FlyTheNest

Ian Jones ‏@joneyi1 now
“@MSmithsonPB: LAB takes 4% lead with YouGov in poll all taken after Thurs TV programme
LAB 36%
Con 32%
LD 8%
Ukip 13%
Green 6”

Dan Crawford ‏@dancrawford85 4m4 minutes ago

Labour lead by four with @YouGov tonight:
Labour 36%,
Conservatives 32%,
UKIP 13%,
Lib Dems 8%,
Greens 6%

#hellyes

utopiandreams wrote:Excuse me, I thought I was reading the 2010 Queen's Speech, that was my start date I entered, but have just noticed the date in my quoted extract. Seems I haven't really woken up today despite having my usual three to fours hours uninterrupted sleep. To back up my dim-wittedness, ohsocynical had me in a mild panic with her mention of the clocks going forward. I thought bloody hell I took my youngest to work somewhat late before realising that she meant tonight.

Edit: yeah I'd better not do too much thinking today, I also recall putting my bank card in the gas meter earlier.

I'm so glad I'm not the only person to put their bank card in the gas meter. I needed to use the emergency credit and when the meter failed to recognise the card, even though I tried taking it out and putting it in again, I just sat on the floor and wept. It wasn't until I'd dried my eyes and blown my nose that I looked properly at the card and saw it was my debit card!
P.S I often have to ask my friend V to do my thinking for me

Ooops Snap. Still, worth two looks eh.

Oh dear there are some really unhappy people on Twitter re: that YouGov poll.

LAB 36%
Con 32%
LD 8%
Ukip 13%
Green 6

oh sorry, snap

LAB 36%
Con 32%
LD 8%
Ukip 13%
Green 6”

oops

Tories burying an inconvenient report? Surely not!

Lords accuse Tories of ‘burying’ review that cleared EU of interference

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/m ... ers-review

Ministers have been accused by a cross-party group of peers of trying to “bury” the results of the biggest ever Whitehall examination of European Union powers, after it found no evidence that the EU was interfering excessively in any aspect of British life.

In a hugely damaging move for the government, the European Union Committee of the House of Lords, chaired by former Tory minister Lord Boswell, comes close to saying that ministers tried to cover up the findings, which do not support David Cameron’s claims that the EU is “becoming a state” and has already accrued excessive powers.

By contrast, the so-called “balance of competences” review – hailed by William Hague in 2012 as the “most extensive analysis of the impact of UK membership of the EU ever undertaken” – found no area with a case for transferring powers back from Brussels.

Oops.

Things going really well Dave...no wonder you've started started on the insults.

@TheGrimSqueaker

Goodnight!

LadyCentauria wrote:

utopiandreams wrote:Excuse me, I thought I was reading the 2010 Queen's Speech, that was my start date I entered, but have just noticed the date in my quoted extract. Seems I haven't really woken up today despite having my usual three to fours hours uninterrupted sleep. To back up my dim-wittedness, ohsocynical had me in a mild panic with her mention of the clocks going forward. I thought bloody hell I took my youngest to work somewhat late before realising that she meant tonight.

Edit: yeah I'd better not do too much thinking today, I also recall putting my bank card in the gas meter earlier.

I'm so glad I'm not the only person to put their bank card in the gas meter. I needed to use the emergency credit and when the meter failed to recognise the card, even though I tried taking it out and putting it in again, I just sat on the floor and wept. It wasn't until I'd dried my eyes and blown my nose that I looked properly at the card and saw it was my debit card!
P.S I often have to ask my friend V to do my thinking for me

Try making a 'phone call on the TV remote control. I often find that a very rewarding experience . . .

PorFavor wrote:

LadyCentauria wrote:

utopiandreams wrote:Excuse me, I thought I was reading the 2010 Queen's Speech, that was my start date I entered, but have just noticed the date in my quoted extract. Seems I haven't really woken up today despite having my usual three to fours hours uninterrupted sleep. To back up my dim-wittedness, ohsocynical had me in a mild panic with her mention of the clocks going forward. I thought bloody hell I took my youngest to work somewhat late before realising that she meant tonight.

Edit: yeah I'd better not do too much thinking today, I also recall putting my bank card in the gas meter earlier.

I'm so glad I'm not the only person to put their bank card in the gas meter. I needed to use the emergency credit and when the meter failed to recognise the card, even though I tried taking it out and putting it in again, I just sat on the floor and wept. It wasn't until I'd dried my eyes and blown my nose that I looked properly at the card and saw it was my debit card!
P.S I often have to ask my friend V to do my thinking for me

Try making a 'phone call on the TV remote control. I often find that a very rewarding experience . . .

