Thursday 20th November 2014 - Rochester & Strood

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:11 pm

Andrew Slaughter should be promoted.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:15 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Oh!

Academy chain drops plan to outsource non-teaching staff

http://academiesweek.co.uk/academy-chai ... ing-staff/

The country’s largest academy chain has confirmed it will not continue with plans to outsource its non-teaching roles.

Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) announced earlier this year it wanted to outsource non-teaching roles in a contract worth up to £400m, with PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) named as the preferred bidder.

AET, a charitable trust operating 76 schools in England, came under fire from Ofsted in September when the inspectorate said too many of its pupils were not receiving a good enough education. The trust is currently “paused” by the EFA, meaning it is unable to take-over or open any schools.
I suspect that last sentence is the reason - I would imagine the DfE said to them "As you're failing to run your schools properly, there's no way we're going to let you do this".

Probably rather a lot of constituencies would be affected too.

Something nobody wants can happily wait till after the election.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:16 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Andrew Slaughter should be promoted.

He is very good.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:19 pm

pk1 wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Patrick Wintour @patrickwintour · 8m 8 minutes ago
Has anyone ever resigned in British politics for taking a photograph ?
Short memory Mr Wintour. Sure there was a guy who took photos with his dick hanging out recently & he took a damn sight longer to resign !!

Touche, PK. Perhaps someone ought to tweet him a reminder of that. But without a picture.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:20 pm

Hahahaha...Carswell has just said that Andrew Lansley's reforms were fundamentally flawed.

Wonder when he had this damascene conversion?

Interesting that he used the same 'alphabet soup of quangos' that Reckless used on Monday - is that the UKIP line?

Post by **refitman** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:22 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
pk1 wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Short memory Mr Wintour. Sure there was a guy who took photos with his dick hanging out recently & he took a damn sight longer to resign !!
Touche, PK. Perhaps someone ought to tweet him a reminder of that. But without a picture.

One or two people might have mentioned the name Brooks Newmark to him.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:27 pm

Parliament repair bill 'could top £3bn'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30137334

Eye watering dosh.

And they're talking about moving MPs and Peers out for at least 5 years while the work takes place ...

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:27 pm

Incredibly, AET seem to be involved with the "teaching schools" lark.

https://sites.google.com/a/aetinet.org/ ... -alliance/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:28 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Parliament repair bill 'could top £3bn'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30137334
Eye watering dosh.

And they're talking about moving MPs and Peers out for at least 5 years while the work takes place ...

They can move them out for good.

That would be proper rebalancing.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:29 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Hahahaha...Carswell has just said that Andrew Lansley's reforms were fundamentally flawed.

Wonder when he had this damascene conversion?

Interesting that he used the same 'alphabet soup of quangos' that Reckless used on Monday - is that the UKIP line?

Ian Birrell @ianbirrell · 6m 6 minutes ago
.@douglascarswell claimed Lansley's reforms were 'fundamentally flawed' so he joined Ukip. So what this then? http://www.talkcarswell.com/home/we-nee ... eform/2253" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … #bbcqt

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:30 pm

@pk1 I was trying to for the right words about Newmark,very well put.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:32 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Parliament repair bill 'could top £3bn'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30137334
Eye watering dosh.

And they're talking about moving MPs and Peers out for at least 5 years while the work takes place ...
They can move them out for good.

That would be proper rebalancing.

Would be quite an interesting exercise to see how their antics look, and possibly change, once removed from the pomp and grandeur of the HoC ... can't see Cameron looking nearly so prime ministerial in a bog standard utilitarian setting. He'll just look very stupid.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:36 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:Hahahaha...Carswell has just said that Andrew Lansley's reforms were fundamentally flawed.

Wonder when he had this damascene conversion?

Interesting that he used the same 'alphabet soup of quangos' that Reckless used on Monday - is that the UKIP line?

Ian Birrell @ianbirrell · 6m 6 minutes ago
.@douglascarswell claimed Lansley's reforms were 'fundamentally flawed' so he joined Ukip. So what this then? http://www.talkcarswell.com/home/we-nee ... eform/2253" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … #bbcqt

Yep, he's spouting the UKIP line now - that line about 'alphabet soup' gave it away. Populism. See the way the wind is blowing and go with that.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:39 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:Hahahaha...Carswell has just said that Andrew Lansley's reforms were fundamentally flawed.

