Friday 10th November 2017

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... CMP=twt_gu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


A pirates’ code governs Westminster. The solution is independent scrutiny
Dave Penman

[howsillyofme1]

Well I think Mr A is one of the stalwarts and does more than myn to keep the board alive

I find it interesting that to be considered a well-suited PM it is only to not micromanage and be a good performer in the house

It is my view for Cameron that this actually means he was pretty lazy and never really understood the detail of what he was doing and he was also a very competent liar and charlatan who never answered a question. If that is the criteria for being a good PM then perhaps we should look for our national leaders in the local market or in the circus!

Hugo keeps telling us that Brexit is the worst thing that is happening at the moment and he is ready to throw the blame around at everyone including those who have had or have little influence on the negotiations as it stands. The person who was responsible though the the calling, the drafting and the running of the referendum campaign is considered to have been 'well suited for the role'

This approach is vacuous in my view - being 'well-suited' to be a PM means to be able to understand the detail whilst not being operationally accountable. To make sure that the policies followed are sound and not harmful and also, yes, to be able to present these in an appropriate manner

Cameron failed on all three counts - massively - and his adequacy for the role was non-existent. His Government was an abject failureon virtually all counts and May is reaping some of the conséquences of that, coupled with her own, different, set of incompetences

Cameron was not 'well suited' to the role - he was completely wrong for the role and the country is suffering because of it - perhaps this shows why Hug^'s prédictions and posts are so far off the mark when he actually believes this about Cameron

On a final note - I don't remember seeing Cameron called 'evil' - some individuals in the Tory Party could be considered vindictive and sociopathic (as there will be in all parties) - but I don't see him as 'evil' more venal, arrogant and incompetent (exept in the ability to avoid questions and lie without embarrassment)

[HindleA]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... r_moreover" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Fewer social homes being built than at any time since Second World War, official figures reveal
Latest figures come as report finds 92 per cent of councils are not building enough affordable homes

[AnatolyKasparov]

Cameron looked and sounded "the part" - and regrettably to some people, including most lobby journalists, that seems to be the most important thing.

[PorFavor]

David Davis seems unclear which part of Ireland he is referring to at any given time. Sometimes he was speaking of the Irish Republic as though it were part of the UK.

[howsillyofme1]

Cameron looked and sounded "the part" - and regrettably to some people, including most lobby journalists, that seems to be the most important thing.

To shallow people yes but there is a big difference to 'look the part' and be 'suited to the role' unless, of course, that we want the PM just to be a showman and not have any substance - I don't think we would want that would we, and to be fair, most PM we have had in living memory have been far more substantial characters than that.

I would worry about anyone who thought Cameron was 'well suited' to be PM - for me, he was the worst I have ever seen.....although May is trying her best, although I do sense she is the one picking up all Cameron's left over rubbish

[HindleA]

Universal credit: the homeless charity that could lose a third of its income


https://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-s ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HindleA]

It shouldn't matter or that much comparative to other things,unfortunately it does.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Cameron looked and sounded "the part" - and regrettably to some people, including most lobby journalists, that seems to be the most important thing.

To shallow people yes but there is a big difference to 'look the part' and be 'suited to the role' unless, of course, that we want the PM just to be a showman and not have any substance - I don't think we would want that would we, and to be fair, most PM we have had in living memory have been far more substantial characters than that.

I would worry about anyone who thought Cameron was 'well suited' to be PM - for me, he was the worst I have ever seen.....although May is trying her best, although I do sense she is the one picking up all Cameron's left over rubbish

Cameron was (is) a PR man pure and simple.

I think he almost genuinely thinks that if you get the message out well enough that all is hunky dory, people will then believe that all is hunky dory and then that it actually will be.

If only government were that simple eh?

[tinybgoat]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11 ... half-tory/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

David Cameron lobbied Beijing on behalf of a Tory peer and former donor in order to help establish a £500m ‘UK-China’ investment fund.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

This made me laugh

[howsillyofme1]

Cameron looked and sounded "the part" - and regrettably to some people, including most lobby journalists, that seems to be the most important thing.

To shallow people yes but there is a big difference to 'look the part' and be 'suited to the role' unless, of course, that we want the PM just to be a showman and not have any substance - I don't think we would want that would we, and to be fair, most PM we have had in living memory have been far more substantial characters than that.

I would worry about anyone who thought Cameron was 'well suited' to be PM - for me, he was the worst I have ever seen.....although May is trying her best, although I do sense she is the one picking up all Cameron's left over rubbish

Cameron was (is) a PR man pure and simple.

