Friday 26th September 2014

[Temulkar]

Hitler only 'won' the elections after he unleashed terror on the SDP and KDP, set fire to the Reichstag and had his thugs attack and kidnap thousands of opposition MPs, party leaders and organisers. And he managed to get so much popular support because his party was massively funded by Ruhr iron and steel interests who funded his radio stations, his airplanes, his newspapers and his party organisation.

Hitler 'won' because he was the ruling class's choice. But he never actually won a free and fair election. Even after suppressing the two other main parties, the Nazis failed to win a majority and reached only 43% of the votes.

If you have parties that are willing to behave like that and still get the support of the ruling class, then the voting system has little affect on the outcome.

I disagree, My point is you had years of ineffectual governments, which was a side effect of the system. The issue isn't the last election it was the years before it. Temulkars point about the President is a valid one, but my view isn't that PR is entirely responsible, but the electoral system does make a difference in stopping extremism (or aiding it).

There is a reason the Blackshirts didn't break through in the UK, despite the backing of the Daily Mail.

The years of 'innefectual government' were not caused by the electoral system. If they had been then Germany would have been subjected to constant revolution post 1919, It wasn't. The NSDAP were a nonentity until the Wall Street Crash and the calling in of the US loans. After that, Germany was subjected to the very worst of the Great Depression, far in excess of what we saw here. Hitler's meteoric rise (not gradual at all)post 1928 mirrors the unemployment figures. As the numbers out of work increased so did votes for the nazis.

PR works in over half of the worlds nations including the largest democracy and Germany today. Under FPTP Hitler would have been elected in 1932 (given that the Nazi party won the popular vote in 3/4 of the different states). The proportional weimar system limited him from absolute power for 18 months.

The weakness in the constitution stemmed from Article 48 not the system of voting.

[ErnstRemarx]

Agree. It's a much-missed facility. I used to (mis)use the thanks button here as a "recommend" substitute (and for other purposes - a sort of catch-all) but I don't think it was ideal as a "recommend" substitute.

'Thank' is better than nothing, but it doesn't allow that direct link between post and response.

There is a way to directly link the 'Thanks' button to the posts they were clicked on. I will have a look when I get home.

Dan - I think it's the ACP under .mods, "List thanks in post". I can enable it now and set the max figure for thanks from 10 to about 40-50. Was that what you were thinking of?

[ohsocynical]

Left-wing revolt underway in Ukip

I asked Farage whether this revolt on the left of the right was going to make it into his manifesto. He replied that the manifesto would be written by the party’s NEC, and that those ideas wouldn’t be going into it. But watch out for those voices urging the party to lurch to the left to attract former Labour voters.

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehous ... y-in-ukip/

So lots of promises coming Labour voters way. And not a chance in hell of them being kept. What's new?

Flat tax rate, return of grammar schools, abolition of inheritance tax. All on the working class Labour voters wishlist naturally.

A little group charged with attracting more Labour voters, talking about mansion tax etc.
Farage has no intention of bringing in socialist things like that. He's lose all his Conservative voters

So the boasts that Labour were queuing up to join UKIP don't appear to be true? Well I never!

[mikems]

TE,

Not sure what we are disagreeing about!

I would say the reason the fascists didn't win in the UK were many and varied, but mainly because they could offer no advantage over traditional conservatism for the ruling class. In Germany there was no real equivalent of our tories on the right, which was split on class and religous lines i.e. a catholic right-centre party and a peasant right-centre party etc and more than one variety of fascist until the Nazis won that squalid contest.

The main bulwark of the ruling class in German politics traditionally was the army and the landed aristocracy - and it was the army that did a deal with Hitler to get him the presidency, thinking they could control him, though by that time the Nazis were very much in the pockets of the big industrial concerns and the armies political weight had declined considerably after the defeat and restrictions imposed by Versailles. The aristocracy had been reduced in power by the abdication and end of the Hohenzollerns. That's why the Nazis could prosper - they offered a new and strong bulwark against 'socialism' and the KPD for those with wealth and power.

