FlyTheNest

ohsocynical wrote:@CitizenJA

Think this might interest you.

http://www.clientearth.org/news/press-r ... -2015-2821

Of interest to me too, so thanks It's been one of my favourite buildings since I was a child – and has a café that (last time I visited) had surprisingly proper-caff prices for the centre of London. Come the revolution, I'll be claiming it as my castle but see no obstacle to sharing it with the Supreme Court because I don't really take up an awful lot of room so could create a perfectly decent flat up in the tower and the adjoining part of the attic storey. Of course, you'd all be welcome to stay.

ErnstRemarx wrote:

StephenDolan wrote:

ErnstRemarx wrote: So you're into corparatism. Ever read any Naomi Wolf?

Or Naomi Klein

Bugger!

The Shock Doctrine, can't explain how deep an impression that book has had on me (and others I've cajoled into reading it). This Changes Everything is queued up after my current read.

Just come back from having fun on AS blog at the G and am rather surprised that nobody's commented on Evan Davis interviewing Cameron. Putting it politely I could say that Dave lacked decorum; an angry man spouting rubbish. He can't have won many over behaving like that.

Am struggling to get to grips with the fact that the Scots voted to stay in the Union, and yet are genuinely prepared to vote for a Tory/UKIP coalition (by depriving Labour of the seats they need). Do they basically just want UK on standby to bail them out if necessary or what?

http://news.sky.com/story/1464052/accid ... poll-boost" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Goodnight, everyone.

This is an outrage.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 79718.html

We simply no longer live in a democracy.

The fact the Greens are going along with this charade is also shocking. Bennett (Australian) colluding with two politicians who want to break up the UK.

Meanwhile the BBC gives the Tories a free shot in the interests of balance.

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Goodnight, PF – sweet dreams

TechnicalEphemera wrote:This is an outrage.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 79718.html

We simply no longer live in a democracy.

The fact the Greens are going along with this charade is also shocking. Bennett (Australian) colluding with two politicians who want to break up the UK.

Meanwhile the BBC gives the Tories a free shot in the interests of balance.

I agree TE. An outrage. So the Tories and Lib Dems get the opportunity to rubbish Miliband - because that's who they will rubbish - despite refusing to participate in the event proper.

TechnicalEphemera wrote:This is an outrage.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 79718.html

We simply no longer live in a democracy.

The fact the Greens are going along with this charade is also shocking. Bennett (Australian) colluding with two politicians who want to break up the UK.

Meanwhile the BBC gives the Tories a free shot in the interests of balance.

But a Tory source said they should be able to put their side of the argument. “This is a desperate tactic to distract from the fact that the pressure is on Miliband,” they said. “It is entirely right and proper that we should be there. We might just send Michael Fallon.”

The size of the balls on these people is amazing.

Spacedone wrote:

TechnicalEphemera wrote:This is an outrage.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 79718.html

We simply no longer live in a democracy.

The fact the Greens are going along with this charade is also shocking. Bennett (Australian) colluding with two politicians who want to break up the UK.

Meanwhile the BBC gives the Tories a free shot in the interests of balance.

But a Tory source said they should be able to put their side of the argument. “This is a desperate tactic to distract from the fact that the pressure is on Miliband,” they said. “It is entirely right and proper that we should be there. We might just send Michael Fallon.”

The size of the balls on these people is amazing.

I hope they do send Fallon, because I think every time he opens his mouth he costs them votes.

LadyCentauria wrote:

ohsocynical wrote:@CitizenJA

Think this might interest you.

http://www.clientearth.org/news/press-r ... -2015-2821

Of interest to me too, so thanks It's been one of my favourite buildings since I was a child – and has a café that (last time I visited) had surprisingly proper-caff prices for the centre of London. Come the revolution, I'll be claiming it as my castle but see no obstacle to sharing it with the Supreme Court because I don't really take up an awful lot of room so could create a perfectly decent flat up in the tower and the adjoining part of the attic storey. Of course, you'd all be welcome to stay.

I'm delighted by your hospitality & will bring a home-made carrot cake if that meets with your approval.

Currently, the only functional air pollution monitors in the UK are located around London at the time of this post.
http://aqicn.org/city/united-kingdom/le ... new-cross/

I've not been able to track down pollution data for the rest of the UK for several days. The BBC Weather site Ohso was good enough to link doesn't provide the data I'm usually able to get from real-time Air Quality Index linked above or from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) linked below. The website has had the following message on its website for as long as I've been without air pollution monitor data.

