Friday 4th September

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:23 am

RogerOThornhill wrote:@AK

Could you delete that post as I doubt if we want to broadcast it just in case someone sees it. You know who I mean...

Not sure who you are referring to there, but have done as you wish.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:26 am

Here I Go Again and that is more than a passing turn. I have already initiated discussion with my landlords over my tenancy should they upgrade the exterior as proposed and looking about the interior, with a little rearrangement it has more than enough potential for my needs and location isn't bad either once I get my car off the road. Anyway I have this morning rediscovered my old business cards and even though I say it myself, I had forgotten how quality they are, not only is the trading name good but the logo is of a far higher standard than I could have commissioned. Yeah I spend some days thinking about it with the occasional playing around when it suddenly came to me.

Anyway this is a politics forum and I suppose I do have something of that ilk to add, even if it is yet another attack directed at IDS, Cam and Osbo. See I can be familiar and friendly when I want. Some time back my life fell apart, my wife's demise was only one part as was a personal injury. However when I had eventually lost my home and some time later my job things rapidly went downhill. The depression I guess and already set in but I was told to live off my savings rather than claim the temporary 'benefit' of JSA. I could have claimed ICA because of my daughter but put her welfare above my own, hence her moving on. 'And by golly she is all the happier for it (strange terminology for me). She had already lost her Mum and was living with three men. Nothing wrong with that per se, but lacking in many of the feminine pursuits.

Having discounted one and then missing out on another due to delays I ended up in makeshift accommodation until I found this one that would suit me once all the kids had moved on. However it is a relative shit hole but all the cheaper for it. I can move dining area out of the lounge and into the kitchen with some rejigging and move my bedroom to the front thereby freeing an office at the head of the stairs with an extra reception area downstairs with no passage through living quarters. Toilet is another matter but so be it.

Now then for IDS and cohorts, I may never go back but can rediscover the man that I was. I have to say that had I been better supported and not subject to your nonsensical sanction regime I would not have lived in constant fear of being deprived of essential needs and would therefore have resumed my rightful duties, as you like to see them, far earlier. I am one of the lucky ones, not only have I survived but have the wherewithall to pick up the pieces. Claimants are not scroungers as you portray but just need a helping hand. Should they also need guidance then you have a funny way of offering it; kicking people when they are down is not only cruel but neither is it cost effective. 'And I still cannot help returning to this Cameron. What on earth possessed you to claim DLA for an infant, you being a millionaire and such, yet now you maintain that support cannot be afforded for others. You make me sick.

I nearly forgot, when are you going to offer better security of tenure to others? Silly me you don't give a damn about tenants unless you may profit by them. 'And there was me thinking we had a housing crisis.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:27 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:@AK

Could you delete that post as I doubt if we want to broadcast it just in case someone sees it. You know who I mean...
Not sure who you are referring to there, but have done as you wish.

Someone who pays us the occasional visit and has taken to tweeting about us.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:31 am

Goodmorning, everyone.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:33 am

@AnatolyKasparov & RogerOThornhill

Excepting whoever it was you speak of, all of us here have one enemy in common. May I ask that we all appreciate this? This is why it frustrates me so much to see some of the squabbles that have occurred and should any of those who have left look in than please come back. We may not always like the tone of some posters or their language for that matter, nevertheless we largely share the same goals. Just saying.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:43 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:.

That's what I should have said, Anatoly.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:43 am

howsillyofme1 wrote:Well for all the long posts made by Hugo he seems to miss the point I am making.

In the 1980s there was very little privatized but since then the Government has privatized a whole lot of monopolies and strategically important industries. Also many outsourcing projects to Crapita and the like creating quasi-Governmental organizations. The focus is always on cost (based it seems mainly on cutting staff cost) without very much care on the quality of work provided

I have not seen Corbyn saying everything should be nationalized but I can reel of at least 20 privitized organizations or functions that should never have been sold off and should be brought back under state control (what control means can differ)

The privatization project was a massive move to the right and has actually been very bad. We should, as a party, quite clearly say why certain organizations should not be under private control, and say that we should endeavor to do so where possible understanding that it is may not happen because of the cost. That very cost demonstrating the value lost to the Government and given to the private sector to milk

We should also make clear that the 'private' in a lot of cases actually means foreign Government companies, including China and Qatar. Public ownership seems only to be an issue if it is British public ownership

Corbyn is of the left but is he really arguing the same as in 1980? I have seen nothing that suggests he is. In fact he is right to raise questions about battles that have been lost....the winner of battles is not based on being right!

