Weekend Edition - Saturday 13th. and Sunday 14th December

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 11:27 am

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 53m 53 minutes ago
Miliband making speech on immigration tomorrow to follow last week's on the deficit. Clearing the ground before the long campaign begins.

Duck and cover might be required on the boards tomorrow.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 12:00 pm

Much as I dislike Andrew Neil a lot of the time, he was good with IDS.

Nosferatu is in total denial. He has no idea of the impact of his own reforms and despite being shown clear evidence on benefits spending and especially HB he insists that he has saved £50 Billion.

I really really really truly madly deeply utterly disapprove of the assassination of politicians. Honest.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 12:19 pm

Neil is excellent at following through a point of flawed logic.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 12:23 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:More on Floreat...look who else is there...on the board

Sam Freedman

Sam is the Director of Research, Evaluation and Impact at Teach First. He was formerly the Senior Policy Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education.
and as an adviser

Annaliese Briggs – Curriculum Manager

Annaliese is developing a knowledge and character-rich curriculum with the Floreat team for use in their primary schools.

A trained primary school teacher with a specialism in the early years, Annaliese’s background is in curriculum development. This began at the educational charity Civitas, where she set up the Core Knowledge Project to adapt a successful knowledge-led curriculum in the United States for use in England’s primary schools. As part of this, she spent time in a number of New York elementary schools studying its implementation and impact. Annaliese has also worked for a small family of academies, where she set up a new free school that opened in 2013.
Somewhat mysteriously, it fails to mention that she quit within 6 weeks of the school's opening because she couldn't hack it.

It'd be interesting to see how far Policy Exchange and Civitas extend in running schools - quite far I'd say.

Sam Freedman is OK, I think. Was part of that in crowd but, like Daisy Christodolou, towards the reflective end of the spectrum. He's also commendably been frank about the mistakes they made, in a spirit of wanting others to do better.

Briggs though...

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 12:26 pm

"Labour has pledged to hold an independent investigation into Yarl’s Wood immigration detention centre, focusing on allegations of sexual assault by male staff against female detainees and whether the detention of abuse victims is acceptable. If the party wins next year’s election, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has promised to prohibit the detention of pregnant women and individuals who have been trafficked, tortured or suffered sexual abuse, amid claims that current guidelines are not being enforced."
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... estigation" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 12:34 pm

citizenJA wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
citizenJA wrote:And I probably know the reason why this is flagged up as a problem for current government.

His income is income, he earns it, it's not a big fortune lolling around inside some global account acquired in the old-fashioned Tory way - inheritance and/or exploited out of others. He's lived in the UK for six years. He's sixty-eight years old, RR2.

I know no more about this case than what's in the article you've linked to me. My partner & I are beside ourselves.
I read the article too and I really can't see what the problem is for the Home Office - he's earning well - and will probably continue to be able to do so. Just seems bonkers to me. To say it's in the 'public interest' to deport him is beyond belief - how, why?
Look what's important to the Home Office, here's just one path. It's merciless.

To be able to extend your permission to stay, you must:

- currently have permission to stay as a retired person of independent means
- have a minimum disposable income of £25,000 a year under your control in the UK
- be willing and able to maintain yourself and any dependants indefinitely in the UK entirely from your own resources and without working or any help from public funds
- demonstrate a close connection with the UK
- not have already spent 5 years in the UK in this category

You must not be employed in any capacity or take an active interest in the running of any business in the UK or any other country. You can do a limited amount of voluntary charity work if it is unpaid and part-time.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... dent-means" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(my bold)

Good afternoon, everyone.

Re-reading my last post on this topic, I've not made any sense at all. I had intended to make sense. Hopefully, I may make sense now.

The quotes I've used from the Home Office, from the "Retired Person of Independent Means" immigration category probably have nothing to do with Dr. SF, the gentlemen RebeccaRiots2 brought to our attention. In fact, the category requirements above aren't unduly harsh for that immigration category.

