Saturday 22st & Sunday 23rd November 2014

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 9:09 am

Morning all.

Looking at the papers online this morning makes me thankful for shelling out a pound for the Morning Star yesterday. As my old man said just now, it tells you what's really happening.
The Mail, Guardian, Telegraph & John Humphreys on Radio 4 have blown Thornberry's molehill into a huge anti-Labour mountain. Strange that, just what we predicted they'd do post R&S.

Also picked up Nick Davies' Hack Attack & Thomas Piketty's Capital from our local library.
I'm going to boycott the wall to wall rubbish from Radio 4's Today, the Guardian and Jason wot's his name at the New Statesman and read them this weekend instead.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 9:20 am

yahyah wrote:Morning all.

Looking at the papers online this morning makes me thankful for shelling out a pound for the Morning Star yesterday. As my old man said just now, it tells you what's really happening.
The Mail, Guardian, Telegraph & John Humphreys on Radio 4 have blown Thornberry's molehill into a huge anti-Labour mountain. Strange that, just what we predicted they'd do post R&S.

Also picked up Nick Davies' Hack Attack & Thomas Piketty's Capital from our local library.
I'm going to boycott the wall to wall rubbish from Radio 4's Today, the Guardian and Jason wot's his name at the New Statesman and read them this weekend instead.

Morning yahyah and others.

Yes - it does seem to be a question of deciding on strategies to give yourself a bit of protection from the current media onslaught ... so that individual and collective morale doesn't plummet.

Then I remind myself that I also don't want to become so over protected as quite a few Lib Dems seem to have that I appear to be blithely following in cheeriness regardless of dire circumstances ...

Delicate balancing act required ... FTN posts that act as sensible reality checks are going to be very needed in the months to come.

I will be out on door steps this morning. Will be interesting to see what people are saying.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 9:54 am

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 76887.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Morning

Steve Richards "Hysteria,Vilification,a spurious "victim";welcome to the age of anti-politics"

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 10:38 am

HindleA wrote:http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 76887.html

Morning

Steve Richards "Hysteria,Vilification,a spurious "victim";welcome to the age of anti-politics"

Manufactured outrage over a flag, and a meat head wearing a football shirt.. Who it appears, in these crazy times is off limits, if only the same privilege was granted to those who are disabled, unemployed, struggling to get enough hours to work every week, but hey I guess those do not make great news stories.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 11:02 am

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
HindleA wrote:http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 76887.html

Morning

Steve Richards "Hysteria,Vilification,a spurious "victim";welcome to the age of anti-politics"
Manufactured outrage over a flag, and a meat head wearing a football shirt.. Who it appears, in these crazy times is off limits, if only the same privilege was granted to those who are disabled, unemployed, struggling to get enough hours to work every week, but hey I guess those do not make great news stories.

This is and remains a non story. The thing to remember is that nobody listens to politics on the radio or reads the papers.

The mistake that the Lib Dem Voice crowd make is ignoring the polls, not the media narrative.

The fundamentals remain, there is no path to a stable Tory government, even in coalition post 2015. Voters in May will have to decide to elect a government, and they will do so on the basis of a policy set not a tweet. Cameron doesn't have any sort of offer to make, plus electing that rabble and putting who knows in power (after they ditch Cameron) is going to look high risk.

The polls are tight, they are going to remain that way. It is worth pointing out Cameron was supposed to be comfortably ahead by now according to the plan.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 11:12 am

White van man Dan, it seems has his own ''Danifesto' in the Scum today (shoot me now) it contains all the usual stuff which give right wingers hard on's of the like they haven't had since they were 16 years old. He doesn't represent me or anyone I know, I hope after the latest round of nonsense Labour will begin to realise this, whatever the likes of Danczuk and Austin say?

Move on.

mikems · Post by **mikems** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 11:18 am

Cheer up everyone!

It is almost inevitable that the tories are going to lose the election just next May. They will be gone, perhaps forever! That's something to smile about, isn't it?

Why don't we talk about the upcoming tory split, the more or less total demise of the Liberals and console ourselves with the fact that UKIP is a media construct that cannot withstand proper scrutiny and will not be able to develop policy without splitting too.

It's almost certain that Labour will form some sort of government either on its own as a majority, a minority or in a coalition with the SNP/Liberals. And Miliband is promising a new constitutional convention where the people can have a say and give the augean stables a good clearing out. That's worth supporting by itself.