If people on hear believe that in the unchallenging acceptance of nuclear arms, the continued acceptance of trade union laws, the acceptance of Osbornomics, the acceptance of low spending and low taxation, the acceptance of all privatizations and the need to move further to pander to Tory voters then the are über Thatcherite despite what they say and have no place in any Labour Party worthy of the name

Corbyn has said nothing that would not have been considered mainstream Labour in the run up to the elections in the 90s. Reading some of the comments here makes me wonder what you would have called John Smith or Blair when he first too over?

I really disagree with that analysis, the world is profoundly different today and yes Corbyn is on the far left (he is also promising stuff he has no clue how to deliver).

It is utterly impractical to reverse the privatisations of the past today, there are far better things to spend that money on. Nobody is arguing for a return to pre-Thatcher union legislation, although nobody accepts the further restrictions Osborne is proposing.

Unilateral nuclear disarmament is not and must not be mainstream Labour policy or indeed thinking. It hammered the party in 83 and 87 until Kinnock (not a Blairite) booted the policy so he could talk to the electorate about stuff that actually mattered to them without having to depend a stupid policy on page one of every bloody interview.

SpinningHugo · Post by **SpinningHugo** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:44 am

Self promotion, but some may enjoy this interaction with Prof Wren-Lewis (who I rarely agree with on politics but is well worth reading on economics)

http://mainlymacro.blogspot.co.uk/2015/ ... -made.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MsChin · Post by **MsChin** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 11:50 am

I'm with AK - absolutely sick of the leadership battle.

Whilst I'm for doing summat about the railways (nationalise the trains is my preference) for all of us who rarely use them because they are so expensive and not part of some daily commute, I'd like to see some effort put into our bus services. Rural areas are particularly badly served which does not help when people are trying to find jobs or get to services such as hospitals.

And I think we should factor in that our railways are not disability friendly. Lawrence Clark's YouTube videos are good at highlighting how bad they are.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:01 pm

citizenJA wrote:Goodmorning, everyone.

You shame me!

Good morfternoon, everyone.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:07 pm

MsChin wrote: And I think we should factor in that our railways are not disability friendly. Lawrence Clark's YouTube videos are good at highlighting how bad they are.

Our local news has reported a couple of times on Tanni Grey-Thompson, who uses Eaglescliffe station regularly, presumably to go to the HoL, there's a ramp she has to pull herself up using the handrail. They've recently refurbished the station and apparently made it worse.

Post by **refitman** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:10 pm

SpinningHugo wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:Cefalu to Palermo (67km) last September - €5.15 - approx £4

Chelmsford to London Liverpool St (63km) today - £15.10

Was there a comment about roads or air not being subsidized? We don't pay nearly enough to travel on the roads and air fuel has no duty on it IIRC.
Agree with the last two points.

Now that the technology is there (ie we don't need tolls see the London congestion charge) we need to introduce road pricing. Users should pay.

The fact that there are other bad subsidies doesn't make subsidising rail better.

How does a cleaner in London telecommute from the outer area? I would guess (fully prepared to be proved wrong) that the vast majority of people using rail on a regular basis are commuting for work and that the majority of those are finding it ever more difficult to meet the costs.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:14 pm

MsChin wrote:I'm with AK - absolutely sick of the leadership battle.

Whilst I'm for doing summat about the railways (nationalise the trains is my preference) for all of us who rarely use them because they are so expensive and not part of some daily commute, I'd like to see some effort put into our bus services. Rural areas are particularly badly served which does not help when people are trying to find jobs or get to services such as hospitals.

And I think we should factor in that our railways are not disability friendly. Lawrence Clark's YouTube videos are good at highlighting how bad they are.

Thanks for this post MsChin.

We have a government going hellbent in a 24/7 direction ... and a lot of essential services going the other way with ever more complete withdrawals and reduced offer.

We have no rail service here. And now no buses on a Sunday - at all. How is someone on a low wage - or zero hours contract - supposed to manage when asked to work on a Sunday? They could be a hospital cleaner, supermarket worker etc etc. Just how? And that's leaving aside how someone who actually needs to access the 24/7 hospital services who doesn't have a car - or is not able to drive themselves - is meant to manage. Just how?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:21 pm

Robert Hutton ‏@RobDotHutton 13m13 minutes ago
Paul Nuttall sets out UKIP's goal for the next year: "We want to meet normal folk."