Wonder when he had this damascene conversion?

Interesting that he used the same 'alphabet soup of quangos' that Reckless used on Monday - is that the UKIP line?

Ian Birrell @ianbirrell · 6m 6 minutes ago
.@douglascarswell claimed Lansley's reforms were 'fundamentally flawed' so he joined Ukip. So what this then? http://www.talkcarswell.com/home/we-nee ... eform/2253" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … #bbcqt
Yep, he's spouting the UKIP line now - that line about 'alphabet soup' gave it away. Populism. See the way the wind is blowing and go with that.

The only thing settled about Ukip policies is that they change faster than wind direction. Carswell has caught on quickly.

mbc1955 · Post by **mbc1955** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:39 pm

Thinking about MPs being moved somewhere else, I spent a lot of time earlier this year blogging the living spit out of the truly execrable 24: Live Another Day. There was a scene, early on, where the US President addressed the House of Commons in a Committee Room (yes, all of them) whilst the PM tried to keep order (no Speaker? Surely they wouldn't have got that bit wrong). I think we should follow that invaluable lesson.

Mind you, they had Stephen Fry as the Prime Minister. Can't stand Stephen Fry myself. But he was better than Cameron.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:51 pm

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 2m 2 minutes ago
Lib Dems may be behind an independent dominatrix candidate in Rochester, reports @bbcnickrobinson.

What on earth have they all been drinking tonight?

ChrisDean · Post by **ChrisDean** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:55 pm

I can quite understand Ed Miliband's anger with Emily Thornberry...he's taken a lot of shit from the MSM and she hands them that judgmental tweet!

Stupid, stupid woman!

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 20 Nov, 2014 11:59 pm

Carswell had to read his answer to the first question about Reckless and his comments on potential repatriation of EU migrants in the event of Brexit – clearly making sure he stuck to the party line about Reckless being tired after a hard day of campaigning, etc., I laughed when he unveiled the new, new new UKIP view on the NHS.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:15 am

Turnout in Rochester & Strood: just over 50%, according to A. Neil.

So, do we think that all the potential UKIP voters will have turned out for this by-election? I say we but mean you – because I think it is likely they will have done.

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:19 am

Pottering about tonight, every time I put the news on they are mentioning Miliband over UKIP beating the tories who used everything and the kitchen sink to win.

I can guess tomorrow's narrative.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:23 am

From the AS blog...

Dan Ware, the man whose England flags and white van were photographed by Emily Thornberry, to her cost, has been speaking to the Telegraph. He said that he voted Conservative in 2010, that he did not know there was a byelection on and that he thought Thornberry was a snob.

Really?

Call a spade a spade and tell him he's an utter thicko. How on earth can anyone not know in England let alone the constituency itself about the by election?

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:24 am

diGriz wrote:Pottering about tonight, every time I put the news on they are mentioning Miliband over UKIP beating the tories who used everything and the kitchen sink to win.

I can guess tomorrow's narrative.

I'm wondering which paper/broadcaster will win the bidding war for an exclusive interview with the people who live in the 3 flags house

Edit: see @Roger O'Thornhill's post, above. Telegraph, though. Perhaps no bidding war and no exclusive. Didn't know there was a by-election? Seriously?

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:32 am

God almighty, BBC has IDS on & Sky has Adam Boulton !

Sod it, I'm going to bed, good night all

Post by **adam** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:32 am

I joined in a discussion about Allison Pearson's utterly ridiculous story in the telegraph today and feel soiled.

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:39 am

Evening all

Away from R&S for a moment, here is an example of an attempt by the wealthy to exercise what they consider to be their rightful powers. That the scumbags, sorry, protagonists, are wealthy newspaper proprietors just goes to show how this story is a striking microcosm of the UK. Vive les Sarquois!

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... harassment

Must own up and say that I had a girlfriend who's grandfather lived there - he was an ex-REME officer and so built them a big old generator to provide the 600 residents with electricity, converted a caravan to become the ambulance (no vehicles except tractors) and a trailer with a big water tank and one of those two-person rocker pumps as a fire engine. An odd old place that I love after several visits. Could seem very reactionary, what with the tax dodging "Sark Lark", but I reckon it's the real deal, especially in the way that the community, a community that has to pull together to work when there's only 600 of you sat on a small rock in the Channel through a long winter with no visitors. And it has a couple of proper, well, if not quite pubs - it's like being in Invercargill, NZ, right down to the tin roof in one place back in the 80's, then certainly bars where you can have a pint and a chat.