I think he almost genuinely thinks that if you get the message out well enough that all is hunky dory, people will then believe that all is hunky dory and then that it actually will be.

If only government were that simple eh?

and in some ways that explains his 'success' with people who do not pay much attention to politics - so in terms of that he did succeed

I would hope though, that those of us who watch politics a bit more closely and journalists who get paid to do that, would expect much more from a PM.

Or is that all that matters now?

Personally, I asm astounded to see anyone post on here that Cameron was 'well suited' to the job of PM in any way, shape or form.

To balance it up I don't think Brown was not particularly well-suited to be PM either because of his temperament, but he was a level above where Cameron was. And the jury is out on Corbyn (who I still think would prefer to be an agitator rather than a leader) but I am convinced would still do a better job than May

The thing is though, we have a pseudo-Presidential system and there are usually only two options for who is going to be PM and in both his elections Cameron was the worst of those options from what I could see

[howsillyofme1]

This made me laugh

and for those who thought the barrel had no more scrapings off the bottom left to give!

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Cameron was (is) a PR man pure and simple.

I think he almost genuinely thinks that if you get the message out well enough that all is hunky dory, people will then believe that all is hunky dory and then that it actually will be.

If only government were that simple eh?

and in some ways that explains his 'success' with people who do not pay much attention to politics - so in terms of that he did succeed

I would hope though, that those of us who watch politics a bit more closely and journalists who get paid to do that, would expect much more from a PM.

Or is that all that matters now?

Personally, I asm astounded to see anyone post on here that Cameron was 'well suited' to the job of PM in any way, shape or form.

To balance it up I don't think Brown was not particularly well-suited to be PM either because of his temperament, but he was a level above where Cameron was. And the jury is out on Corbyn (who I still think would prefer to be an agitator rather than a leader) but I am convinced would still do a better job than May

The thing is though, we have a pseudo-Presidential system and there are usually only two options for who is going to be PM and in both his elections Cameron was the worst of those options from what I could see

Those who didn't pay much attention saw through him in the end didn't they? Not least on the EU, where his pathetic "deal" was transparently hopeless.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/po ... bring-down" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Emily Thornberry: Labour could bring down the Government within weeks

Go on lass!

[citizenJA]

---

(cJA edit)

[HindleA]

Also notice how inheritance tax has shot up because of housing

https://www.ft.com/content/6e1ac264-567 ... 9e2700005f" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1. It's behind the paywall
2. Gosh, really? No kidding?

I presume article from June(excerpts)


Annual inheritance tax receipts in Britain have exceeded £5bn for the first time and are now at their highest share of national income since the early 1980s.

Official statistics published on Wednesday showed the government collected £5.1bn in inheritance taxes in the 12 months to May, up 9 per cent on the £4.7bn collected a year earlier.

The rising value of houses and shares helped push up receipts for April and May of this year by 34 per cent, compared with the same period last year.


But even at its new record, inheritance tax collects relatively little revenue given the high level of political controversy it arouses. It is paid after fewer than one-in-25 deaths.

Inheritance tax receipts amounted to just 0.25 of gross domestic product in the 12 months to May — marginally higher than in 2007-2008, and the highest share of GDP since the early 1980s. The ratio of inheritance tax receipts to GDP peaked at 0.9 per cent of GDP in 1969, according to statistics going back to 1965 published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

[AnatolyKasparov]

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/po ... bring-down

Emily Thornberry: Labour could bring down the Government within weeks

Go on lass!

I'm not holding my breath, tbh......

[HindleA]

Would very much prefer ,non-involvement of other people,in essentially an uncalled for bullying attack,cheers.

[citizenJA]

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/po ... bring-down

Emily Thornberry: Labour could bring down the Government within weeks

Go on lass!

Go on! Go on! Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!

[citizenJA]

Cameron looked and sounded "the part" - and regrettably to some people, including most lobby journalists, that seems to be the most important thing.

Didn't he just? A PR machine. I didn't listen or watch him very often, I don't listen or watch much at all. I prefer reading.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/po ... bring-down

Emily Thornberry: Labour could bring down the Government within weeks

Go on lass!

I'm not holding my breath, tbh......

Me neither, but I like her spirit. I found it quite inspiring.

