Friday 24th October 2014

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:01 pm

refitman wrote:Thanks for all the good wishes guys. Been to visit the house and the previous owners have left a load of useful stuff! Like a wardrobe and a sofa. Should save me a bit.

Fantastic.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:24 pm

Energy firms ‘could cut £800m off household energy bill’ with 5% tariff cut
Price comparison site says utilities are not passing on wholesale price falls as campaign group proposes energy bill of rights
http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... hold-bills

No - you don't say - really?

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:24 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: Nice one Ohso and PfY. Ta.
Welcome.

Ohso is I reckon a star Tweeter (well we know about her writing skills). Ohso do you fancy joining the FTN Tweeting team?
Okay. You'll have to explain how to do it. I only found notifications a few days ago.

Excellent I'll PM you with details.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:30 pm

John Prescott @johnprescott · 7h 7 hours ago
Looking forward to the Tories blaming the EU bill on Labour's longest period of growth since the war

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:33 pm

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 3h 3 hours ago
Would the government allow taxpayers who complain that they're being "punished for success" to delay paying their taxes?

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 3h 3 hours ago
Osborne found out about the £1.7bn EU bill on Tuesday. Cameron only learned of it yesterday: http://bit.ly/1tjC7UU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:39 pm

Goodnight, everyone.

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:41 pm

Dave probably hopes to delay payment until May,so it will be another problem to pass on to Labour.

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:41 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
John Prescott @johnprescott · 7h 7 hours ago
Looking forward to the Tories blaming the EU bill on Labour's longest period of growth since the war

That was my first thought too when I heard it.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:42 pm

#AskNigelFarage
http://huff.to/1t8TjLQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:47 pm

StephenDolan wrote:

#AskNigelFarage
http://huff.to/1t8TjLQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ooooh I wish I could thank you many many times for that link. The 'farcical' ones had me almost weeing myself ... but not quite, I hasten to add.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:49 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF.

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:51 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
StephenDolan wrote:

#AskNigelFarage
http://huff.to/1t8TjLQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Ooooh I wish I could thank you many many times for that link. The 'farcical' ones had me almost weeing myself ... but not quite, I hasten to add.

I enjoyed it all but this pic tickled me.

[edit] I should add that bad Paint jobs are an in joke with a few friends of mine hence the badly photoshopped pint of beer that I added to a picture posted the other day.

Post by **refitman** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:52 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:52 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:52 pm

StephenDolan wrote:

#AskNigelFarage
http://huff.to/1t8TjLQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This person is a genius.

#AskNigelFarage Considering UKIP love misogynists, holocaust-deniers & Death Penalty, do you have any plans to ally with ISIS in the future?

— NorseFired (@NorseFired) October 24, 2014

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 7:57 pm

I know you're going to want to see this ....

: Gove and Snowy.jpg (69.64 KiB) Viewed 15723 times

Michael Gove Commons absence for dog show prompts questions
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29741775

Editing to add: He only came second. Not good enough - should have tried harder.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 8:10 pm

Listening to AQ, from Brecon, wonder what kind of audience it will be, location doesn't always determine that, the laughable one from Newport on QT a few months ago proves that. The inevitable Welsh NHS question will see how it develops. Jones doing well though, and he's being well received, so far.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 8:13 pm

Sayeeda Warsi: Tories will lose if they focus only on Europe and immigration
Lady Warsi claims that while contending with Ukip is necessary, a lurch to the right by David Cameron would spell defeat
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ies-defeat

She's much much better out of the 'fold' than she was in ....

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 8:14 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Listening to AQ, from Brecon, wonder what kind of audience it will be, location doesn't always determine that, the laughable one from Newport on QT a few months ago proves that. The inevitable Welsh NHS question will see how it develops. Jones doing well though, and he's being well received, so far.

Listening to it too. We've just got to the NHS question ....