But perhaps next year we will see the end of the House of Lords,and will be starting to see regional devolution, media and party funding reform etc.

giselle97 · Post by **giselle97** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 11:26 am

Hi all.

I found Sky News on my Spanish TV just in time for the wining, patronising, Tory Loudspeaker Stephen Tomkins (sp?) to spout vomit and vile shit out his arse (permanently located under his puny nostrils) yesterday morning and after getting a few e-mails off in complaint (no point really), the sound has been off.

Foolishly, because the current tenant in the flat I'm going to rent for 6 months in UK already has it, I went against my principles and joined up with Sky. However, I took great delight in calling Customer Service yesterday to cancel my order. I waited for the advisor to ask me why and told her in all of 9 minutes. I felt so much better after doing so, and since then the TV has been off and I'm listening to music instead.

I have no idea how Ed Miliband and his wife are coping with this vicious attack against him but I do hope that he can, as I am able to, hold out for vicious revenge, however long it takes, whilst keeping everything together whilst the bastards inside and outside try to make him resign. And, it's time to say the words anti - semitic too, in my opinion.

By the way TGS, I didn't go to Lisa Forbes' campaign dinner because I thought Tom (she spits venom) Watson was far too busy undermining Ed that day to attend and so far I've not seen any mention of him attending.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 11:46 am

I'm hearing that New Statesman Editor, Jason Cowley has written another anti-Ed in the Mail today. Anybody seen it ? WTF is he doing writing bilge in the Mail ?

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 11:49 am

Morning all.

giselle97 wrote:And, it's time to say the words anti - semitic too, in my opinion.

Has been for a while as far as I'm concerned, what else has that whole "he looks weird" meme been about if not that?

giselle97 wrote:By the way TGS, I didn't go to Lisa Forbes' campaign dinner because I thought Tom (she spits venom) Watson was far too busy undermining Ed that day to attend and so far I've not seen any mention of him attending.

What a shame, but not to worry; I had a 'chat' with him on Twitter last night and called him out on some stuff. He came out with some disingenuous waffle about understanding "the difference between dissent and disloyalty"; didn't much like me pointing out that he seemed to deliberately choose to time his interventions when it would cause maximum embarrassment to the Party.

Don't get me wrong he was loyal to Brown when most others had turned against him and is, overall, a very valuable member of the Parliamentary team (unlike Danczuk who I wouldn't be upset to see the back of); but he definitely has an agenda and he doesn't say or do these things by accident. Going back to the "choosing when to fight your battles" thing I said last night (and which he said to me on an earlier occasion) one has to question his motives.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 11:56 am

Good morning.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:01 pm

Good afternoon.

Media ‘gagged over bid to report MP child sex cases’
Security services accused of aiding Westminster paedophilia cover-up (Guardian)

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... abuse-ring

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:04 pm

In another Partys news, in this case UKIP:

According to the BBC, Mark Reckless has accused Farage of a U-turn on UKIP's immigration policy...

Mr Reckless tells the Times: "Until Nigel changed it on Wednesday, the policy of the party was everyone can stay for the transitional period, no doubt about that, that there would then be a permanent arrangement which would be part of the EU negotiation."

... but claims he, himself, had always disagreed with that policy and felt people should stay if they were already here. Farage told the BBC that Reckless had been talking about negotiations in the case of the UK preparing to leave the EU.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30157507

Mr. Reckless is today attending a Bruges Group Conference,"Restoring self-governance to Britain - Britain's future outside the EU" alongside Messrs. Mark Pritchard, Peter Lilley, and Bill Cash, MPs, plus Jeremy Nieboer (Energy and climate expert,) Ewen Stewart (Director of Global Britain,) and Rupert Darwall (Author of Global Warming: A Short History). He will take part in a debate titled UKIP vs. Conservatives, against Mr. Pritchard.

http://www.brugesgroup.com/

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:07 pm

pk1 wrote:I'm hearing that New Statesman Editor, Jason Cowley has written another anti-Ed in the Mail today. Anybody seen it ? WTF is he doing writing bilge in the Mail ?

I found it, half ways down on Mail online, something about how ''Ed's snooty elite hates patriotism'' I cannot bring myself to read the rest of the shite.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:11 pm

Labour's former culture secretary Tessa Jowell is planning to run for mayor of London in 2016.