And would have the added bonus of being able to find your phone, when you're looking for it while you're "on" the remote to someone (if you get my drift)

“@alliomack: NO BIAS? here's the woman with Cameron before she interviewed on Paxman, holding hands! ” wtf

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How sweet.

tinyclanger2 wrote:very bad move

If this is re the mug, it is one of the series of 5 based on Labours "pledge card" promises.

And yes, one of those was "controls on immigration".

I admit I am not totally sold on this being one of the 5 myself, but it also needs to be realised (and some on here may not like it) that unlimited immigration is only supported by a small minority of people in this country. However this does not mean the rest are ignorant xenophobes, racists and bigots - again, only a minority are (and not a much bigger one, if at all) Most people recognise that immigration has real benefits, but also that it needs to be controlled and managed.

As they say, discuss (where's that tinhat smiley when you need it )

PorFavor wrote:

LadyCentauria wrote:

utopiandreams wrote:Excuse me, I thought I was reading the 2010 Queen's Speech, that was my start date I entered, but have just noticed the date in my quoted extract. Seems I haven't really woken up today despite having my usual three to fours hours uninterrupted sleep. To back up my dim-wittedness, ohsocynical had me in a mild panic with her mention of the clocks going forward. I thought bloody hell I took my youngest to work somewhat late before realising that she meant tonight.

Edit: yeah I'd better not do too much thinking today, I also recall putting my bank card in the gas meter earlier.

I'm so glad I'm not the only person to put their bank card in the gas meter. I needed to use the emergency credit and when the meter failed to recognise the card, even though I tried taking it out and putting it in again, I just sat on the floor and wept. It wasn't until I'd dried my eyes and blown my nose that I looked properly at the card and saw it was my debit card!
P.S I often have to ask my friend V to do my thinking for me

Try making a 'phone call on the TV remote control. I often find that a very rewarding experience . . .

I once got to work and tried to gain entry to the car park with my swipe card...which turned out to be my library card. Ah, no wonder it didn't work.

Goodnight, PF

AnatolyKasparov wrote:

tinyclanger2 wrote:very bad move

If this is re the mug, it is one of the series of 5 based on Labours "pledge card" promises.

And yes, one of those was "controls on immigration".

I admit I am not totally sold on this being one of the 5 myself, but it also needs to be realised (and some on here may not like it) that unlimited immigration is only supported by a small minority of people in this country. However this does not mean the rest are ignorant xenophobes, racists and bigots - again, only a minority are (and not a much bigger one, if at all) Most people recognise that immigration has real benefits, but also that it needs to be controlled and managed.

As they say, discuss (where's that tinhat smiley when you need it )

I don't think it's really that bad. I was just saying much the same as you did to someone else just now. It's not exactly a bombshell, is it? To leave that mug out of the collection would, in my opinion, have been a major gaffe. I suppose not doing the mugs at all would have been the only option.

@ citizenJA

Goodnight - sleep well and be ready to spring forward one hour for tomorrow!

Remarkable

The most astonishing thing in that is the admission of "success" - 24 hours ago the right wing MSM was still trying to hold the line that Cameron was the real "winner"

PorFavor wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote:

tinyclanger2 wrote:very bad move

If this is re the mug, it is one of the series of 5 based on Labours "pledge card" promises.

And yes, one of those was "controls on immigration".

I admit I am not totally sold on this being one of the 5 myself, but it also needs to be realised (and some on here may not like it) that unlimited immigration is only supported by a small minority of people in this country. However this does not mean the rest are ignorant xenophobes, racists and bigots - again, only a minority are (and not a much bigger one, if at all) Most people recognise that immigration has real benefits, but also that it needs to be controlled and managed.

As they say, discuss (where's that tinhat smiley when you need it )

I don't think it's really that bad. I was just saying much the same as you did to someone else just now. It's not exactly a bombshell, is it? To leave that mug out of the collection would, in my opinion, have been a major gaffe. I suppose not doing the mugs at all would have been the only option.

Exactly.

You can almost imagine whoever had the idea of doing the mugs for the first couple of pledges going "oh shit"....

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Remarkable

Hell, yes!

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

PorFavor wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote: If this is re the mug, it is one of the series of 5 based on Labours "pledge card" promises.

And yes, one of those was "controls on immigration".