Instability was guaranteed in Germany, but there was no such instability in Britain, less for the fascists to feed on by way of ruling class disarray and a relatively weak communist party - indeed even the Labour party and its minimal threat to ruling class interests, wealth and power was weak and divided post MacDonald.

[ohsocynical]

Looking at Who's Online, do we have a couple more spammers hanging around?

wgqwtkzslqam, wjwidvpurluo

If genuine, then apologies.

[refitman]

'Thank' is better than nothing, but it doesn't allow that direct link between post and response.

There is a way to directly link the 'Thanks' button to the posts they were clicked on. I will have a look when I get home.

Dan - I think it's the ACP under .mods, "List thanks in post". I can enable it now and set the max figure for thanks from 10 to about 40-50. Was that what you were thinking of?

That's the fella. If you can.

[ErnstRemarx]

Looking at Who's Online, do we have a couple more spammers hanging around?

wgqwtkzslqam, wjwidvpurluo

If genuine, then apologies.

Oh dear, I appear to have deleted them.

[frightful_oik]

'Thank' is better than nothing, but it doesn't allow that direct link between post and response.

There is a way to directly link the 'Thanks' button to the posts they were clicked on. I will have a look when I get home.

Dan - I think it's the ACP under .mods, "List thanks in post". I can enable it now and set the max figure for thanks from 10 to about 40-50. Was that what you were thinking of?

Oooh, I'm getting proper excited now

[refitman]

Looking at Who's Online, do we have a couple more spammers hanging around?

wgqwtkzslqam, wjwidvpurluo

If genuine, then apologies.

Nope, they are spammers. I have wielded the mighty banhammer.

[ErnstRemarx]

There is a way to directly link the 'Thanks' button to the posts they were clicked on. I will have a look when I get home.

Dan - I think it's the ACP under .mods, "List thanks in post". I can enable it now and set the max figure for thanks from 10 to about 40-50. Was that what you were thinking of?

That's the fella. If you can.

Done. Don't know how it'll look, and it may require logging out and back in, but it's now in the system...

[PorFavor]

Fracking trespass law changes move forward despite huge public opposition

Ministers reject 40,000 objections to allow fracking below homes without owners’ permission (Guardian)

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... opposition

[refitman]

Done. Don't know how it'll look, and it may require logging out and back in, but it's now in the system...

It's not retro-active, so any posts that haven't been 'thanked' won't look any different. Any done from now on will show.

[PorFavor]

Dan - I think it's the ACP under .mods, "List thanks in post". I can enable it now and set the max figure for thanks from 10 to about 40-50. Was that what you were thinking of?

That's the fella. If you can.

Done. Don't know how it'll look, and it may require logging out and back in, but it's now in the system...

Thank you.

[yahyah]

Farage has pinched one of my ideas


'Ukip has unveiled a tax on luxury goods such as designer shoes, handbags and sports cars in a series of populist announcements aimed at winning over former Labour voters.

The party wants shoes costing more than £200, handbags worth more than £1,000 and cars costing more than £50,000 to attract a higher level of VAT.
Patrick O'Flynn, Ukip's economic spokesman, said it makes "no sense" that VAT set at a flat rate of 20 per cent. Under Ukip's plans, luxury goods would face a 25 per cent rate of VAT.'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... g-tax.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Indeed. It's bad enough that shipowners crew their vessels with inexperienced and/or poorly qualified people, but for HM Coastguard to do so is disgraceful.