Last night, I was running through my mind the plethora of Home Office rules, categories, policies & sometimes bizarre caveats added to immigration rules. My concern about UK immigration law is that essentially, the right to live in the UK may be bought.

It's wrong, in my opinion, that multi-millionaires are allowed into the UK, into citizenship, subjected to one rule - only one rule - do you have enough money.

While many people don't have millions or billions, they may be the family of UK citizens, or teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, for example, contributing to the UK in significant, wholesome ways & aren't a burden to the country.

Current government's crass & bewildering policies regarding immigration are an example of How Not To Form Coherent, Fair, Immigration Law

mbc1955 · Post by **mbc1955** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 12:38 pm

Good afternoon all. Am I the only one who's been having difficulties getting in today? This is the first time I've been able to see the Forum all day, and even then it threw me out the first time I tried to move from p3 to p4.

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 12:49 pm

mbc1955 wrote:Good afternoon all. Am I the only one who's been having difficulties getting in today? This is the first time I've been able to see the Forum all day, and even then it threw me out the first time I tried to move from p3 to p4.

No, I've been having grief since 09:30. Managed to get on once, read, refreshed and was out again. Tinternet must be busy

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 12:56 pm

New blow for May's sex abuse probe as Diana inquest QC agrees to lead rival investigation because of government's 'serious shortcomings'
New investigation established to look into historic child abuse claims
It is to run in competition with the Home Secretary's troubled inquiry
Theresa May's inquiry beset by problems since it was first formed
Michael Mansfield QC has been appointed judge of the rival investigation

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... mings.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **refitman** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 1:21 pm

ephemerid wrote:Much as I dislike Andrew Neil a lot of the time, he was good with IDS.

Nosferatu is in total denial. He has no idea of the impact of his own reforms and despite being shown clear evidence on benefits spending and especially HB he insists that he has saved £50 Billion.

I really really really truly madly deeply utterly disapprove of the assassination of politicians. Honest.

I get the feeling that Neil really, really dislikes being lied to. Will have to catch it on iplayer when it appears.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 1:30 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
i.e. the swindle where he stumped up the cash after so many years and turned his BA into an MA. Isn't that grade inflation?

You mean as in:

The practice of allowing Oxford and Cambridge students to upgrade bachelor's degrees to masters for £10 should end, a Labour MP has said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15409386" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Given that the plebs have to actually achieve something to earn a qualification?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 1:42 pm

mbc1955 wrote:Good afternoon all. Am I the only one who's been having difficulties getting in today? This is the first time I've been able to see the Forum all day, and even then it threw me out the first time I tried to move from p3 to p4.

It went offline for me too, earlier this morning.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 1:45 pm

tinyclanger2 wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
i.e. the swindle where he stumped up the cash after so many years and turned his BA into an MA. Isn't that grade inflation?
You mean as in:
The practice of allowing Oxford and Cambridge students to upgrade bachelor's degrees to masters for £10 should end, a Labour MP has said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15409386" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Given that the plebs have to actually achieve something to earn a qualification?

yes, that...no surprise that Nick Griffin was one of those who used it.

Also, I think the head of Brighton College who signs off his welcome with Richard Cairns MA Oxon. Wonder if his pupils...sorry students know how little he had to do to gain that?

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 2:14 pm

Question about Carer's Allowance for the experts here.

Relative of mine has a daughter who can't really look after her own son by herself. She would seriously consider giving up work to help her.

I'm guessing no benefits at all are available, right?

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 2:26 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Question about Carer's Allowance for the experts here.

Relative of mine has a daughter who can't really look after her own son by herself. She would seriously consider giving up work to help her.

I'm guessing no benefits at all are available, right?

Hi Tubby,
to qualify for carers allowance the person needing care must be in receipt of mid/higher bracket dla,and the carer spending a minimum of 35 hours a week caring.
Does the daughter or the son have disabilities?

