Wednesday 10th December 2014

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 6:51 pm

A heads-up for anyone interested, on ITV tonight is the first part of 'The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jeffries', a drama based on how Christopher Jeffries, following the murder of his neighbour Joanna Yeates, was smeared and condemned by the media simply because he looked a little different from what they considered normal. The drama apparently covers everything from the murder, the media smears and his appearance at the Leveson Inquiry.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 6:57 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Part-privatisation of vehicle agency scrapped
Exclusive: Decision to scrap search for a commercial partner to help run the Vehicle Certification Agency came at a late stage
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/busin ... 14116.htmlPlans to part-privatise the agency that tests and approves vehicles for use on Britain’s roads, including new types of cars, buses, motorcycles and fire engines, have been shelved by the Government.

The decision to scrap the search for a commercial partner to help run the Vehicle Certification Agency, which collects £16.1m in revenue, came at a late stage: there were four shortlisted bidders, including the British Standards Institute and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, which had been locked in talks with the Coalition since the summer.

Richard Burden, Labour’s shadow Roads Minister, told The Independent that the Department for Transport had created “yet another contract shambles”. ...

Surely not worth selling something with revenue this low which could nonetheless piss lots of people off?

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 6:58 pm

I sometimes amuse myself, when bored and in need of cheering up by watching old clips of the 97 election, it should never be forgotten what slime bags and snakes the Hamilton's were and still are, funny how the higher up you the more your misdeeds get overlooked..

[youtube]ASAARsnjO_w[/youtube]

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:13 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/d ... est-london" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I reckon there's a good chance London be wholly owned by Qatar in the next decade.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:13 pm

CameronOut seems to have gone off Twitter as well.

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:15 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:CameronOut seems to have gone off Twitter as well.

I'm not surprised, someone might see it and go out rioting.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:27 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/d ... est-london

I reckon there's a good chance London be wholly owned by Qatar in the next decade.

Amazing to think we were told in 2008 that Johnson was the candidate standing up against nasty Islamofascists....

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:29 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Part-privatisation of vehicle agency scrapped
Exclusive: Decision to scrap search for a commercial partner to help run the Vehicle Certification Agency came at a late stage
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/busin ... 14116.htmlPlans to part-privatise the agency that tests and approves vehicles for use on Britain’s roads, including new types of cars, buses, motorcycles and fire engines, have been shelved by the Government.

The decision to scrap the search for a commercial partner to help run the Vehicle Certification Agency, which collects £16.1m in revenue, came at a late stage: there were four shortlisted bidders, including the British Standards Institute and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, which had been locked in talks with the Coalition since the summer.

Richard Burden, Labour’s shadow Roads Minister, told The Independent that the Department for Transport had created “yet another contract shambles”. ...
Surely not worth selling something with revenue this low which could nonetheless piss lots of people off?

And it's a serial loss maker .... what were they thinking of? Silly question - no need to answer!

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:34 pm

Spacedone wrote:A heads-up for anyone interested, on ITV tonight is the first part of 'The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jeffries', a drama based on how Christopher Jeffries, following the murder of his neighbour Joanna Yeates, was smeared and condemned by the media simply because he looked a little different from what they considered normal. The drama apparently covers everything from the murder, the media smears and his appearance at the Leveson Inquiry.

Looking forward to this, and I don't usually 'do' ITV; it stars the extremely talented, but criminally overlooked, Jason Watkins (Herrick, if any of you watched "Being Human") and I've read more than one article that suggests this could do for his career what "Naked Civil Servant" did for John Hurt.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:34 pm

Here's the Tories latest election winner ...

: BadgerCubsToBeShotInLatestCullPlan.jpg (26.16 KiB) Viewed 16584 times

Badger cubs to be shot in latest cull plan
Badger cull will be moved to summer when cubs are numerous and easily shot, after autumn culls missed minumum kill targets
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... -cull-plan

This barbarism would start from 1st June ... if they think we won't make sure there is an almighty stink about this in the run up to May 7th .... they should start another think very quickly.

This could well be the 'over my dead body' moment for a lot of people.

I've faced badger cubs caught in the traps for vaccination ... unthinkable, unspeakable.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:36 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:CameronOut seems to have gone off Twitter as well.