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:23 pm

I've put an article up under the Roundhead thread. Its officially out tommorrow on the EHFA blog, but thought it might be of some interest to you guys.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=571&p=67117#p67117

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:23 pm

Looks like they've finally found someone at ministerial level to talk on behalf of the government ...

The World at One ‏@BBCWorldatOne 27m27 minutes ago
On #wato today we'll be joined live by International Development Secretary to discuss Govt policy on Syrian refugees

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:25 pm

Changes to teacher training going well then?

Exclusive: DfE starts overseas recruitment drive to combat staffing crisis

https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/br ... t-staffing

The Department for Education is mounting its own overseas teacher recruitment drive as it attempts to get to grips with a staffing crisis in England’s schools, TES has learned.

Officials have already pinpointed the “target countries” where they believe physics and maths specialists can be found to ease growing shortages in English classrooms.

The news comes despite ministers’ insistence that there is no teacher recruitment crisis.

Last week, fears of increasing staff shortages grew as the government failed to hit its targets for recruiting trainee teachers across a range of subjects.

Now an email from a DfE official, seen by TES, reveals that the government has decided to turn to teachers trained overseas as a solution. It states that “the department has recently embarked on an exploratory Stem [science, technology, engineering and maths] international recruitment programme”.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:33 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
MsChin wrote:I'm with AK - absolutely sick of the leadership battle.

Whilst I'm for doing summat about the railways (nationalise the trains is my preference) for all of us who rarely use them because they are so expensive and not part of some daily commute, I'd like to see some effort put into our bus services. Rural areas are particularly badly served which does not help when people are trying to find jobs or get to services such as hospitals.

And I think we should factor in that our railways are not disability friendly. Lawrence Clark's YouTube videos are good at highlighting how bad they are.
Thanks for this post MsChin.

We have a government going hellbent in a 24/7 direction ... and a lot of essential services going the other way with ever more complete withdrawals and reduced offer.

We have no rail service here. And now no buses on a Sunday - at all. How is someone on a low wage - or zero hours contract - supposed to manage when asked to work on a Sunday? They could be a hospital cleaner, supermarket worker etc etc. Just how? And that's leaving aside how someone who actually needs to access the 24/7 hospital services who doesn't have a car - or is not able to drive themselves - is meant to manage. Just how?

I'm with you all. As for 'Just how' then of course the government would have done an impact assessment, wouldn't they? Oh another of those worthless documents or bits of paper such as that RoT showed yesterday. They really do take the piss, I'd expect a column full of N/A for any impact. What surprises me most about them is they profess to belong to the professional class. I just wish they would act like it. Nffp - not fit for purpose.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:38 pm

Temulkar wrote:I've put an article up under the Roundhead thread. Its officially out tommorrow on the EHFA blog, but thought it might be of some interest to you guys.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=571&p=67117#p67117

My eyes, my eyes, Tem! What's that you say, Ctrl+ ? Thanks.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:43 pm

Heh.

I don't give any indication whatsoever as to who I was talking about yet here he is within an hour or so...and I'm the one who's obsessed?

How amusing...and he's wrong about what that post was about. He's just tweeted about it.

Enough already - more important things to do like going and choosing bedroom furniture.

Later.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:47 pm

Temulkar wrote:I've put an article up under the Roundhead thread. Its officially out tommorrow on the EHFA blog, but thought it might be of some interest to you guys.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=571&p=67117#p67117

Really good read. Thank you. I shall re-read it, by and by.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 12:56 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:@rr2: I meant to post yesterday, but had other things on my mind, that you can watch the Sky News channel on Freeview channel 132 or online at http://news.sky.com/watch-live - and that's the channel they broadcast the debate on, not one of their subscription/satellite channels. Sorry about that.

Also, good luck to Wales in tonight's footie match because if they win they'll be going to the World Cup Finals for the first year since 1958 - a very good year, even if I say it myself
Ah thanks for that Lady C - if a bit late! We would have had to try and watch online - we can only receive a TV signal through satellite and the FreeSat equivalent of Freeview doesn't give you Sky News .... funny that. Assume it's because Sky owns / controls the satellite bit.