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 3:00 pm

@ TubbyIsaacs

https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 3:19 pm

Amazing the simple things that can touch the emotions in an instant ...

Listened to a Radio 4 programme earlier about a community food shop / enterprise up North in Goldthorpe. Amazing scheme which stocks all kinds of produce - fresh veg, fruit and meat included which is either surplus to supermarket requirements or doesn't quite make it on the specs - and sells to 'members' for 70% less than the normal retail price. Members need to be in receipt of some kind of low income related benefit.

Well - the organiser told a story of one old bloke who came in for the first time. Went round and did his modest shopping. When he got to the till he said to the assistant that he only had £20 to last the week for his shopping so if it came to more than that he would have to take something back. She rang it up for him and it came to just over £12. He asked her to wait a minute - hopped off and came back with a dog treat which he added to his basket. He said it was the first time in 16 years he'd been able to buy a dog treat.

That was me done for ... blubbing in an instant.

Anyway - I hope these shops are set up far and wide. They sound like a damn good scheme. They also have a cafe and cooking demos which both use up any close to use by date food the shop has.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 3:21 pm

This place disappeared a couple of times for me this morning - in response to others who had problems. But it was only for a couple of seconds or so.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 3:32 pm

Rebecca wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:Question about Carer's Allowance for the experts here.

Relative of mine has a daughter who can't really look after her own son by herself. She would seriously consider giving up work to help her.

I'm guessing no benefits at all are available, right?
Hi Tubby,
to qualify for carers allowance the person needing care must be in receipt of mid/higher bracket dla,and the carer spending a minimum of 35 hours a week caring.
Does the daughter or the son have disabilities?

Receiving PIP.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 3:33 pm

HindleA wrote:@ TubbyIsaacs

https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 3:54 pm

joanna corfield @1jocorfield
RT @CharlieWoof81: Twitter is blocking #ToriesMustGo :/ so let's try #ConDemNation! To storm today 6pm RT! pic.twitter.com/vjPoCH3Vla

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 4:12 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Amazing the simple things that can touch the emotions in an instant ...

Listened to a Radio 4 programme earlier about a community food shop / enterprise up North in Goldthorpe. Amazing scheme which stocks all kinds of produce - fresh veg, fruit and meat included which is either surplus to supermarket requirements or doesn't quite make it on the specs - and sells to 'members' for 70% less than the normal retail price. Members need to be in receipt of some kind of low income related benefit.

Well - the organiser told a story of one old bloke who came in for the first time. Went round and did his modest shopping. When he got to the till he said to the assistant that he only had £20 to last the week for his shopping so if it came to more than that he would have to take something back. She rang it up for him and it came to just over £12. He asked her to wait a minute - hopped off and came back with a dog treat which he added to his basket. He said it was the first time in 16 years he'd been able to buy a dog treat.

That was me done for ... blubbing in an instant.

Anyway - I hope these shops are set up far and wide. They sound like a damn good scheme. They also have a cafe and cooking demos which both use up any close to use by date food the shop has.

The Community Shop is an offshoot of the Company Shop.

http://www.companyshop.ltd.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Company Shop itself is a little difficult for anyone without a car to get to but it's a regular shopping trip for a lot of my work colleagues as they offer loads of items from all the big shops that are nearing their use-by-date as well as sundry items that are surplus stock etc and they sell them for a massive discount. The stock varies so you never really know what's going to be in but I've known colleagues to pick up £30-£40 worth of meat for less than £10 which they stick in a chest freezer and keeps them going for months.

I hadn't actually heard about the Community Shop but it's great to see that they've opened up a place to serve what is a fairly poor area.

