Tuesday 16th December 2014

[refitman]

Morning all. Labour lead at 2 points on Yougov:

Latest YouGov / The Sun results 15th December -

Con 32%, (nc)
Lab 34%, (+2)
LD 6%, (-1)
UKIP 14%; (nc)
Grn 8 (+1);

APP -24 (nc)

[TechnicalEphemera]

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... an-burrows

Announcing the ban, the FCA director of enforcement and financial crime, Tracey McDermott, said: Burrows held a senior position within the financial services industry. His conduct fell short of the standards we expect. Approved persons must act with honesty and integrity at all times and, where they do not, we will take action.

Quite right too, what was he thinking.

He should have been ripping money out of people's pensions with hidden share dealing charges, investing in arms firms, helping tax avoiders, and donating to the Tory Party.

You can't make this shit up.

[Toby Latimer]

BBC's World At One editor just tweeted ''It definitely sounds like John Prescott calls Ed Miliband "Red Ed"

ScreenShot00119.jpg (170.66 KiB) Viewed 19750 times

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

Obviously a spoonerism. I told him so too

[frightful_oik]

He was going to say 'ready' a few words later. JP often misspeaks. It'll get more coverage in our wonderful media however than millions of tweets on #CameronMustGo ever did.

[AngryAsWell]

'Slaves' trafficked from eastern Europe found at a Rochdale picture framing factory
“When you consider that this factory was producing frames and pictures for major high street companies, with contracts running into the millions of pounds, it proves just how much money these men stood to make from this exploitation"
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Morning all

[PaulfromYorkshire]

He was going to say 'ready' a few words later. JP often misspeaks. It'll get more coverage in our wonderful media however than millions of tweets on #CameronMustGo ever did.

Remembering what we were saying about journalism yesterday, is this the best they can do?

[refitman]

BBC's World At One editor just tweeted ''It definitely sounds like John Prescott calls Ed Miliband "Red Ed"

ScreenShot00119.jpg

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

Obviously a spoonerism. I told him so too

Wintour's already got a piece up about it.

[yahyah]

Ooh look, Wintour's crawled all over it like a fly on dog poo.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... and-red-ed" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Toby Latimer]

Of course no-one else ever gets tongue tied do they [youtube]L3UCd3navHM[/youtube]

[Toby Latimer]

Now Andrew Sparrow is making a reference to it. What a sad place that paper has become.

ScreenShot00120.jpg (183.42 KiB) Viewed 19696 times

[refitman]

Now Andrew Sparrow is making a reference to it. What a sad place that paper has become.

ScreenShot00120.jpg

Fair play to Andrew, he's apologised and amended the copy.

[yahyah]

Now Andrew Sparrow is making a reference to it. What a sad place that paper has become.

ScreenShot00120.jpg

Fair play to Andrew, he's apologised and amended the copy.

One of your comments has been zapped though.

[rebeccariots2]

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... an-burrows

Announcing the ban, the FCA director of enforcement and financial crime, Tracey McDermott, said: Burrows held a senior position within the financial services industry. His conduct fell short of the standards we expect. Approved persons must act with honesty and integrity at all times and, where they do not, we will take action.

Quite right too, what was he thinking.

He should have been ripping money out of people's pensions with hidden share dealing charges, investing in arms firms, helping tax avoiders, and donating to the Tory Party.

You can't make this shit up.

Yup - it's right to bar him - but there is a real stench of hypocrisy wafting off this punishment and the announcement. Incredible that this bloke has a) had to pay the money back and b) been barred from working in financial services for life. Others in the banking and financial 'services' sector who have digressed big time don't seem to have had any such kind of punishment - they've kept the money and had more thrown at them - and some of them have even received honours and huge pay offs. Can't help feeling they are going to use this bloke and his individual punishment to try and make themselves feel as if, and be able to say to the public, they actually have standards which they enforce. Excuse my cynicism but bollocks to that.

Edited because the pedant in me needed the cynic to be spelled correctly.

[rebeccariots2]

'Slaves' trafficked from eastern Europe found at a Rochdale picture framing factory
“When you consider that this factory was producing frames and pictures for major high street companies, with contracts running into the millions of pounds, it proves just how much money these men stood to make from this exploitation"
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Morning all

Shocking story that. Very timely news given Miliband's speech yesterday. I doubt any of the MSM will make the connection though.

[refitman]

Now Andrew Sparrow is making a reference to it. What a sad place that paper has become.

ScreenShot00120.jpg

Fair play to Andrew, he's apologised and amended the copy.

