FlyTheNest

Morning all.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2 ... discipline" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Academy trust accused of using assemblies to intimidate students

Morning all. Library day today so will just pop in briefly...

DfE ‘minded’ to rebroker primary school from Inspiration Trust

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-minded-to ... ion-trust/

The Inspiration Trust, set up by academies minister Lord Agnew, has been informed that the government is “minded to terminate” its funding agreement for the Great Yarmouth Primary Academy in Norfolk after the school was placed in special measures.

The school was heavily criticised by Ofsted inspectors last month in a report which warned about poor behaviour, leadership, teaching, attainment and the “high” frequency of fixed term exclusions at the schools.

However, Inspiration Trust has strongly refuted the findings, describing them as “wrong in fact and law”.

Oops.

Haven't got time to check but I believe that the primary director at IT hadn't any experience of working in the primary sector when he was appointed...

Schadenfreude time.

Wetherspoon profits down 19%

@willow

I realised last night that I know sfa about politics. I caught a bit of This Week and Dominic Grieve was speaking so I left it on while he was talking sense about Brexit, Portillo wasn't happy.
At the end Neil asked him if he would join TIG and he said no, they're social democrats and I'm a conservative, as if it was obvious.
It's far from obvious to me in practice. Maybe the fact that he was asked the question means it's not just me.

It's not obvious TIG are social democrats or that Portillo is a conservative?!

Sorry my post wasn't clear. Not Portillo, Grieve.

I agree, Portillo is pretty much textbook tory, actually this made me laugh later because I can't imagine anyone asking him that question.

If Grieve thinks TIG are social democrats that puts him and social democracy rather to the right of where I had them on the political spectrum.

Also, to say 'I'm a conservative' suggests the same party loyalty that's killing Theresa May. What are the Conservative principles that inspire such loyalty? Damned if I know.

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Schadenfreude time.

Wetherspoon profits down 19%

Lovely weather for Farage's march, too.

gilsey wrote:

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Schadenfreude time.

Wetherspoon profits down 19%

Lovely weather for Farage's march, too.

More press than protesters at Farage's march so far, it seems:

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

Faisal Islam
‏
Verified account

@faisalislam
39m39 minutes ago
More Faisal Islam Retweeted Tony Roe
Well - @nickboles quits his local Conservatives after deselection threats over his efforts to prevent No Deal - says he will continue as MP and take Tory whip if “offered on acceptable terms”... but stand down at the end of his mandate...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... s-grayling" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brexit delay could cost millions in extra payments to ferry firms

gilsey wrote:@willow

I realised last night that I know sfa about politics. I caught a bit of This Week and Dominic Grieve was speaking so I left it on while he was talking sense about Brexit, Portillo wasn't happy.
At the end Neil asked him if he would join TIG and he said no, they're social democrats and I'm a conservative, as if it was obvious.
It's far from obvious to me in practice. Maybe the fact that he was asked the question means it's not just me.

It's not obvious TIG are social democrats or that Portillo is a conservative?!

Sorry my post wasn't clear. Not Portillo, Grieve.

I agree, Portillo is pretty much textbook tory, actually this made me laugh later because I can't imagine anyone asking him that question.

If Grieve thinks TIG are social democrats that puts him and social democracy rather to the right of where I had them on the political spectrum.

Also, to say 'I'm a conservative' suggests the same party loyalty that's killing Theresa May. What are the Conservative principles that inspire such loyalty? Damned if I know.

Ah! Now that makes more sense.

Although the answer is still pretty much the same. Grieve looks out of place because the party has lurched so far to the right, rather than because he isn't a conservative. I'm not sure he's right about TIG being social democrats, though. They are clearly adherents of capitalism, but capitalism is a means, not an end, and can be channelled in different directions. And what that direction is in the case of TIG is very far from clear.

Hotch potch.I doubt some actually know themselves.

Isabel Oakeshott
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Verified account

@IsabelOakeshott
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Replying to @Jamesross530 @lisachron
It’s not a rally; numbers are limited for security. @LeaveMnsLeave was overwhelmed by people wanting to take part

There is nothing brave or admirable about saying current arrangements are crap in itself.

Arrogant,some would possibly,say,with added hypocrisy.

@Willow904

Did you see refitman's post last night?

I've copied it over to today:-

Quote:
Steve Howell
‏ @FromSteveHowell
Mar 14

Chuka Umunna has attacked Labour's plans for public ownership of rail and water as too costly.

Incredibly, he claims he could force private companies to put public benefit ahead of profit "without it costing the public purse a penny”.

La La Land?

See: https://www.steve-howell.com/you-cant-h" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... g-a-penny/ …

Good morfternoon.

Better late than never,and I am not referring to Brexit.

Constance wearing leg warmers,they were a jumper.

A very wet and windy morning,mirrored by the weather.

Btw, further to the conversation yesterday I just wanted to say that renationalising water is the one renationalisation promised by Labour that actually needs to happen. Other privatised services can be better regulated and organised more in favour of the users. You can change the academy system, for instance, so academies can go back to LEA control if they wish and you can up regulation and oversight of their finances, ban the use of services with financial connections to trustees etc, make all schools follow the same rules and so on. Water, however, is beyond saving. Unlike water privatisation in other countries where provision is franchised out, rather like our railways, the Tories sold off our entire water infrastructure to the private sector which is leveraging that asset to fill their own coffers. What they couldn't take through profits, because of price caps, they've simply taken through debt and it's completely unsustainable. It can't be fixed. In Scotland and Wales water privatisation has developed differently and isn't in quite the same mess, but in England it's an extremely costly right-off and needs to be ended ASAP. Before railways, buses or anything else.