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 4:15 pm

tinyclanger2 wrote:
joanna corfield @1jocorfield
RT @CharlieWoof81: Twitter is blocking #ToriesMustGo :/ so let's try #ConDemNation! To storm today 6pm RT! pic.twitter.com/vjPoCH3Vla

Hang on... so it's not an algorithm blocking the hashtags then? #ToriesMustGo has only just started so if it's blocked already someone is making the decision to block it.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 4:24 pm

I find this a bit odd as I've just done (about 5 mins ago) a poll for you.gov on the very some subject..
Shock poll shows voters believe Ukip is to the left of the Tories
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 23416.html#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do they normally poll on the same subjects?

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 4:32 pm

As I say, the numbers in both Twitter and Topsy are a bit mysterious to me, but in case anyone finds this useful these are the data I collected in a completely manual fashion last night. Am not saying they mean anything one way or another, particularly as a quick look at other topics trending at the time, relative to each other, were also somewhat perplexing.

: mysteries of twitter TMG.jpg (40.34 KiB) Viewed 15588 times

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 4:35 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:I find this a bit odd as I've just done (about 5 mins ago) a poll for you.gov on the very some subject..
Shock poll shows voters believe Ukip is to the left of the Tories
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 23416.html#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do they normally poll on the same subjects?

That's the thing about populism...sometimes you end up on the left, sometimes on the right.

One of their big problems will come at manifesto time when they'll have to convince the voters that ex-Tories like Carswell and Reckless now believe in issues they would have previously run a mile from.

It will be fascinating seeing them tying themselves into knots.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 4:37 pm

Anyone following the #LooksabitUKIP hashtag, some of them have had me

https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q ... P&src=hash" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was started by an overheard bus stop conversation between some school kids.

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

I love our school kids - they give me hope

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 4:51 pm

Made a bit of an arse with some Nats. Thought that they could have a public bidder for rail services, like Wales proposing. Though I don't think the 10 year contract for Scotrail (albeit with a 5 year break point) much suggests interest in public bidder. And I did note that this awful franchising system foisted on them by UK is spoken of warmly by Transport Scotland.

The current franchise contract was awarded to FirstGroup plc, operating as First ScotRail Limited, in August 2004.

In 2008, following the success of First ScotRail in delivering greatly improved levels of performance, the franchise term was extended until 2014.

Doubtless it was an awful system saved only by Scotland's brilliance, or something.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 4:51 pm

Spacedone wrote:
tinyclanger2 wrote:
joanna corfield @1jocorfield
RT @CharlieWoof81: Twitter is blocking #ToriesMustGo :/ so let's try #ConDemNation! To storm today 6pm RT! pic.twitter.com/vjPoCH3Vla

Hang on... so it's not an algorithm blocking the hashtags then? #ToriesMustGo has only just started so if it's blocked already someone is making the decision to block it.

The claim is that because #ToriesMustGo was so similar to #DaveMustGo their (obviously highly sophisticated) algorithms automatically pick this up and reject it; it is patent bollocks, because (a) it did trend, very briefly, at the beginning of the evening and (b) stuff like X Factor, Strictly etc trends week in, week out, year after year.

So, as you rightly suggest, it seems that Twitter are actively blocking these trends; we knew the MSM and the Government were nervous about them, it seems they were more scared than we thought. In any case, as we discussed last night, the trending is no longer the raison d'etre of these hashtags; while the initial protest makes a splash, the longer term effects are that they now form an easily accessibly library of this Government's lies, distortions, failures and u-turns, much of which had been politely swept under the carpet by an all too compliant media.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 5:04 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:I find this a bit odd as I've just done (about 5 mins ago) a poll for you.gov on the very some subject..
Shock poll shows voters believe Ukip is to the left of the Tories
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 23416.html#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do they normally poll on the same subjects?
That's the thing about populism...sometimes you end up on the left, sometimes on the right.

One of their big problems will come at manifesto time when they'll have to convince the voters that ex-Tories like Carswell and Reckless now believe in issues they would have previously run a mile from.

It will be fascinating seeing them tying themselves into knots.

I think it is amusing to see the media trying to push this as bad news for Ed Miliband.

This is a utter disaster for the Tories. They are now seen as so right wing that they are more extreme than UKIP.