The UK-AIR website is currently offline. We are working to resolve this as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience.
http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/

That site is worth a visit if only to marvel at the optimism the forecasts start with only to leave readers with a final observation high levels of pollution may occur. Perhaps the monitors have been turned off so that tomorrow's Supreme Court Appeal (details posted below) may go on with as little verifiable data as possible; continuing the method of voodoo governance the last five years of Tory coalition leadership are renown for providing the people & country.

Thursday 16 April 2015
Court 1
10:30
R (on the application of ClientEarth) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Respondent)
Whether, as regards areas where compliance with nitrogen dioxide limits set out in Directive 2008/50/EC (the Air Quality Directive) could not be achieved by 1 January 2010, the Air Quality Directive requires the respondent to have prepared an air quality plan which demonstrates compliance by 1 January 2015. If so, what remedies must the Court provide where the respondent has not prepared an air quality plan which demonstrates compliance by 1 January 2015?
https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2012-0179.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, well, well ......

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/t ... -1-3745309" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

Spacedone wrote:

TechnicalEphemera wrote:This is an outrage.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 79718.html
We simply no longer live in a democracy.
The fact the Greens are going along with this charade is also shocking. Bennett (Australian) colluding with two politicians who want to break up the UK.
Meanwhile the BBC gives the Tories a free shot in the interests of balance.

But a Tory source said they should be able to put their side of the argument. “This is a desperate tactic to distract from the fact that the pressure is on Miliband,” they said. “It is entirely right and proper that we should be there. We might just send Michael Fallon.”

The size of the balls on these people is amazing.

I hope they do send Fallon, because I think every time he opens his mouth he costs them votes.

Conservative strategists will be given privileged access to “spin” the result of the second televised election debate – even though David Cameron has refused to take part in the event, The Independent has learnt.

The BBC has agreed to allow Tory representatives to attend the debate at Methodist Central Hall in London and provide them with access to journalists who will be covering it. The spin doctors will also be interviewed in a live debate “reaction” programme after the main event finishes.

Like a bad made-for-television film littered with talentless actors - oh wait - that's the last five years of Tory led coalition government.
Anybody voting Tory is making a mistake.

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Goodnight, PF.

TechnicalEphemera wrote:This is an outrage.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 79718.html

We simply no longer live in a democracy.

The fact the Greens are going along with this charade is also shocking. Bennett (Australian) colluding with two politicians who want to break up the UK.

Meanwhile the BBC gives the Tories a free shot in the interests of balance.

I agree wholeheartedly - it's outrageous. What - if anything - can be done by Labour about this? I expect nothing can be done, but am lividly thinking they should pull out on the grounds of outright biasedness by the BBC.

John Rentoul ‏@JohnRentoul 2m2 minutes ago
Update on "dodgy statistics" from @EvanHD http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/election ... 360006d957" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Well worth a look ....

I’ve just come through 30 minutes with David Cameron. The resulting interview is on BBC 1 at 7.30.

First thing to note: Cameron was in a remarkably upbeat mood. We all noticed it as soon as he arrived. What we couldn’t tell was whether he’s a man confident that he’s on course to be returned to Number 10, or whether he is demob happy in the sure knowledge that he’s about to be spending more time with his family.

Apart from that we learned these:

1. He is willing to quote dodgy statistics. He compared spending cuts made in the last parliament with the ones to be made in the next. It sounded like most of the cuts have now been made, but the stats he used looked very similar to ones the Statistics Authority admonished him for using back in December. “The figures for ‘savings’ during this Parliament and the next Parliament are drawn from different sources, are derived in different ways, and so are not directly comparable” said the National Statistician, Sir Andrew Dilnot.

and there's more ...

Sheffield Hallam 2001 tory writes telling people to vote for Clegg

Robert PestonVerified account
‏@Peston So the official Tory policy is to trounce LibDems and vice versa, but apparently not all activists got the memo

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

AngryAsWell wrote:

TechnicalEphemera wrote:This is an outrage.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 79718.html

We simply no longer live in a democracy.

The fact the Greens are going along with this charade is also shocking. Bennett (Australian) colluding with two politicians who want to break up the UK.

Meanwhile the BBC gives the Tories a free shot in the interests of balance.

I agree wholeheartedly - it's outrageous. What - if anything - can be done by Labour about this? I expect nothing can be done, but am lividly thinking they should pull out on the grounds of outright biasedness by the BBC.