Sadly, the Barclay brothers have Brechou, where they have built the most monumentally crass building - an appalling hodge-podge of styles that manage to mix classical Greek pediments, Tudor turrets, Elizabethan mullions, Hispano-Moorish battlements, Georgian glazing and Victorian cupolas in one hideous car-crash of a building.

And now they want to turn Sark into an island resort for other super-rich types.

Well done the Sarquois for fighting back

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:42 am

LadyCentauria wrote:
diGriz wrote:Pottering about tonight, every time I put the news on they are mentioning Miliband over UKIP beating the tories who used everything and the kitchen sink to win.

I can guess tomorrow's narrative.
I'm wondering which paper/broadcaster will win the bidding war for an exclusive interview with the people who live in the 3 flags house

Edit: see @Roger O'Thornhill's post, above. Telegraph, though. Perhaps no bidding war and no exclusive. Didn't know there was a by-election? Seriously?

Having read the piece in the Telegraph the gentleman doesn't come across as particularly pleasant.

But this is a lesson, firstly The Guardian really are the enemy and secondly do not use Twitter in election campaigns, other than to announce good stuff happening to Nice People(TM).

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:54 am

Sky News now has Natalie Bennett on. They are hoping for 5% of the vote.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 12:57 am

LadyCentauria wrote:Sky News now has Natalie Bennett on. They are hoping for 5% of the vote.

Green Surge (TM)

In fact they may poll 5 times more than the Lib Dems.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 1:03 am

Jeremy Hunt is a dissembling shit isn't he?

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 1:07 am

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 1:07 am

Looks like UKIP are going to have to look elsewhere for their agriculture and animal welfare spokesman.

Warning, despite being the 'beeb, images are quite harrowing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-30138337" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

onebuttonmonkey · Post by **onebuttonmonkey** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 1:14 am

Evening, all. First up, thanks for the kind things said about my adjective-torturing BBCQT rant. I may gab on like a furious gobshite but it's always genuinely a really nice surprise when people respond to stuff like that well.

Secondly, I go out for a night to see a loud band I loved in the 80s (Jesus and Mary Chain, if you're interested; they were phenomenal. I have tinnitis and nostalgia in equal measures) and when I get back, Thornberry's resigned because of manufactured outrage on Twitter and Tristram Hunt's been on telly talking about how much Labour loves flags. What the actual f**k? Has the world gone even madder? Are we so scared of having offended a team of spin doctors we feel the need to resign over it? Has no one in a media post at Labour had the sense to say, "hang on a minute, a flag's a symbol not a sacred sign. If we can't even talk about it then what it symbolises is meaningless. Isn't this just guff to distract everyone? Just tell them to get stuffed"? As if it wasn't obviously a coordinated attempt to take the heat and focus off Cameron for having lost the kitchen sink-lobbing byeleection. It's... ridiculous. I mean, those that coordinated and publicised it are obviously idiots, but really. This isn't a resigning offence - compared with, say, anything the government have done. It's piffle being shouted.

I hope if I go to bed it will all turn out to have been a figment of Lynton Crosby's chequebook imagination. It will, right? Sheesh.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 1:43 am

Hobiejoe wrote:Looks like UKIP are going to have to look elsewhere for their agriculture and animal welfare spokesman.

Warning, despite being the 'beeb, images are quite harrowing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-30138337" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is an awful story and the pics are deeply upsetting – although they have clearly avoided using the very worst, if the report is anything to go by. At least, all the animals shown were alive and on their feet, though in dreadful condition and surroundings.

On the UKIP side of things, has any other party had such, um, misfortune in its choices of candidates?

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 1:51 am

Slightly O/T but: I love live sub-titles. The Sky ones, when Boulton was re-introducing his panel of guests, started with Pretty hotel – which was fairly swiftly corrected to Priti Patel... And Father Christmas has just turned up at the count in a mobility-scooter with its canopy festooned in fairy-lights...

And, back on-topic, I agree with you @OneButtonMonkey. The pic should not have been a resigning matter. It wasn't even the only pic she posted of houses in Rochester.