She told the BBC she is "certainly planning to run" to become Labour's candidate to replace the conservative incumbent Boris Johnson, but said now "isn't time for a formal declaration".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30159049" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:14 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
pk1 wrote:I'm hearing that New Statesman Editor, Jason Cowley has written another anti-Ed in the Mail today. Anybody seen it ? WTF is he doing writing bilge in the Mail ?

I found it, half ways down on Mail online, something about how ''Ed's snooty elite hates patriotism'' I cannot bring myself to read the rest of the shite.

Thanks, brave lady

I don't ever click on the Daily Hate unless by accident when clicking a link posted by another without mention of it being that disgusting hate-filled rag.

Cowley must loathe Ed M if he's resorted to writing attack pieces in the DM. Wonder if he is on of the 'sources' quoted by other journalists.....

On the subject of journos, I tweeted last night

Same old journalists on #Newsnight @PCollinsTimes @IsabelHardman & @greenmiranda Boring old faces with same old 'bad for Ed' message - yawn

Hardman reacted to it:

Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 13h13 hours ago
@kb32904 @PCollinsTimes @greenmiranda we're all young and sprightly, actually.

Yup, sarky responses really helps improve my opinion of you doesn't it Isabel......

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:17 pm

pk1 wrote:I'm hearing that New Statesman Editor, Jason Cowley has written another anti-Ed in the Mail today. Anybody seen it ? WTF is he doing writing bilge in the Mail ?

He is a rabid Blairite who wrote the most amazing sick-making concoction of bilge eulogising Miliband D after he flounced off to the US last year.

How he ever got to edit the NS is a very intriguing question - there are parallels with the Graun largely being taken over by Orange Bookers.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:19 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
pk1 wrote:I'm hearing that New Statesman Editor, Jason Cowley has written another anti-Ed in the Mail today. Anybody seen it ? WTF is he doing writing bilge in the Mail ?
He is a rabid Blairite who wrote the most amazing sick-making concoction of bilge eulogising Miliband D after he flounced off to the US last year.

How he ever got to edit the NS is a very intriguing question - there are parallels with the Graun largely being taken over by Orange Bookers.

Ahhh, that figures

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:31 pm

pk1 wrote:Labour's former culture secretary Tessa Jowell is planning to run for mayor of London in 2016.

She told the BBC she is "certainly planning to run" to become Labour's candidate to replace the conservative incumbent Boris Johnson, but said now "isn't time for a formal declaration".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30159049" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My, she has kept that one under her hat, hasn't she. Bless 'er, she never really mastered subtlety.

I actually quite like Tessa, she was my MP when I lived in London so I obviously met her a lot when working with her CLP; but as much as I like her I don't want her, or any of the big guns, to get the nod as I think London would be far better off with Christian Wolmar at the helm - he doesn't have any of the baggage of the others and really knows his stuff, especially on transport matters.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:47 pm

Tin hat time, but I don't think Hardman is as bad as a lot of them - she does show traces of self-awareness at least.

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:48 pm

Afternoon all...haven't posted this week (It's brilliant in here and I feel my current mood would have appeared too obsessive) and I'm going to try to post today without mentioning the unspeakable inhuman actions of a few (As you'll see from below, it hasn't worked).

Now then....White Van Dan?

FFS...do me a favour

Anyone asked which benefits he receives? (I'm aware I'm making assumptions, but in todays' political climate of untruths, I think it's fair enough). So - a 'cage fighter' and 'works in the motor trade and building maintenance', bald, tattooed and an intimidating appearance - here in Hope, that would indicate a very shady Arthur Daley type (but the 21st Century version, with none of the charm, sophistication or humanity of the original) - any of the MSM going to dig into his accounts? Any murky dealings in his past? No? Quelle very much f****** surprise! (My opinion is that this (along with quite a lot of stuff) is going to backfire - the Scum are f***** as I will opine later) WRT the flags, the 'expert' brought in to support the anti-Labour, anti-Mr Ed line on Vine the Magnificents' show ('cos a picture on Twitter is far more important than a Tory meltdown) asked what was wrong with flying the British flag

On the other hand (whilst a little 'self-medicated' last night) I had a thought (or 2)...

Emily Thornberry - very effective and asked this question, in the HoC, of the incoming AG...

