Wednesday 12th November 2014

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:02 pm

Forgot to say - re. sanctions -

The average disallowance is 12 weeks; if the claimant does not re-engage within the standard signing-cycle (which is 2 weeks plus 1 week for reminders etc. to go out) the claim is closed down on the system.
As half the total claims sanctioned were disallowed for 13 weeks or more, that means that about 350,000 people a year are coming off the claimant count purely because they have a sanction/disallowance.
Allowing for the fact that at least 120,000 people are on workfare of some sort or a training scheme at any given time, and they are in many cases off the count during that time, that's another heap of people not counted.

That's nearly half a million off the governments' claimant count on a continuous basis, so if they say the claimant count for JSA is !.3 million it's likely to be rather more than that.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:13 pm

Bobby Duffy, Managing Director at Ipsos MORI said:
“The interviewing for this poll was conducted at the height of the very public discussion of a possible challenge to Ed Miliband’s leadership of the party – and it looks like it’s had a significant effect on public opinion. The Labour leadership will clearly hope that this marks a low point - they’ve lost the lead to the Conservatives in overall voting intention, but they’re still within touching distance, despite all the negative coverage.”

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:16 pm

Spacedone wrote:Morning all.

This is from a couple of days ago but I'm not sure if it got posted.

The story of the millionaire Tory MP and the tenants facing homelessness
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ard-benyon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've posted earlier about my foray below the line on this article. I return to it with fascination though I've said I should use my time better.

I've been reading the Tory MP, Richard Benyon's voting record - just when I think it can't get worse - he voted against a motion making private landlords more accountable, better regulated.

Opposition Day — Regulation of the Private Rented Sector — 23 Jan 2013 at 18:51

Richard Benyon MP, Newbury voted against more regulation of the private rental sector, against a national register of landlords, against clearer information on charges, and against the promotion of longer tenancies when tenants want them.

The majority of MPs voted against more regulation of the private rental sector, against a national register of landlords, against clearer information on charges, against the promotion of longer tenancies when tenants want them and against and powers for local government to deal with rogue landlords.

http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.p ... se=commons" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The quotes below are from LibDem PM Don Foster, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government just prior to the vote on the motion. I've not posted the entire speech; just the parts I'm most horrified by.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Don Foster LibDem): I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

I was initially surprised to hear that the Opposition were planning a debate on housing. After all, their housing record during 13 years in government has not given them much to boast about. That said, however, when I saw the issues raised in the motion, I had to acknowledge that they would be of interest to Members on both sides of the House and, more importantly, to many of our constituents. After all, the private rented sector is of growing importance and provides accommodation for around 17% of all households in England—that figure has nearly doubled in the past 20 years—and they represent 3.6 million households.

The majority of the private rented sector is operating well and the vast majority of tenants are satisfied, but, as we have heard in the debate, there are some real problems that must be addressed.

We believe that the Opposition’s proposal for a national register of landlords, in the way they have described it, would be too prescriptive, expensive and over-centralised.

This has been a useful debate on an important topic. The Government want a bigger, better private rented sector—

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 2377001143" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **adam** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:17 pm

Two electoral seat calculators using that polling data

UK Polling Report gives a tie on 297 seats for Labour and Conservatives, with lib dems on 26
BBC election seat calculator gives a labour lead of 309 seats to 284 for the conservatives

Post by **adam** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:20 pm

adam wrote:Two electoral seat calculators using that polling data

UK Polling Report gives a tie on 297 seats for Labour and Conservatives, with lib dems on 26
BBC election seat calculator gives a labour lead of 309 seats to 284 for the conservatives

quoting myself...

... which suggests again just how unlikely it is that the conservatives can win this election even with a following wind. No grounds for complacency, but it's a good foundation to build on.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:21 pm

ephemerid wrote:Forgot to say - re. sanctions -

The average disallowance is 12 weeks; if the claimant does not re-engage within the standard signing-cycle (which is 2 weeks plus 1 week for reminders etc. to go out) the claim is closed down on the system.
As half the total claims sanctioned were disallowed for 13 weeks or more, that means that about 350,000 people a year are coming off the claimant count purely because they have a sanction/disallowance.
Allowing for the fact that at least 120,000 people are on workfare of some sort or a training scheme at any given time, and they are in many cases off the count during that time, that's another heap of people not counted.