One of your comments has been zapped though.

I may have criticised Wintour in it. Can't be having a go at the staff now, can we.

Even Andrew says he can't see why it was zapped.

[Toby Latimer]

Now Andrew Sparrow is making a reference to it. What a sad place that paper has become.

ScreenShot00120.jpg

Fair play to Andrew, he's apologised and amended the copy.

Yes l just spotted that. Fair do's, and I have left a 'thank you' for his amending it. Still a bit sloppy of him to reference it without checking first though

[rebeccariots2]

Douglas Alexander ‏@DAlexanderMP 4m4 minutes ago
Horrified by the appalling news emerging from Peshawar: the deliberate mass murder of children by the Taliban simply for going to school.

Glad someone has said something. Utterly horrifying and chilling - terrible pictures of terrified children being dragged away. I struggle to take in and accept there are people in this world who can act in this way - seemingly with a total absence of love and humanity.

[adam]

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... an-burrows

Announcing the ban, the FCA director of enforcement and financial crime, Tracey McDermott, said: Burrows held a senior position within the financial services industry. His conduct fell short of the standards we expect. Approved persons must act with honesty and integrity at all times and, where they do not, we will take action.

Quite right too, what was he thinking.

He should have been ripping money out of people's pensions with hidden share dealing charges, investing in arms firms, helping tax avoiders, and donating to the Tory Party.

You can't make this shit up.

Yup - it's right to bar him - but there is a real stench of hypocrisy wafting off this punishment and the announcement. Incredible that this bloke has a) had to pay the money back and b) been barred from working in financial services for life. Others in the banking and financial 'services' sector who have digressed big time don't seem to have had any such kind of punishment - they've kept the money and had more thrown at them - and some of them have even received honours and huge pay offs. Can't help feeling they are going to use this bloke and his individual punishment to try and make themselves feel as if, and be able to say to the public, they actually have standards which they enforce. Excuse my cynicism but bollocks to that.

Edited because the pedant in me needed the cynic to be spelled correctly.

I think it gets worse when you look back at what happened. He did a deal with the rail company so that, initially, in return for him paying the walk on daily rate for all the days he chose not to pay - in other words, in return for him paying the commercial fare due for the journeys he chose to take in the way he chose to take them, and not a penny more - he not only avoided prosecution but also initially kept his anonymity. He hasn't been fined - it's true that the journeys would have been much cheaper if he'd bought a season ticket in advance but, and here's the thing, they're only cheaper if you do buy a season ticket in advance, and if you get on on the day without a ticket they cost what he's had to pay.

I travel on the train every day and at least once a week I see people being turned off the train because they don't have tickets or money - because, like him, they're trying it on although I would lay money that unlike him they're doing it because they've hardly got any money. My station proudly displays the names of all of the people prosecuted for fair dodging over the last month and warns that they will always prosecute. Unless you're rich.

[StephenDolan]

Morning all.

A fine long piece on affordable housing.
https://tbij.creatavist.com/viability" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's a snippet.
" In England, there are 1.4 million households on council waiting lists – a 34% rise since 1997. This includes nearly 85,000 children living in temporary accommodation – equivalent to more than the entire population of the Hertfordshire town of Stevenage.
But against this swelling tide of humanity unable to secure a decent, stable home; the supply of affordable housing has gone into reverse.
Government figures project 42,710 affordable homes will be built in England in the year to April – the lowest number since 2006 and a 26% fall since 2010.
Affordable supply in Britain has never recovered from Margaret Thatcher’s flagship ‘Right to Buy’ policy, under which approximately two million council homes were sold at a substantial discount. Local authorities were banned from using the proceeds to replace council stock.
Since the Thatcher years, housing associations have been the main providers of homes for people priced out of the market. Some are colossal organisations with net assets worth several billion pounds. They earn substantial revenue from rents and many of them increasingly, develop homes for sale to the mainstream market.
To build cheap homes, housing associations have for decades relied on two things: an annual government grant worth billions of pounds and access to land
Today, however, the affordable housing sector has been winded by a double punch – one thrown by the Treasury, the other by the planning system.
George Osborne, in his 2010 Whitehall spending review, announced a 60% cut to the affordable housing grant. In June last year, the chancellor followed this with a further 2.2% reduction.
In return for the grant cut, the government has allowed housing associations to increase rents on their new build homes to 80% of market rents. These so-called “affordable rents” have replaced significantly cheaper, social rents. It means that in many areas, particularly in the south east, even affordable rents are out of reach of ordinary people.
To Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, the homeless campaign group, low cost housing providers are in danger of forgetting their core mission.
“Worryingly, we have seen a huge cut to the housing grant and woefully low levels of affordable homes being built,” she said. “Combined with ‘affordable rents’ of up to 80% of market rents, we are extremely concerned about the future of the sector as a whole.”
As housing associations adapt to a new cash constrained world, the other mainstay – affordable houses built by the private sector – is also in freefall. "

[AnatolyKasparov]

There was also a ComRes phone survey last night, putting Labour ahead by 32-29 and giving the LibDems a somewhat bizarre 12%.