The nasty party is well and truly back and seen as extremist. All the evidence suggests that you can't win an election from there.

Osborne has finished the party.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 5:12 pm

This James Titcombe works for the CQC.

Julie Bailey ‏@curetheNHS 22h22 hours ago
@JamesTitcombe why @andyburnhammp should never b in Gov again & why CTNHS is targeted for campaigning for a PI, which exposed wider failings

James Titcombe ‏@JamesTitcombe 22h22 hours ago
@curetheNHS @andyburnhammp I agree Julie.

That is not on for a civil servant.

Also trenchant about past Labour stuff. But can't comment on eg not releasing the risk register.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 5:21 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:This James Titcombe works for the CQC.

Julie Bailey ‏@curetheNHS 22h22 hours ago
@JamesTitcombe why @andyburnhammp should never b in Gov again & why CTNHS is targeted for campaigning for a PI, which exposed wider failings

James Titcombe ‏@JamesTitcombe 22h22 hours ago
@curetheNHS @andyburnhammp I agree Julie.
That is not on for a civil servant.

Also trenchant about past Labour stuff. But can't comment on eg not releasing the risk register.

Why not wind him up with - given your job requires political neutrality has your employer got a view.

And also tweet that to the CQC.

I would be sacked if I behaved like that.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 5:26 pm

Trade Union Freedom ‏@UnionFreedom 5h5 hours ago
Lib Dems Panic Over Employment Tribunal Fees http://www.tradeunionfreedom.co.uk/lib- ... unal-fees/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

... The Liberal Democrats have gone into panic mode as applications to Employment Tribunals plummet following the introduction of stringent fees to bring a case before a Tribunal.

There has been a 70% fall in the number of applications to employment tribunals with lawyers reporting that in some areas such as sex discrimination, it is down 85%.

Workers have been have been priced out of the tribunal system which the Lib Dems steered through parliament notably Vince Cable and Jo Swinson...

The MoJ had pledged to review the system a year after its introduction last July. It then said it would take place in the autumn, but still nothing has happened.

All this has prompted the Lib Dem employment minister Jo Swinson to panic and to write to legal aid minister Shailesh Vara to demand an urgent review: “There is a clear, necessary and now increasingly urgent need for this review to take place,” she said. “As a Government, we committed at the time of their introduction to review the impact of fees and, 18 months on, this is now long overdue”.

Breathtaking isn’t it?

But Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna pointed out that the Lib Dems were part of the Government that introduced the fees in the first place, calling Ms Swinson’s letter “a cynical and utterly shameless attempt to distance her party from tribunal fees just five months before the general election”...

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 5:30 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:This James Titcombe works for the CQC.

Julie Bailey ‏@curetheNHS 22h22 hours ago
@JamesTitcombe why @andyburnhammp should never b in Gov again & why CTNHS is targeted for campaigning for a PI, which exposed wider failings

James Titcombe ‏@JamesTitcombe 22h22 hours ago
@curetheNHS @andyburnhammp I agree Julie.
That is not on for a civil servant.

Also trenchant about past Labour stuff. But can't comment on eg not releasing the risk register.

I wonder if he thinks "Tweeting in a personal capacity" exempts him from having to follow the Civil Service Code; just that short exchange with St Julie (and I've read it in context) breaches the CSC rules in dealing with lobbyists. It is another clear example of how politicised the Civil Service has become under the Coalition and why people like him will be "seeking new opportunities" next May.

Interesting to see if he has a response to this.

TheJollySqueaker ‏@AndyLucia · now9 seconds ago
Your timeline makes fascinating reading @JamesTitcombe. Does "tweeting in a personal capacity" really exempt you from Civil Service Code?

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 5:32 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:This James Titcombe works for the CQC.