I admit I am not totally sold on this being one of the 5 myself, but it also needs to be realised (and some on here may not like it) that unlimited immigration is only supported by a small minority of people in this country. However this does not mean the rest are ignorant xenophobes, racists and bigots - again, only a minority are (and not a much bigger one, if at all) Most people recognise that immigration has real benefits, but also that it needs to be controlled and managed.

As they say, discuss (where's that tinhat smiley when you need it )

I don't think it's really that bad. I was just saying much the same as you did to someone else just now. It's not exactly a bombshell, is it? To leave that mug out of the collection would, in my opinion, have been a major gaffe. I suppose not doing the mugs at all would have been the only option.

Exactly.

You can almost imagine whoever had the idea of doing the mugs for the first couple of pledges going "oh shit"....

I know I've already thanked you for the post but I just wanted to report in to say that I'm still tittering at that mental image.

RogerOThornhill wrote:

PorFavor wrote:

LadyCentauria wrote: I'm so glad I'm not the only person to put their bank card in the gas meter. I needed to use the emergency credit and when the meter failed to recognise the card, even though I tried taking it out and putting it in again, I just sat on the floor and wept. It wasn't until I'd dried my eyes and blown my nose that I looked properly at the card and saw it was my debit card!
P.S I often have to ask my friend V to do my thinking for me

Try making a 'phone call on the TV remote control. I often find that a very rewarding experience . . .

I once got to work and tried to gain entry to the car park with my swipe card...which turned out to be my library card. Ah, no wonder it didn't work.

Last week I went to watch Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough and, rather than show the guy on the turnstile my credit-card season ticket, I handed over my bus ticket. The look on his face as he tried to process this strange turn of events was priceless but probably not has funny as my own as I realised what an idiot I'd been.

Good evening everybody

Coming into the home straight now with things looking okay, but more tension to come

The Tories really are despicable and we should all focus on having them out in May. No combination of other parties can be as bad and Miliband is a man who will surprise his doubters I hope....may not win on all smoothness and plasticity but I think we have all had enough of that haven't we?

What is almost a certainty though is that the Tories will have failed to win a majority again......1992 being the last.......and will no longer (to be honest they aren't now) a national party. The are a party of the affluent areas and the affluent classes and that reeks of only one outcome...feudalism

Just on the immigration mug...I fails to see what else they can do (although the mg is crap to be fair). Immigration is a big issue in the poorer communities and has to be addressed....ignoring it will not work. An anodyne statement on 'Controls on Immigration' gives a lot of leeway (who really wants no controls?) and I will wait to see the manifesto

I expect, and know from personal experience, that the UKIP approach is not as widely supported as they like to think but it can fester away if Labour ignores this (the Tories and UKIP are pretty close on this subject and UKIP seems to be writing Tory policies on this so will refer to them both as UKIP).

I hope to see a balanced proposal by Labour on immigration, making it a hospitable place for those who come to reside in the UK but also with a clampdown on immigrant exploitation and providing adequate support for communities where they reside.

We all seem to shy away from discussions on immigration but we shouldn't and we shouldn't expect the Labour Party to either. What we should demand is that any policies are sensible and balanced. If Labour really tries to follow the UKIP agenda then we should shout loudly at that point!

By the way the media can fuck right off and I would hope to see some proposals for implementation of Leveson and some controls on foreign ownership of our media.....I want to see the faces of those establishment lickspittles at the BBC and elsewhere come a Miliband premiership. Revenge is a dish best served with arsenic!

Goodnight, everyone.

PorFavor wrote:From Swarthlander's link to the Huffington Post article -

David Cameron has admitted the General Election is on a "knife-edge" as he set out to woo voters with the promise of a "truly seven-day" NHS if the Conservatives are returned to power on May 7. (my emphasis)

So the NHS has got seven days left after a Conservative election win? Sounds about right.

Edited to add -

And those were his exact words (in the above quote) - I've just heard him say it.

Apparently, "millions can already see their GP seven days a week." Who knew? Unless he's counting the patients of GP practices which still do home visits themselves rather than through an external cover service. He can't possibly be talking about surgeries that are open seven days a week, can he?

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

Are things starting to move on Palestine ?
Barack Obama’s top aide says Israeli ‘occupation’ must end
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/d ... z3Vj1eAhof" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And
Russia to help Palestinians to independent state

http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/A ... 9811.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This academy made a song and dance about its "zero tolerance" approach.

It's just had a disastrous Ofsted.

http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection ... ELS/137779" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Behaviour found to be not very good at all- sounds like mischievous kids have thought "In for a penny, in for a pound". So many suspensions that lots of kids falling behing. And school hasn't been keeping up recording them.