Disgraceful but inevitable, given the level of cuts this Government has made (and continues to make) to the Coastguard budget. proportionally higher than the savage cuts being made to the armed forces. They have been warned that these cuts will cost lives, but money is more important than people to this bunch of thugs.

http://coastguardsos.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Absolutely. I follow someone called @CoastalJoe1 on Twitter and he has daily stories of the progress of government cuts to coastguard services. Also, I believe RAF Air-Sea Rescue services are being transferred under the banner of the Coastguard (contracted out, obviously, but presumably now paid for from Coastguard budget)

Edit: Coastal Joe is connected with the website referenced above

Yep, the move to transfer ASR from the RAF to civilian contractors was begun under Labour and continues apace. The budgetary situation is quite complicated, as some of the funding comes from the Department of Transport who have a statutory requirement for the provision of rescue for civilian aircraft in distress under the 1948 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation; this used to be delegated to the RAF and Royal Navy, but a contract was signed last year for this to be taken over by Bristow Helicopters.

It makes sense, sort of. The armed forces ASR units primary role is military search and rescue, the retrieval of downed aircrew and sailors in distress; their visible role - rescuing civilians at sea, on the coast and in mountainous areas - was tolerated by Whitehall as it provided good training, maintained crew currency and was damn good PR! But the problem was that the aircraft used by both services, the Seaking, is in desperate need of replacement; some of the RAF airframes in service are the best part of thirty years old, a couple of the naval ones (although upgraded significantly) are even older! There is no budget to replace them like for like with Merlins, so the role was returned to the M of T and the fleet is being run down over time. End of an era.


EDIT - If I ever have to ask for my coat I think it is safe to assume it will be the anorak in the corner.

[ohsocynical]

Looking at Who's Online, do we have a couple more spammers hanging around?

wgqwtkzslqam, wjwidvpurluo

If genuine, then apologies.

Oh dear, I appear to have deleted them.

[refitman]

JamesLyons @SW1James
Follow

Rushanara Ali has quit Labour frontbench over Iraq vote
5:17 PM - 26 Sep 2014

[RogerOThornhill]

TE,

Not sure what we are disagreeing about!

I would say the reason the fascists didn't win in the UK were many and varied, but mainly because they could offer no advantage over traditional conservatism for the ruling class. In Germany there was no real equivalent of our tories on the right, which was split on class and religous lines i.e. a catholic right-centre party and a peasant right-centre party etc and more than one variety of fascist until the Nazis won that squalid contest.

The main bulwark of the ruling class in German politics traditionally was the army and the landed aristocracy - and it was the army that did a deal with Hitler to get him the presidency, thinking they could control him, though by that time the Nazis were very much in the pockets of the big industrial concerns and the armies political weight had declined considerably after the defeat and restrictions imposed by Versailles. The aristocracy had been reduced in power by the abdication and end of the Hohenzollerns. That's why the Nazis could prosper - they offered a new and strong bulwark against 'socialism' and the KPD for those with wealth and power.

Instability was guaranteed in Germany, but there was no such instability in Britain, less for the fascists to feed on by way of ruling class disarray and a relatively weak communist party - indeed even the Labour party and its minimal threat to ruling class interests, wealth and power was weak and divided post MacDonald.

Plus there was an aversion in Britain of anything that smacked of militarism - sticking the BUF into a uniform was a mistake. And they got the timing all wrong - if they'd been around in the mid-late 20s they might have made more impact. By the mid 1930s they'd blown it.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Sunny Hundal ‏@sunny_hundal 1m
Here's why British involvement in Iraq will be ineffective and could backfire on us. This is an ill-thought out plan http://bit.ly/1okh1Pw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Just a thought on spammers.

If you are Admin you can delete their posts with a click, just like you delete one of your own. If others want to be able to do this, refitman can give you the power.

Might be sensible to have some who are reliably around in the day to keep us looking good?

[55DegreesNorth]

Yep, the move to transfer ASR from the RAF to civilian contractors was begun under Labour and continues apace. The budgetary situation is quite complicated, as some of the funding comes from the Department of Transport who have a statutory requirement for the provision of rescue for civilian aircraft in distress under the 1948 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation; this used to be delegated to the RAF and Royal Navy, but a contract was signed last year for this to be taken over by Bristow Helicopters.

