Monday 10th April 2017

[Tubby Isaacs]

Where's the money for 500,000 council homes? Do councils want those debts on their books?

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Where's the money for 500,000 council homes? Do councils want those debts on their books?

Labour will establish a National Investment Bank that will lend £500 billion for infrastructure projects, industry etc.

That's what they say.

It's all here if you want to read it

http://www.labour.org.uk/index.php/10-pledges" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PaulfromYorkshire]

You'll also see that Labour's announcement on Syria was entirely consistent with their published position.

We will put conflict resolution and human rights at the heart of foreign policy, commit to working through the United Nations, end support for aggressive wars of intervention and back effective action to alleviate the refugee crisis.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Where does the capital for the bank come from?

But good that it''s not councils borrowing.

[Tubby Isaacs]

.

[Tubby Isaacs]

You'll also see that Labour's announcement on Syria was entirely consistent with their published position.

We will put conflict resolution and human rights at the heart of foreign policy, commit to working through the United Nations, end support for aggressive wars of intervention and back effective action to alleviate the refugee crisis.

Which is fine except it means nothing happening in Syria and Israel because of vetoes in the UN. Then probably nothing happening anywhere because people ask why it's different to X where there was no intervention.

It is genuinely difficult this stuff.
.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Where does the capital for the bank come from?

But good that it''s not councils borrowing.

McDonnell said last conference season that he would borrow £100 billion to get it going.

I really am not an expert on government finance though....

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ah OK.

Then the bank gets a return on what it lends out.

[AnatolyKasparov]

So now we know why Abi Wilkinson locked her Twitter account

Best wishes and solidarity to her.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

You'll also see that Labour's announcement on Syria was entirely consistent with their published position.

We will put conflict resolution and human rights at the heart of foreign policy, commit to working through the United Nations, end support for aggressive wars of intervention and back effective action to alleviate the refugee crisis.

Which is fine except it means nothing happening in Syria and Israel because of vetoes in the UN. Then probably nothing happening anywhere because people ask why it's different to X where there was no intervention.

It is genuinely difficult this stuff.
.

I know it's difficult. But when I was a lad in the Cold War era it was always like that and I'm not sure it was worse out there. Then there was the end of the Cold War and, somehow, consensus on removing Saddam from Kuwait, but stopping short of invading Iraq. Then of course Srebenica and Rwanda and the world said never again and we must intervene.

Somehow Kuwait was liberated with full support from the Security Council. Yes it is difficult but on occasions it can be done.

[HindleA]

With respect,Labour councils are in position so for instance Derbyshire,among others implement Living Wage enhancements for all staff-retaining,granted,unusually,several thousand of own care staff and,previously(I cannot speak of late)funds for direct payments predicated/calculated on the same basis and though unable to specify wage rate,with the signposted usage of a disability organisation (payroll,employer support etc)the default rate was set at that.Eveybody should have that choice,hardly ever mentioned and of course they have power of oversight and choice of contracts outwith.Not even a left/right thing but political will that makes economic and human sense-of course only one part-free travel for carers etc

[HindleA]

Not unusually,I didn't fully understand that myself.

[Temulkar]

So now we know why Abi Wilkinson locked her Twitter account

Best wishes and solidarity to her.

Huh, why?

[AnatolyKasparov]

She has posted about it on Medium.

[Willow904]

I was responding to the fact that Labour has chosen to talk about the NLW, as opposed to other things. And wondering about the point of saying they'll do something by 2020. How, exactly? The Tories are in government. And running into problems with their own modest increases to the NLW, with social care becoming unaffordable. I guess I'd like to hear how Labour will make social care affordable at current wage levels, for instance, before I can be confident such a wage hike is actually achievable.

[HindleA]

Re social care and "unaffordability" of reasonable wages.We managed well above NMW,how and the method is posted above,albeit so cryptic I am sending it to GCHQ for deciphering.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

I was responding to the fact that Labour has chosen to talk about the NLW, as opposed to other things. And wondering about the point of saying they'll do something by 2020. How, exactly? The Tories are in government. And running into problems with their own modest increases to the NLW, with social care becoming unaffordable. I guess I'd like to hear how Labour will make social care affordable at current wage levels, for instance, before I can be confident such a wage hike is actually achievable.