That's nearly half a million off the governments' claimant count on a continuous basis, so if they say the claimant count for JSA is !.3 million it's likely to be rather more than that.

Of course. This is the reason for claimant counts being down - no, people aren't happily moving into employment with no need for help, they're being dispossessed.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:26 pm

MORI gives the SNP eight (!!) per cent - its figures "show" they would win every Scottish seat.

Since no other polls are claiming this, you can draw your own conclusions.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:27 pm

At the Rosetta/Philae science control in Toulouse they keep panning to focus on the teams screens where it looks as if they have images and data Oh first images from after separation so they have gone to live broadcast! All is working well, communications, data, telemetry, battery!

Edited to add: it will take time to fully render the images which should be at least one from Philae looking back at Rosetta shortly after the separation and, possibly, one from Philae taken by the camera which looks toward the comet...

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:33 pm

pk1 wrote:Here's the Ipsos Mori page, detailing the data without the tedious spin that will undoubtedly be applied by political & non-political commentators:

https://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpubl ... ction.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's a bloody poor poll for Labour though but hardly unexpected given the onslaught Ed M has had over the last few weeks. The worry must be though that the MSM can still affect the outcome of the GE & that poor polling leads to more grumbling, more discontent amongst members - on & on the circle turns

Quoting myself to link the following piece of info from a poster on UKPR:

As always with MORI, you do need to be careful about the strict ‘certain to vote’ filter (without it Con and Lab are both on 30%) and the resultant smaller effective sample size 600-ish means that MoE is high – Ashcroft of course has the same problem on a weekly basis. But it’s not Labour’s finest hour (nor indeed the Conservatives.

The smaller the sample size, the higher the margin of error - never forget that !

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:34 pm

Afternoon all...just dropping this in...

Peter Jukes @peterjukes · 4h 4 hours ago

Allegations here Rebekah Brooks held back information in order to pervert course of justice in @citizentommy trial http://tommyslawyer.co.uk/rebekah-brook ... dan-trial/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

DRIP...DRIP...DRIP...

mikems · Post by **mikems** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:35 pm

Here's a good though pretty technical article about the current state of the world economy, interest rates, how money is really created etc.

http://www.leftfutures.org/2014/11/cent ... more-39308" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:35 pm

I'm attending the West Midlands Regional Conference held at Warwick University in Coventry this Saturday (15 Nov 2014).
Is anyone else here going & does anyone need a Conference parking permit for this event? I don't need the one I was sent.

http://www.westmidlandslabour.org.uk/re ... conference" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:39 pm

mikems wrote:Here's a good though pretty technical article about the current state of the world economy, interest rates, how money is really created etc.

http://www.leftfutures.org/2014/11/cent ... more-39308" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A conversation we need to have with leadership, yes. Someone writing elsewhere yesterday asked how Miliband (or anyone else in political leadership) were to introduce this kind of fundamental economic paradigm shift. I don't have an answer.

Post by **adam** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:39 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:MORI gives the SNP eight (!!) per cent - its figures "show" they would win every Scottish seat.

Since no other polls are claiming this, you can draw your own conclusions.

But just to help you draw your own conclusions...

Last time they polled 1.7% of the national vote, or 491,386 votes

If they are at 8%, on 2010 turn out that would be 2,309,514 votes.

In 2010 the turnout in scotland was 2,465,722, which would put the SNP on 93% in Scotland.

The IndieRef turnout was 3,623,344 - on that turnout 8% in the UK poll would put the SNP on 64% in Scotland.

(The last Holyrood turnout was just under 2,000,000 - putting them at over 100% on those figures.)

