏@Sun_Politics 1m1 minute ago
YouGov/Sun poll tonight - Labour ahead by one point: CON 33%, LAB 34%, LD 7%, UKIP 14%

AngryAsWell wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:You can't get better than 33/1 ON Labour winning in Heywood & Middleton.

The same bookies have UKIP at 8/1

So not impossible but I'm not losing sleep

I've just got a weird feeling - not good
Remember my "Send Kate and whatshisname up to Scotland and announce she's expecting"
The Very Next Day
They announced baby 2

(Cue scary, creepy music....with ghosty sounds)

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:You can't get better than 33/1 ON Labour winning in Heywood & Middleton.

The same bookies have UKIP at 8/1

So not impossible but I'm not losing sleep

I've just got a weird feeling - not good
Remember my "Send Kate and whatshisname up to Scotland and announce she's expecting"
The Very Next Day
They announced baby 2

(Cue scary, creepy music....with ghosty sounds)

Nah, Labour will hold this one. I predicted the Bake Off winner correctly, so I'm on a roll (so to speak) at the moment.

AngryAsWell wrote:Police to Investigate Allegations of Greater Manchester Labour-LibDem Cover Up Deal on Child Abuse

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/police-investi ... se-1469132" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bad timing, but don't care who they are or what party they with this whole dirty period of time needs cleaning up - and out.

51A wrote:

howsillyofme1 wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote: That's where my Grandparents lived! Top of Almondbury with a spectacular view of Castle Hill

I lived just off top of Somerset Road, just before the village, coming from town. Handy for Huddersfield and the way out towards Holmfirth - lovely......

Hello, sorry to intrude but: Gosh I spent half my childhood rolly-pollying down the hill from the castle. You know the pub's gone now? My Grandad wouldn't be pleased, I think it was half the reason he took us up there. I live in Wales now but from Hudds originally and if I said Yetton would you which village I meant? Did anyone used to go see the jazz/blues in the White Lion or the Crown from the late 70s to the early 90s, if so and you knew any of the muso's I'll bet we've met (I moved away but kept going back but not been back for far too long). Still have family there though, cousin who lives in the marvellously named village of Netherthong, among others. There must be something in the water of the Calder!

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

51A wrote:

howsillyofme1 wrote: I lived just off top of Somerset Road, just before the village, coming from town. Handy for Huddersfield and the way out towards Holmfirth - lovely......

Hello, sorry to intrude but: Gosh I spent half my childhood rolly-pollying down the hill from the castle. You know the pub's gone now? My Grandad wouldn't be pleased, I think it was half the reason he took us up there. I live in Wales now but from Hudds originally and if I said Yetton would you which village I meant? Did anyone used to go see the jazz/blues in the White Lion or the Crown from the late 70s to the early 90s, if so and you knew any of the muso's I'll bet we've met (I moved away but kept going back but not been back for far too long). Still have family there though, cousin who lives in the marvellously named village of Netherthong, among others. There must be something in the water of the Calder!

Wow a veritable FTN Castle Hill fan club

Yes the pub's gone do you know the story? Your Grandad might have a laugh. The owners basically knocked it down and built a bigger version, specifically ignoring the planning restrictions to maintain parts of the original structure. The result was the new pub was demolished too!

Do give me a shout next time you're in Netherthong, just down the road from Upperthong of course. Though I may need to remind you that Huddersfield isn't on the Calder

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

51A wrote:

howsillyofme1 wrote: I lived just off top of Somerset Road, just before the village, coming from town. Handy for Huddersfield and the way out towards Holmfirth - lovely......

Hello, sorry to intrude but: Gosh I spent half my childhood rolly-pollying down the hill from the castle. You know the pub's gone now? My Grandad wouldn't be pleased, I think it was half the reason he took us up there. I live in Wales now but from Hudds originally and if I said Yetton would you which village I meant? Did anyone used to go see the jazz/blues in the White Lion or the Crown from the late 70s to the early 90s, if so and you knew any of the muso's I'll bet we've met (I moved away but kept going back but not been back for far too long). Still have family there though, cousin who lives in the marvellously named village of Netherthong, among others. There must be something in the water of the Calder!