That's odd because we get Sky News at no cost on FreeSat (via a Panasonic hard disc recorder).
I would not pay for anything from Sky.
That's where we recorded the debate last night.

Do you need to do an update to check you are getting all available channels ?
Our old FreeView box had a thing where you could check for new channels, maybe your FreeSat device has a similar thing ?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:03 pm

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

Stella reading some of the emails she has received...

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:07 pm

https://www.facebook.com/stop.the.cull" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ever wondered what a cage trap culler looks like?
This "thing" was filmed yesterday

Very short video. Tells you just about everything about these culls.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:09 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Just received. I'm impressed. The only candidate - for either leader or deputy who has addressed my number one concern.

Dear ....

Issues for rural communities are often forgotten in debates both within the Labour Party and wider British political discourse.

I was born and grew up in rural communities, and if I am elected leader I will ensure that Labour is as much a party in the communities like the one in which I was born, as it is for people in inner city constituencies like the one I represent.

We cannot write off rural areas as “the Tory shires”, abandoning communities struggling with issues such as housing costs, public service cuts and social exclusion just as those in inner cities are. Under my leadership, no part of Britain will be written off as a no-go area for our party.

With the collapse of the Liberal Democrat vote at the 2015 election, Labour is now the second placed party in many more rural seats. With the influx of new members and supporters, we have the potential to build vibrant local parties in areas where for too long our party has not been heard enough.

So I want to hear your voice now, so that we have the right priorities to win people to Labour right across the country.

Fill in Jeremy's Rural Renewal questionnaire

Once you have completed the questionnaire please share the link with friends, family and all colleagues who may also be interested and keen to contribute: http://goo.gl/forms/XF2W0amNOc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you in advance

Jeremy Corbyn MP
Sorry for all those here who don't like Corbyn's policies / approach. But this really matters to me.

Thank you for sharing that.
Will send the link to my husband's computer as he will want to respond.

Haven't received the communication myself...in fact am getting virtually no communications from any camp via email now.
Maybe it is because you haven't voted yet ?

My decision feels better as each day goes by.
Having swung around during the campaign, ending voting in a way that I couldn't have predicted three months ago, I have now moved from someone who was peg on nose to more and more impressed by Corbyn.
(Will ignore the boo hisses from the gallery).

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:17 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:Sorry, but shutting out anyone below a certain wealth point from rail travel is not progressive. Subsidising rail travel is no more regressive than providing council houses to whoever wants them as we used to. It's a social good. And I really object if you're going to start redefining terms like this.

& people forced off the trains because of cost will have to use buses which get significantly less subsidy than the railways. Railway subsidies surely also benefit better off commuters getting into London for highly paid jobs ?

Nothing to do with fairness, civilised society, purely political.

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:19 pm

utopiandreams wrote:
Temulkar wrote:I've put an article up under the Roundhead thread. Its officially out tommorrow on the EHFA blog, but thought it might be of some interest to you guys.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=571&p=67117#p67117
My eyes, my eyes, Tem! What's that you say, Ctrl+ ? Thanks.

Ha, comments are of course welcome.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:22 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
yahyah wrote:Will go now, as puzzled why this site, where we share so much buzz about debates and polls etc, seems so totally disinterested in last night.
Tbh I think its just Labour leadership fatigue - most people, even a political obsessive like myself, just want the thing to be over

Oh, and its "*un*interested", as any grammar pedant would tell you. *Dis*interested is one thing this site certainly ain't, whatever its current mood

Fortunately a grammar pedant I ain't, which is terrible considering my grammar school education but I'll just have to live with that won't I ?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:23 pm

yahyah wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Just received. I'm impressed. The only candidate - for either leader or deputy who has addressed my number one concern.

Dear ....

Issues for rural communities are often forgotten in debates both within the Labour Party and wider British political discourse.

I was born and grew up in rural communities, and if I am elected leader I will ensure that Labour is as much a party in the communities like the one in which I was born, as it is for people in inner city constituencies like the one I represent.

We cannot write off rural areas as “the Tory shires”, abandoning communities struggling with issues such as housing costs, public service cuts and social exclusion just as those in inner cities are. Under my leadership, no part of Britain will be written off as a no-go area for our party.

With the collapse of the Liberal Democrat vote at the 2015 election, Labour is now the second placed party in many more rural seats. With the influx of new members and supporters, we have the potential to build vibrant local parties in areas where for too long our party has not been heard enough.