It makes sense, sort of. The armed forces ASR units primary role is military search and rescue, the retrieval of downed aircrew and sailors in distress; their visible role - rescuing civilians at sea, on the coast and in mountainous areas - was tolerated by Whitehall as it provided good training, maintained crew currency and was damn good PR! But the problem was that the aircraft used by both services, the Seaking, is in desperate need of replacement; some of the RAF airframes in service are the best part of thirty years old, a couple of the naval ones (although upgraded significantly) are even older! There is no budget to replace them like for like with Merlins, so the role was returned to the M of T and the fleet is being run down over time. End of an era.


EDIT - If I ever have to ask for my coat I think it is safe to assume it will be the anorak in the corner.

Afternoon.
So, who is going to do the military search and rescue, if the RAF hasn't got any choppers and the experienced pilots are taxiing oil workers?

[refitman]

'Thank' is better than nothing, but it doesn't allow that direct link between post and response.

There is a way to directly link the 'Thanks' button to the posts they were clicked on. I will have a look when I get home.

Thanks!

I don't think you've quite got the idea

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Yep, the move to transfer ASR from the RAF to civilian contractors was begun under Labour and continues apace. The budgetary situation is quite complicated, as some of the funding comes from the Department of Transport who have a statutory requirement for the provision of rescue for civilian aircraft in distress under the 1948 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation; this used to be delegated to the RAF and Royal Navy, but a contract was signed last year for this to be taken over by Bristow Helicopters.

It makes sense, sort of. The armed forces ASR units primary role is military search and rescue, the retrieval of downed aircrew and sailors in distress; their visible role - rescuing civilians at sea, on the coast and in mountainous areas - was tolerated by Whitehall as it provided good training, maintained crew currency and was damn good PR! But the problem was that the aircraft used by both services, the Seaking, is in desperate need of replacement; some of the RAF airframes in service are the best part of thirty years old, a couple of the naval ones (although upgraded significantly) are even older! There is no budget to replace them like for like with Merlins, so the role was returned to the M of T and the fleet is being run down over time. End of an era.


EDIT - If I ever have to ask for my coat I think it is safe to assume it will be the anorak in the corner.

Afternoon.
So, who is going to do the military search and rescue, if the RAF hasn't got any choppers and the experienced pilots are taxiing oil workers?

The RAF/RN do have choppers, just less of them and limited money to spend on flying hours (although, eventually, the Seakings will run out of grunt); and some of the Bristow crews won't be Bristow pilots, but seconded service pilots. But, you're right, it is debatable whether we have a viable military search and rescue capability any longer, especially since the Nimrod fleet was retired. One of the ironies of post-war political life is that Tory Governments have loved their military adventures, from Suez onwards, but have also had a tendency toward immoderate and illogical cuts in armed forces spending; if the Argentinians had waited six months to a year we would not have had sufficient forces to retake the Falklands, and it is no different now.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Loving the new Thanks feature guys.

HOWEVER, fact still remains that just because I haven't thanked it doesn't mean I haven't read and enjoyed it

[RogerOThornhill]

I assume this is one Envy of the World story we wouldn't hear about from the usual suspect...

Patients neglected at privately-run NHS hospital, watchdog finds

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... e-hospital

Patients are being neglected, hygiene is inadequate and staffing problems are affecting care at the only NHS hospital run by a private company, the health service care watchdog has concluded.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has made a series of criticisms of Hinchingbrooke hospital in Cambridgeshire after inspectors found problems during a four-day visit last week.

In 2012, Hinchingbrooke became the first hospital in the NHS to be managed by a profit-making firm when it was taken over by Circle in a 10-year contract worth about £1bn. Around 160,000 patients a year are treated there.

The regulator has outlined its concerns in a letter to the hospital, which has been leaked to the Health Service Journal. It was also critical of the hospital’s management and demanded urgent action to resolve weaknesses inspectors found.

Thought he'd been suspiciously quiet today.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I assume this is one Envy of the World story we wouldn't hear about from the usual suspect...