Showing as number 3 in the UK at the moment. I'm just disappointed that #osbornemustbeurinetested never really caught on.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:38 pm

Chris Williamson ‏@ChriswMP 23m23 minutes ago
If you care about wildlife read this and vote Labour next year. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... -cull-plan" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … See Labour's response http://press.labour.org.uk/post/1048465 ... r-cubs-are" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

The Government’s plans to shoot badger cubs are desperate - Irranca-Davies MP

Huw Irranca-Davies MP, Shadow Minister for Food and Farming, responding to reports that the Government plans to bring forward the badger culls to early summer in 2015 in order to cull badger cubs, said;

“If these reports are accurate then it is further evidence that this Tory-led Government has reached new levels of desperation, where the mass culling of juvenile badger cubs is now a substitute for any serious strategy to tackle Bovine TB.

“The Prime Minister and his Defra Secretary are clearly strangers to evidence-based policy, and are pursuing a cull which could worsen the spread of TB in cattle and badgers, and which is bad for taxpayers, wildlife and farmers.”

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:51 pm

Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick · 13m 13 minutes ago
Here is Ukip's letter to Neil Hamilton querying his expense claims from the party http://bit.ly/1yQLZ9K" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The letter begins:

Dear Neil Hamilton,

To assist you in focusing your mind on Ukip’s simple and not unreasonable request that you explain your expenses claims. Would you please provide details of the following to the F&RC Committee;

1. In the case of each and every mileage claim, detail where you went, who you saw and why you had to make this trip.
2. Provide the invoice for each disbursement that you say you have incurred, detailing why this disbursement was incurred, and in the case of a lunch for example, whom you were having lunch with and for what purpose.
3. Provide an explanation of each stay that has been charged for your wife’s flat detailing why it was more convenient for you to stay there, rather than at your house.
4. State who agreed that you were able to charge for staying in your wife’s flat post the European elections.

The letter also provides confirmation that Mr Hamilton was deposed from his paid job as Ukip campaign manager for the European elections:

5. Prior to the European elections, please confirm who agreed that you would be able to charge for your stay in your wife’s flat , and obviously at the same time set out why, and where you were that required that you utilise this flat on a specific day.
- More particularly what interested the committee is why, after you were removed from the job that you were originally allocated prior to the European elections, you continued to use this flat as you were no longer performing that role.

6. To assist you, [Redacted] has specifically told us that he did not agree for you to charge VAT on the salary you received prior to the European Election. We have seen the email trail and would like an explanation as to why you did not go back to those who agreed this salary and why you did not make it known that you intended to charge VAT on your salary by charging Ukip through a company for your services as this incurred Ukip in extra costs. It is accepted that Ukip would have had to pay employer’s NI which is substantially less than VAT.
- What is wrong here, is that you failed to go back to the management committee to clear the arrangement knowing that Ukip was at all times during this campaign short of money.

7. To further assist you, in respect of expenses claimed with your new role, (Deputy Chairman Regions) [Redacted] has specifically told us that you could claim expenses for any tasks that he requested you to carry out. Accordingly can you please provide, for each item of work, confirmation that this was specifically done at [Redacted]‘s behest.

We note that you have withdrawn your claim for attendance and stay at the Doncaster Conference as you now say that it was wrongly put in due to a “fit of pique” – whatever that means.

We further note that you are no longer proceeding with this claim at all. We find this somewhat surprising particularly as, if the expenses can be substantiated, as set out above, there no reason for Ukip not to pay it or for you to withdraw the claim!

We need to place on record that we knew nothing of any expense claims you had put into Ukip until [Redacted] brought the expense claim that you have now withdrawn to my attention because [Redacted] had been asked on a couple of occasions by your wife to pay this invoice and [Redacted] felt that we ought to see it to confirm that payment was in order. In addition, prior to this, the NEC had asked for greater information to be provided to them on Ukip’s finances and expenses and no doubt this is what prompted [Redacted] to mention this to us as he was concerned by it.

We hope the above will assist you in providing the information that is required to substantiate your claims. You have already had over a month to assemble this information and the F& RC committee should be obliged to receive this information by close of business Friday 19th December, particularly, as [Redacted] has pointed out to us, Ukip’s year end is 31stDecember.

Please do bear in mind that we receive at Lexdrum House handwritten letters from pensioners enclosing a £5 or a £10 note which they have managed to save so as to send it to Ukip and hence we need to make sure that all expenses are fully explainable.

- See more at: http://blogs.channel4.com/michael-crick ... KBLSo.dpuf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 7:58 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Here's the Tories latest election winner ...
BadgerCubsToBeShotInLatestCullPlan.jpg
Badger cubs to be shot in latest cull plan
Badger cull will be moved to summer when cubs are numerous and easily shot, after autumn culls missed minumum kill targets
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... -cull-plan

This barbarism would start from 1st June ... if they think we won't make sure there is an almighty stink about this in the run up to May 7th .... they should start another think very quickly.