So I want to hear your voice now, so that we have the right priorities to win people to Labour right across the country.

Fill in Jeremy's Rural Renewal questionnaire

Once you have completed the questionnaire please share the link with friends, family and all colleagues who may also be interested and keen to contribute: http://goo.gl/forms/XF2W0amNOc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you in advance

Jeremy Corbyn MP
Sorry for all those here who don't like Corbyn's policies / approach. But this really matters to me.

Thank you for sharing that.
Will send the link to my husband's computer as he will want to respond.

Haven't received the communication myself...in fact am getting virtually no communications from any camp via email now.
Maybe it is because you haven't voted yet ?

My decision feels better as each day goes by.
Having swung around during the campaign, ending voting in a way that I couldn't have predicted three months ago, I have now moved from someone who was peg on nose to more and more impressed by Corbyn.
(Will ignore the boo hisses from the gallery).

This will probably swing me towards Corbyn. I had been worried about the possibility of ending up with both a leader and a deputy from urban / metropolitan areas / seats. This goes some way to offsetting that worry as he clearly understands that the virtual ignoring of the rural communities / issues by too many of the senior bods - and the lack of resources and support for them - can't continue. How negotiating such a shift with the powers that be in Welsh Labour will go is beyond my powers of prediction. But something really needs to give.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:24 pm

Blimey I hadn't realised that people had interest only mortgages without an accompanying endowment policy, even though there were some issue regarding their being insufficient for many such arrangements. What were lenders and borrowers thinking? Having said that you'd have thought that a large part of the onus lay with responsible lenders. I see they don't really care having first charge on the place not to mention the profits that they and accompanying solicitors may extract. Irresponsible financiers, don't you just love them?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:26 pm

utopiandreams wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:.
That's what I should have said, Anatoly.

Not sure it is grammatically correct though.
If I were a grammar pedant I'd say the full stop is in the wrong place.

Edited to add: & if I could proof read I wouldn't have spelled say as day

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:30 pm

MsChin wrote:I'm with AK - absolutely sick of the leadership battle.

Whilst I'm for doing summat about the railways (nationalise the trains is my preference) for all of us who rarely use them because they are so expensive and not part of some daily commute, I'd like to see some effort put into our bus services. Rural areas are particularly badly served which does not help when people are trying to find jobs or get to services such as hospitals.

And I think we should factor in that our railways are not disability friendly. Lawrence Clark's YouTube videos are good at highlighting how bad they are.

I agree with you on all points.
I want a responsible Labour government led by a responsible leader - any of the four is okay with me at this point - the media saturation of the Labour leadership thing is enough - I've had enough.

Individual people cannot shoulder responsibility for the transportation system networks installation, quality and safety controls with nothing more than their pay packet financing and their lone voice directing the endeavour. Individual people don't have sufficient power or money to enforce or stipulate jack shit - zero taxation won't free up enough power or pay.

Building transport intrastructure systems requires an entity providing legitimately recognised leadership with statutory authority allowing collective resources and land use, quality enforcement capacity for safety and project completion. Me, I like genuinely democratically accountable government working on behalf of the long, medium and short-term benefit of all the people and country providing that public service project.

Individual people paying directly for transportation...
Taking a gander at the purchase price of a contemporary motor vehicle, all external costs included, no assorted government subsidies (full fossil fuel extraction costs, refining, shipping, factories, labour, environmental degredation and clean up, healthcare), no one could pay the price. How much does petrol cost if it weren't subsidised through a series of government subsidies?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:33 pm

Peter Jukes ‏@peterjukes 2h2 hours ago
Hanna talks of "obtrusive surveillance" - remind me to blog about the surveillance on @arusbridger and his office

Some who tweets - remind him please.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:33 pm

yahyah wrote:
utopiandreams wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:.
That's what I should have said, Anatoly.
Not sure it is grammatically correct though.
If I were a grammar pedant I'd day the full stop is in the wrong place.

it's nicely Zen though

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:34 pm

Two-speed Britain: Major study reveals impact of gap in Internet access between rural and urban area
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/8127/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