I guess it depends on the terms of the debate, if the BBC lets Miliband attack Cameron in absentia then so be it. If they try and stop him doing that then Labour should walk.

Milibands actions will be to agree with the left, say he sympathises with their views and that if he can do it he will, but also say he isn't going to do a Nick Clegg. He will only promise what he can deliver. I hope he hammers the SNP on some of their more outrageous policies, and on their refusal to vote against the bedroom tax.

He should then continually hammer Cameron on housing, on human rights, on tax avoidance, on non Doms and he should basically talk directly to the audience.

He needs to have figures (not too many), command the room and largely ignore the rest of the panel. He can have a pop at Farage for fun (and he might want to condemn Bennett for backing avid badger murderers Plaid).

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

AngryAsWell wrote:

TechnicalEphemera wrote:This is an outrage.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 79718.html

We simply no longer live in a democracy.

The fact the Greens are going along with this charade is also shocking. Bennett (Australian) colluding with two politicians who want to break up the UK.

Meanwhile the BBC gives the Tories a free shot in the interests of balance.

I agree wholeheartedly - it's outrageous. What - if anything - can be done by Labour about this? I expect nothing can be done, but am lividly thinking they should pull out on the grounds of outright biasedness by the BBC.

I guess it depends on the terms of the debate, if the BBC lets Miliband attack Cameron in absentia then so be it. If they try and stop him doing that then Labour should walk.

Milibands actions will be to agree with the left, say he sympathises with their views and that if he can do it he will, but also say he isn't going to do a Nick Clegg. He will only promise what he can deliver. I hope he hammers the SNP on some of their more outrageous policies, and on their refusal to vote against the bedroom tax.

He should then continually hammer Cameron on housing, on human rights, on tax avoidance, on non Doms and he should basically talk directly to the audience.

He needs to have figures (not too many), command the room and largely ignore the rest of the panel. He can have a pop at Farage for fun (and he might want to condemn Bennett for backing avid badger murderers Plaid).

You are right of course, but the BBC are so blatantly biased they need a headline call-out on it. The only way that would happen is if Labour do walk, but then the spin put on that would land no where near the BBC Gerrr

The Telegraph ‏@Telegraph 21m21 minutes ago
Ed Miliband's US adviser David Axelrod pays no tax in Britain http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... itain.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Been waiting for the next wave of anti Ed ... timed to come out just before the challengers debate tomorrow. How convenient.

rebeccariots2 wrote:

The Telegraph ‏@Telegraph 21m21 minutes ago
Ed Miliband's US adviser David Axelrod pays no tax in Britain http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... itain.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Been waiting for the next wave of anti Ed ... timed to come out just before the challengers debate tomorrow. How convenient.

Isn't there a clue in the word "US" there?

In my old firm, they used to phone up people in other countries fairly often for advice.

I don't recall that making people liable for British tax.

Jonathan Ashworth ‏@JonAshworth 30m30 minutes ago
Well I knew things were bad....Lynton Crosby telling marginal seat Tories not to brand themselves as Tory http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-wales-32321696" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

I recommend following the link ... it's a corker of a story from Aberconwy ... we've gone beyond farce when exchanges like those reported here are happening.

The exchange started with an email in which Mr Bebb queried the lack of involvement in the election campaign by Mr Burchett, a former mayor of Llandudno.
Mr Burchett replied on Monday, saying: "I have spent the last 18 months making excuses for you not using the Welsh Conservative brand.
"Making excuses why you do not live in the constituency. Making excuses why you do not support your Assembly Member.
"In a nutshell. You have used the Conservative brand and the Aberconwy Conservative Association as a means to an end. You have only ever had one party in your heart. The 'Guto Bebb Party.'"

Beyond parody

Sky News ‏@SkyNews 3m3 minutes ago
Clegg Questions Legitimacy Of SNP In Government http://news.sky.com/story/1465770/clegg ... government" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote:

The Telegraph ‏@Telegraph 21m21 minutes ago
Ed Miliband's US adviser David Axelrod pays no tax in Britain http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... itain.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Been waiting for the next wave of anti Ed ... timed to come out just before the challengers debate tomorrow. How convenient.

Isn't there a clue in the word "US" there?

Yep, I think so. He is presumably paid in US dollars, in the same way I would be paid in GB Pounds if I worked for a US company on a contract basis.

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote:

The Telegraph ‏@Telegraph 21m21 minutes ago
Ed Miliband's US adviser David Axelrod pays no tax in Britain http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... itain.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Been waiting for the next wave of anti Ed ... timed to come out just before the challengers debate tomorrow. How convenient.