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 8:22 pm

Good point about the waiting times from Jones regarding when waiting times are recorded. In Wales from the doctors, in England from the first visit to the consultant. Reasonable so far Rebecca, oh dear, spoke too soon, Jenkin "we don't want to make this a political football" you maybe, you can't speak for Hunt though.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 8:42 pm

We *can* beat ‘evil’ benefit sanctions
http://voxpoliticalonline.com/

A must read. Steel yourself though.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 9:26 pm

Interesting observations here.

http://jtbeducation.wordpress.com/2014/ ... tstanding/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Schools who pick up most high achievers at age 11 get the best Ofsteds.

With some Cameron crony likely to be standing over schools with sack on the spot powers, any ambitious headteacher would surely avoid the sort of schools and pupils that need him most.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 9:35 pm

Reports that Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, is quitting.....

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 9:36 pm

Somebody just pointed me toward this; Martin Rowson's latest is, as ever, right on the money.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... meron-ukip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(Night PF)

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:14 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Reports that Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, is quitting.....

She's quit with immediate effect:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/polit ... nn-4502273" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In other news, Dave will be smiling as he goes to bed after seeing tomorrow's headline in the Torygraph.

(one for each of them)

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:22 pm

Jim Murphy's big problem - not unconnected with that Torygraph "story" - is that he is an unrepentant Blairite.

This is not a popular position in Scotland (nor these days in the rest of the UK, but still)

Dare one whisper it, but......Gordon?

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:35 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Jim Murphy's big problem - not unconnected with that Torygraph "story" - is that he is an unrepentant Blairite.

This is not a popular position in Scotland (nor these days in the rest of the UK, but still)

Dare one whisper it, but......Gordon?

Lol, I had just deleted my reference to JM because it dawned on me that he's an MP, not an MSP & given the costs, both financial as well as political, I don't imagine Labour would want to lose a Shad Cabinet MP unless they wanted to hold an unnecessary election in his seat which lets face it, Labour would not be guaranteed to win !

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:38 pm

Twitter is, needless to say, awash with comments about her resignation; they are mainly variations on the "one down ...." and "traitorous bitch" theme. The 45ers, gracious to the last.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:40 pm

Well there's no problem with that at least, he (or anyone else in his position) can just delay standing down as an MP until the GE next year.

There would be the issue of finding Murphy (or Brown or whoever) a place at Holyrood, though......

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:41 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Jim Murphy's big problem - not unconnected with that Torygraph "story" - is that he is an unrepentant Blairite.

This is not a popular position in Scotland (nor these days in the rest of the UK, but still)

Dare one whisper it, but......Gordon?

I was just trying to get my head around Alec Salmond possibly running for a Westminster seat ... now you suggest Gordon Brown might go for a Scottish Parliament one ... it's not a swop I much like the sound of.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:47 pm

Actually, I think it could be quite a good swap. Salmond liked it at Westminster, but also found not being "top dog" frustrating.

Whereas the Labour party in Scotland urgently needs renewing - and that will be easier with a widely respected heavyweight in the earlier years until the time comes to pass on to a younger generation (this will have to involve ambitious Labourites going to Holyrood rather than London - the likes of Brown could send a powerful signal there, too)

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:50 pm

Newsnight reporting (sneering) that her position was made untenable by Ed M after he sacked her Gen Secretary last week & phone calls had been made to her team telling them to encourage her to stand down.

Tbh, I never saw what was good about her - she didn't seem to be able to get any message across but that's quite possibly horrifically unfair of me......

Whoever it is will have to be a bloody good communicator because the one thing I will acknowledge about Sturgeon is that she's much more congenial than her predecessor & I can envisage her encouraging more Labour voters to step over to the Nats.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:50 pm

Martin Rowson @MartinRowson · 9h 9 hours ago
If I was Dave's gag writer he could've said:"Why's the EU like a flamingo? Cos they can both stick their bills up their arses" Sadly I'm not

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 10:59 pm

Johann Lamont is to stand down as leader of the Scottish Labour Party after accusing some of her colleagues of trying to run Scotland "like a branch office of London."