Did an excellent early AM tumble down stairs,no one told me I didn't live in a bungalow.The stairlift breaking my fall.No major harm done.

7.8,7.6,8,7.5,7.4.

HindleA wrote:Did an excellent early AM tumble down stairs,no one told me I didn't live in a bungalow.The stairlift breaking my fall.No major harm done.

Glad to hear that the stairlift is ok.

So am I,any more "incidents",I may have to use it.

I'll say the "take more water with it"(even though teetotal)

It was a regular source of income as a ride but less visitors and my recent price hike reduced uptake.

I didn't charge if needed,what kind of person do you think I am.

Charging for necessary equipment and maintenance was a Tory Derbyshire County Council imposition,failed in our case due to mysteriously forgotten previous agreements.

They only kept the welfare rights people specifically to play the "you have extra for things like that",card.

PorFavor wrote:@Willow904

Did you see refitman's post last night?

I've copied it over to today:-

Quote:
Steve Howell
‏ @FromSteveHowell
Mar 14

Chuka Umunna has attacked Labour's plans for public ownership of rail and water as too costly.

Incredibly, he claims he could force private companies to put public benefit ahead of profit "without it costing the public purse a penny”.

La La Land?

See: https://www.steve-howell.com/you-cant-h" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... g-a-penny/ …

I just saw your post. See my response to Refitman's comment above. The way privatisation was done under the Tories it was designed to create profit over serving the public. Railway privatisation failed, though, with much of it renationalised already and I believe there is scope to improve our current arrangements with the private sector or you could bring more of it back under government control - either could work better for users. Rail has always been heavily subsidised so has never been nor ever will be truly "commercial". Water in contrast is completely privatised but heavily regulated and the combination has been incredibly toxic. UK water infrastructure is being over-leveraged and bled dry by foreign-owned investment vehicles. It's Ed Miliband's "predatory" capitalism at its vampiric worst. It's not the most popular renationalisation but personally I think it's by far and away the most important. People have some choice over travel and energy but they have no choice about water, it's a cash cow leaking money out of our country that ought to be plowed back in as investment in water infrastructure for future generations.

As you may be able to tell, it's a subject I'm quite passionate about

Not that TIG were ever likely to get my vote, but Umunna's comment about not supporting renationalisation of water killed any interest I might have had. They talked of "evidence-based policy making", of pursuing what works. Our current privatised water industry is very clearly not working for those who rely on it, so Umunna is either a fool or a fake.

@Willow904

I'm surprised that water isn't the most popular candidate. You'd have thought that it would be on a purely visceral level.

A seemingly endless pot "utilised" in attempts to reduce/charge(with the ever present "burdensome/think of the(fellow) "taxpayer psychological (blame)game.

Is your life,really necessary.

You can be a fool and a fake.I should know.

I mentioned Newsnight yesterday, IMO it is time for it to be shut down after last night.

@Willow -excellent posts.

Most household bills set for above inflation rises in April

We look at a raft price hikes from phones and broadband to gas, water and electricity
(Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/ ... s-in-april

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mk ... des/player" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LBC's token left-liberal James O'Brien also getting some justified stick this morning, given the filth he breaks bread with.

https://amp.theguardian.com/membership/ ... ssion=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor wrote:@Willow904

I'm surprised that water isn't the most popular candidate. You'd have thought that it would be on a purely visceral level.

I think it's because the problems with things like rail are more visible. Late trains and abandoned franchises, Branson with his "licence to print money", it's there in the news every day. The problems with water are mostly hidden in comparison. The water flows when you turn on the tap as it always has, people can't see the higher debt and lower investment we're building up behind the scenes, so they don't give it much thought, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to convince voters of the need for renationalisation if Labour were to go head to head with TiG in a debate. There has never been a "competition" argument for water and there was never huge support for its privatisation in the first place.

Yes I agree and there's never been the opportunity to shop around for water. I honestly can't say how much I pay now or paid when I was young, whereas I do have a recollection of what I have paid for gas and electricity down the years.

"when I was young?"

We still are.humph.

I suppose not having children and lack of maturation may distort my view of age.

Definitely not listening to Radio Sheffield at the moment.

After forgetting you can't get commentary on what I'm not listening to on-line.

I wonder - does this go some way to explaining why Chris Grayling voted the way that he did? (Although it would indicate his being much more of a forward and devious "thinker" than I had him pegged for!)

Brexit delay could cost millions in extra payments to ferry firms

Estimated extra cost of £28m will be fresh blow to transport secretary Chris Grayling

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... s-grayling

HindleA wrote:Definitely not listening to Radio Sheffield at the moment.

Who is on - Nick Clegg?

John McDonnell on Sky TV news saying that (I paraphrase) he'll be mightily pissed off if the DUP are, again, bribed into co-operation. (There's suspicion and speculation that that may end up being the case since Philip Hammond is attending the "Brexit" talks that are going on with the DUP.)

I know I'm (rather more than) suspicious.

Edited to add -

PTO