No poll from Ashcroft yesterday, then?

[AngryAsWell]

There was also a ComRes phone survey last night, putting Labour ahead by 32-29 and giving the LibDems a somewhat bizarre 12%.

No poll from Ashcroft yesterday, then?

I think I read on twitter that he wasn't polling now till New Year ? Might be wrong, but to lazy to check his feed

[rebeccariots2]

Government already stopping unemployment benefit to women for being pregnant
http://tompride.wordpress.com/

More disgraceful treatment of people on benefits. Missed this yesterday. Another store to cross off my list of places to shop from - B&Q. Should have known they would be part of unpaid work programme placements ... but this shows them to be a poor employer - certainly no respect for equalities. Makes me very angry than any public money is going towards subsidising such companies.

[AnatolyKasparov]

There was also a ComRes phone survey last night, putting Labour ahead by 32-29 and giving the LibDems a somewhat bizarre 12%.

No poll from Ashcroft yesterday, then?

I think I read on twitter that he wasn't polling now till New Year ? Might be wrong, but to lazy to check his feed

Apparently that is the case.

Thought the Graun might be doing their monthly ICM yesterday too - maybe they will sneak it out on Boxing Day like they did a few years ago?

[Tizme1]

Government already stopping unemployment benefit to women for being pregnant
http://tompride.wordpress.com/

More disgraceful treatment of people on benefits. Missed this yesterday. Another store to cross off my list of places to shop from - B&Q. Should have known they would be part of unpaid work programme placements ... but this shows them to be a poor employer - certainly no respect for equalities. Makes me very angry than any public money is going towards subsidising such companies.

Thanks for that RR. I keep a list of places to boycott. I've come to the conclusion, it would be a shorter list if I just noted places where I can shop. Though generally speaking I try to buy from local independent shops anyway.

Morning all btw.

I'm seeking ideas again. Question Time is coming to Watford in January. I don't actually watch it these days but I've decided to at least attempt to get a ticket. Sara Jane is also applying so she'll cover the allotments angle. I need to think of two 'topical' subjects to put on the application. Though how I'm supposed to know what will be topical next month is beyond me. Anyway, I wondered if anyone here could come up with some suggestions? I did think of asking about reducing corporation tax for small businesses but that isn't exactly topical.

[StephenDolan]

Government already stopping unemployment benefit to women for being pregnant
http://tompride.wordpress.com/

More disgraceful treatment of people on benefits. Missed this yesterday. Another store to cross off my list of places to shop from - B&Q. Should have known they would be part of unpaid work programme placements ... but this shows them to be a poor employer - certainly no respect for equalities. Makes me very angry than any public money is going towards subsidising such companies.

Thanks for that RR. I keep a list of places to boycott. I've come to the conclusion, it would be a shorter list if I just noted places where I can shop. Though generally speaking I try to buy from local independent shops anyway.

Morning all btw.

I'm seeking ideas again. Question Time is coming to Watford in January. I don't actually watch it these days but I've decided to at least attempt to get a ticket. Sara Jane is also applying so she'll cover the allotments angle. I need to think of two 'topical' subjects to put on the application. Though how I'm supposed to know what will be topical next month is beyond me. Anyway, I wondered if anyone here could come up with some suggestions? I did think of asking about reducing corporation tax for small businesses but that isn't exactly topical.

The first topical idea that springs to mind is the NHS winter strain.

[refitman]

Andrew's included the Lib Dems voting against the firefighter's pensions in his lunchtime summary.

Rubbisher will not be pleased.

[Tubby Isaacs]

From 18 Nov

“If the Lib Dems really believe that the best way to revert their collapse into an electoral irrelevance in Scotland is to land households across Scotland with increased bills, then they are wrong.

“Ending the council tax freeze would be the last thing that struggling households need; so I am writing to Danny Alexander to find out his views on this preposterous proposal.