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:43 pm

BBC reporting that at least ten have been killed and many more injured in a bomb attack on a teacher-training college in Nigeria, whilst the students were sitting exams. Just horrific, what is going on there

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:43 pm

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 1m1 minute ago
The worst poll for LAB from any pollster. Ipsos-MORI
CON 32 (+2); LAB 29 (-4); LIB DEM 9 (+1); UKIP 14 (-2)

CON + 2
UKIP - 2

Labour isn't losing support to Ukip, whatever Farage may say, they're losing it to 'other' - SNP and Greens. My husband thinks Cameron agreed to a Scottish referendum and timed it for now deliberately to achieve just such an effect - disappointed independence supporting left-leaning voters snubbing Labour for being on the 'wrong side'. It's exactly the sort of thing you can imagine George Osborne dreaming up whilst absent-mindedly sketching out his omnishambles budget. I'm concerned Labour may poll poorly at least until the Scottish Labour Party has chosen a new leader and this will just feed into the Ed bashing spiral.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:45 pm

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
Bobby Duffy, Managing Director at Ipsos MORI said:
“The interviewing for this poll was conducted at the height of the very public discussion of a possible challenge to Ed Miliband’s leadership of the party – and it looks like it’s had a significant effect on public opinion. The Labour leadership will clearly hope that this marks a low point - they’ve lost the lead to the Conservatives in overall voting intention, but they’re still within touching distance, despite all the negative coverage.”

Job done, trebles all round eh ?

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:48 pm

The latest poll has caused (surprise!) an invasion of concern trolls "over there". Almost as if these things are planned, eh?

mikems · Post by **mikems** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:50 pm

citizenJA,

There are many ways to regain control over the financial system. One is to reestablish public investment bodies that can also create money via credit. Also reestablish the sort of control we used to have over UK bond issuance. We used to nominate certain companies to hold special places in the market - only they could buy or sell bonds onto the wider market...but they could not refuse to buy or sell if told to by government. That way the government controlled the markets to a much greater extent than is possible today where all players are equal in the bond market and govt has less control over rates and prices.

Most things wrong with finance now have been caused by the dismantling of regulations - exacerbated by the opening of markets to international capital, a natural destabiliser of all national economies - but nevertheless, the powers to control the financial system have simply been laid aside, not abolished all together. What is lacking is understanding of how these markets really work - even at the highest levels - and how we used to control them for the public good.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 1:54 pm

citizenJA wrote:I'm attending the West Midlands Regional Conference held at Warwick University in Coventry this Saturday (15 Nov 2014).
Is anyone else here going & does anyone need a Conference parking permit for this event? I don't need the one I was sent.

http://www.westmidlandslabour.org.uk/re ... conference" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not going but will look forward to your reports from it. Updates from our roving-reporter

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:01 pm

adam wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:MORI gives the SNP eight (!!) per cent - its figures "show" they would win every Scottish seat.

Since no other polls are claiming this, you can draw your own conclusions.
But just to help you draw your own conclusions...

Last time they polled 1.7% of the national vote, or 491,386 votes

If they are at 8%, on 2010 turn out that would be 2,309,514 votes.

In 2010 the turnout in scotland was 2,465,722, which would put the SNP on 93% in Scotland.

The IndieRef turnout was 3,623,344 - on that turnout 8% in the UK poll would put the SNP on 64% in Scotland.

(The last Holyrood turnout was just under 2,000,000 - putting them at over 100% on those figures.)

We could be generous and assume it is 7.5% rounded up - or even that the "energising" effect of the referendum has made Scottish voters more likely to say they are "certain to vote" than in E/W. But even then, you are left with utterly implausible figures.

And since such a skewed result has a deflating effect on the Labour score GB-wide.......

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:02 pm

citizenJA wrote:
mikems wrote:Here's a good though pretty technical article about the current state of the world economy, interest rates, how money is really created etc.

http://www.leftfutures.org/2014/11/cent ... more-39308" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A conversation we need to have with leadership, yes. Someone writing elsewhere yesterday asked how Miliband (or anyone else in political leadership) were to introduce this kind of fundamental economic paradigm shift. I don't have an answer.

I thought this quite interesting from the article:

But if too much credit is created and aimed at speculation rather than at productive activity, a cycle of high and unpayable debt ensues.

The relationship between the purchase of shares equaling investment in a company has broken down. Money is no longer made on the dividend (and thus dependent on a successful business) but on the speculation on the stock market. The ultimate fate of companies are no longer of concern to those who "invest" in them.

There's a bubble in the UK stock market. I worry that even if Ed Miliband wins the next election and even understands the issues and tries to tackle them, it may be too late to stop it blowing up in our face. I have visions of Cameron, Osborne and co holding a lit bomb, desperately blowing on it to slow the flame's progress as they hand it over the Ed.....and I started out in such a jolly mood this morning (sigh).