Patients neglected at privately-run NHS hospital, watchdog finds

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... e-hospital

Patients are being neglected, hygiene is inadequate and staffing problems are affecting care at the only NHS hospital run by a private company, the health service care watchdog has concluded.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has made a series of criticisms of Hinchingbrooke hospital in Cambridgeshire after inspectors found problems during a four-day visit last week.

In 2012, Hinchingbrooke became the first hospital in the NHS to be managed by a profit-making firm when it was taken over by Circle in a 10-year contract worth about £1bn. Around 160,000 patients a year are treated there.

The regulator has outlined its concerns in a letter to the hospital, which has been leaked to the Health Service Journal. It was also critical of the hospital’s management and demanded urgent action to resolve weaknesses inspectors found.

Thought he'd been suspiciously quiet today.

He's had a busy week; and, besides, I expect he'll all be too busy preparing for their own conference, those cups of tea won't serve themselves.

[Spacedone]

Nigel Farage actually said he was "parking his tanks on Labour's lawn". It's Nigel Farage getting hold of tanks that I'm worried about...

[ohsocynical]

HM Passport Office to be abolished and boss to lose job, says Theresa May
Home Secretary chooses day of Parliament recall to announce major changes to the Passport Office, following "summer of chaos" which saw thousands of holidaymakers thwarted by passport delays.

Another Tory wheeze that didn't go according to plan then.

[letsskiptotheleft]

Nigel Farage actually said he was "parking his tanks on Labour's lawn". It's Nigel Farage getting hold of tanks that I'm worried about...

Talking of which, in Dan ''Fucking'' Hodges's land Farage, was yesterday Labour's and Miliband's worst nightmare, today he has done an 180 degree turn and Labour have woken up to the fact.. I could worry for that bloke's sanity, but I won't.

[PorFavor]

Goodnight, everyone.

And - thank you.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Goodnight, everyone.

And - thank you.

Maybe Refitman and Ernst could rustle up Goodnight button next

[ohsocynical]

I assume this is one Envy of the World story we wouldn't hear about from the usual suspect...

Patients neglected at privately-run NHS hospital, watchdog finds

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... e-hospital

Patients are being neglected, hygiene is inadequate and staffing problems are affecting care at the only NHS hospital run by a private company, the health service care watchdog has concluded.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has made a series of criticisms of Hinchingbrooke hospital in Cambridgeshire after inspectors found problems during a four-day visit last week.

In 2012, Hinchingbrooke became the first hospital in the NHS to be managed by a profit-making firm when it was taken over by Circle in a 10-year contract worth about £1bn. Around 160,000 patients a year are treated there.

The regulator has outlined its concerns in a letter to the hospital, which has been leaked to the Health Service Journal. It was also critical of the hospital’s management and demanded urgent action to resolve weaknesses inspectors found.

Thought he'd been suspiciously quiet today.

He's had a busy week; and, besides, I expect he'll all be too busy preparing for their own conference, those cups of tea won't serve themselves.

I thought the minor injuries unit at Bracknell was run by Circle, but then saw it's OneMedical Care. Our Clinical Commissioning Group gave them the contract and the building etc was overseen by the Care Quality Commission.
When you Google the minor injuries unit, you'd think it was NHS, because that's what it says at the top of the page. Gives you no reason to think otherwise.

Google OneMedical Care and they're into buildings for healthcare providing GP practices, etc.

If you go further I think it's a big American Health company...Same name.

The receptionist at my GP surgery argued that the MIU at Bracknell was NHS.
I sometimes think I'm going mad and seeing privatisation under the bed as it were. But I'm not am I?

[ErnstRemarx]

Goodnight, everyone.

And - thank you.

Maybe Refitman and Ernst could rustle up Goodnight button next

You're havin' a fuckin' laugh mate.

Were we UKIP I'm sure I could sort out a belming button.