: et003.PNG (75.96 KiB) Viewed 20945 times

...a question which may have upset some people

...and also some questions wrt the unspeakable actions would make her a target for removal (not in the Dolphin Square sense) from the frontline (as further attempts at covering up the unspeakable). So, in the fevered imagination of the Wolfie, either she's been 'targetted' by Crosby/Murkydochia to remove the possibility of immediate embarrassment for them (it's all going to come out in the end so just a delaying 'shiny squirrel' really)...or...(depending on who Mr Ed puts in her place) releasing Ms Thornberry as a back bench attack dog to focus more specifically on 'other matters' (to be returned to the post-Election cabinet).

Whatever - Mr Ed acted decisively, whether right or wrong, and has not caused any unrest amongst his faithful - indeed, Ms Thornberry had already apologised before the Scum and their latest poster boy had turned up to 'demand' an apology (is this a case of the truth being up, ready for work, well presented and serious, whilst the lie was still trying to get it's oversized shell-suit around it's bloated noxious repugnant Murkydochian putridness?). Frankly, I feel like going to Rochester to knock on his door and get him to apologise for frightening people with his bone-headed intimidating dimwittery.

...and in the spirit of this place from a couple of weeks ago, I offer this to start the corny joke festival (which I've also just made up in my head, so watch out - I may get a bit more free time today and I know some really crap jokes

)...

Where do you find a tortoise with no legs?

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:48 pm

Where you left it!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 12:54 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
pk1 wrote:I'm hearing that New Statesman Editor, Jason Cowley has written another anti-Ed in the Mail today. Anybody seen it ? WTF is he doing writing bilge in the Mail ?

I found it, half ways down on Mail online, something about how ''Ed's snooty elite hates patriotism'' I cannot bring myself to read the rest of the shite.

It's surreal, alarming to read the cognitive dissonant statements & comments. It happens all the time, throughout history - words, actions strung together contradictory & irrational. When rabid nonsense flows particularly heavy, like now, when many reporting & commenting are deliberately communicating lies, attempting to counter it with reason is difficult.

I posted a bit with TechnicalEphemera on the G story called Miliband Labour Working People or whatever last night.

Many thanks to you, TE, for bringing Ed Miliband's (with the other two Doncaster Labour MPs) work with the Doncaster care workers & Care UK (late Summer, early Autumn) to my attention.

I'd contacted all of the Doncaster MPs & Tristram Hunt, my MP here in Stoke, e-mails when the story broke about the care workers' employment conditions degradation. I was sent e-mails from all of them in response, one of the Doncaster MPs a personal message. Mr. Hunt eventually sent a letter in the post recently. He apologised for not responding sooner, Care UK & the workers are apparently negotiating. I'd like to drive the executives making personal fortunes out of the labour of care workers into the sea - it wouldn't be difficult; only a few people get rich in social care.

Mr. Hunt wrote the most important people are those not receiving care due to strike action. I'd have preferred Mr. Hunt didn't rank human beings in varying levels of importance. Nonetheless, Mr. Hunt works hard, I can see that - in my opinion, his education is incomplete but that's workable. He doesn't mind learning new things - I'm glad of that, everyone should be.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 1:39 pm

PorFavor wrote:Good afternoon.

Media ‘gagged over bid to report MP child sex cases’
Security services accused of aiding Westminster paedophilia cover-up (Guardian)
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... abuse-ring

Thanks for that, PF. Odd twist at the end, where the chap in charge of DA-Notices say:

“If Don Hale was ‘served’ with anything purporting to be a ‘D Notice’, it was quite obviously a fabrication.”

Makes me wonder whether the people who visited him, most in police uniform and a couple not, were acting under the orders of someone other than the proper authority; which leads me to the question of a) who were they, b) who did send them, c) who was responsible for the so-called D-Notice they were 'waving', and, d) did they take the file away from Mr. Hale and dispose of it?

It just all gets murkier and murkier

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:00 pm

Not sure if this has been linked....but some fairly damning stuff...

“The actions of the fake sheikh are more far-reaching than phone hacking,” Mark Lewis, a lawyer representing some of Mr. Mahmood’s targets, said in an email. “People’s lives have been ruined. People have been sent to prison for committing crimes solicited by Mazher Mahmood.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/world ... times&_r=0

...from The Big Apple - Foreign & Corrupt Practices Act, anyone?

What sort of cheese are Tescos & Iceland now using on their Value Lasagne?