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:15 pm

Police examining claims over senior Lib Dem’s handling of abuse claims
Liz Lynne denies allegation that she ordered aide to destroy notes on claims made by former manager of Rochdale home
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... erup-claim

Don't know what I can say about this ... shocking if it is proven to be true.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:27 pm

mikems wrote:citizenJA,

There are many ways to regain control over the financial system. One is to reestablish public investment bodies that can also create money via credit. Also reestablish the sort of control we used to have over UK bond issuance. We used to nominate certain companies to hold special places in the market - only they could buy or sell bonds onto the wider market...but they could not refuse to buy or sell if told to by government. That way the government controlled the markets to a much greater extent than is possible today where all players are equal in the bond market and govt has less control over rates and prices.

Most things wrong with finance now have been caused by the dismantling of regulations - exacerbated by the opening of markets to international capital, a natural destabiliser of all national economies - but nevertheless, the powers to control the financial system have simply been laid aside, not abolished all together. What is lacking is understanding of how these markets really work - even at the highest levels - and how we used to control them for the public good.

(my bold)

Excellent - yes, I'm with you.

Ed Miliband or Ed Balls or indeed anyone with just a fraction of their intelligence must know about the issues you've brought to the board today (I'm grateful you've done so).

I haven't studied Ed Balls as much as I've researched Ed Miliband (amateur I'm an amateur researcher). Balls seems to be less appreciated by my friends here - I don't know enough either way to call for his replacement - my point writing this is to make sure I'm understood by those people on this board I respect & learn from.

I don't worship Labour or current leadership but I need to trust someone well enough to support their leadership.

What are the current Labour party leader's intentions regarding the economic infrastructure of the UK?

One thing more - while it may be true Ed Miliband or any other leader can't make sweeping changes on his/their own, that doesn't mean we're doomed to be ruled by powerful interests "behind the scenes" or that he's in secret cahoots with those influentials.

During Ed Miliband's last big speech he said something very simple - something to the effect, "I need your help, I can't do this alone", regarding changes in order for more people to share in economic prosperity & social cohesion. It wasn't just a mealy-mouthed request for votes, that request.

All of our social security provision wasn't created by a few people. It took the whole country & helpful people from other countries coming to assist building it. If it could be done then, it can be done now though of course the world is a different place.

Not so different that it makes no difference which democratically elected leadership put into government. Governments are not all the same; it matters.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:34 pm

Andy McDonald MP ‏@AndyMcDonaldMP 28m28 minutes ago
Website update: I am seeking urgent meeting with Tricia Hart, SthTees Hospitals NHS Trust CEO over £91m budget crisis http://www.andymcdonaldmp.org/letters.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can't remember who it was who posted yesterday that this was their hospital trust ... but looks as though things are hotting up.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:36 pm

Willow904 wrote:
citizenJA wrote:
mikems wrote:Here's a good though pretty technical article about the current state of the world economy, interest rates, how money is really created etc.

http://www.leftfutures.org/2014/11/cent ... more-39308" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A conversation we need to have with leadership, yes. Someone writing elsewhere yesterday asked how Miliband (or anyone else in political leadership) were to introduce this kind of fundamental economic paradigm shift. I don't have an answer.
I thought this quite interesting from the article:

But if too much credit is created and aimed at speculation rather than at productive activity, a cycle of high and unpayable debt ensues.
The relationship between the purchase of shares equaling investment in a company has broken down. Money is no longer made on the dividend (and thus dependent on a successful business) but on the speculation on the stock market. The ultimate fate of companies are no longer of concern to those who "invest" in them.

There's a bubble in the UK stock market. I worry that even if Ed Miliband wins the next election and even understands the issues and tries to tackle them, it may be too late to stop it blowing up in our face. I have visions of Cameron, Osborne and co holding a lit bomb, desperately blowing on it to slow the flame's progress as they hand it over the Ed.....and I started out in such a jolly mood this morning (sigh).

Miliband comes from a family creating real value, lives worth living, out of destruction foisted upon them.