Julie Bailey ‏@curetheNHS 22h22 hours ago
@JamesTitcombe why @andyburnhammp should never b in Gov again & why CTNHS is targeted for campaigning for a PI, which exposed wider failings

James Titcombe ‏@JamesTitcombe 22h22 hours ago
@curetheNHS @andyburnhammp I agree Julie.
That is not on for a civil servant.

Also trenchant about past Labour stuff. But can't comment on eg not releasing the risk register.
I wonder if he thinks "Tweeting in a personal capacity" exempts him from having to follow the Civil Service Code; just that short exchange with St Julie (and I've read it in context) breaches the CSC rules in dealing with lobbyists. It is another clear example of how politicised the Civil Service has become under the Coalition and why people like him will be "seeking new opportunities" next May.

Send his tweet to the CQC and see what happens. I think he will be IDS.

Post by **refitman** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 5:41 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:This James Titcombe works for the CQC.

Julie Bailey ‏@curetheNHS 22h22 hours ago
@JamesTitcombe why @andyburnhammp should never b in Gov again & why CTNHS is targeted for campaigning for a PI, which exposed wider failings

James Titcombe ‏@JamesTitcombe 22h22 hours ago
@curetheNHS @andyburnhammp I agree Julie.
That is not on for a civil servant.

Also trenchant about past Labour stuff. But can't comment on eg not releasing the risk register.
Why not wind him up with - given your job requires political neutrality has your employer got a view.

And also tweet that to the CQC.

I would be sacked if I behaved like that.

Have tweeted him & CQC as suggested.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 5:46 pm

refitman wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:This James Titcombe works for the CQC.
That is not on for a civil servant.

Also trenchant about past Labour stuff. But can't comment on eg not releasing the risk register.
Why not wind him up with - given your job requires political neutrality has your employer got a view.

And also tweet that to the CQC.

I would be sacked if I behaved like that.
Have tweeted him & CQC as suggested.

And I've also submitted a question on this to the CQC, via their website. Will update you if anything comes of it.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:13 pm

Thanks, Squeaker.

Burnham made the point that he was wary public inquiry would damage the Trust. It's a fair point- the scandal was by then in the past. Lots of people who need hospitals are vulnerable and can easily be terrified into not going to hospital by a media circus.

That's been leapt on as "you only care about reputations".

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:16 pm

Of course, the idea that Robert Francis was doing a cover up in the first report is pretty ridiculous.

He did after all do a second one.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:17 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Thanks, Squeaker.

Burnham made the point that he was wary public inquiry would damage the Trust. It's a fair point- the scandal was by then in the past. Lots of people who need hospitals are vulnerable and can easily be terrified into not going to hospital by a media circus.

That's been leapt on as "you only care about reputations".

He could have pointed out that the public inquiry took far longer to report than the one which he instigated.

Can you imagine the squealing if he'd announced a public inquiry...and it hadn't reported by the election?

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:18 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Thanks, Squeaker.

Burnham made the point that he was wary public inquiry would damage the Trust. It's a fair point- the scandal was by then in the past. Lots of people who need hospitals are vulnerable and can easily be terrified into not going to hospital by a media circus.

That's been leapt on as "you only care about reputations".

Yes, I saw him make that point on Twitter, and the inevitable response by the CTNHS crowd. A very dangerous group of people who don't care how many are harmed by their activities which, frankly, are nowt but concern trolling.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:34 pm

#ConDemNation currently at #1

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:40 pm

StephenDolan wrote:Dodgy question aside (yes, the poor just need to learn how to feed themselves...) this isn't the best polling figures for Cameron v Miliband. " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm aghast at the Boris Johnson percentages. Too high. But that's me.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:44 pm

Bit of an old clip, but just came up on my timeline and I thought it was worth the share; Nat Tapley's "Ian Bowler MP" on Nigel Farage.