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:01 pm

Mask-a-pony...OK, I won't let the door smack me on the a*** on the way out.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:13 pm

For those who don't subscribe to The Sun...here's White Van Dan's manifesto...the tweets underneath are amusing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11 ... _hp_ref=uk

Kids behaved better "when we had the cane" – You're 37, you never had it MT @BestoftheMail: White Van Dan's manifesto pic.twitter.com/ZTYdlFOhdu

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:15 pm

Mark Reckless admits to feeling a ''bit sore'' after coming off second best with Farage over his repatriation of immigrants comments, according to the Guardian.

I suggest he gets used to it, there's only room enough for one ego in that party.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:20 pm

Value of private UK housing passes £5tn
Collective worth of privately owned homes increases by £1.83tn, with a third of that being added in last year, report finds

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/n ... ousing-5tn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:29 pm

Please excuse me for posting so much of the article content below. I don't go to the G's Environmental section as much anymore due to full Beta use.

“The political consensus on climate change has frayed,” said Labour party leader Ed Miliband on Thursday evening, who as energy and climate change secretary guided the Climate Change Act through parliament virtually unopposed. “When times got tough, some people headed for the hills.”

It’s not a great leap to infer that Miliband was referring to David Cameron, who has gone from hugging huskies in opposition to ditching “green crap” in office. As Miliband is the only alternative PM voters could chose, what he thinks about the environment and climate change matters. Judging by the speech he gave at the Green Alliance’s 35th birthday celebration, he is serious about both.

Visibly passionate, he began by saying climate change was an issue of equality: “It is the poorest and most vulnerable both around the world and in this country that suffer.”

Miliband then set out a series of points. First he said: “You cannot divorce green policy from economic policy”. This is vital as, in my opinion Cameron’s government have woefully undervalued the green economy, which grew throughout the recession and employs more people than teaching. At Labour party conference, one of Miliband’s pledges was to create a million green jobs.

Miliband then said he believed in devolution and decentralisation and that some policies, such as improving the energy efficiency of the UK’s ageing and leaky homes, would be far more effectively delivered locally.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... d-miliband" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:32 pm

With the next opportunity to do a global deal approaching – Paris in 2015 – he urged green campaigners in the room to apply political pressure (as he did when in office in 2008): “Push us to do more.”

“We want the Paris summit to be a big moment when the world says this matters for our kids and for their kids,” he said. “There is no choice but for this movement to be successful.”

I asked him afterwards about his passionate delivery. He said: “Well, you know, I believe this stuff.”

- Damian Carrington

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:35 pm

From next year,dialysis will no longer be a prescribed service in the English NHS,for those of you feel so inclined an e-petition against.

http://linkis.com/direct.gov.uk/yXEsS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:36 pm

Everyone, please vote Labour at every opportunity.

It's a good-looking day outside in Stoke at the moment.

My neighbour downstairs is singing - he does that - cheers me up every time I hear him.

Thank you, Mikems, for your inspirational post up the thread; it cheered me up too.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:40 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Reckless admits to feeling a ''bit sore'' after coming off second best with Farage over his repatriation of immigrants comments, according to the Guardian.

I suggest he gets used to it, there's only room enough for one ego in that party.

They've got Douglas Carswell and all.

Reckless probably won't win Rochester next time. For all the white van talk, UKIP are for old people, and it's not the right seat for them.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:41 pm

citizenJA wrote:Please excuse me for posting so much of the article content below. I don't go to the G's Environmental section as much anymore due to full Beta use.

“The political consensus on climate change has frayed,” said Labour party leader Ed Miliband on Thursday evening, who as energy and climate change secretary guided the Climate Change Act through parliament virtually unopposed. “When times got tough, some people headed for the hills.”

It’s not a great leap to infer that Miliband was referring to David Cameron, who has gone from hugging huskies in opposition to ditching “green crap” in office. As Miliband is the only alternative PM voters could chose, what he thinks about the environment and climate change matters. Judging by the speech he gave at the Green Alliance’s 35th birthday celebration, he is serious about both.

Visibly passionate, he began by saying climate change was an issue of equality: “It is the poorest and most vulnerable both around the world and in this country that suffer.”

Miliband then set out a series of points. First he said: “You cannot divorce green policy from economic policy”. This is vital as, in my opinion Cameron’s government have woefully undervalued the green economy, which grew throughout the recession and employs more people than teaching. At Labour party conference, one of Miliband’s pledges was to create a million green jobs.

Miliband then said he believed in devolution and decentralisation and that some policies, such as improving the energy efficiency of the UK’s ageing and leaky homes, would be far more effectively delivered locally.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... d-miliband" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Look at silly old Ed, not speaking about real issues!