Labour say they will do it when elected in 2020.

That gives them 3 years to answer your question. Let's hope they do

[HindleA]

Excuse waffling.Just mean Councils have responsibility for social care,so their decisions,choices etc and who run them matter,regardless of what Party is in power nationally.

[Willow904]

I was responding to the fact that Labour has chosen to talk about the NLW, as opposed to other things. And wondering about the point of saying they'll do something by 2020. How, exactly? The Tories are in government. And running into problems with their own modest increases to the NLW, with social care becoming unaffordable. I guess I'd like to hear how Labour will make social care affordable at current wage levels, for instance, before I can be confident such a wage hike is actually achievable.

Labour say they will do it when elected in 2020.

That gives them 3 years to answer your question. Let's hope they do

I thought it was £10 by 2020, not 5 years down the line once elected? Ed was going to put it up to £8 by 2020 and then peg it to the median wage in the 2015 manifesto, without the recessionary pressures of Brexit. The Tories have gone up to £7.50 so far and residential care homes are already closing. HindleA offers ideas of how social care can be provided at proper wages and I have no doubts it can and should be the way forward, but feel these issues should be tackled before not after a substantial hike in the minimum wage. There's still a couple of years of very unstable economic times to get through before Labour need to come up with specific minimum wage proposals. It could be wise to wait to see where the Tories get to with the NLW, what problems are generated and how the Tories have dealt with them, before deciding what can be done specifically in 2020. Perhaps stuff like this is necessary to get elected, but where the money comes from to pay for it is always lurking in the background. Higher wages tend to filter through in higher prices, much more of a problem with our current weak pound.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

I was responding to the fact that Labour has chosen to talk about the NLW, as opposed to other things. And wondering about the point of saying they'll do something by 2020. How, exactly? The Tories are in government. And running into problems with their own modest increases to the NLW, with social care becoming unaffordable. I guess I'd like to hear how Labour will make social care affordable at current wage levels, for instance, before I can be confident such a wage hike is actually achievable.

Labour say they will do it when elected in 2020.

That gives them 3 years to answer your question. Let's hope they do

I thought it was £10 by 2020, not 5 years down the line once elected? Ed was going to put it up to £8 by 2020 and then peg it to the median wage in the 2015 manifesto, without the recessionary pressures of Brexit. The Tories have gone up to £7.50 so far and residential care homes are already closing. HindleA offers ideas of how social care can be provided at proper wages and I have no doubts it can and should be the way forward, but feel these issues should be tackled before not after a substantial hike in the minimum wage. There's still a couple of years of very unstable economic times to get through before Labour need to come up with specific minimum wage proposals. It could be wise to wait to see where the Tories get to with the NLW, what problems are generated and how the Tories have dealt with them, before deciding what can be done specifically in 2020. Perhaps stuff like this is necessary to get elected, but where the money comes from to pay for it is always lurking in the background. Higher wages tend to filter through in higher prices, much more of a problem with our current weak pound.

Sorry if I was unclear. My understanding is they will do this in their first budget when elected in 2020.

[Willow904]

Labour say they will do it when elected in 2020.

That gives them 3 years to answer your question. Let's hope they do

I thought it was £10 by 2020, not 5 years down the line once elected? Ed was going to put it up to £8 by 2020 and then peg it to the median wage in the 2015 manifesto, without the recessionary pressures of Brexit. The Tories have gone up to £7.50 so far and residential care homes are already closing. HindleA offers ideas of how social care can be provided at proper wages and I have no doubts it can and should be the way forward, but feel these issues should be tackled before not after a substantial hike in the minimum wage. There's still a couple of years of very unstable economic times to get through before Labour need to come up with specific minimum wage proposals. It could be wise to wait to see where the Tories get to with the NLW, what problems are generated and how the Tories have dealt with them, before deciding what can be done specifically in 2020. Perhaps stuff like this is necessary to get elected, but where the money comes from to pay for it is always lurking in the background. Higher wages tend to filter through in higher prices, much more of a problem with our current weak pound.