[ohsocynical]

Not sure if this link about Mike Hancock has already been posted...Huge legal fees, who's going to pay them and this:

Anyone wondering why Handy hasn’t had the decency to quit may find it instructive to learn that he will be entitled to a one-off ‘resettlement payment’ of six months’ salary in May 2015 — but only if he stands at the election and loses.

http://linkis.com/politicalscrapbook.net/kOSlE

[ErnstRemarx]

Goodnight, everyone.

And - thank you.

Goodnight PF, it's a pleasure to mod here and to try to make t'interwebs a slightly nicer place to be. Sleep well, wke up energised and have a marvelous weekend. And that extends to all FTNers, and our (non spammy) guests....

[ohsocynical]

Goodnight, everyone.

And - thank you.

Night PF

[RogerOThornhill]

Sometimes I despair when I read Ofsted reports...especially when it directly contradicts what were told about how academy trusts are simply wonderful at turning schools around.

So...Upcroft Primary School joined CfBT in Sept 2012 as Meadow Park Academy when it was rated as inadequate from an inspection in May 2011.

Just had another full inspection a full two years after it joined CfBT and what does it say?

Teachers have not had enough opportunities to observe and learn from good or outstanding teaching in other schools.

Might have something to do with the fact that CfBT has other primaries in Lincolnshire, Derby, Brent and Oxfordshire. Henly is the closest from what I can see.

The the *sharp intake of breath* bit is this:

Since the school became a sponsored academy in 2012 there have been three principals or acting principals.

and

Since the school opened, leaders, managers and governors have not been effective enough in ensuring good teaching for all pupils and tackling the legacy of underachievement. Until recently, the academy sponsor had not provided rigorous support and guidance to the school leaders. A much more robust system of support is now in place.

What the bloody hell? That is supposed to be the point of giving them to a sponsor!

[AngryAsWell]

John Rentoul retweeted
Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman · 36s
In a press briefing after his speech, Farage conceded that the party wasn't going to win in Heywood. Post with that and other lines shortly

Fingers crossed...

I expect them to poll well in H&M, perhaps come second. Did I mention that the Tory candidate is the Tory group leader here in Bury. And, yes, he is as big a prick as you might expect. If he's third to UKIP the next full Council will probably be most amusing (it's streamed live if you fancy a laugh).

I did half wonder if it was a ploy - like "Oh we know we will loose" (so they don't miss any purely protest votes - they won't win anyway so might as well vote for um) followed by "Gosh!! we did it!!"
Hope not

[letsskiptotheleft]

Telegraph is always good for a snort, in the laughing sense, first of all Odone's ''David Cameron, the man that made you happier'' well she does believe in miracles and then this.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... -role.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AngryAsWell]

@AngryAsWell

Have posted the link in Troll Busters. It's now located above the Daily Politics.

http://flythenest.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just a reminder for others - please post anything there that you think provides clear argument or information that may be useful on topics, particularly for the pre-election period.

Thank you

[AngryAsWell]

Left-wing revolt underway in Ukip

I asked Farage whether this revolt on the left of the right was going to make it into his manifesto. He replied that the manifesto would be written by the party’s NEC, and that those ideas wouldn’t be going into it. But watch out for those voices urging the party to lurch to the left to attract former Labour voters.

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehous ... y-in-ukip/

So lots of promises coming Labour voters way. And not a chance in hell of them being kept. What's new?

Flat tax rate, return of grammar schools, abolition of inheritance tax. All on the working class Labour voters wishlist naturally.

I said late last year they would bring out a left wing manifesto (not that the above is left!) be interesting to see how far they go when its finally published.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

John Rentoul retweeted
Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman · 36s
In a press briefing after his speech, Farage conceded that the party wasn't going to win in Heywood. Post with that and other lines shortly

Fingers crossed...

I expect them to poll well in H&M, perhaps come second. Did I mention that the Tory candidate is the Tory group leader here in Bury. And, yes, he is as big a prick as you might expect. If he's third to UKIP the next full Council will probably be most amusing (it's streamed live if you fancy a laugh).