[youtube]_M1H1Tk_JBw[/youtube]

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:47 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote: He's a Blairite. I hope to god that Scottish Labour have chosen wisely. Lady C's (thanks, Lady C!) stats indicate to me that the left and the unions have been saddled with yet more fucking Blairites at the top end. I do now seriously expect Scotland to be a major cause of lost seats. Let's hope that England (and Wales and NI) can provide...
Most people won't care about his Blairite past if he delivers the goods now. Here's hoping.
I think this will be fascinating. Murphy will have to rapidly move to the centre ground of Scottish politics, which is far to the left of his default position.

He will have to sell a simple message and I guess you start from a view that The SNP are only interested in Independence and they don't care how badly they hurt the people of Scotland as long as they get it.

Selling the line you can't trust them to fight the Tories would be ideal, but it needs to go hand in hand with stuff about oil prices and the neo liberal hell Salmond would have created.

Finally find some stupid SNP policies and hammer them. The State Guardian stuff is a disgrace as is their attitude to corporation tax (which they now can't execute).

It is going to be nasty - Murphy may just have found his niche.

The best analysis I've come across. Mind you, it's difficult to find ANY analysis about Murphy, Scottish Labour or the SNP.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:53 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote: Most people won't care about his Blairite past if he delivers the goods now. Here's hoping.
I think this will be fascinating. Murphy will have to rapidly move to the centre ground of Scottish politics, which is far to the left of his default position.

He will have to sell a simple message and I guess you start from a view that The SNP are only interested in Independence and they don't care how badly they hurt the people of Scotland as long as they get it.

Selling the line you can't trust them to fight the Tories would be ideal, but it needs to go hand in hand with stuff about oil prices and the neo liberal hell Salmond would have created.

Finally find some stupid SNP policies and hammer them. The State Guardian stuff is a disgrace as is their attitude to corporation tax (which they now can't execute).

It is going to be nasty - Murphy may just have found his niche.
Anybody who heard Murphy's acceptance speech yesterday without knowing anything about the man, would surely have concluded he was on the EM-ish soft left of the party if not further left. It has also been claimed, reasonably, that most of JM's "objectionable" opinions are on foreign policy - much less important in his new post - and his domestic policy positions were always more "mainstream" Labour.

Amusing btw to see some CyberNats so contorted by hate that they scream at him he is a "draft dodger" - from SA's apartheid army, that is

More quality information - thank you.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:56 pm

citizenJA wrote:It is going to be nasty - Murphy may just have found his niche.

The best analysis I've come across. Mind you, it's difficult to find ANY analysis about Murphy, Scottish Labour or the SNP.[/quote]

Lots of heat & noise, but very little light on anything. Considering one of the proud claims of Indyref was that it was an exercise in "vibrant democracy" it is sad to see how it has deteriorated into an inevitable cycle of recrimination and abuse on both sides.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 6:59 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:Thanks, Squeaker.

Burnham made the point that he was wary public inquiry would damage the Trust. It's a fair point- the scandal was by then in the past. Lots of people who need hospitals are vulnerable and can easily be terrified into not going to hospital by a media circus.

That's been leapt on as "you only care about reputations".
Yes, I saw him make that point on Twitter, and the inevitable response by the CTNHS crowd. A very dangerous group of people who don't care how many are harmed by their activities which, frankly, are nowt but concern trolling.

There's one lady there who interpreted Burnham as meaning that who is arguing in good faith, and knows what she's talking about. But as you say, there's some concern trolling.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 7:14 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
citizenJA wrote:It is going to be nasty - Murphy may just have found his niche.
The best analysis I've come across. Mind you, it's difficult to find ANY analysis about Murphy, Scottish Labour or the SNP.

Lots of heat & noise, but very little light on anything. Considering one of the proud claims of Indyref was that it was an exercise in "vibrant democracy" it is sad to see how it has deteriorated into an inevitable cycle of recrimination and abuse on both sides.[/quote]Yep.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 14 Dec, 2014 7:16 pm

The formatting has gone funky - 'the heat & noise, but very little light...' is authored by TGS, not CJA...I can't claim the credit.