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:44 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Tin hat time, but I don't think Hardman is as bad as a lot of them - she does show traces of self-awareness at least.

I don't mind her either. She's in the image of Fraser Nelson, rightwing but often perceptive and does attack her own side sometimes.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:53 pm

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

Buy-to-let landlords may be about to have their biggest dream come true: being able to hold their properties in a personal pension.
This would make any future capital gains tax-free. Holding residential property in a pension has previously been impossible.

This is pretty obvious advertorial, but if true....

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:56 pm

Lonewolfie wrote:Afternoon all...haven't posted this week (It's brilliant in here and I feel my current mood would have appeared too obsessive) and I'm going to try to post today without mentioning the unspeakable inhuman actions of a few (As you'll see from below, it hasn't worked).

Now then....White Van Dan?

FFS...do me a favour Anyone asked which benefits he receives? (I'm aware I'm making assumptions, but in todays' political climate of untruths, I think it's fair enough). So - a 'cage fighter' and 'works in the motor trade and building maintenance', bald, tattooed and an intimidating appearance - here in Hope, that would indicate a very shady Arthur Daley type (but the 21st Century version, with none of the charm, sophistication or humanity of the original) - any of the MSM going to dig into his accounts? Any murky dealings in his past? No? Quelle very much f****** surprise! (My opinion is that this (along with quite a lot of stuff) is going to backfire - the Scum are f***** as I will opine later) WRT the flags, the 'expert' brought in to support the anti-Labour, anti-Mr Ed line on Vine the Magnificents' show ('cos a picture on Twitter is far more important than a Tory meltdown) asked what was wrong with flying the British flag

On the other hand (whilst a little 'self-medicated' last night) I had a thought (or 2)...

Emily Thornberry - very effective and asked this question, in the HoC, of the incoming AG...

et003.PNG
...a question which may have upset some people ...and also some questions wrt the unspeakable actions would make her a target for removal (not in the Dolphin Square sense) from the frontline (as further attempts at covering up the unspeakable). So, in the fevered imagination of the Wolfie, either she's been 'targetted' by Crosby/Murkydochia to remove the possibility of immediate embarrassment for them (it's all going to come out in the end so just a delaying 'shiny squirrel' really)...or...(depending on who Mr Ed puts in her place) releasing Ms Thornberry as a back bench attack dog to focus more specifically on 'other matters' (to be returned to the post-Election cabinet).

Whatever - Mr Ed acted decisively, whether right or wrong, and has not caused any unrest amongst his faithful - indeed, Ms Thornberry had already apologised before the Scum and their latest poster boy had turned up to 'demand' an apology (is this a case of the truth being up, ready for work, well presented and serious, whilst the lie was still trying to get it's oversized shell-suit around it's bloated noxious repugnant Murkydochian putridness?). Frankly, I feel like going to Rochester to knock on his door and get him to apologise for frightening people with his bone-headed intimidating dimwittery.

...and in the spirit of this place from a couple of weeks ago, I offer this to start the corny joke festival (which I've also just made up in my head, so watch out - I may get a bit more free time today and I know some really crap jokes )...

Where do you find a tortoise with no legs?

I don't know. This has horrible parallels with the US presidential election. The right wing press clamped on to someone who said he was a plumber [Steve?] and was spouting all sort of scrounger rhetoric. After a bit of delving the guy was found to be a liar, was bankrupt and on social security. etc. The last I heard he was doing very well in politics

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 2:59 pm

a plumber [Steve?]

Joe.

Though it didn't work very well.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:02 pm

John Rentoul @JohnRentoul · 5h 5 hours ago
Alan Sked, founder of UKIP: party has “grown into this hideous, racist, populist, xenophobic, Islamophobic thing” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/world ... clout.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

The link is to this piece in the New York Times

Anti-E.U. Party in Britain Strives for Wider Clout
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/world ... .html?_r=0

Worth reading for the summarised history of UKIP ... and some of its more memorable gaffes and slips ... when you see them set out like this (and of course it's not all of them by a long chalk) its kind of reassuring to know your instincts and principles are pretty sound.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:04 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
pk1 wrote:Labour's former culture secretary Tessa Jowell is planning to run for mayor of London in 2016.

She told the BBC she is "certainly planning to run" to become Labour's candidate to replace the conservative incumbent Boris Johnson, but said now "isn't time for a formal declaration".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30159049" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My, she has kept that one under her hat, hasn't she. Bless 'er, she never really mastered subtlety.