“The council tax freeze has saved an average of over £1,200 for households across Scotland, helping people manage stretched household budgets – and that freeze will continue for the lifetime of this parliament regardless of what the Lib Dems so or do.

“It could not be clearer just how badly out of step with the Scottish electorate the Lib Dems are, it is little wonder that the recent Survation poll put their support at just 6%.”

Left-wing SNP attacking Lib Dems from the right.

[DonutHingeParty]

Hague:

For 13 years Labour did not give extra powers to the cities and towns of England.

The Tories (and Labour, for that matter) seem to have totally forgotten about the Regional minsters and Regional Select Committees, torn up on day 1 by the Coalition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_minister" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In England, regional ministers were appointed from 2007 on a part-time basis as part of the Government of the United Kingdom. Each minister had other departmental responsibilities, as well as specific responsibilities for one of the English regions. Their stated role was "to provide a clear sense of strategic direction for the nine English regions and to help strengthen their links with central government."[1]

[refitman]

Hague:

For 13 years Labour did not give extra powers to the cities and towns of England.

The Tories (and Labour, for that matter) seem to have totally forgotten about the Regional minsters and Regional Select Committees, torn up on day 1 by the Coalition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_minister" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In England, regional ministers were appointed from 2007 on a part-time basis as part of the Government of the United Kingdom. Each minister had other departmental responsibilities, as well as specific responsibilities for one of the English regions. Their stated role was "to provide a clear sense of strategic direction for the nine English regions and to help strengthen their links with central government."[1]

Prescott didn't forget about them this morning. He was quite forceful in making the point that Labour set up the Regional Development Agencies and then the coalition scrapped them, only to bring them back in another form.

[frightful_oik]

Government already stopping unemployment benefit to women for being pregnant
http://tompride.wordpress.com/

More disgraceful treatment of people on benefits. Missed this yesterday. Another store to cross off my list of places to shop from - B&Q. Should have known they would be part of unpaid work programme placements ... but this shows them to be a poor employer - certainly no respect for equalities. Makes me very angry than any public money is going towards subsidising such companies.

Thanks for that RR. I keep a list of places to boycott. I've come to the conclusion, it would be a shorter list if I just noted places where I can shop. Though generally speaking I try to buy from local independent shops anyway.

Morning all btw.

I'm seeking ideas again. Question Time is coming to Watford in January. I don't actually watch it these days but I've decided to at least attempt to get a ticket. Sara Jane is also applying so she'll cover the allotments angle. I need to think of two 'topical' subjects to put on the application. Though how I'm supposed to know what will be topical next month is beyond me. Anyway, I wondered if anyone here could come up with some suggestions? I did think of asking about reducing corporation tax for small businesses but that isn't exactly topical.

Mr Dimbleby, why don't you just f*** off now you Torkip lickspittle? I believe the "now" makes it topical. On the other hand, absolutely anything about immigration is bound to get an airing. I'm not being very helpful am I?

[Tizme1]

More disgraceful treatment of people on benefits. Missed this yesterday. Another store to cross off my list of places to shop from - B&Q. Should have known they would be part of unpaid work programme placements ... but this shows them to be a poor employer - certainly no respect for equalities. Makes me very angry than any public money is going towards subsidising such companies.

Thanks for that RR. I keep a list of places to boycott. I've come to the conclusion, it would be a shorter list if I just noted places where I can shop. Though generally speaking I try to buy from local independent shops anyway.

Morning all btw.

I'm seeking ideas again. Question Time is coming to Watford in January. I don't actually watch it these days but I've decided to at least attempt to get a ticket. Sara Jane is also applying so she'll cover the allotments angle. I need to think of two 'topical' subjects to put on the application. Though how I'm supposed to know what will be topical next month is beyond me. Anyway, I wondered if anyone here could come up with some suggestions? I did think of asking about reducing corporation tax for small businesses but that isn't exactly topical.

The first topical idea that springs to mind is the NHS winter strain.

Thanks SD. I'm a bit wary of going on the NHS because the whole issue of the Farm Terrace Allotments is tied up with the so called new facilities for Watford Hospital that aren't going to happen anyway. On the other hand, if I could word a question in such a way that didn't give any lib dem on the panel a way to bash the allotment holders, it would indeed be a good topical question.

[Tizme1]

More disgraceful treatment of people on benefits. Missed this yesterday. Another store to cross off my list of places to shop from - B&Q. Should have known they would be part of unpaid work programme placements ... but this shows them to be a poor employer - certainly no respect for equalities. Makes me very angry than any public money is going towards subsidising such companies.