Isn't there a clue in the word "US" there?

It's a consultancy and I would imagine his company simply submits an invoice to Labour and they pay it. Pretty sure we had external consultants and there was never a question of taxing them.

So what's the issue?

RogerOThornhill wrote:

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote: Been waiting for the next wave of anti Ed ... timed to come out just before the challengers debate tomorrow. How convenient.

Isn't there a clue in the word "US" there?

It's a consultancy and I would imagine his company simply submits an invoice to Labour and they pay it. Pretty sure we had external consultants and there was never a question of taxing them.

So what's the issue?

"Miliband... pays no tax" on front of the paper is the issue.

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Beyond parody

Sky News ‏@SkyNews 3m3 minutes ago
Clegg Questions Legitimacy Of SNP In Government http://news.sky.com/story/1465770/clegg ... government" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

It is incredible. If the people of Scotland elect SNP MPs they are no more or less legitimate than any other MP at Westminster.

I can't get to the story (as the FT are better at protecting their paywall than the DT...) but the IMF are saying that we'll struggle to get the deficit down to zero by the end of the decade.

Something to do with weakness of tax revenues.

Well, that can't be right surely - George has got it under control...

Look at the snide Telegraph!

The admission comes after Ed Miliband put a crackdown foreigners (sic) who pay lower rates of tax at the heart of his election manifesto.

While it is unclear how much tax Mr Axelrod will pay in the US, the rates of tax for companies are often significantly lower than for individuals.

You could look them up.

What a joke paper.

TechnicalEphemera wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Beyond parody

Sky News ‏@SkyNews 3m3 minutes ago
Clegg Questions Legitimacy Of SNP In Government http://news.sky.com/story/1465770/clegg ... government" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

It is incredible. If the people of Scotland elect SNP MPs they are no more or less legitimate than any other MP at Westminster.

Think there's a bit of an issue with a party who just want to get out of the UK being in government, but that's no "illegitimate".

Seattle CEO Dan Price cuts own salary by 90% to pay every worker at least $70,000
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 77261.html#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Sun front page tomorrow (I just can't be bothered to do a jpg and stick it here) is pure anti Ed mockery. Again - just in time for that challengers debate tomorrow.

Definitely a second wave of anti Ed in progress. And the promise of Fallon to spin the debates ... oh joys.

Desperation time in Tory ranks, if they haven't got a lead by Monday they will start to get really nasty.

RogerOThornhill wrote:

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

rebeccariots2 wrote: Been waiting for the next wave of anti Ed ... timed to come out just before the challengers debate tomorrow. How convenient.

Isn't there a clue in the word "US" there?

It's a consultancy and I would imagine his company simply submits an invoice to Labour and they pay it. Pretty sure we had external consultants and there was never a question of taxing them.

So what's the issue?

There isn't one. It's just being made to sound like there's a problem.

Lab 35 Con 34 in tonight's Yougov.

frightful_oik wrote:Lab 35 Con 34 in tonight's Yougov.

Glad I checked before I posted. From Smithson.

For fourth consecutive night LAB have lead in YouGov Sun poll
CON 34%, LAB 35%, LD 8%, UKIP 13%, GRN 5%

Has anyone audited this £21bn of welfare (sic) cuts that Cameron keeps banking on about?

SUN FRONT PAGE: "We DO have two kitchens...nanny uses the one downstairs" #skypapers

(Having a nanny is better than leaving the kids in the pub I think)

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

Yep second stage of attacks on Labour out tonight

DAILY MAIL FRONT PAGE: "Labour's Queen of Hypocrisy" #skypapers

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

RogerOThornhill wrote:Has anyone audited this £21bn of welfare (sic) cuts that Cameron keeps banking on about?

I don't think so.

IDS went on about them too. They're what Labour "voted against".

citizenJA wrote:

LadyCentauria wrote:

ohsocynical wrote:@CitizenJA

Think this might interest you.

http://www.clientearth.org/news/press-r ... -2015-2821

Of interest to me too, so thanks It's been one of my favourite buildings since I was a child – and has a café that (last time I visited) had surprisingly proper-caff prices for the centre of London. Come the revolution, I'll be claiming it as my castle but see no obstacle to sharing it with the Supreme Court because I don't really take up an awful lot of room so could create a perfectly decent flat up in the tower and the adjoining part of the attic storey. Of course, you'd all be welcome to stay.