This could well be the 'over my dead body' moment for a lot of people.

I've faced badger cubs caught in the traps for vaccination ... unthinkable, unspeakable.

...starting the 1st of June - oh, my...once again, stunning example of a foolish government.

Badgers to the rescue. I'm not joking.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:00 pm

Faisal Islam @faisalislam · 2h 2 hours ago
I just published “The ghosts of ‘NHS privatisation’ past, present and future” " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:04 pm

Deleted.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:14 pm

APPCG ‏@allpartycycling 36m36 minutes ago
Gilligan says there has been more than a 25% of reduction in traffic levels in central London and so we can take away 1/4 of the roadspace

Is that the same Gilligan who used to make out congestion charging wasn't working?

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:17 pm

US Navy pushing the limits of political correctness.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014 ... mentpage=1

So the US Navy have a warship called USS Ponce. Presumably at every formal occasion where the crews of the USS Ponce and any RN ship meet is full of the sound of muffled laughter.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:21 pm

Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 1m1 minute ago
Neil Hamilton stood down during speech at tonight's Basildon hustings. He said he only stood cos Kerri Smith initially excluded by Ukip HQ

Ha ha.

Of course you did.

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:21 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/d ... est-london

I reckon there's a good chance London be wholly owned by Qatar in the next decade.

Private Eye for a while have been running articles about how The Telegraph (who pay Boris £250k p.a.) have been running numerous anti-Qatari articles, the presumption being that this is because high ranking Qataris are looking to buy London hotels that the Barclay twins are after

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:35 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 1m1 minute ago
Neil Hamilton stood down during speech at tonight's Basildon hustings. He said he only stood cos Kerri Smith initially excluded by Ukip HQ
Ha ha.

Of course you did.

A few weeks ago myself & some friends got a hell of a shock when we were out cycling and stopped for a pint at a country pub. We didn't know that the landlord was chums with the Hamiltons, and that when he went on holiday he left them in charge!
There have been rumours that Christine is after the UKIP candidacy for the North Wilts constituency, standing against the odious Tory James Gray, the man who left his wife when she had terminal cancer

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:39 pm

Says all you need to know about UKIP that Hamilton is even considered some kind of asset.

Any serious party shouldn't touch him with a shit tipped barge pole.

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:41 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Says all you need to know about UKIP that Hamilton is even considered some kind of asset.

Any serious party shouldn't touch him with a shit tipped barge pole.

The Old Boy's Other Club

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:42 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:US Navy pushing the limits of political correctness.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014 ... mentpage=1

So the US Navy have a warship called USS Ponce. Presumably at every formal occasion where the crews of the USS Ponce and any RN ship meet is full of the sound of muffled laughter.

Open goal. Don't mind if I do:

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **refitman** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:43 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:US Navy pushing the limits of political correctness.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014 ... mentpage=1

So the US Navy have a warship called USS Ponce. Presumably at every formal occasion where the crews of the USS Ponce and any RN ship meet is full of the sound of muffled laughter.

[youtube]9F5FB_7i-LA[/youtube]

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 8:52 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Says all you need to know about UKIP that Hamilton is even considered some kind of asset.

Any serious party shouldn't touch him with a shit tipped barge pole.

What difference does it make what's on the other end of a barge pole?

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 9:04 pm

No doubt, after first being selected, then deselected, then selected again, this bloke will appreciate Hamilton ''standing down'' for him..

Clowns.

http://www.yourthurrock.com/UKIP-candid ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 9:07 pm

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/5045583.article" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Legal aid cut. Judge notices that people representing themselves cause problems.

Grayling underling tells judge it's nothing to do with him.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 9:12 pm

I'm calling it an early night, my friends.

Tubby Isaacs - I hope I've not caused offence about the people on bikes, pedestrians, buses & infrastructure. I should have said to begin with I agree with you - safety for everyone not encased in a motor vehicle is my goal. The number of motorists dead each year is fewer than the number of people killed involving a motor vehicle they aren't in. Pedestrians, people on bikes, people not in motor vehicles get killed by big motor vehicles on poorly designed infrastructure. You are mighty right to bring the issue up.

Everyone, please don't hesitate to tell me you're upset with me or don't understand something I've said. Don't censor yourself, I won't unless you tell me I'm out of line. Don't worry about politeness - tell me what you think I need to know.