... Principal investigator of the Oxford Internet Surveys, Professor William Dutton, from the University of Oxford, said: “This is the first time we have captured data to clearly show the depth of the divide between those living in remote rural parts of Britain and the rest of the country. The digital gap is not just due to age, income or education. We show that slower broadband speeds are barring many rural communities from engaging in the social or commercial online opportunities enjoyed by those in towns and cities.”
The report shows the gap is most pronounced in upland areas of Scotland, Wales and England, but also in many areas in lowland rural Britain. It affects 1.3 million people in deep rural Britain, and many more in less remote areas with poor Internet connection: 9.2 million people live in ‘shallow’ rural areas.
Professor Farrington added: “Rural businesses are penalised because they are unable to take advantage of the commercial efficiencies afforded by the Internet, as in the creative industries, or have to resort to the use of paper systems which are more costly, as in the farming sector where there is a push to move administration such as sheep registrations online.
“All these issues can potentially create a new tipping point for digitally poorly connected rural areas, including: losing businesses; adding to farming’s costs; making out-migration more likely for young people; and in-migration less likely for retirees or the economically active.”
He said that the issue needs to be addressed if the UK Government agenda of Digital by default’, with government services being delivered online, is to be achieved...

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:35 pm

utopiandreams wrote:Blimey I hadn't realised that people had interest only mortgages without an accompanying endowment policy, even though there were some issue regarding their being insufficient for many such arrangements. What were lenders and borrowers thinking? Having said that you'd have thought that a large part of the onus lay with responsible lenders. I see they don't really care having first charge on the place not to mention the profits that they and accompanying solicitors may extract. Irresponsible financiers, don't you just love them?

No, they've delighted us long enough.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:49 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Two-speed Britain: Major study reveals impact of gap in Internet access between rural and urban area
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/8127/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

... Principal investigator of the Oxford Internet Surveys, Professor William Dutton, from the University of Oxford, said: “This is the first time we have captured data to clearly show the depth of the divide between those living in remote rural parts of Britain and the rest of the country. The digital gap is not just due to age, income or education. We show that slower broadband speeds are barring many rural communities from engaging in the social or commercial online opportunities enjoyed by those in towns and cities.”
The report shows the gap is most pronounced in upland areas of Scotland, Wales and England, but also in many areas in lowland rural Britain. It affects 1.3 million people in deep rural Britain, and many more in less remote areas with poor Internet connection: 9.2 million people live in ‘shallow’ rural areas.
Professor Farrington added: “Rural businesses are penalised because they are unable to take advantage of the commercial efficiencies afforded by the Internet, as in the creative industries, or have to resort to the use of paper systems which are more costly, as in the farming sector where there is a push to move administration such as sheep registrations online.
“All these issues can potentially create a new tipping point for digitally poorly connected rural areas, including: losing businesses; adding to farming’s costs; making out-migration more likely for young people; and in-migration less likely for retirees or the economically active.”
He said that the issue needs to be addressed if the UK Government agenda of Digital by default’, with government services being delivered online, is to be achieved...

Outstanding work on this subject!
Current government are quintessentially aloof and nebulous about how most regular people throughout the country make it through their day.
I can't imagine they understand how many gaps exist in current UK communications infrastructure.
Action from government may happen if those rural areas are populated with Tory friends and family.
Didn't Dave recently bill taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds for fasttracked, high-quality, gadgetry for one of his country residences benefitting a few other neighbours in the area? Apologies for not having the source at hand. I'm having connectivity difficulty. Seriously.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:50 pm

Out of interest, Labour have a specific Rural Manifesto already, produced after consultation with members. Why would an incoming leader change that ? Or perhaps some of them don't realise its already there.
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/1175958 ... pledges-to" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Labour is today (Tuesday 28 April) launching its better plan for rural Britain, setting out its policies to build a rural economy that works for working people and supports rural families and communities.
The rural manifesto includes a pledge to put right the damage done by the Tories’ decision to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board, replacing it with a new taskforce to tackle low pay and protect conditions for agricultural workers.