Ms Lamont also described some Labour MPs as "dinosaurs" who failed to recognise that "Scotland has changed forever after the referendum."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-s ... s-29765415

This isn't sounding good.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:03 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Actually, I think it could be quite a good swap. Salmond liked it at Westminster, but also found not being "top dog" frustrating.

Whereas the Labour party in Scotland urgently needs renewing - and that will be easier with a widely respected heavyweight in the earlier years until the time comes to pass on to a younger generation (this will have to involve ambitious Labourites going to Holyrood rather than London - the likes of Brown could send a powerful signal there, too)

Is Brown a renewer? (Not sure what the correct version of that word should be ... but you get the meaning.) Genuine question. Never know what to believe and what not to re his leadership and strategy skills.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:09 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Johann Lamont is to stand down as leader of the Scottish Labour Party after accusing some of her colleagues of trying to run Scotland "like a branch office of London."

Ms Lamont also described some Labour MPs as "dinosaurs" who failed to recognise that "Scotland has changed forever after the referendum."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-s ... s-29765415
This isn't sounding good.

Realistically Lamont does have a fairly free hand, and she has done little with it. The state of the Labour Party in Scotland suggests they need new blood. They need a decent communicator and they need a heavyweight.

It is going to be tough going, the SNP is doing well on the back of the referendum. But they are in power and they will make mistakes. Their attitude of not being bothered to fight for Scotland in Westminster is one flaw that can be exploited.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:12 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Actually, I think it could be quite a good swap. Salmond liked it at Westminster, but also found not being "top dog" frustrating.

Whereas the Labour party in Scotland urgently needs renewing - and that will be easier with a widely respected heavyweight in the earlier years until the time comes to pass on to a younger generation (this will have to involve ambitious Labourites going to Holyrood rather than London - the likes of Brown could send a powerful signal there, too)

In a hung parliament how about Salmond Foreign Secretary in a Labour/SNP coalition.

Admittedly that might be a combustible and toxic combination down South, but a proper devolution to the English regions might compensate.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:16 pm

Meanwhile in Wales ...

Carmarthenshire shops hide Halloween flour and eggs
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-sout ... s-29764928
Many shops in Carmarthenshire will restrict the sale of flour and eggs over the Halloween period to try to reduce anti-social behaviour.

Instead they will have them for sale behind the counter, Carmarthenshire council said.

It comes after police Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership asked them to help keep celebrations safe...

Don't ask me (holds hands in air). I'm as baffled as you ...

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:27 pm

Bloody hell, the comments below the piece in the Graun are vile.

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

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:33 pm

pk1 wrote:Bloody hell, the comments below the piece in the Graun are vile.

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

Yep, same sort of stuff on Twitter. Classy eh.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:41 pm

I give up on Scotland.

It quite simply took leave of its senses by voting anything like 45% for YES.

Fantasy macro and superiority to the rest of the UK. Didn't want to hear any awkward truths.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:49 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:I give up on Scotland.

It quite simply took leave of its senses by voting anything like 45% for YES.

Fantasy macro and superiority to the rest of the UK. Didn't want to hear any awkward truths.

The vast majority of Scots on both sides are, like the rest of us, just trying to get by and voted in the way they thought offered them most hope. Problem is that there were, and are, very vocal minorities in both camps who are doing their level best to p*** everybody else off and, frankly, succeeding all too well; sadly this was inevitable, there is nobody even attempting to reconcile the two sides and (as the article pk1 linked to shows) the language and the levels of acrimony are just getting worse.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 24 Oct, 2014 11:59 pm

This is getting nice and messy...

Agnew considers formal complaint against newspaper allegations

http://academiesweek.co.uk/agnew-consid ... legations/

The chairman of an academy trust alleged to have received tip-offs over the date of Ofsted inspections says that the trust is considering making a formal complaint about the claims.

