FlyTheNest

refitman wrote:

Rebecca wrote:

refitman wrote:Morning all.

Xmas do last night...ooh me head

Hope you had a good time,now go back to your nice warm bed.

Very good advice. Another 5 hrs and I now feel much more human

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 20h 20 hours ago
Remarkable events at the New Republic: 28 senior staff and contributing editors resign in protest at changes: http://thebea.st/1vTyLqv" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RobertSnozers wrote:Burnham did NOT sign off the Circle deal. The franchise was only awarded in November 2010. Burnham might have signed off on the process to allow another organisation to take over the running of it, but that has happened in a number of other instances where other NHS trusts have been the body doing the taking over.

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

RobertSnozers wrote:Burnham did NOT sign off the Circle deal. The franchise was only awarded in November 2010. Burnham might have signed off on the process to allow another organisation to take over the running of it, but that has happened in a number of other instances where other NHS trusts have been the body doing the taking over.

Yes, you are right, he didn't sign off the deal, worth pointing out that I never said he did; but he did allow the process to continue after the NHS bidder pulled out, leaving only two private providers. In much the same way the South London Healthcare NHS Trust PFI deal may have been signed by Labour but it was negotiated by Major's government; I'm trying to be even handed here and apportion blame/credit appropriately and fairly. * Whatever, Burnham got it wrong and he knows & has learned from it, which was the point I was trying to make.

* Finding it quite funny that I am usually accused of being too partisan, but now find myself being (gently) lambasted for attempting to be even handed.

yahyah wrote:More turncoats joining Welsh UKIP.

''Former Plaid Cymru and Conservative councillors unveiled as Ukip defectors

Former Cardiff councillor Mohammed Islam and ex-Newport representative William Routley named as party's newest members at Ukip's Welsh conference''

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... rs-8238475" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The UKIP People's Army looks a bit scant in Wales for their conference.

yahyah wrote:For a party that calls itself libertarian Kippers seem very keen on banning things.

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

yahyah wrote:More turncoats joining Welsh UKIP.

''Former Plaid Cymru and Conservative councillors unveiled as Ukip defectors

Former Cardiff councillor Mohammed Islam and ex-Newport representative William Routley named as party's newest members at Ukip's Welsh conference''

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... rs-8238475" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The UKIP People's Army looks a bit scant in Wales for their conference.

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

RobertSnozers wrote:Burnham did NOT sign off the Circle deal. The franchise was only awarded in November 2010. Burnham might have signed off on the process to allow another organisation to take over the running of it, but that has happened in a number of other instances where other NHS trusts have been the body doing the taking over.

Yes, you are right, he didn't sign off the deal, worth pointing out that I never said he did; but he did allow the process to continue after the NHS bidder pulled out, leaving only two private providers. In much the same way the South London Healthcare NHS Trust PFI deal may have been signed by Labour but it was negotiated by Major's government; I'm trying to be even handed here and apportion blame/credit appropriately and fairly. * Whatever, Burnham got it wrong and he knows & has learned from it, which was the point I was trying to make.

* Finding it quite funny that I am usually accused of being too partisan, but now find myself being (gently) lambasted for attempting to be even handed.

ErnstRemarx wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

RobertSnozers wrote:Burnham did NOT sign off the Circle deal. The franchise was only awarded in November 2010. Burnham might have signed off on the process to allow another organisation to take over the running of it, but that has happened in a number of other instances where other NHS trusts have been the body doing the taking over.

Yes, you are right, he didn't sign off the deal, worth pointing out that I never said he did; but he did allow the process to continue after the NHS bidder pulled out, leaving only two private providers. In much the same way the South London Healthcare NHS Trust PFI deal may have been signed by Labour but it was negotiated by Major's government; I'm trying to be even handed here and apportion blame/credit appropriately and fairly. * Whatever, Burnham got it wrong and he knows & has learned from it, which was the point I was trying to make.

* Finding it quite funny that I am usually accused of being too partisan, but now find myself being (gently) lambasted for attempting to be even handed.

I would be surprised indeed if the other two bidders hadn't resorted to m'learned friends if the tender process were immediately cancelled. I'm fairly sure a couple of lawsuits for compensation with have been dumped on Burnham's desk in a matter of hours.