Labour’s better plan for rural communities includes:

• Tackling low-pay in agriculture by creating an industry-led taskforce on productivity and pay as well as boosting skills and apprenticeships.
• Build more affordable homes by strengthening requirements on developers to build affordable housing in rural areas.
• Bringing the off-grid energy sector under the remit of the regulator for the first time.
• Standing up for farmers by creating a tough new supermarket watchdog by expanding the role and powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator.
• Cutting business rates for small businesses, which employ over two-thirds of the rural workforce.
• Giving rural communities more power over their own bus services.
• Ensuring that all parts of the country benefit from affordable, high-speed broadband by the end of the Parliament.
• Devolving powers to our English county regions, giving communities the ability to shape the places they live.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:59 pm

Temulkar wrote:I've put an article up under the Roundhead thread. Its officially out tommorrow on the EHFA blog, but thought it might be of some interest to you guys.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=571&p=67117#p67117

Wonderful work, Temulkar, thank you.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 1:59 pm

High street sales tumble to lowest level since 2008 crisis
Sales across all retail sectors slumped in August to the lowest point since November 2008, according to BDO

But shoppers didn’t just shun the high street, as online sales fell to their lowest growth since BDO began its poll eight years ago.
Online sales slowed to 11.5pc, an even worse performance on July’s rise of just 14.6pc.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... risis.html

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:02 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Out of interest, Labour have a specific Rural Manifesto already, produced after consultation with members. Why would an incoming leader change that ? Or perhaps some of them don't realise its already there.
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/1175958 ... pledges-to" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Labour is today (Tuesday 28 April) launching its better plan for rural Britain, setting out its policies to build a rural economy that works for working people and supports rural families and communities.
The rural manifesto includes a pledge to put right the damage done by the Tories’ decision to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board, replacing it with a new taskforce to tackle low pay and protect conditions for agricultural workers.

Labour’s better plan for rural communities includes:

• Tackling low-pay in agriculture by creating an industry-led taskforce on productivity and pay as well as boosting skills and apprenticeships.
• Build more affordable homes by strengthening requirements on developers to build affordable housing in rural areas.
• Bringing the off-grid energy sector under the remit of the regulator for the first time.
• Standing up for farmers by creating a tough new supermarket watchdog by expanding the role and powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator.
• Cutting business rates for small businesses, which employ over two-thirds of the rural workforce.
• Giving rural communities more power over their own bus services.
• Ensuring that all parts of the country benefit from affordable, high-speed broadband by the end of the Parliament.
• Devolving powers to our English county regions, giving communities the ability to shape the places they live.

We're going out to work in a mo AAW - or I would start a proper reply. My reply would probably have to be a bit more Wales specific though.

Just as a starter though. They may have some rural policies in the cupboard but they're not visible enough and activities / activists are not well enough supported on the ground.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:04 pm

yahyah wrote:
utopiandreams wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:.
That's what I should have said, Anatoly.
Not sure it is grammatically correct though.
If I were a grammar pedant I'd say the full stop is in the wrong place.

Edited to add: & if I could proof read I wouldn't have spelled say as day

Ha! That made me laugh out loud (and your eyesight is better than mine - I didn't see the poor, stranded full stop until you mentioned it).

Oh - I've been getting squirrels again. Have you (or anyone else here) been experiencing problems with the site? There must be some sort of election in the offing . . .

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:09 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Out of interest, Labour have a specific Rural Manifesto already, produced after consultation with members. Why would an incoming leader change that ? Or perhaps some of them don't realise its already there.
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/1175958 ... pledges-to" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Labour is today (Tuesday 28 April) launching its better plan for rural Britain, setting out its policies to build a rural economy that works for working people and supports rural families and communities.
The rural manifesto includes a pledge to put right the damage done by the Tories’ decision to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board, replacing it with a new taskforce to tackle low pay and protect conditions for agricultural workers.

Labour’s better plan for rural communities includes:

• Tackling low-pay in agriculture by creating an industry-led taskforce on productivity and pay as well as boosting skills and apprenticeships.
• Build more affordable homes by strengthening requirements on developers to build affordable housing in rural areas.
• Bringing the off-grid energy sector under the remit of the regulator for the first time.
• Standing up for farmers by creating a tough new supermarket watchdog by expanding the role and powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator.
• Cutting business rates for small businesses, which employ over two-thirds of the rural workforce.
• Giving rural communities more power over their own bus services.
• Ensuring that all parts of the country benefit from affordable, high-speed broadband by the end of the Parliament.
• Devolving powers to our English county regions, giving communities the ability to shape the places they live.
We're going out to work in a mo AAW - or I would start a proper reply. My reply would probably have to be a bit more Wales specific though.

Just as a starter though. They may have some rural policies in the cupboard but they're not visible enough and activities / activists are not well enough supported on the ground.

Here's the full Rural Manifesto.
http://www.labouremail.org.uk/files/upl ... c0e9c9.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
These - with respect - are not in a cupboard, they are there for all to see. I don't think its restricted to "England" either.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:10 pm

Temulkar wrote:... Ha, comments are of course welcome.