Sounded so easy, that Sheriff Mikey stuff. Though worth recalling that Mikey's intake was gerrymandered nicely in the first place. Being pedantic about ties with kids committed to learning is one thing. Doing it with kids who are less committed doesn't always go down that well.

Seems like those softy teachers might have known what they're doing after all.

I see that Osborne and Michael Green are going for Miliband too as reported in the DT.

In a three-pronged attack, Grant Shapps, the Tory chairman, said Ed Miliband is the least prepared Labour leader since Neil Kinnock,

Not quite sure what that's supposed to mean - besides being Brown's SpAd at the treasury and a minister for two years, Miliband was a cabinet minister whereas neither Kinnock nor Blair even had been anywhere near government before they became PM.

And neither it should be pointed out...had Cameron or Osborne. Miliband has more experience in government than either of them before they took office.

Yeah, what a bizarre attack. He's also been an MP a year longer than Cameron had.

Neil Kinnock had been an MP for 17 and 22 years when he "ran for PM".

AnatolyKasparov wrote:The most astonishing thing in that is the admission of "success" - 24 hours ago the right wing MSM was still trying to hold the line that Cameron was the real "winner"

They had to give up.

Plan B is "Cameron builds momentum".

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Yeah, what a bizarre attack. He's also been an MP a year longer than Cameron had.

Neil Kinnock had been an MP for 17 and 22 years when he "ran for PM".

They're losing it right now - they've got nothing good to say about their own story as it involves cuts, cuts and more cuts*...so they've turned the guns on Miliband.

* Apart from the 7 day week NHS which is funded from...where exactly?

RogerOThornhill wrote:I see that Osborne and Michael Green are going for Miliband too as reported in the DT.

In a three-pronged attack, Grant Shapps, the Tory chairman, said Ed Miliband is the least prepared Labour leader since Neil Kinnock,

Not quite sure what that's supposed to mean - besides being Brown's SpAd at the treasury and a minister for two years, Miliband was a cabinet minister whereas neither Kinnock nor Blair even had been anywhere near government before they became PM.

And neither it should be pointed out...had Cameron or Osborne. Miliband has more experience in government than either of them before they took office.

And an extra year as an MP too.

Cameron thinks knocking around with Etonians counts as experience.

RogerOThornhill wrote:

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Yeah, what a bizarre attack. He's also been an MP a year longer than Cameron had.

Neil Kinnock had been an MP for 17 and 22 years when he "ran for PM".

They're losing it right now - they've got nothing good to say about their own story as it involves cuts, cuts and more cuts*...so they've turned the guns on Miliband.

* Apart from the 7 day week NHS which is funded from...where exactly?

Funded from other parts of the NHS below the radar, and operating only in a few places of which Hunt claims ownership. Some guff is then talked about how clever old Hunt will get everywhere operating 24/7. When people ask questions later, someone like the Royal College of Nursing will be blamed as blocking it.

You might notice a similarity with the Academies programme here.

peace
love
sleep
labour majority
cJA

I went to see Cabaret this evening, put on by my daughter's college (she was in the orchestra) and was reminded of this, the send-off Spitting Image gave to the General Election campaign of 1987

[youtube]ReIAna459sg[/youtube]

AnatolyKasparov wrote:The most astonishing thing in that is the admission of "success" - 24 hours ago the right wing MSM was still trying to hold the line that Cameron was the real "winner"

I tend to agree with that. Stepping back for a minute, one poll is just one poll. That 4 point lead may well be an outlier. However I keep coming back to fundamentals.

The Tory policy offer is just shit, it really is. More of the same (rich old people well off, poor and middle incomes struggling). Miliband is weak, vote for macho Dave (the Toff on your side). We will get tax cuts to the rich by hammering the NHS and screwing over the disabled.

The reason Cameron has gone personal is because he has nothing to offer. This is actually a massive strategic mistake (I cannot believe Crosby sanctioned it). By getting dirty, Cameron sacrifices the statesman card, he now just looks grubby. I thought the best moment of the Paxman interview was when Paxo claimed Miliband was a North London geek and Miliband just smiled, shrugged his shoulders and said "meh". This bollocks from Cameron will get the same treatment.

Labour should ignore the insults and keep talking about their future vision.

citizenJA wrote:Good-evening, ScarletGas, Discordandharmony & Tubby Isaaces!
Apologies if I've neglected to name a specific friend I've not had the pleasure of reading for awhile.
Good-evening, all.

Seconded And welcome to our latest new member Lilylupin – hope you'll come in and join the conversations!