I actually quite like Tessa, she was my MP when I lived in London so I obviously met her a lot when working with her CLP; but as much as I like her I don't want her, or any of the big guns, to get the nod as I think London would be far better off with Christian Wolmar at the helm - he doesn't have any of the baggage of the others and really knows his stuff, especially on transport matters.

I think he's more esteemed as a historian of railways rather than an expert on the ins and outs of operations. Anyway, there's ample expertise in TfL.

I think you need a politician for the job, preferably one on the up. Sadiq Khan for me.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:05 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Tin hat time, but I don't think Hardman is as bad as a lot of them - she does show traces of self-awareness at least.
I don't mind her either. She's in the image of Fraser Nelson, rightwing but often perceptive and does attack her own side sometimes.

I watched the Dispatches on C4 mainly out of curiousity because it was fronted by Fraser Nelson.
He asked IDS why people on benefits should want to go to work in view of the effective marginal 'tax' rate, currrently about 70% I think.
IDS said it would be 65% under UC.
Nelson asked who would work if they were going to be taxed at 65%?

He didn't get an answer out of IDS needless to say, but I found his approach welcome.
He doesn't see why poor people's motivation should be different to rich people's.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:12 pm

citizenJA wrote:
I'd contacted all of the Doncaster MPs & Tristram Hunt, my MP here in Stoke, e-mails when the story broke about the care workers' employment conditions degradation. I was sent e-mails from all of them in response, one of the Doncaster MPs a personal message. Mr. Hunt eventually sent a letter in the post recently. He apologised for not responding sooner, Care UK & the workers are apparently negotiating. I'd like to drive the executives making personal fortunes out of the labour of care workers into the sea - it wouldn't be difficult; only a few people get rich in social care.

Mr. Hunt wrote the most important people are those not receiving care due to strike action. I'd have preferred Mr. Hunt didn't rank human beings in varying levels of importance. Nonetheless, Mr. Hunt works hard, I can see that - in my opinion, his education is incomplete but that's workable. He doesn't mind learning new things - I'm glad of that, everyone should be.

Yes, I have that sense about him.

I reckon he could be very good at Education, simply because he isn't coming to the job with his own "brand" of schools to favour over all the others. He's good on oversight and professional development, which I think are key issues. If you have those, you can make the system basically work.

But clearly, he's just the same as Gove because he hasn't pledged to bring all the schools back into LAs that, in many cases, don't even want them.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:14 pm

gilsey wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Tin hat time, but I don't think Hardman is as bad as a lot of them - she does show traces of self-awareness at least.
I don't mind her either. She's in the image of Fraser Nelson, rightwing but often perceptive and does attack her own side sometimes.
I watched the Dispatches on C4 mainly out of curiousity because it was fronted by Fraser Nelson.
He asked IDS why people on benefits should want to go to work in view of the effective marginal 'tax' rate, currrently about 70% I think.
IDS said it would be 65% under UC.
Nelson asked who would work if they were going to be taxed at 65%?

He didn't get an answer out of IDS needless to say, but I found his approach welcome.
He doesn't see why poor people's motivation should be different to rich people's.

He's like Andrew Neil really- very rightwing, but does follow through on the logic against his own side. He's been really going for Osborne for the deficit.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:18 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:For those who don't subscribe to The Sun...here's White Van Dan's manifesto...the tweets underneath are amusing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11 ... _hp_ref=uk

Kids behaved better "when we had the cane" – You're 37, you never had it MT @BestoftheMail: White Van Dan's manifesto pic.twitter.com/ZTYdlFOhdu

He might have gone to a private school, mind, – and, although its use had become fairly rare, corporal punishment wasn't made illegal until 1987 (when he would have turned ten) in state schools and part-funded private ones. 1999 for all public (ie., private) schools. It was something I made damned sure wasn't used in the schools my (slightly-older) son went to.

Or he might just have been talking out of his arse...

Post by **refitman** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:19 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
John Rentoul @JohnRentoul · 5h 5 hours ago
Alan Sked, founder of UKIP: party has “grown into this hideous, racist, populist, xenophobic, Islamophobic thing” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/world ... clout.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
The link is to this piece in the New York Times
Anti-E.U. Party in Britain Strives for Wider Clout
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/world ... .html?_r=0
Worth reading for the summarised history of UKIP ... and some of its more memorable gaffes and slips ... when you see them set out like this (and of course it's not all of them by a long chalk) its kind of reassuring to know your instincts and principles are pretty sound.