Thanks, Tem, an interesting read it was too and I bow to your knowledge. History is not my strong point however so have no idea of its accuracy but sounds a fair assessment, if not well researched piece of work. Teachers have an important role to play, not in the manner that Gove seems to think, but it was one subject that I really hated in Grammar School. All that memorising of Royal accession and death, houses too I guess didn't really mean much when the onus seemed more on dates than social transformation.

Our history teacher was a bully mind and apart from rapping the knuckles with a ruler, yes even breaking fingers at times, he took great delight in picking the smaller of us up by our ties, one-handed too if he could manage it. I was one such lad before puberty although I remember our Games Master was a bully toward the less fit in particular. Thankfully not all teachers were alike, Of course I was interested later but not in any studious fashion, more in the manner of a good yarn, if you'll pardon the expression. It is not meant as dismissive of your undoubted learning.

I still haven't done anything about The Last Roundhead yet and it may not be remunerative from your standpoint but I shall see if available via the library, something I have recently decided to make use of again; I live on a limited budget. Cheers.

Edit: by 'hoses' I of course meant 'houses'

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:14 pm

PorFavor wrote:
yahyah wrote:
utopiandreams wrote: That's what I should have said, Anatoly.
Not sure it is grammatically correct though.
If I were a grammar pedant I'd say the full stop is in the wrong place.

Edited to add: & if I could proof read I wouldn't have spelled say as day

Ha! That made me laugh out loud (and your eyesight is better than mine - I didn't see the poor, stranded full stop until you mentioned it).

Oh - I've been getting squirrels again. Have you (or anyone else here) been experiencing problems with the site? There must be some sort of election in the offing . . .

I have zero squirrel sighting

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:16 pm

yahyah wrote:
utopiandreams wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:.
That's what I should have said, Anatoly.
Not sure it is grammatically correct though.
If I were a grammar pedant I'd say the full stop is in the wrong place.

Edited to add: & if I could proof read I wouldn't have spelled say as day

I could say spot on, yahyah, or would you rather I thought you dotty?

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:30 pm

Ed Miliband to leave frontline politics and campaign on inequality, environmental issues from backbenches

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... icn=puff-3

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:34 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
High street sales tumble to lowest level since 2008 crisis
Sales across all retail sectors slumped in August to the lowest point since November 2008, according to BDO

But shoppers didn’t just shun the high street, as online sales fell to their lowest growth since BDO began its poll eight years ago.
Online sales slowed to 11.5pc, an even worse performance on July’s rise of just 14.6pc.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... risis.html

Yep, I noticed that too.

I posted an article about the huge number of empty high street shops - empty now for years.
The article mentioned online shopping taking over contributing to the empty brick and mortar - contributing maybe, but our economy isn't recoverd.

The number of empty dwellings, buildings, shops and here in the West Midlands, empty asphalt paved over plots, are many and these properties sit with nothing done within. Political decisions created this situation - there's no penalty for those owning the empty places to do anything more than let it sit there, contributing zero support to the community infrastructure surrounding it creating its value. Well, some of its value. Bank balance sheets listing property value assets are works of fantasy.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:36 pm

Got some running about to do followed by looking after a little one. I wonder what magic I may conjure today. Enjoy the rest of your day and I hope A's remembrance for his wife was suitably convivial.

May I say that we should excuse his holding his head in his hands tomorrow morning? Cheers.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 04 Sep, 2015 2:48 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
Ed Miliband to leave frontline politics and campaign on inequality, environmental issues from backbenches

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... icn=puff-3

"The former Labour leader has ruled out returning to a shadow cabinet role and is expected to announce within days he will be focusing his time on campaigning on inequality and environmental issues as a backbench MP."

His wisdom, integrity and committment to fairness for all people makes him one of the finest people I know.
Wise clearly stating his intentions and to quiet chatting speculation.
Integrity there's no difference between Ed Milband's words and actions.
Committment to fairness for all people because we're all are better off when we're all better off - greater physical, emotional, psychological resilence throughout the entire country, less stress, greater patience, greater creativity, less reliance on chemically altering states of conscienceness in an attempt to cope, more laughter, fewer tears, more public transportation, fewer traffic jams, less pollution, healthier lives, forever and ever, amen.