Wow a veritable FTN Castle Hill fan club

Yes the pub's gone do you know the story? Your Grandad might have a laugh. The owners basically knocked it down and built a bigger version, specifically ignoring the planning restrictions to maintain parts of the original structure. The result was the new pub was demolished too!

Do give me a shout next time you're in Netherthong, just down the road from Upperthong of course. Though I may need to remind you that Huddersfield isn't on the Calder

LadyCentauria wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

51A wrote: Hello, sorry to intrude but: Gosh I spent half my childhood rolly-pollying down the hill from the castle. You know the pub's gone now? My Grandad wouldn't be pleased, I think it was half the reason he took us up there. I live in Wales now but from Hudds originally and if I said Yetton would you which village I meant? Did anyone used to go see the jazz/blues in the White Lion or the Crown from the late 70s to the early 90s, if so and you knew any of the muso's I'll bet we've met (I moved away but kept going back but not been back for far too long). Still have family there though, cousin who lives in the marvellously named village of Netherthong, among others. There must be something in the water of the Calder!

Wow a veritable FTN Castle Hill fan club

Yes the pub's gone do you know the story? Your Grandad might have a laugh. The owners basically knocked it down and built a bigger version, specifically ignoring the planning restrictions to maintain parts of the original structure. The result was the new pub was demolished too!

Do give me a shout next time you're in Netherthong, just down the road from Upperthong of course. Though I may need to remind you that Huddersfield isn't on the Calder

I was a fan of the Castle Inn so very sorry to hear it's gone. Had friends in Slaithwaite but I don't know where they are now, sadly. My shoes were always bought at Dewsbury Market when I was a kid – we used to go over on the bus from my aunt' and uncle's house when they lived in Wakefield. There was a dairy shop there where the owner (a friend of my aunt) used to let me curl, pat, and wrap our butter order but I was too little to use the cheese-wire; and the shoes (and many of our clothes) came from the market stalls. In later years, my mum and I went there especially to buy curtains and upholstery fabrics there, too. And we used to go to Huddersfield for some reason I can't drag from the depths of my memory. The Castle Inn is graven on my memory, though, probably from being taken up Castle Hill in those distant days. I know we'd never have parked in the car-park back then – even if my father had driven us over there he'd have parked the car miles away and we'd have walked (or run) up to the top and back. And I've still got some family around Leeds, Harrogate, Sheffield, and Dewsbury.

51A wrote:

LadyCentauria wrote:
I was a fan of the Castle Inn so very sorry to hear it's gone. Had friends in Slaithwaite but I don't know where they are now, sadly. My shoes were always bought at Dewsbury Market when I was a kid – we used to go over on the bus from my aunt' and uncle's house when they lived in Wakefield. There was a dairy shop there where the owner (a friend of my aunt) used to let me curl, pat, and wrap our butter order but I was too little to use the cheese-wire; and the shoes (and many of our clothes) came from the market stalls. In later years, my mum and I went there especially to buy curtains and upholstery fabrics there, too. And we used to go to Huddersfield for some reason I can't drag from the depths of my memory. The Castle Inn is graven on my memory, though, probably from being taken up Castle Hill in those distant days. I know we'd never have parked in the car-park back then – even if my father had driven us over there he'd have parked the car miles away and we'd have walked (or run) up to the top and back. And I've still got some family around Leeds, Harrogate, Sheffield, and Dewsbury.

I keep trying to tell people about Dewsbury Market, I'm from Mirfield! Dewsbury Market took up the whole of the town on Wednesdays and Saturdays, it was both sides of the road for what seemed like miles, lengthways and widthways and you could furnish your house, dress your family, make your clothes and soft furnishings from the fabric stalls, feed yourself on the day from the tripe stalls, feed your family from the meat and fish stalls, all the veg stalls. This was 60s and 70s mind. I hope it's still a going concern today.

ErnstRemarx wrote:OK, checking in and out for the last time tonight.

Thanks to all for the congratulations - it'll make a big difference chez nous, and I hope that everyone's well and happy. She's asleep and MsRemarx is at conference (union) and I hope is rocking the casbah.

When I'm less tired tomorrow, I'll tell you all you how the job swung on being a local politico. I don't think you'll quite believe it. I'm not sure I do so myself.