Sorry if I was unclear. My understanding is they will do this in their first budget when elected in 2020.

What if the minimum wage is still £7.50 in 2020? They'll put it up by £2.50 in one go?

[Tubby Isaacs]

There's still time to show the working before 2020.

Hope they do.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I'm sure Osborne when he made the big £9 an hour announcement had run it past some Tory businessmen. I wouldn't be surprised if they were thinking of ways round it, like self-employment and apprenticeships.

I wonder if Labour should have kept powder dry on the actual wage rate at this stage and flagged up the loopholes even more strongly. And hold them to £9. If that slips, it's Tory Brexit wage cuts.

[StephenDolan]

There's still time to show the working before 2020.

Hope they do.

Do they really need to show their working? I'm thinking of Cameron saying that an extra £12bn was going to go to the NHS. When asked for details he'd waffle. Now I realise that Labour politicians are held to different standards than the Tories but even so. Snappy policies that can be summarised in a few words. And repeat. The house building when referenced in interviews etc shouldn't imho have the time frame and how it'll be paid qualification added. That can be done later. When purely discussing the investment bank.

£10 minimum wage.
School meals pledge.
1m new homes.

And so forth. Repeat, repeat, repeat. On the doorstep, in literature, in interviews, in OP, in the HoC.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Labour has to show its working. Tories don't.

[HindleA]

Painting the inside of your bathroom door using both feet is harder than you would think and no more quicker than the single hand method,I find.Maybe,I need more practice.

[HindleA]

Better half preferred using professionals,no idea why.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Labour has to show its working. Tories don't.

Yes, because of our ludicrously slanted media. As with so much else that is wrong with this country, their fingerprints are all over it.

[SpinningHugo]

Labour has to show its working. Tories don't.

Yes, because of our ludicrously slanted media. As with so much else that is wrong with this country, their fingerprints are all over it.

Yes, it is all terribly unfair.

The world is as it is. Labour has to win in this world, not in another nicer world. At the moment too many are not interested in trying, but much more interested in complaining about it.

Labour used to spend its time complaining about this in the 80s. Nowadays, with social media, it has far far less cause than then.

[HindleA]

https://community.scope.org.uk/discussi ... m=referral" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Guest Post: The tangled process of PIP - injustice for disabled people


An aspect not always mentioned,is that beyond the required in built eligibility "wait",delays have more than financial consequences,so the "you got it anyway",misses the point.

[HindleA]

"Derbyshire Labour A Lot Done More to Do Everything to Lose

In 2013 the people of Derbyshire put their faith in us to protect their services. We have achieved so much over the last four years, but there is always more to do. We want to return another Labour Council in May to get those things done.
Despite unprecedented cuts hitting every corner of our county and every service, Labour Derbyshire County Council has worked hard to protect our most vulnerable residents – young and old, and families and to fulfil the pledges we made to you.It has not been easy, we have had to make some very tough choices. But by working with local people and communities, by investing in Derbyshire people and Derbyshire services, by working with Derbyshire businesses we have been able to lessen the impact of £278m cuts with the Tories have handed down to Derbyshire people.

You the people and communities of Derbyshire remain at the heart of everything we are trying to do – from investing in schools or care homes, roads or railways, to regenerating coalfields and historic buildings and caring for our precious countryside.

Over the past four years we think we have achieved much, but we are not complacent. There is always more to do, and we have a clear vision to take our county forward, building on the firm foundations we have laid.

Wherever you live in Derbyshire, your local Labour county councillor has been a strong voice for your community

It is clear that the Conservative government is intent on destroying our NHS, our schools and has little interest in ordinary people. We cannot afford them to take control of our county again.

That is why we are seeking your support, and asking you to Vote Labour on May 4.

A lot done. More to do. Everything to lose.

[HindleA]

Should be able to vote next week.

[HindleA]

Still undecided.

[HindleA]

Though,moving to Kev down the road.

[HindleA]

Watching paint dry even with balancing a bowl of fruit on your head for extra danger is indeed boring.Think I'll leave the next coat until tomorrow,perhaps using my mouth.