Spacedone wrote:

daydreamer wrote:

RobertSnozers wrote: The one tiny hope is a Labour government in 2015. Another five years of Tories will see the job done. As of now it's just about saveable - I don't think even the Tories could get the changes through in the time before the 2015 GE, and unless I have seriously misjudged Ed and Andy Burnham, they are committed to a substantially publicly owned and run NHS. If Labour lose, that's it for the NHS. We only get one vote. We can use it to try and punish Labour for not being strong enough on social security, or we can save the NHS.

Thanks Robert. Finger's crossed Labour can get a workable majority (though nervous about their ability to do so, what with their collapse in Scotland, SNP and the many previously Labour sympathetic people who now seem very anti - though I realise this last group are on CIF so may not be representative). Any other possibility doesn't bare thinking about.

I do wonder about Scotland. A load of people wanted to leave the UK simply because they hate the Tories (I sympathise with the sentiment) but more people in Scotland didn't want to leave so now, even with the increased powers, they're looking at either another 5 years of Tory rule with all the terrible consequences of that such as the prospect of walking away from the EU or they're looking at a Labour government who are actually a lot closer to what most Scottish people say they want.

But we're being told that everyone's going to vote SNP instead of Labour, an action that could lead to another Tory government? That doesn't smell right to me.

yahyah wrote:Pickles lying about Labour once only giving pensioners a 50p pension increase.
[Rachel Reeves didn't correct it].

Ok, it was only 75 pence but it was at a time [1999] when pensioner savings were paying higher interest rates than now [over 5% on average in 1999, only 1.75% in 2014] and inflation was only 1.1% RPI.
Labour also announced £100 for pensioner winter fuel allowance & free TV licences for the over 75s that year.

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

yahyah wrote:For a party that calls itself libertarian Kippers seem very keen on banning things.

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

David Coburn has made himself look a complete idiot over this (not that he needed to put in much effort to achieve it); The UKIP Trumpton account now has nearly 12000 followers (it had 225 when he made his first comment) compared with Coburn's 9000 - and, frankly, the Trumpton tweets actually make far more sense than any of his ramblings!

Tem and Tizme will be delighted to here that the Green Party also have a presence in Trumpton, courtesy of Windy Miller (@Green_Trumpton).

Circle: Behind the Smoke and Mirrors Neither Hinchingbrooke nor Circle are what they seem.

http://www.sochealth.co.uk/2014/09/09/b ... e-mirrors/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Labour’s Health and Care Policy

http://www.sochealth.co.uk/2014/09/08/l ... re-policy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ErnstRemarx wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

yahyah wrote:For a party that calls itself libertarian Kippers seem very keen on banning things.

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

David Coburn has made himself look a complete idiot over this (not that he needed to put in much effort to achieve it); The UKIP Trumpton account now has nearly 12000 followers (it had 225 when he made his first comment) compared with Coburn's 9000 - and, frankly, the Trumpton tweets actually make far more sense than any of his ramblings!

Tem and Tizme will be delighted to here that the Green Party also have a presence in Trumpton, courtesy of Windy Miller (@Green_Trumpton).

Am now following UKIP_Trumpton. Typical of the thin skinned, sour faced and humourless kippers to try and get it banned. Their lack of self awareness is simply staggering, as are their malice and spite. The true face of that risible outfit.

ErnstRemarx wrote:Sorry Grimmers - I think I might have put the kibosh on your boys for today...

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

ErnstRemarx wrote:Sorry Grimmers - I think I might have put the kibosh on your boys for today...

Yes, that thought had occurred to me ......

Getting an almighty ribbing from Geordie mates at the moment, only upside is my housemate is a Gooner so should be safe enough when I get in from work.

daydreamer wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

ErnstRemarx wrote:Sorry Grimmers - I think I might have put the kibosh on your boys for today...

Yes, that thought had occurred to me ......

Getting an almighty ribbing from Geordie mates at the moment, only upside is my housemate is a Gooner so should be safe enough when I get in from work.

Hmm, maybe not, it's now 3-2.

daydreamer wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

ErnstRemarx wrote:Sorry Grimmers - I think I might have put the kibosh on your boys for today...

Yes, that thought had occurred to me ......

Getting an almighty ribbing from Geordie mates at the moment, only upside is my housemate is a Gooner so should be safe enough when I get in from work.