Don't forget the piece written by our very own Temulkar, in the Features & Analysis section: http://flythenest.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=186" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:30 pm

Positive morning out on the door steps with our Labour PPC. Very worthwhile time as we had some interesting conversations and responses. We started by visiting recent village premises / sites that had been flooded with a group of residents - which just sort of happened as a village acquaintance who knew we were going to have Paul with us today sent an impromptu message out to other concerned residents and they turned up at our meeting place. Actually a very good start for him to get to know some key residents and priority concerns.

When we moved on to knocking on doors these were the conversations / pointers that stood out for me.

Lady on crutches at the door said 'Obviously disability and how disabled people are treated is the number one issue for me. I've lost 14 friends in the past year because they've had their benefits sanctioned and stopped.'

Couple trying to lay some new turf in the pouring rain ... man had a good old vent about Labour having lost its way and needing a reminder about who their voters were. Thanked us for allowing him to vent and have a chat about what politicians need to do to gain his trust again. Then his wife told us how their son with learning difficulties is having to pay the bedroom tax on his flat and how it has reduced him to near destitution. He is having to use a food bank and often can't afford to put money in his electricity meter. He was getting a discretionary payment - but not any more - they said he should get a job. His dad said - he can't get a job - there simply aren't the jobs and support out there for him. They needed to hear - clearly - that Labour would get rid of the bedroom tax if elected - and they did.

Older couple with a delightful cairns terrier ... both nurses all their lives ... undecided about who to vote for but 'probably not Labour because of the mess they made with the economy'. Digging a bit deeper though that well worn line didn't really reflect their major concerns which was utter disgust for the gap in the rewards reaped by those at the top of the council / NHS / MPs and the majority of others working their socks off in the public sector who were being denied any pay rise or given a measly 1%. They were fuming about the inequality and also about the recent payoff to our discredited Chief Exec of Pembs County Council. Right up Paul's street as he tried to stop the payoff - even took out an injunction. After a good long chat the man said he generally voted for the person rather than the party and he was quite impressed with the person in front of him.

Shortest response was a door opened a crack and the words 'I'm not Labour' with a hand held up before the door closed again. Nuff said.

Generally a morning well spent.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:31 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:For those who don't subscribe to The Sun...here's White Van Dan's manifesto...the tweets underneath are amusing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11 ... _hp_ref=uk

Kids behaved better "when we had the cane" – You're 37, you never had it MT @BestoftheMail: White Van Dan's manifesto pic.twitter.com/ZTYdlFOhdu

He might have gone to a private school, mind, – and, although its use had become fairly rare, corporal punishment wasn't made illegal until 1987 (when he would have turned ten) in state schools and part-funded private ones. 1999 for all public (ie., private) schools. It was something I made damned sure wasn't used in the schools my (slightly-older) son went to.

Or he might just have been talking out of his arse...

It was very rare at private schools. Not used at mine in the mid 80s, even though it was still legal, even in state schools.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:34 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:For those who don't subscribe to The Sun...here's White Van Dan's manifesto...the tweets underneath are amusing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11 ... _hp_ref=uk

Kids behaved better "when we had the cane" – You're 37, you never had it MT @BestoftheMail: White Van Dan's manifesto pic.twitter.com/ZTYdlFOhdu

He might have gone to a private school, mind, – and, although its use had become fairly rare, corporal punishment wasn't made illegal until 1987 (when he would have turned ten) in state schools and part-funded private ones. 1999 for all public (ie., private) schools. It was something I made damned sure wasn't used in the schools my (slightly-older) son went to.

Or he might just have been talking out of his arse...

Think it's a given he's talking out of his arse? The Scum are cynical in the extreme using him like this, not that I have any sympathy for the bloke, the clip of him outside Thornberry's house showed that, he's was being used like a performing seal, eyes constantly on the reporters behind him, directing him to unfurl the flag, walk towards her door, cynical.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 22 Nov, 2014 3:36 pm

Jeez.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... ice-labour" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Party hopes to move on from row about Emily Thornberry tweet with call for £1bn demanded from banks to be spent on NHS

Or to put it another way, it calls for a cash injection to the NHS, probably a reasonably popular thing.

Look fwd to Cameron's next policy being connected with losing Rochester and Strood.