I'm delighted by your hospitality & will bring a home-made carrot cake if that meets with your approval.

Currently, the only functional air pollution monitors in the UK are located around London at the time of this post.
http://aqicn.org/city/united-kingdom/le ... new-cross/

I've not been able to track down pollution data for the rest of the UK for several days. The BBC Weather site Ohso was good enough to link doesn't provide the data I'm usually able to get from real-time Air Quality Index linked above or from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) linked below. The website has had the following message on its website for as long as I've been without air pollution monitor data.

The UK-AIR website is currently offline. We are working to resolve this as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience.
http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/

That site is worth a visit if only to marvel at the optimism the forecasts start with only to leave readers with a final observation high levels of pollution may occur. Perhaps the monitors have been turned off so that tomorrow's Supreme Court Appeal (details posted below) may go on with as little verifiable data as possible; continuing the method of voodoo governance the last five years of Tory coalition leadership are renown for providing the people & country.

Thursday 16 April 2015
Court 1
10:30
R (on the application of ClientEarth) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Respondent)
Whether, as regards areas where compliance with nitrogen dioxide limits set out in Directive 2008/50/EC (the Air Quality Directive) could not be achieved by 1 January 2010, the Air Quality Directive requires the respondent to have prepared an air quality plan which demonstrates compliance by 1 January 2015. If so, what remedies must the Court provide where the respondent has not prepared an air quality plan which demonstrates compliance by 1 January 2015?
https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2012-0179.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Guests bearing carrot cake are particularly welcome, cJA

Sadly, the case before the Supreme Court wo'n't give an opinion on this latest round of the failures in the nationwide monitoring system - unless it's been out-of-service since before 1st January 2015, in which case a view might be taken that the circumstance of inability to demonstrate compliance continues. That might raise another argument as to whether or not the SoS DEFRA could be held in any way liable for the breakdown of a system which has worked in the relatively recent past, at least on occasion. And some sort of forecasting system is working for London, if not the detailed reporting we should be able to expect. It's not good enough that most of the system seems to have been down for more than a week, now, though.

Some of the kerbside monitoring stations in London are owned or operated by local groups, schools, and colleges and are additional to the statutory requirements on the boroughs, agencies, and the GLA. Boris gets pretty regular bollockings from the GLA members, and the electorate, on the breaches of limits and guidelines, so I'm sure he'll be in for another round on this latest fiasco!

AngryAsWell wrote:SUN FRONT PAGE: "We DO have two kitchens...nanny uses the one downstairs" #skypapers

(Having a nanny is better than leaving the kids in the pub I think)

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

Well, if that's true, I've every confidence Ed Miliband employs the person properly & taxes are paid as they should be. This is so boring - tedious. Ed Miliband knew his life would come under scrutiny & the Tory government Dave, Clegg, Osborne, Gove, IDS, Grayling, the whole toxic nest have been so blatantly god-awful in their last five years - utterly disreputable & still the crap gets spun. It's not just, it's not fair.

frightful_oik wrote:Lab 35 Con 34 in tonight's Yougov.

By the way I love your avatar.

AngryAsWell wrote:Yep second stage of attacks on Labour out tonight

DAILY MAIL FRONT PAGE: "Labour's Queen of Hypocrisy" #skypapers

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

Relentless

Patrick O'Flynn retweeted
Peter J Stringfellow ‏@PJStringfellow 9h9 hours ago
I'm still a Conservative but got to say @Nigel_Farage and @UKIP manifesto very impressive...

For some reason that just makes me cackle ... I think it might be that O'Flynn is so chuffed by Stringfellow's approval he's actually retweeted it. Stringfellow. And of course he's really a Conservative ...

Emily Matiss being all fair and balanced asking Laws about Labour's deficit plans with a "do you think that's downright stupid".

Given what the IMF have just said, it sounds pretty sensible to me!

All this talk of kitchens makes me think of country suppers

But seriously I do understand the issue with the Times. Let's discuss over country supper soon. On the party it was because I had asked a number of NI [News International] people to Manchester post endorsement and they were disappointed not to see you. But as always Sam was wonderful (and I thought it was OE's [Old Etonians] were charm personfied!) I am so rooting for you tomorrow not just as a proud friend but because professionally we're definitely in this together! Speech of your life? Yes he Cam

This is interesting, seeing the HA homes she's objecting to have never had right to buy before.

Going to be an ex-council place, transferred to an HA, isn't it? These have always had the right to buy, haven't they?