Ed Miliband:
"Okay, Friends, be cool - the economy has fallen down dead & that's a good thing. We've got another here for backup. Most of you will benefit from it. A few won't like it much at all but they'll be okay."

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:40 pm

Andy Slaughter MP retweeted
Jack of Kent ‏@JackofKent 47m47 minutes ago
Chris Grayling wants to repeal the Human Rights Act, but gets human rights law so factually wrong that the Daily Mail has to correct him.

Andy Slaughter MP retweeted
Jack of Kent ‏@JackofKent 45m45 minutes ago
Not a good sign for a right-wing politician like Grayling that even the Daily Mail is publicly correcting his mistakes on human rights law.

Grayling is so focused on doing what he has been programmed to do - regardless of impossibilities, lack of lawful nous or support, and devastating outcomes - he reminds me of the replicants from Bladerunner (still my all time favourite film). I am just hoping, waiting for the moment he suddenly falters and says 'Time To Die'. Hope it's before if not during May 2015.

DonutHingeParty · Post by **DonutHingeParty** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:43 pm

Don't the Guardian / Observer usually defend their own figures by saying "We focussed on our Opiniman(?) survey because it's the one we pay for - in which case, why so much prominence given to a rival survey?

I don't know, though, there's something about the wind that makes me think Mr "The problem with WWI was that not enough people died" could be in for a shock.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:44 pm

There are photographs from the Philae/Rosetta mission! I will try to find them...

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:53 pm

DonutHingeParty wrote:Don't the Guardian / Observer usually defend their own figures by saying "We focussed on our Opiniman(?) survey because it's the one we pay for - in which case, why so much prominence given to a rival survey?

I don't know, though, there's something about the wind that makes me think Mr "The problem with WWI was that not enough people died" could be in for a shock.

Who on earth is Mr 'The problem with WW1 was that not enough people died'? Must have missed that one ...

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:55 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Andy McDonald MP ‏@AndyMcDonaldMP 28m28 minutes ago
Website update: I am seeking urgent meeting with Tricia Hart, SthTees Hospitals NHS Trust CEO over £91m budget crisis http://www.andymcdonaldmp.org/letters.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Can't remember who it was who posted yesterday that this was their hospital trust ... but looks as though things are hotting up.

Good letter, good calling out government on this. It's all falling apart for current government - they're jeopardising the lives of people.

The financial sustainability of NHS bodies

Financial risk is increasing in NHS trusts and foundation trusts. Those in severe financial difficulty continue to rely on cash support from the Department of Health.

“An increasing number of healthcare providers and commissioners are in financial difficulty. The growth trend for numbers of NHS trusts and foundation trusts in deficit is not sustainable. Until the Department can explain how it will work with bodies such as NHS England, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority to address underlying financial pressures, quickly and without resorting to cash support, we cannot be confident that value for money will be achieved over the next five years.”

Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, 7 November 2014

http://www.nao.org.uk/report/financial- ... -bodies-2/#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also see:

Health and social care
Planning for the Better Care Fund

The Better Care Fund is an innovative idea but the quality of early preparation and planning did not match the scale of the ambition. Current plans forecast £314m of savings for the NHS rather than the £1 billion in early planning assumptions.

“The Better Care Fund is an innovative idea but the quality of early preparation and planning did not match the scale of the ambition. The £1 billion financial savings assumption was ignored, the early programme management was inadequate, and the changes to the programme design undermined the timely delivery of local plans and local government's confidence in the Fund's value. Ministers were right to pause and redesign the scheme in April this year when they realized it would not meet their expectations. The Fund still contains bold assumptions about the financial savings expected in 2015-16 from reductions in emergency admissions. To offer value for money, the Departments need to ensure more effective support to local areas, better joint working between health bodies and local government, and improved evidence on effectiveness.”

Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, 11 November 2014

"The Better Care Fund will run from April 2015. The Department of Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government developed the Fund’s policy, with NHS England and the Local Government Association responsible for the delivery and implementation of the Fund.

It was agreed that local areas would develop plans for spending the Fund with minimal central prescription, in order to drive local innovation from the bottom up, and reflecting the fact that no savings target had been formally agreed for the Fund during Spending Round 2013.

As a result, there was no central programme team, no programme director and limited risk management and no analysis of local planning capacity, capability, or where local areas would need additional support. In addition, the initial scheme guidance did not mention the scale of savings expected from the Fund.