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/no ... -to-runoff" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


UK humiliated as international court election goes to runoff
International court of justice would be without British judge for first time since 1946 if Sir Christopher Greenwood loses

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/n ... -world-war" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


How colonial violence came home: the ugly truth of the first world war
The Great War is often depicted as an unexpected catastrophe. But for millions who had been living under imperialist rule, terror and degradation were nothing new. By Pankaj Mishra

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Elections watchdog pushes for action to help disabled voters
Report on June’s general election uncovers complaints about access to polling stations and lack of secrecy

[HindleA]

https://theindependentlivingdebate.word ... nt-living/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


A statutory right to independent living?

[Willow904]

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/po ... bring-down

Emily Thornberry: Labour could bring down the Government within weeks

Go on lass!

I'm not holding my breath, tbh......

Looking at the polls, it's pretty touch and go as to whether another election would even produce a different result anyway, which wouldn't be of much use to anyone.

It'll probably all change after March 2019, though. Who knows what the polls will look like once we've actually left.

[RogerOThornhill]

On the subject of Inheritance Tax the proportion of estates affected will...go down.

[AngryAsWell]

Full text of Lord Kerr’s Speech ‘Article 50: The Facts’

http://www.open-britain.co.uk/full_text ... _the_facts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gilsey]

On the subject of Inheritance Tax the proportion of estates affected will...go down.

Presumably because of Osborne's £1m property exemption.

[gilsey]

@HindleA

Never change.

Thank you.

[HindleA]

What,even my underwear?

[RogerOThornhill]

On the subject of Inheritance Tax the proportion of estates affected will...go down.

Presumably because of Osborne's £1m property exemption.

I would imagine so - fancy having a tax which brings in money and affects only 5% of the population...and giving in to the Daily Express to make it less extensive.

[howsillyofme1]

On inheritance tax

My personal view is that it should come in at a lower level than it is and if it affects more people then so be it. There would, of course, be exemptions for those who inherit a primary property they live in, or for spouses, with the main focus on those who inherit a property and sell it for gain without any inheritance or capital gain taxation whatsoever

Of course some of this is driven by envy that someone whose parents own a house in the South of England could inherit half a million from selling a property whilst those of us from the poorer parts of the Midlands or North will get nowt.......we can do nothing about the fact that they will have a significant inheritance but we can look at the fact that it is unearned income which is untaxed

The other option is taxing the capital gain on the sale of a property....in Switzerland there is a tax that ranges from 25% to around 10% that is based on the years a property is owned (if you have lived in the property the years are counted double so the tax rate drops off to the minimum after 12 years). If you reinvest in a primary property within 2 years then you are exempt from the tax

When I lived in Huddersfield I made almost as much money from the price increase of the house than I did from working 40 hours a week for 3 years when you look at net gain after income tax etc......it seemed stupid then and seems stupid now 11 years later!

PS Piketty goes into this in his Capital in the 21st Century book where he says we are moving into a time again where capital gains are going to far outweigh the gains from Labour......he also mentions the lower birthrate will mean that inheritances will no longer be split as much as they were in the past when there was larger population growth.....it is worth reading to see if you agree with his assumptions and theories

[citizenJA]

@HindleA

Never change.

Thank you.

[citizenJA]

---
When I lived in Huddersfield I made almost as much money from the price increase of the house than I did from working 40 hours a week for 3 years when you look at net gain after income tax etc......it seemed stupid then and seems stupid now 11 years later!

PS Piketty goes into this in his Capital in the 21st Century book where he says we are moving into a time again where capital gains are going to far outweigh the gains from Labour......
----

(cJA edit)

Agreed - the insanity of property price increasing more than earnings from work
On capital gains income becoming (or having become) a larger amount on a balance sheet next to earned income from labour
-----work, labour still needs getting done, food don't grow in Tescos, for example
-----capital gains isn't subject to the laws of physics

[citizenJA]

Full text of Lord Kerr’s Speech ‘Article 50: The Facts’

http://www.open-britain.co.uk/full_text ... _the_facts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“First, and crucially, as required by the Treaty, Mrs. May's letter was only a notification of the UK's "intention" to withdraw. Intentions can change. We still have all the rights of a member-state, including the right to change our minds and our votes, as member-states frequently do, for example after elections. The Article is about voluntary withdrawal, not about expulsion: we don't have to go if at any stage, within the two years, we decide we don't want to.
---
If we had wanted declaring an intention to go to be the Rubicon moment, if we had wanted a notification letter to be irrevocable, we would have drafted the clause to say so. But we didn’t, and the clause doesn’t. So, the die is not cast irretrievably. The letter can be taken back.

