FlyTheNest

Morning

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... urope-uefa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... cas-corbyn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://berniesanders.com/?nosplash" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pants graphs redrawn for Northern Powerhouse Minister (5,6).

Hint

The new Northern Powerhouse Minister was born in Rickmansworth

Morning all.

So Thornberry out then?

Probably for the best - an awful lot of politicians have one mis-step that haunts then for the rest of their career and that tweet about the England flags outside a house would come back again and again.

A few gaffes in this campaign too (eg her comments on the SNP) plus of course Caroline Flint knifing her days after the election.

(no proof of that one, but tbh you can believe it all too easily)

Northern Powerhouse chief, who won't attend cabinet, is deranged loin smacker (5,5).

But is at least from the North.

Hark!,My!,proliferous

t'North

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... ists-alarm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My own CLP voted for RLB, a slight surprise.

AnatolyKasparov wrote:My own CLP voted for RLB, a slight surprise.

Surprised my CLP did too, though it was a close contest. Nandy and Starmer came a close second and third, respectively.

Good afternoon, everyone.

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

HindleA wrote:https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... leadership

Not for the first time, Starmer gives the least committal - but perhaps also the smartest - answer.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ers-labour" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... -dwp-error" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Disabled and ill benefit claimants overcharged for care due to DWP cover-up

FWIW article not clear on ability to charge pre 2014,certainly the case

I refer to my previous ad infinitum as to how the DWP works against,or rather increasingly diminishes facillitation (if that makes sense)of independence,both directly and indirectly.

RIP Caroline Flack, another victim of our "free press".

(and yes, I am fully cognisant of the serious allegations against her - you don't actually have to be a saint for the above to apply)

Bloody hell

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/202 ... ok-extract" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You have to wonder if the younger Hardy would get a column at the Graun these days.

Off topic but this is charming. Busker in Berlin singing a Bronski Beat song when Jimmy Somerville happens to walk by....
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https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/po ... -universal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Whatever else you think of Keir Starmer, I think he has demonstrated in his interview on Sky today that he has the managerial experience and skills to be an effective leader. He is still developing his political instincts and presentation, but has a head start on the other candidates when it comes to knowing how to head up a large organisation, imo. Something I feel the party could really benefit from right now.

As I said yesterday, he tends to give "smarter" answers to gotcha media questions than his two rivals. Which is I think part of what you are referring to.

https://amp.theguardian.com/society/202 ... ssion=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think I'm right in saying that if something is in the manifesto then it can't be blocked by the HoL.

There are two bits about the BBC in the Tory manifesto:

We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC.

and

As we extend our diplomatic network, we will reinvigorate relationships with Europe and seek to strengthen old and new partnerships across the world. We will work with our cultural institutions like the BBC and British Council to expand our influence and project our values.

Changing the funding model, downsizing the BBC, selling off radio stations etc etc therefore isn't in there.

Good morning, everyone.

Anyway, I see that Starmer exhuming Rachel Reeves as his SC is today's scare story.

I mean - really??

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

PorFavor safely returned after pontoon patrol

Looks like these parts have escaped the storms fairly lightly again, other areas (in particular Wales this time) have not been so fortunate.

I keep returning to ideas found in Willow904's post here regarding the recent GE result, home ownership and Tory policies keeping property values high.

How do we reconcile reliance on inflated house prices to the economy with providing affordable housing for everyone?

Sabisky isn't an eugenicist says eugenicist Toby Young,so must be true.

AnatolyKasparov wrote:As I said yesterday, he tends to give "smarter" answers to gotcha media questions than his two rivals. Which is I think part of what you are referring to.

It's the reason why he gives smarter answers that I'm referring to - his experience. I don't know if he is a better politician than the other two candidates, but I do think he's a better manager and leader, something that was lacking under Corbyn, who knew what he wanted but not how to achieve it.

I hadn't read until today Bank of England governor Mark Carney is being replaced by Andrew Bailey.

Well, at least one Tory MP isn't happy with this latest cunning plan.

Huw Merriman MP
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I’m not sure this vendetta against the #BBC is going to end well. No mention of it in our manifesto (where we actually promised to work with BBC to build new partnerships across globe) so I won’t be supporting it.

Of course, the simplest way out - which is why it won't happen - is to fund it out of general taxation.