All 151 local health and wellbeing boards submitted plans in April 2014 for how they would spend their Fund allocations in 2015-16. But NHS England concluded in May that the Fund plans would deliver only £55 million of financial savings, not the £1 billion the Department of Health and NHS England expected.

The Departments concluded that the plans required further development and Ministers did not approve any plans in April, as originally intended. Planning for the Fund paused between April and July 2014 while the Government reviewed and revised the Fund’s scope and how the £1 billion pay-for-performance part of the Fund would work.

In July 2014, the Departments revised and improved the Fund’s governance and programme management, requiring local areas to submit new plans in September 2014 for expected approval in late October. However these changes to the Fund reduced from 11 months to five months the time available for local areas to prepare for the implementation of the Fund from April 2015.

The Local Government Association does not agree with the changes in the Fund’s scope. It has said that the revisions undermine the Fund’s core purpose as promoting locally led integrated care and reduce the resources available to protect social care and prevention initiatives."

http://www.nao.org.uk/report/planning-b ... re-fund-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(my bold)

Current government wholly at fault, incompetent, lazy, cruel & disingenuous.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 2:56 pm

Huw Irranca-Davies ‏@IrrancaDaviesMP 22m22 minutes ago
Rational evidence-based analysis of tackling Bovine Tb & #badgercull by @SteveBackshall in @guardian http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... -backshall …

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:05 pm

citizenJA wrote:
mikems wrote:Here's a good though pretty technical article about the current state of the world economy, interest rates, how money is really created etc.

http://www.leftfutures.org/2014/11/cent ... more-39308" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A conversation we need to have with leadership, yes. Someone writing elsewhere yesterday asked how Miliband (or anyone else in political leadership) were to introduce this kind of fundamental economic paradigm shift. I don't have an answer.

Something like a serious formal short film "A Broadcast from the Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband, Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition" type of thing, slightly updated for the 21st century. Like the ones that used to be done from behind a desk or in a fire-side chair. Not standing, not walking about. Don't introduce yourself – the opening credits plus voice-over and the on-screen lower-third have done and are doing that. Start with 'Our country and our people face a grave situation. Our economy is growing, for some, but it is based on shaky foundations.' Define them. Explain how they came about. Show, as Ephe and others have described, how the illusion is created of 'falling unemployment' and 'increasing numbers of people in work'.

Someone on the news mentioned (it might have been the ONS bloke) that we are still far from the highest ever percentage of the population in work – I think it was 78% but can't remember which year that was in. Probably when 'most' mothers did not work and were not expected to do so. So, use that percentage as a comparator with today's percentage.

Be equally stark on housing matters. 'In an ideal world, people should be confident that they and their families would be able to afford decent, well-built, and well-maintained housing, whether as owner-occupiers, private tenants or lease-holders, or as tenants of their local council or of housing associations and co-operatives. We do not live in an ideal world. These chances have slipped further and further away from people on ordinary wages.' Explain why, take responsibility where appropriate, lay out the solution.

Cover all of the main areas which can be influenced or controlled by government choices – health, education, employment (rights and numbers,) industry (much better word than jobs or the job market and includes energy-security), housing, defence, and Social Security – and call it that!. In each case, Define, explain, take responsibility as appropriate, lay out the solution.

No VTs, other than simple but accurate infographics. No using individuals as examples – especially not the someone-I-met. No stereotyping – the young mother (people, uncharitable ones, think teenager). No soundtrack, just introductory formal music and the same but slightly more hopeful as the outro. Formal. Serious. Broad brush references to age groups, families, etc., Detail on facts and figures. Straight to camera, read from script on desk and script on autocue. Refer to my Party. Use phrases like, "If you choose to place the responsibility of government in my Partys hands, I will/we will..."

I could write more. I could direct and produce the film – but others could probably do it even better

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:08 pm

From Labourlist - I don't know what evidence they're basing UKIP taking Labour votes as suggested in the quote below:

Four new polls – Labour ahead in three.
But people now less likely to consider party “united”

NOVEMBER 11, 2014 10:20 AM

However, it is also worth noting that in all four polls, Ukip come in at 3rd place. Although on average 15 points behind both the Tories and Labour, the anti-EU, anti-immigration party does threaten to chip further away at both the Labour and the Tory vote.