- Lord Kerr
...acted as Secretary-General of the European Constitutional Convention, which drafted Article 50

[SpinningHugo]

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/po ... bring-down

Emily Thornberry: Labour could bring down the Government within weeks

Go on lass!

I wonder if this kind of silly statement is counterproductive?

Clearly that won't happen, so I wonder if raising hopes like this might lead to disillusionment?

See also the claims that Labour didn't lose the general election.

[HindleA]

http://blog.shelter.org.uk/2017/11/will ... ng-market/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Will the Budget finally begin to fix the broken housing market?


Toby Lloyd

[HindleA]

Why the social care crisis could get worse much sooner than you think

(Speccie excerpts)

Isabel Hardman kudos for rare mention of personal budgets.


"Over the past few years, the sector has been trying to work out the implications of a court ruling that carers who stay overnight are entitled to the minimum wage for their sleep-in shifts, rather than a flat rate fee for a ‘sleep-in’ shift. This has been made rather more difficult by the government issuing guidance on the ruling which didn’t actually clarify the matter at all, only for ministers to announce a scheme last week which gives the sector 15 months to foot the bill for this backpay. The problem is that, along with the delay in working out what to do about the backpay, the bill itself is rather big. A conservative estimate has it at around £400 million: a figure that is hard to come by at the best of times, but even less so when you don’t have any money to spare and are desperate for a long-term settlement.

Charities such as Mencap say the back pay bill is immensely unfair, not just to providers but to those with disabilities who are given a personalised budget to spend on their care, as they too could be liable to pay tens of thousands of pounds. MPs across the spectrum are worried about this, too: they fear that the size of the bill coupled with no plans for government support for providers to be able to pay it could lead to some providers collapsing. Tory MPs such as Sarah Wollaston and Nicky Morgan are calling on ministers to ensure that there is some kind of funding announced in the Budget, while Labour wants a financial package from central government to stop providers exiting the sector and councils being forced to fill the gaps that are left.

There is no imminent likelihood of a provider going under: the Care Quality Commission has a duty to notify local authorities when larger providers are at risk of collapsing, and so far it has not had to do so. But aside from the delays from government on this specific matter, the fact that it is such a threat to the sector as a whole shows quite how precarious things are overall."

[HindleA]

Millions to be left in dark over state pensions

https://www.ft.com/content/278bb844-c47 ... 2b2cb39656" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Millions of savers will not now receive statements to help them check that their state pensions are correct, following a decision by tax authorities.

HM Revenue & Customs was due to send statements to millions of members of private and public sector schemes who had been “contracted out” of the state second pension between 1978 and 1997.

The letters were to have followed a major exercise by HMRC and thousands of UK workplace pension schemes to reconcile their pension records, a complex process already throwing up errors in member data"

[HindleA]

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistic ... ine-report" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


National Statistics
English Housing Survey 2015 to 2016: headline report

(Updated)


Happen to be part of this years survey,I even gave my ten pound voucher away.My devotion to.public duty and generosity embarrasses me sometimes.

[frog222]

Mmmm, an extra Crace --

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... at-barnier

[HindleA]

PF I presume you know one of your "workmen" is still tied to the chair in your hall?

[PorFavor]

PF I presume you know one of your "workmen" is still tied to the chair in your hall?

Ah - I wondered what I'd done with him. I so very rarely go into the east wing.

[PorFavor]

Theresa May tells NHS boss he will be accountable for winter performance

Theresa May has made NHS boss Simon Stevens personally responsible for ensuring the health service does not end up in a crisis this winter, amid renewed tension between him and ministers. (Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... erformance

When in doubt, blame somebody else. (Just like Boris Johnson has.)

[HindleA]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09dlqn8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Turning Points-Unscripted Reflecfions Steve Richards.

[PorFavor]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09dlqn8


Turning Points-Unscripted Reflecfions Steve Richards.

Seeing news about John Smith's death still affects me like a punch to the stomach.

[citizenJA]

Theresa May tells NHS boss he will be accountable for winter performance

Theresa May has made NHS boss Simon Stevens personally responsible for ensuring the health service does not end up in a crisis this winter, amid renewed tension between him and ministers. (Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... erformance

When in doubt, blame somebody else. (Just like Boris Johnson has.)

May’s decision appears to take health secretary Jeremy Hunt, who has faced tough questions in recent winters, out of the firing line if problems this winter lead to a blame game.

I'd put that laughing emoticon here if it weren't so tragic
Over seven years that Tory JHunt has doing nothing but treat NHS staff and service as property

[HindleA]

PTO