I did half wonder if it was a ploy - like "Oh we know we will loose" (so they don't miss any purely protest votes - they won't win anyway so might as well vote for um) followed by "Gosh!! we did it!!"
Hope not

The bookies have Labour at 1/5 to retain the seat, the best price I've seen for UKIP is 4/1. I'll be surprised if we see an upset on the 8th.

Night PF. Night John Boy ......

[AnatolyKasparov]

It is indeed very unlikely we will see any kind of upset on the 8th - not least given that the election is on the 9th

[TheGrimSqueaker]

It is indeed very unlikely we will see any kind of upset on the 8th - not least given that the election is on the 9th

Smart arse!

I knew it was the 9th, twas but a simply typo which I missed. I should definitely have gone to Specsavers!!!

[RogerOThornhill]

I've just seen UKIPs education policy...let's just say it's a little flimsy.

http://www.ukip.org/paul_nuttall_a_bett ... er_britain

We need a return to a more traditional primary education, with ‘the three ‘R’s.

So you haven't noticed the SATs in reading, Writing and Maths then? or the Spelling, Grammar and Punctration test? Oh, and the Phonics test - results of which were in the media as recently as...er...today?

Scrap sex and relationship education fo ... age of 11.

Why? For an awful lot of kids this is the best way of hearing about this - especially some girls who get early periods and wouldn't know what the hell was going on otherwise.

A grammar school in every town.

And the right number of secondary moderns? Achieved how - by force or building new schools?

UKIP would ensure that there is only ONE exam board for GCSE’s and ONE for A Levels offering ONE course for the relevant subject. Ending the option for schools to choose the easiest syllabus available.

One board? Even Gove ducked out of that one. Whatever happened to competition?

Only one course? Why?

To prevent a repeat of operation Trojan Horse, UKIP would ensure that an OFSTED investigation would take place if 25% of parents and governors signed a petition expressing concern.

It takes far less to do that right now.

crap the target of 50% of school leavers going to university.

There isn't one. And no, there wasn't one pre-2010 either. Try 50% in education or training.

Scrap tuition fees for able students pursuing courses in the sciences, technology, maths or medicine

laudable I guess but an awful lot of maths grads used to get snapped up to work in the City or for the Big 4 accountancy firms.

What about those who go into teaching? You'll have humanities grads with student debt working alongside STEM grads without any. Fair?

Mainly drivel then.

[AngryAsWell]

It is indeed very unlikely we will see any kind of upset on the 8th - not least given that the election is on the 9th

I really really hope you are right, I know a lot of people in H&M from my horse owning days (Its a strange area, built up run down towns and pockets of farm land turned to DIY livery stables) and there is a lot of ukippery about

[ohsocynical]

Charity collapse is devastating blow to region's good causes

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/busine ... ref=twtrec

[AngryAsWell]

So, are the Guardian going to come out for kippers?

Point-scoring not pint-sinking at Ukip conference
As energy and conviction drains from main political conferences, some of it is flowing into Nigel Farage’s ragged insurgency

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

[RogerOThornhill]

I've just remembered something pertinent to UKIP wanting a return to the 3Rs...

Standards of literacy and numeracy at primary level are now “better than they ever have been” as a result of improvements made over the last decade, according to Mike Cladingbowl, the inspectorate’s national director for inspection reform.

UKIP - now only a decade out of touch.

Actually I'd love to see them try and enforce some of their "schools shouldn't do this" on academies. Do you think they've been paying attention over the last few years? Purely rhetorical question...

[ErnstRemarx]

So, are the Guardian going to come out for kippers?

Point-scoring not pint-sinking at Ukip conference
As energy and conviction drains from main political conferences, some of it is flowing into Nigel Farage’s ragged insurgency

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

It wouldn't surprise me. Nothing does about that rag now. I feel like I lost an old friend when I realised just how turgidly awful it had become.