The results reads as follows:

Ashcroft: Conservatives 30%, Labour 29%,Ukip 16%, Liberal Democrat 10%, Green 7%

ICM: Conservatives 31% Labour 32%, Ukip 14%, Liberal Democrat 11%, Green 6%

Populus: Conservatives 34% Labour 36%,Ukip 13% Liberal Democrat 8% Green 3%

YouGov: Conservatives 32%, Labour 33%,Ukip 17%, Liberal Democrats 6%, Green 6%

http://labourlist.org/2014/11/four-new- ... ty-united/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:12 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
citizenJA wrote:
mikems wrote:Here's a good though pretty technical article about the current state of the world economy, interest rates, how money is really created etc.

http://www.leftfutures.org/2014/11/cent ... more-39308" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A conversation we need to have with leadership, yes. Someone writing elsewhere yesterday asked how Miliband (or anyone else in political leadership) were to introduce this kind of fundamental economic paradigm shift. I don't have an answer.
Something like a serious formal short film "A Broadcast from the Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband, Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition" type of thing, slightly updated for the 21st century. Like the ones that used to be done from behind a desk or in a fire-side chair. Not standing, not walking about. Don't introduce yourself – the opening credits plus voice-over and the on-screen lower-third have done and are doing that. Start with 'Our country and our people face a grave situation. Our economy is growing, for some, but it is based on shaky foundations.' Define them. Explain how they came about. Show, as Ephe and others have described, how the illusion is created of 'falling unemployment' and 'increasing numbers of people in work'.

Someone on the news mentioned (it might have been the ONS bloke) that we are still far from the highest ever percentage of the population in work – I think it was 78% but can't remember which year that was in. Probably when 'most' mothers did not work and were not expected to do so. So, use that percentage as a comparator with today's percentage.

Be equally stark on housing matters. 'In an ideal world, people should be confident that they and their families would be able to afford decent, well-built, and well-maintained housing, whether as owner-occupiers, private tenants or lease-holders, or as tenants of their local council or of housing associations and co-operatives. We do not live in an ideal world. These chances have slipped further and further away from people on ordinary wages.' Explain why, take responsibility where appropriate, lay out the solution.

Cover all of the main areas which can be influenced or controlled by government choices – health, education, employment (rights and numbers,) industry (much better word than jobs or the job market and includes energy-security), housing, defence, and Social Security – and call it that!. In each case, Define, explain, take responsibility as appropriate, lay out the solution.

No VTs, other than simple but accurate infographics. No using individuals as examples – especially not the someone-I-met. No stereotyping – the young mother (people, uncharitable ones, think teenager). No soundtrack, just introductory formal music and the same but slightly more hopeful as the outro. Formal. Serious. Broad brush references to age groups, families, etc., Detail on facts and figures. Straight to camera, read from script on desk and script on autocue. Refer to my Party. Use phrases like, "If you choose to place the responsibility of government in my Partys hands, I will/we will..."

Brilliant. I agree with you here completely - straightforward & real.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:13 pm

First pic from Philae:

Landing expected at or soon after 4pm GMT. Watch live on livestream.com

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:19 pm

And then this one from Rosetta and from Rosetta's Twitter account (Philae has its own!)

https://twitter.com/ESA_Rosetta/status/ ... 28/photo/1

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:29 pm

And the first picture has now come in from the comet itself ......

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:32 pm

Sorry to keep on about this but I am excited. Any moment from about seven minutes time could be the moment that Philae touches down on The Black Swan. They are now broadcasting live and will remain live for the foreseeable...
http://new.livestream.com/esa/cometlanding

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:35 pm

"Before I close, I want to make one final promise to you today. In everything I do there will be consistent leadership, based on dialogue with you. I am not going to say it is OK to carry on as we are, with the economy we have. Because I don’t believe it is. I am not going to say we should close our borders. Because I don’t believe we should. I am not going to play politics with our membership of the European Union. Because I don’t believe it makes Britain stronger or more confident in the world. I am clear about the mission of the next Labour government. To work with you, to ensure our economic recovery works for everyone and not just a few. Credible change. An agenda which is pro-business. That is the way we will meet this challenge. Making Britain a better place to do business long into the future. And creating a country that works for everyday working people. I look forward to doing it together."