[HindleA]

[youtube]sFyJ3rPbykI[/youtube]




Suffolk Labour

[tinyclanger2]

Just a bit from the Miliband last leg thing

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[tinyclanger2]

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Berlusconi cuddles lambs in vegetarian Easter campaign

[PorFavor]

Just a bit from the Miliband last leg thing

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

Thank you!

[tinybgoat]

Labour has to show its working. Tories don't.

Yes, because of our ludicrously slanted media. As with so much else that is wrong with this country, their fingerprints are all over it.

Yes, it is all terribly unfair.

The world is as it is. Labour has to win in this world, not in another nicer world. At the moment too many are not interested in trying, but much more interested in complaining about it.

Labour used to spend its time complaining about this in the 80s. Nowadays, with social media, it has far far less cause than then.

Trouble is, there's a lot of anti Labour bias on social media as well, nowadays. I mean it's almost as if some people have a hidden agenda, or something.

[HindleA]

Sometimes under the guise of "what do I care" some suggest,never seen it myself.

[HindleA]

What's the position of public baths usage with paint encrusted feet,does anybody know?.I did try and use hand gloves to no avail-I may have discovered a niche market.

[Willow904]

Co-incendentally, Larry Elliot touches on some of the economic themes I was mulling over last night and partially answers my question of whether artificially inflated house prices can be propped up indefinitely :

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... not-feared" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In short, the economy has reverted to the state it was in before George Osborne gave the housing market a boost halfway through the last parliament. Two policies, Funding for Lending and help to buy, got mortgage lending going again and led to stronger growth.

But this was a sugar rush. There was a limit to how far house prices could rise and that limit has been reached.

However, we seem to be doomed to tread water than see any real rejuvenation of our economy and political perspective:

Sooner or later, a politician is going to be brave enough to say Britain has got housing policy completely wrong. They will say, quite correctly, that there is no future in an economy so heavily reliant on a housing market that lurches from boom to bust. They will demand that the shackles be taken off local authorities so they can tackle a homelessness crisis. They will accept that Britain’s taxation system encourages demand for housing, while the planning system discourages supply, and act accordingly.

That would mean reform of a property tax system that manages to stimulate demand, encourage land hoarding and be regressive all at the same time. It would also mean taking on the biggest vested interest in Britain: owner occupiers who, through luck rather than skill, have amassed considerable wealth as a result of soaring housing prices. Which is why it is not going to happen any time soon.

[PorFavor]

Good morfternoon.

Still no yahyah, and no sign of citizenJA for a couple of days, either.

[tinyclanger2]

https://www.theguardian.com/small-busin ... res-brexit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
‘We will be forced to close’: Polish and Czech food stores post-Brexit
Rising import costs and falling migration pose a serious threat, but retail entrepreneurs are making plans to adapt

[tinyclanger2]

I understand I'm tedious, but I feel that thepeoplevoted on what amounts to an act of criminal negligence

[tinyclanger2]

no great fan, and it's from a year ago but:

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/maga ... gnoramuses" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Am I being elitist? Yes of course I am, and why not? Notice that I’m counting myself out of the elite. You want your surgeon to know anatomy. You want the pilot of your airliner to have cerebral knowledge and cerebellar skills honed by painstakingly many flying hours. You want your professor to be well read in the subject of her lectures. You want your plumber to know one end of a drain from the other. Why would you entrust your country’s economic and political future to know-nothing voters like me? At least I’m honest about my elitism. The leaders of both campaigns show their contempt for us when they debase the argument to the populist level of Hitler-invocation.

[tinyclanger2]

And to be clear - I'm not only tedious about Brexit.

[PorFavor]

I understand I'm tedious, but I feel that thepeoplevoted on what amounts to an act of criminal negligence

I'll just keep watching Ed Miliband. It's too depressing, otherwise.

[tinybgoat]

What's the position of public baths usage with paint encrusted feet,does anybody know?.I did try and use hand gloves to no avail-I may have discovered a niche market.

Just claim it's nail varnish
- maybe put some lippy on too ?