Theodore Agnew (pictured below left), chairman of the Inspiration Trust, also said that a new investigation into the allegations would be a “huge waste of time and money”.

And then...

New investigation into Ofsted ‘tipping-off’ claims at Norfolk schools

http://academiesweek.co.uk/new-investig ... k-schools/

Ofsted has today announced that a new investigation will be carried out into allegations that three schools received prior notice of their inspection dates.

The inspectorate said the development followed “the emergence … of a number of new emails” that were not available during an earlier investigation led by an Ofsted director, which found no evidence that the schools had received such an advantage.

Some of those emails say that they knew exactly when the inspectors were coming. Not just "sometime this term" but "it's next Tuesday"

If they find that they did get tipped off, that's quite a few heads rolling (in more ways than one) + Robin Bosher who carried out the original 'investigation' (sic) - as he is ex-Harris Academies.

Win-win.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Oct, 2014 12:32 am

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:I give up on Scotland.

It quite simply took leave of its senses by voting anything like 45% for YES.

Fantasy macro and superiority to the rest of the UK. Didn't want to hear any awkward truths.
The vast majority of Scots on both sides are, like the rest of us, just trying to get by and voted in the way they thought offered them most hope. Problem is that there were, and are, very vocal minorities in both camps who are doing their level best to p*** everybody else off and, frankly, succeeding all too well; sadly this was inevitable, there is nobody even attempting to reconcile the two sides and (as the article pk1 linked to shows) the language and the levels of acrimony are just getting worse.

But one side was offering complete fantasy. That this could be believed by so many people is a cause for despair.

Just been on Twitter with one of those. Showed him the weight of macroeconomic opinion against Scotland being better off independent. Just got back (in capitals) "NONE OF THEM PREDICTED THE CRASH". Though he didn't know anything about any of them, and in any case the idea of a crash-sized event that spares Scotland while devastating rUK is preposterous.

I don't know where Labour goes from here in Scotland.

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Sat 25 Oct, 2014 12:56 am

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:I give up on Scotland.

It quite simply took leave of its senses by voting anything like 45% for YES.

Fantasy macro and superiority to the rest of the UK. Didn't want to hear any awkward truths.
The vast majority of Scots on both sides are, like the rest of us, just trying to get by and voted in the way they thought offered them most hope. Problem is that there were, and are, very vocal minorities in both camps who are doing their level best to p*** everybody else off and, frankly, succeeding all too well; sadly this was inevitable, there is nobody even attempting to reconcile the two sides and (as the article pk1 linked to shows) the language and the levels of acrimony are just getting worse.
But one side was offering complete fantasy. That this could be believed by so many people is a cause for despair.

Just been on Twitter with one of those. Showed him the weight of macroeconomic opinion against Scotland being better off independent. Just got back (in capitals) "NONE OF THEM PREDICTED THE CRASH". Though he didn't know anything about any of them, and in any case the idea of a crash-sized event that spares Scotland while devastating rUK is preposterous.

I don't know where Labour goes from here in Scotland.

It appears that where they're going no longer involves Johann - according to the New Statesman (sorry, no linky, but I'm sure y'all'l cope on yer own).

Brown?

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 25 Oct, 2014 1:01 am

refitman wrote:Picked up the keys to my new (first) house. 'Spose I'd better start packing.

Congratulations Dan! Hope you'll be really happy there

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Sat 25 Oct, 2014 1:14 am

Ooops, sorry about (yet another) pointless post, this time rendered pointless by my inability to work the "read new posts" facility at random moments. Missed half a page of comments this time, hence my late arrival at the party.

Still got a Gordon feeling, though. Albeit with a slightly Darling itch.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 25 Oct, 2014 2:00 am

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Goodnight and good morning, PF. I never seem to be around at the times you sign in and out