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, speech to the CBI
Monday 10 November 2014

http://press.labour.org.uk/post/1022761 ... to-the-cbi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I appreciated this speech. I was reminded again, for the avoidance of doubt, not all governments & their leaders are the same.

Cameron's speech given to the CBI is posted on the website link below:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/econ ... -full.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:38 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:Sorry to keep on about this but I am excited. Any moment from about seven minutes time could be the moment that Philae touches down on The Black Swan. They are now broadcasting live and will remain live for the foreseeable...
http://new.livestream.com/esa/cometlanding

Excited? That makes two of us. I'm watching it on the ESA website (same feed I think).

I should be thinking about getting something to eat, but that can wait .....

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:44 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Sorry to keep on about this but I am excited. Any moment from about seven minutes time could be the moment that Philae touches down on The Black Swan. They are now broadcasting live and will remain live for the foreseeable...
http://new.livestream.com/esa/cometlanding
Excited? That makes two of us. I'm watching it on the ESA website (same feed I think).

I should be thinking about getting something to eat, but that can wait .....

BBC News are live too but filling with interviews...
I just had a bacon sarnie but could kill for a cuppa!

DonutHingeParty · Post by **DonutHingeParty** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:48 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
DonutHingeParty wrote:Don't the Guardian / Observer usually defend their own figures by saying "We focussed on our Opiniman(?) survey because it's the one we pay for - in which case, why so much prominence given to a rival survey?

I don't know, though, there's something about the wind that makes me think Mr "The problem with WWI was that not enough people died" could be in for a shock.
Who on earth is Mr 'The problem with WW1 was that not enough people died'? Must have missed that one ...

Who else?

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -world-war

“We should have pursued the war for a further six weeks, and gone for an unconditional surrender. Yes the last six weeks of the war cost us 100,000 casualties, and I’m prepared to accept that a further six weeks of war might have cost us another 100,000."

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:49 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Sorry to keep on about this but I am excited. Any moment from about seven minutes time could be the moment that Philae touches down on The Black Swan. They are now broadcasting live and will remain live for the foreseeable...
http://new.livestream.com/esa/cometlanding
Excited? That makes two of us. I'm watching it on the ESA website (same feed I think).

I should be thinking about getting something to eat, but that can wait .....
BBC News are live too but filling with interviews...
I just had a bacon sarnie but could kill for a cuppa!

I would kill for a bacon sarnie!

William Shatner ‏@WilliamShatner · 1m1 minute ago
#cometlanding new camera angle on the hoodie guy group

Looks like we're not the only ones avidly watching!

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 3:52 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote: Excited? That makes two of us. I'm watching it on the ESA website (same feed I think).

I should be thinking about getting something to eat, but that can wait .....
BBC News are live too but filling with interviews...
I just had a bacon sarnie but could kill for a cuppa!
I would kill for a bacon sarnie!

William Shatner ‏@WilliamShatner · 1m1 minute ago
#cometlanding new camera angle on the hoodie guy group
Looks like we're not the only ones avidly watching!

Hope you two mind your P's & Q's when eating those dastardly sandwiches !!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 4:03 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Sorry to keep on about this but I am excited. Any moment from about seven minutes time could be the moment that Philae touches down on The Black Swan. They are now broadcasting live and will remain live for the foreseeable...
http://new.livestream.com/esa/cometlanding
Excited? That makes two of us. I'm watching it on the ESA website (same feed I think).

I should be thinking about getting something to eat, but that can wait .....
BBC News are live too but filling with interviews...
I just had a bacon sarnie but could kill for a cuppa!

Social media has it's limitations - I've just put the kettle on.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 4:04 pm

Fake Sheikh is due to air at 7.30 on BBC 1 tonight

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 4:04 pm

Translates roughly as expletive-noun expletive-verb brilliant Touchdown!

Edit one: telemetry coming

Edit two: it is definitely not dead

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 4:06 pm

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 12 Nov, 2014 4:07 pm

Philae Lander ‏@Philae2014 · 3m3 minutes ago
Touchdown! My new address: 67P! #CometLanding