I love you friends
have a goodnight I'll read everyone tomorrow.
xx
JA

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 9:16 pm

Hey, no problem at all!

Enjoyed the discussion.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 9:37 pm

At the risk of boring you all to death (it's a gift and a curse, but (obv) primarily a curse):

#cameronout at #5 - 20 K tweets over the last day
CMG (yes I understand is now just part of the landscape so popular rather than trending) at 54 K in the last day

Meanwhile Mike from New Cross has an interview with Pret a Manger on Friday. I hope it goes well.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 9:39 pm

tinyclanger2 wrote:At the risk of boring you all to death (it's a gift and a curse, but (obv) primarily a curse):

#cameronout at #5 - 20 K tweets over the last day
CMG (yes I understand is now just part of the landscape so popular rather than trending) at 54 K in the last day

Meanwhile Mike from New Cross has an interview with Pret a Manger on Friday. I hope it goes well.

Thanks for that was just wondering about him, wishing him well

I think Jon &Gail have a new plan for this Saturday - will let you know if I hear anything

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 9:55 pm

http://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/2014/12/hunger-inquiry" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Joseph Rowntree hunger report

This is why, over the last 10 years, low income families have seen their cost of living rise by 50 per cent – far more than inflation for better-off families.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 9:58 pm

What? I mean...what?

Questions over the fate of the government’s flagship welfare reform programme will continue until after the election as it was revealed on Wednesday that the Treasury has still not signed off the business case for universal credit and will not decide whether to do so until summer next year. A final decision might not come until 2016.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... iness-case

Aren't business cases supposed to be signed off before a project gets going?

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 10:12 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:What? I mean...what?

Questions over the fate of the government’s flagship welfare reform programme will continue until after the election as it was revealed on Wednesday that the Treasury has still not signed off the business case for universal credit and will not decide whether to do so until summer next year. A final decision might not come until 2016.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... iness-case

Aren't business cases supposed to be signed off before a project gets going?

Do they have different levels of business case? Like, exploratory, pilot, and suchlike up until you get to the full thing? I'm pretty sure that in some fields, grant funding can work like that – initial proposal might win a research grant, progress on that determines a development grant/loan, then expansion funding, then full funding or guarantees or summat. Just guessing.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 10:28 pm

Spacedone wrote:A heads-up for anyone interested, on ITV tonight is the first part of 'The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jeffries', a drama based on how Christopher Jeffries, following the murder of his neighbour Joanna Yeates, was smeared and condemned by the media simply because he looked a little different from what they considered normal. The drama apparently covers everything from the murder, the media smears and his appearance at the Leveson Inquiry.

I've just watched it. If Watkins doesn't get a BAFTA for that performance there is no justice.

There wasn't much justice for Mr.Jefferies either.

Tabloid hacks should be made to watch it.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 10:44 pm

ephemerid wrote:
Spacedone wrote:A heads-up for anyone interested, on ITV tonight is the first part of 'The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jeffries', a drama based on how Christopher Jeffries, following the murder of his neighbour Joanna Yeates, was smeared and condemned by the media simply because he looked a little different from what they considered normal. The drama apparently covers everything from the murder, the media smears and his appearance at the Leveson Inquiry.

I've just watched it. If Watkins doesn't get a BAFTA for that performance there is no justice.

There wasn't much justice for Mr.Jefferies either.

Tabloid hacks should be made to watch it.

An astonishing & mesmerising performance. Totally agree Ephemerid, I thought it had BAFTA stamped all over it too. Can't wait for tomorrow night's final episode.

And my admiration for Mr Jefferies himself has increased. Every time I have seen him interviewed he has always conducted himself with dignity & respect which, now seeing some of what he was put through, is all the more astonishing. As I've just said elsewhere, this programme can't have been easy for him or for the friends & family of Joanna Yeates; but it may be one of the most important TV dramas of recent years, as it helps to remind people of the indiscriminate damage done by the gutter scum who inhabit the press in their tawdry pursuit of a few extra sales. Bastards, every last one of them.

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 10:50 pm

I also thought TLHOCJ was superb, and look forward to tomorrow's conclusion.

Wasn't the best argument for self-regulation of the press (and police) I've ever seen.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:18 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:What? I mean...what?

Questions over the fate of the government’s flagship welfare reform programme will continue until after the election as it was revealed on Wednesday that the Treasury has still not signed off the business case for universal credit and will not decide whether to do so until summer next year. A final decision might not come until 2016.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... iness-case

Aren't business cases supposed to be signed off before a project gets going?