No one need buy a license, no collection cost, get rid of Capita - that saves a fair amount of cash for a start. And no more court cases for non-payment.

Have it act as an Executive Agency like Ofsted and have the DG or Chairman as a Crown appointee to maintain the arms length bit.

Have I missed anything?

Edit - cost of collection fee income is £103m...

"Keir Starmer’s past is coming under scrutiny. What can we learn from it?"

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

have read it & It failed to put me off him (which I think was it's purpose)

This is a pretty interesting read about Stephen Pollard sacking one the JC's long-term contributors.

https://azvsas.blogspot.com/2020/02/for ... an-of.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note especially this bit:

In 1987 the West London Synagogue approached Islington Council with a startling proposal: to sell its original cemetery to property developers, destroying the gravestones and digging-up and reburying the bodies lying under them. This cemetery (dating from 1840) was not merely of great historic and architectural interest – in the view of orthodox Jews, the deliberate destruction of a cemetery is sacrilegious. So when Islington Council granted the planning application, a Jewish-led and ultimately successful campaign was launched to have the decision reversed. I was part of that campaign. So was Jeremy Corbyn. Meanwhile, the then-leader of Islington Council (1982-92), whose decision to permit the destruction of the cemetery was eventually overturned, was none other than Margaret Hodge

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/opin ... EziRPqXQJ8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

tinybgoat wrote:"Keir Starmer’s past is coming under scrutiny. What can we learn from it?"

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

have read it & It failed to put me off him (which I think was it's purpose)

IIRC , Ian Tomlinson was gratuitously at least pushed over and hit the ground, and then died ... of "natural causes" ?
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IF he had been very obviously hit on the head with a truncheon, the case for prosecution would have been obvious , but that doesn't seem to have been the case .

Bernie Sanders Isn’t a Socialist
But he plays one on TV. That’s a problem.

By Paul Krugman

tinybgoat wrote:"Keir Starmer’s past is coming under scrutiny. What can we learn from it?"

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

have read it & It failed to put me off him (which I think was it's purpose)

Left wingers don't like some of his decisions then, right wingers dislike others. Without being too "BBC" glib about it, maybe this suggests he was actually doing his job OK?

AnatolyKasparov wrote:

tinybgoat wrote:"Keir Starmer’s past is coming under scrutiny. What can we learn from it?"

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

have read it & It failed to put me off him (which I think was it's purpose)

Left wingers don't like some of his decisions then, right wingers dislike others. Without being too "BBC" glib about it, maybe this suggests he was actually doing his job OK?

Relatively OK ! See my last one --
viewtopic.php?f=4&p=227458#p227459" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RogerOThornhill wrote:This is a pretty interesting read about Stephen Pollard sacking one the JC's long-term contributors.

https://azvsas.blogspot.com/2020/02/for ... an-of.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note especially this bit:

In 1987 the West London Synagogue approached Islington Council with a startling proposal: to sell its original cemetery to property developers, destroying the gravestones and digging-up and reburying the bodies lying under them. This cemetery (dating from 1840) was not merely of great historic and architectural interest – in the view of orthodox Jews, the deliberate destruction of a cemetery is sacrilegious. So when Islington Council granted the planning application, a Jewish-led and ultimately successful campaign was launched to have the decision reversed. I was part of that campaign. So was Jeremy Corbyn. Meanwhile, the then-leader of Islington Council (1982-92), whose decision to permit the destruction of the cemetery was eventually overturned, was none other than Margaret Hodge

RogerO -- that is vastly more than "pretty interesting" !! Hehe !!

Some of my fiends think that it's 'boring' to bring this shit up yet again , but I find without any doubt that it has mortally poisoned the Left/Right debate in the UK.

Well chaps, which of you believes that the Israeli government gives a damn for a bombed synagogue in Rickmansworth or a knifed obviously Orthodox Jew in New Cross SE London ? In fact as you all know very well they would welcome a few more gruesome murders.

War is war, and 'collateral damage' is just that ... until the consequences come rolling home -- SPLAT!

Here we are together at FTN and associated places such as Ephemerid and the UT to discuss Labour politics (++ !) , but unfortunately the whole sordid/poisonous/deeply unhealthy /lying/propagandistic A/S debate is still with us .

I am sure that Keir and Emily would both, really, have loved to tell the JLM and the BoD to FOAD, but couldn't, quite, bring themselves to do it .