Hmm, maybe not, it's now 3-2.

AnatolyKasparov wrote:

daydreamer wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote: Yes, that thought had occurred to me ......

Getting an almighty ribbing from Geordie mates at the moment, only upside is my housemate is a Gooner so should be safe enough when I get in from work.

Hmm, maybe not, it's now 3-2.

After being 4-0 for over a minute - how does that work?

daydreamer wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:

ErnstRemarx wrote:Sorry Grimmers - I think I might have put the kibosh on your boys for today...

Yes, that thought had occurred to me ......

Getting an almighty ribbing from Geordie mates at the moment, only upside is my housemate is a Gooner so should be safe enough when I get in from work.

Hmm, maybe not, it's now 3-2.

ErnstRemarx wrote:

daydreamer wrote:

TheGrimSqueaker wrote: Yes, that thought had occurred to me ......

Getting an almighty ribbing from Geordie mates at the moment, only upside is my housemate is a Gooner so should be safe enough when I get in from work.

Hmm, maybe not, it's now 3-2.

Never mind Grimmers, apparently it's overturn the form book day today - Stoke had a fourth disallowed!

citizenJA wrote:could someone please recommend the sport contribution I made?

daydreamer wrote:

citizenJA wrote:could someone please recommend the sport contribution I made?

Done

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), who collect and distribute cash across the 11,500 branch network, will walk out for 24 hours on Friday 12 December.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said....the company’s plan to cut 28% of jobs from the administrative and supply chain staff was unacceptable...Ofcom is preparing the ground for postal workers’ terms and conditions and pay to be dragged down to the level of its competitors.

..the CWU called for a judicial review of Ofcom...following its decision not impose new conditions on Royal Mail’s direct-delivery competitors....failure to do so would threaten its universal service obligation (USO) under which it is obliged to deliver letters posted anywhere in Britain for the same price.

Nick Wells, the chief executive of Whistl – the rebranded TNT Post – told MPs that Royal Mail needed to modernise, improve efficiency and change its labour relations policy....Wells admitted that some Whistl workers were on zero-hours contracts.

George Osborne oversees biggest fossil fuel boom since North Sea oil discovery
Investment in clean energy plummets, while big rise in road and airport building adds to bleak picture for environment
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... nvironment
George Osborne has sparked the biggest boom in UK fossil fuel investment since the North Sea oil and gas industry was founded in the 1970s. Analysis of new Treasury data also shows investment in clean energy has plummeted this year and is now exceeded by fossil fuels, while road and airport building is soaring.

After years of coalition infighting over green energy, the stark shift marks a major victory for the chancellor. But it conflicts with David Cameron’s recent statement that climate change is “a threat to our national security and to economic prosperity” and his 2010 pledge to the lead the “greenest government ever”. UK ministers are currently at UN climate talks in Peru arguing for strong action against global warming.

In Wednesday’s autumn statement, Osborne added £430m to the billions in tax breaks he has granted the fossil fuel sector since 2012. Taxpayers will also now fund seismic exploration to help companies find more oil and gas and will pay £31m for shale gas research drilling plus another £5m to “ensure the public is better engaged” with fracking...

citizenJA wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... day-strike

Post Office workers set to stage one-day strike

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), who collect and distribute cash across the 11,500 branch network, will walk out for 24 hours on Friday 12 December.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said....the company’s plan to cut 28% of jobs from the administrative and supply chain staff was unacceptable...Ofcom is preparing the ground for postal workers’ terms and conditions and pay to be dragged down to the level of its competitors.

..the CWU called for a judicial review of Ofcom...following its decision not impose new conditions on Royal Mail’s direct-delivery competitors....failure to do so would threaten its universal service obligation (USO) under which it is obliged to deliver letters posted anywhere in Britain for the same price.

Nick Wells, the chief executive of Whistl – the rebranded TNT Post – told MPs that Royal Mail needed to modernise, improve efficiency and change its labour relations policy....Wells admitted that some Whistl workers were on zero-hours contracts.