Edit to add: Plus, glad you enjoyed Mary and the Jesus Chain! Great band

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 1:57 am

LadyCentauria wrote:
Hobiejoe wrote:Looks like UKIP are going to have to look elsewhere for their agriculture and animal welfare spokesman.

Warning, despite being the 'beeb, images are quite harrowing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-30138337" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That is an awful story and the pics are deeply upsetting – although they have clearly avoided using the very worst, if the report is anything to go by. At least, all the animals shown were alive and on their feet, though in dreadful condition and surroundings.

On the UKIP side of things, has any other party had such, um, misfortune in its choices of candidates?

I don't think that it's misfortune, more that it's a reflection on the character of both the party and their candidates.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 2:06 am

Rochester & Strood, now going through the process of verifying spoilt ballots. Next, bundling-up...

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 2:12 am

Sorry to pop up unexpectedly and then bugger off again, but such is the life of the lurker. Were that it wasn't so.

G'night all, ~~even~~ especially the hard core nutters who'll see this very important exercise in discovering why it's bad for Ed through to the bitter end.

We who are about to sleep salute you

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 2:15 am

Good night, @Hobiejoe. Sleep well and dream sweetly of very loud rock

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 3:10 am

If anybody is still about I'm not watching/listening ,what time approximately is the result due,now?

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 3:20 am

Medway Unitary Authority, Hoo Peninsula Ward, By-Election

Clive Gregory (Green Party) 314
Christopher Irvine (UKIP) 2850 (He was a Conservative but resigned and stood again as UKIP)
Christopher Sams (Lib Dem) 60
Ron Sands (Conservative) 1965
Pete Tungate (Labour) 716

(I will update these figures but there was no sound for the first part of the results, so This Week probably will not get the BAFTA for a broadcasting first for live-broadcasting of a Local Council By-Election they were joking about earlier... Unless there is one for a silent broadcast

)

Edit to add: Results now updated, source http://www.medway.gov.uk/thecouncilandd ... tions.aspx

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 3:28 am

HindleA wrote:If anybody is still about I'm not watching/listening ,what time approximately is the result due,now?

Some have said it could be as late as 4.30 – but perhaps sooner, now, having got the council by-election out of the way.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 3:29 am

Ok cheers,another cup of tea then.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 3:40 am

That ~~woman~~ Suzanne Evans (UKIP) guest of Andrew Neil has just accused Andy Burnham of corruption! She was pulled up by Neil on making dangerous accusations and Vernon Coaker explained to her just how careful you need to be with the words you use! She said then, ok I take it back, it is very late and I am tired... (Seems to be the latest UKIP stock phrase...

Edit: to add her name... and to add the a into Coaker...

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 3:52 am

Slander/defamation ?is ok as long as you're a bit tired,now tweeting a picture of a building with flags and a white van with no comment is obviously a resigning matter.Beam me up Scotty.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 4:10 am

Britain Elects suggesting 42%UKIP 34% Tory

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 4:12 am

Counting stopped,apparently.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 4:16 am

Rochester & Strood By-Election Results:

Mike Barker (Independent) 54
Christopher CharleyQ Challis (Independent) 22
Hairy Knorm Davidson (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party) 151
Jayda Kaleigh Fransen, (Vote British!) 56
Stephen William Goldsbrough (Independent) 69
Clive Gregory (Green Party – Say no to racism) 1,692
Geoff Juby (Liberal Democrat) 349
Naushabah Parveen Khan (Labour Party) 6,713
Nick Long (People Before Profit) 69
David Osborn (Patriotic Socialist Party) 33
Mark John Reckless (UK Independence Party) 16,867
Lady Charlotte Rose (Independent) 43
Kelly Tolhurst (Conservative Party) 13,947

And the story of the night is that The Official Monster Raving Loony Party have not beaten the Liberal Democrats

But the Green Party did by a massive margin, to come 4th!

Edit to add: commas to improve legibility of numbers...

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 4:22 am

HindleA wrote:Britain Elects suggesting 42%UKIP 34% Tory

Very close: UKIP 42% Tory 35%

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 4:24 am

Mark Reckless' 10,000-odd majority (as a Tory-tory) cut to only 2,920 (as a UKIP-tory)

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 21 Nov, 2014 4:34 am

Good night to those still around ,particularly LC with the result service and commentary,vastly superior to the alternatives