He lied to Parliament that it had been the other week.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:18 pm

Ed Miliband is to rule out any uncosted spending commitments in Labour's election manifesto, as he sets out his party's plans to reduce the deficit.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30417955" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I do wonder once they "see the books" in May will (like Tory's did in 2010) there have to be an "emergency" budget to re arrange finances to suit their manifesto....

*I love ED!

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:25 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Ed Miliband is to rule out any uncosted spending commitments in Labour's election manifesto, as he sets out his party's plans to reduce the deficit.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30417955" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I do wonder once they "see the books" in May will (like Tory's did in 2010) there have to be an "emergency" budget to re arrange finances to suit their manifesto....
*I love ED!

The OBR makes it harder to pull that stroke.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:30 pm

Deleted.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:34 pm

Mike Smithson @MSmithsonPB · 47m 47 minutes ago
Tonight's YouGov panel poll for Sun
CON 33%, LAB 33%, LD 6%, UKIP 15%, GRN 7%

Greens ahead of Lib Dems again.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:35 pm

Nigel Mills (Amber Valley) (Con): I welcome the progress announced in the Secretary of State’s statement. Will he confirm that the Treasury has now signed off the whole business case and laid to rest the fear that it was not going to do so?

Mr Duncan Smith: That is exactly what was being asked before the summer break, and the answer is that the Treasury has done that.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:39 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
Nigel Mills (Amber Valley) (Con): I welcome the progress announced in the Secretary of State’s statement. Will he confirm that the Treasury has now signed off the whole business case and laid to rest the fear that it was not going to do so?

Mr Duncan Smith: That is exactly what was being asked before the summer break, and the answer is that the Treasury has done that.

Maybe he just believed it had - trumps facts any day...

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:47 pm

What an unpleasant prospect ... and what an unpleasant bunch they come across as in this article. And they wonder why the public has lost trust in politicians.

Behind the bluster, the Tories and the Lib Dems are preparing for another coalition
Clegg and others would rather continue to do business with the Tories than with a Labour Party regarded as irredeemably tribal.
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... -coalition

The greatest irony of the coalition’s internecine warfare is that its members are quietly preparing the ground for a post-election renewal of vows. Both parties are consciously avoiding policy commitments that could prove impossible to maintain in a future negotiation. While railing against the Lib Dems’ proposed “mansion tax”, Osborne has not ruled out introducing a version in the future (having privately supported the option of higher council tax bands in opposition to Cameron). From the other side, Danny Alexander has said of a future VAT rise, “I certainly would not advocate any further increases” – a signal that he fears he may be forced to do so by the Tories. The only official red line drawn by any figure is Cameron’s vow not to lead a government that cannot deliver an in/out EU referendum. While publicly opposed to this policy, Lib Dems privately signal that they would be prepared to accept it in return for concessions such as House of Lords reform and the introduction of proportional representation for local elections.

They also acknowledge that the party’s leadership would rather continue to do business with the Tories than enter government with a Labour Party regarded as irredeemably tribal and impervious to compromise. One MP tells me that the Lib Dems would be prepared to take the path rejected by the Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe in 1974 and prop up a Conservative government with more votes than Miliband’s party but fewer seats. Cameron – who, as the incumbent, enjoys first preference on any future coalition – can give thanks for that...

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 10 Dec, 2014 11:50 pm

James O'Brien retweeted
Jim Pickard @PickardJE · 2h 2 hours ago
Head of Tory local association said would-be MP was not selected due to “double whammy of being brown and a woman”. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e73fee70-7f9b ... z3LX4jlGP7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 11 Dec, 2014 12:09 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
James O'Brien retweeted
Jim Pickard @PickardJE · 2h 2 hours ago
Head of Tory local association said would-be MP was not selected due to “double whammy of being brown and a woman”. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e73fee70-7f9b ... z3LX4jlGP7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Crike.

Seems to have taken a while to select new candidate- Greg Barker announced retirement 5 months ago.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 11 Dec, 2014 12:26 am

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 1 hr1 hour ago
Tonight's YouGov panel poll for Sun
CON 33%, LAB 33%, LD 6%, UKIP 15%, GRN 7%

Well done, Clegg. Thinking it's a scandal that unions might want questions asked about jobs, it's all going well.

From thriving third party to distant third party of the hard right.
And fifth overall.

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Thu 11 Dec, 2014 1:41 am

Crikey. Powerful stuff.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/d ... hip-abuses