(my bold)

How to help Lib Dems like Vince Cable in the run-up to the election
http://www.libdemvoice.org/how-to-help- ... 43650.html

rebeccariots2 wrote:

George Osborne oversees biggest fossil fuel boom since North Sea oil discovery
Investment in clean energy plummets, while big rise in road and airport building adds to bleak picture for environment
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... nvironment
George Osborne has sparked the biggest boom in UK fossil fuel investment since the North Sea oil and gas industry was founded in the 1970s. Analysis of new Treasury data also shows investment in clean energy has plummeted this year and is now exceeded by fossil fuels, while road and airport building is soaring.

After years of coalition infighting over green energy, the stark shift marks a major victory for the chancellor. But it conflicts with David Cameron’s recent statement that climate change is “a threat to our national security and to economic prosperity” and his 2010 pledge to the lead the “greenest government ever”. UK ministers are currently at UN climate talks in Peru arguing for strong action against global warming.

In Wednesday’s autumn statement, Osborne added £430m to the billions in tax breaks he has granted the fossil fuel sector since 2012. Taxpayers will also now fund seismic exploration to help companies find more oil and gas and will pay £31m for shale gas research drilling plus another £5m to “ensure the public is better engaged” with fracking...

I hate them more by the day.

Out on the local doorsteps today with the former Welsh Government Minister for the Environment. We talked about forming a Green Labour group ... think I'll be reminding her of that very soon.

George Osborne has sparked the biggest boom in UK fossil fuel investment since the North Sea oil and gas industry was founded in the 1970s. Analysis of new Treasury data also shows investment in clean energy has plummeted this year and is now exceeded by fossil fuels, while road and airport building is soaring.

...it conflicts with David Cameron’s recent statement that climate change is “a threat to our national security and to economic prosperity” and his 2010 pledge to the lead the “greenest government ever”.

UK ministers are currently at UN climate talks in Peru arguing for strong action against global warming.

In Wednesday’s autumn statement, Osborne added £430m to the billions in tax breaks he has granted the fossil fuel sector since 2012.

Taxpayers will also now fund seismic exploration to help companies find more oil and gas and will pay £31m for shale gas research drilling plus another £5m to “ensure the public is better engaged” with fracking.

Osborne said the North Sea tax breaks “demonstrate our commitment to the tens of thousands of jobs that depend on this great British industry”.

The move was welcomed by Ken Cronin, chief executive of shale gas industry group UKOOG, who said the new developments would complement "some of the best regulations and regulators in the world and an excellent track record of onshore oil and gas extraction in the UK".

"The UK public is exposed to many claims about the potential environmental impact of exploring for and developing the UK's shale resource," he said. "This programme offers the opportunity to provide independently verified evidence on the issues that matter most to local communities."

However, green groups condemned the Chancellor for handing tax breaks to fossil fuel companies and providing government funds to help the shale gas industry sell itself to the public.

rebeccariots2 wrote:

George Osborne oversees biggest fossil fuel boom since North Sea oil discovery
Investment in clean energy plummets, while big rise in road and airport building adds to bleak picture for environment
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... nvironment
George Osborne has sparked the biggest boom in UK fossil fuel investment since the North Sea oil and gas industry was founded in the 1970s. Analysis of new Treasury data also shows investment in clean energy has plummeted this year and is now exceeded by fossil fuels, while road and airport building is soaring.

After years of coalition infighting over green energy, the stark shift marks a major victory for the chancellor. But it conflicts with David Cameron’s recent statement that climate change is “a threat to our national security and to economic prosperity” and his 2010 pledge to the lead the “greenest government ever”. UK ministers are currently at UN climate talks in Peru arguing for strong action against global warming.

In Wednesday’s autumn statement, Osborne added £430m to the billions in tax breaks he has granted the fossil fuel sector since 2012. Taxpayers will also now fund seismic exploration to help companies find more oil and gas and will pay £31m for shale gas research drilling plus another £5m to “ensure the public is better engaged” with fracking...

I hate them more by the day.

Out on the local doorsteps today with the former Welsh Government Minister for the Environment. We talked about forming a Green Labour group ... think I'll be reminding her of that very soon.

citizenJA wrote:could someone please recommend the sport contribution I made?

mikems wrote:I think it is our politicians who are the cynics. When we don't believe what they say or hold much hope in them we are being sceptical and untrusting rather than cynical. I'm not a cynic, I still believe in humanity and progress even after all this crap we've been forced to suffer.

Lib Dems offer special limited edition membership cards for recruiting new members
http://www.markpack.org.uk/99948/lib-de ... w-members/