Just been watching Click and rather than complain to the BBC thought I'd pass my thoughts on here. I was particularly incensed that a small clip did not carry a warning, not exactly a health warning but one of well-being nevertheless. They demonstrated how to make a smart phone stand using a paper-clip, but not once did they advise that you should first seek the owner's permission.

The reason I say this is that amongst many of the words of advice that I have passed to my kids and their friends is never ever break your employers' trust. Whether it be by lying or by stealing something as insignificant as a paper-clip, once broken trust is particularly hard to regain. It's a pity that our politicians were never similarly advised.

Cameron may advise us of a choice between competence or chaos or that lefties are holier than thou. No just holier than you, dim-wit. So far Miliband seems far more trustworthy, which is refreshing for a modern politician. Please take heed of my words, Ed, and do not let us down.

Edit: repeated word!

RobertSnozers wrote:Morning all. Have been ill and can't sleep, so...

Sorry to hear that Robert and thanks for the thumbs-up. I've not read your contribution yet but shall do so later as I'm going out. Yep this isn't insomnia. Nevertheless I only had 2½ hours of uninterrupted sleep; I really need at least three (3½ to 4 is preferable).

Back now, but before I start reading posts did anybody watch Coalition last night. I'd forgotten all about it and by the time I saw it was on it was too late even on +1. No doubt it's available on 4oD but is it worth it. Thanks in advance.

Sorry to hear you're ill, @Robert Snozers. That funding hold-up is terrible and as for having to start the process all over again with documents already signed because there'd been a change of logo is just – well, it's beyond words!

@utopiandreams: I watched it but forgot to say. Yes, it's worth watching as a dramatised-documentary although how 'true' it is, in 'who said what to whom' terms, is hard to say. But it works. I gave up my weekly fix of Montalbano for it; and stayed with it instead of switching over, which I'd thought I might before it started. Certainly took me back to five years ago.

Final thoughts before watching the Grand Prix. I recently read that the more intelligent we are the more prone to lying, something that I found particularly disheartening when comparing myself to the vast array of, particularly government, politicians that grace our screens. However I was soon able to console my hurt pride with the realisation that I must therefore have deserved my many beatings as a child.

The other day when I was baby-sitting, my granddaughter picked up a polished pebble necklace and tried to put it over my head. Yeah there may have been a time I wore beads and bangles but those days are well and truly passed. Anyway as I was trying to stop her and being concerned that she may break the catch I told her to stop playing with it, it was her mum's and not hers and that Mummy would be cross if she broke it; she insisted it were hers as she would. Nevertheless I stuck to my guns advising her otherwise and put them well out of her way once I had retrieved them.

Oh dear a right tantrum ensued with her eventually lying face down on the floor, almost screaming. No worries just a test of wills. After several minutes her brother who had been present throughout asked what was wrong with her and after I explained told me that it was in fact hers, it being a present from her maternal grandmother. I felt a little peeved that it had taken him so long to notice, but what could I do, his having an attention disorder? After my profuse apologies to little one I explained how silly Grandad was. But then she, and I, already knew that.

Morning all. Blast the clocks going forward. It takes me weeks to adjust. A wet Sunday morning, so mowing the lawn can be cancelled out.

Just found this on Twitter.

Dr Éoin Clarke ‏@LabourEoin 43 mins43 minutes ago

This is Big. Very big. Tory Thugs (wearing Alex Salmond mask in disguise) were behind physical assault on Ed Miliband

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/si ... gn-5420141 …

If true oh dear.

Edited to add this.

jolly_angelina ‏@jolly_angelina 22 mins22 minutes ago

.@philleehh Tim Smith, Tory press officer mentioned. Is this the disgraced MP who took £25k off Al Fayed? @LabourEoin

A scathing review of the police’s failure to investigate rapes has been delayed until after the ­election to avoid a public outcry.
Officers have been told the damning report, which was due to be published last month, has been shelved because of “political interference”.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/po ... rt-5419517" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


This government has a very large lumpy carpet.



Good morning.

Morning, wet and windy here too. Daffodils and new lambs are getting a bashing.

I know several FTNers have been following NHS property sell off and the Indie think it a good thing.

Their editorial:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/edi ... 41313.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

& their 'exclusive':
'NHS property sale could raise £7.5bn to help pay off its growing deficit and free up space for housing'

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 41506.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edited to add: The Indie think the sell off is a good thing, not that several FTNers have been following the story. Anyone got an old copy of 'Eats, Shoots & Leaves' ?

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