Thanks for that RR. I keep a list of places to boycott. I've come to the conclusion, it would be a shorter list if I just noted places where I can shop. Though generally speaking I try to buy from local independent shops anyway.

Morning all btw.

I'm seeking ideas again. Question Time is coming to Watford in January. I don't actually watch it these days but I've decided to at least attempt to get a ticket. Sara Jane is also applying so she'll cover the allotments angle. I need to think of two 'topical' subjects to put on the application. Though how I'm supposed to know what will be topical next month is beyond me. Anyway, I wondered if anyone here could come up with some suggestions? I did think of asking about reducing corporation tax for small businesses but that isn't exactly topical.

Mr Dimbleby, why don't you just f*** off now you Torkip lickspittle? I believe the "now" makes it topical. On the other hand, absolutely anything about immigration is bound to get an airing. I'm not being very helpful am I?

*chuckle* FOik. Maybe a positive question regarding immigration.............

[Tubby Isaacs]

Jesus, Frances Barber has lost her head and accused Andy Cavaster of thinking paedo rape is OK.

http://zelo-street.blogspot.co.uk/2014/ ... cting.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AnatolyKasparov]

Douglas Alexander ‏@DAlexanderMP 4m4 minutes ago
Horrified by the appalling news emerging from Peshawar: the deliberate mass murder of children by the Taliban simply for going to school.

Glad someone has said something. Utterly horrifying and chilling - terrible pictures of terrified children being dragged away. I struggle to take in and accept there are people in this world who can act in this way - seemingly with a total absence of love and humanity.

No doubt they will continue to get praise from the usual suspects as "anti-imperialists"

[DonutHingeParty]

It is time "to give the English the voice they deserve", shouts a passionate David TC Davies

David TC Davies is the MP for Monmouth, which is in Wales.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Monmouthshire used to be legally part of England, and quite a few in his part of the old county still consider themselves as such

[gilsey]

I'm seeking ideas again. Question Time is coming to Watford in January. I don't actually watch it these days but I've decided to at least attempt to get a ticket. Sara Jane is also applying so she'll cover the allotments angle. I need to think of two 'topical' subjects to put on the application. Though how I'm supposed to know what will be topical next month is beyond me. Anyway, I wondered if anyone here could come up with some suggestions? I did think of asking about reducing corporation tax for small businesses but that isn't exactly topical.

You're probably much younger than me so would have to rephrase it, but my question would be:

When I started work in the 70s, the standard rate of income tax varied from year to year, to 'balance the books'. How and why have we got to a place where talking about raising the basic and higher rates of income tax would be considered political suicide?

[letsskiptotheleft]

It is time "to give the English the voice they deserve", shouts a passionate David TC Davies

David TC Davies is the MP for Monmouth, which is in Wales.

David TC Davies is vying with Alun Cairns for the biggest wanker in Welsh politics, unfortunately one is relatively safe, the other faces a bit of a scrap.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I'm seeking ideas again. Question Time is coming to Watford in January. I don't actually watch it these days but I've decided to at least attempt to get a ticket. Sara Jane is also applying so she'll cover the allotments angle. I need to think of two 'topical' subjects to put on the application. Though how I'm supposed to know what will be topical next month is beyond me. Anyway, I wondered if anyone here could come up with some suggestions? I did think of asking about reducing corporation tax for small businesses but that isn't exactly topical.

You're probably much younger than me so would have to rephrase it, but my question would be:

When I started work in the 70s, the standard rate of income tax varied from year to year, to 'balance the books'. How and why have we got to a place where talking about raising the basic and higher rates of income tax would be considered political suicide?

Splendid point. Was nice to see the FT saying no-one forced Osborne to raise the personal allowance and cut fuel duty and CT.

[rebeccariots2]

It is time "to give the English the voice they deserve", shouts a passionate David TC Davies

David TC Davies is the MP for Monmouth, which is in Wales.

David TC Davies is vying with Alun Cairns for the biggest wanker in Welsh politics, unfortunately one is relatively safe, the other faces a bit of a scrap.

Had to log in to thank you for that one letsskip. Nearly choked on me lunch in my haste to agree with you.

[rebeccariots2]

Real Junk Food Project: The Leeds cafe that has fed 10,000 people, using 20 tonnes of unwanted food – and started a worldwide movement
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 26579.html

What a great bloke and project. I take my hat off to him. Another scheme that deserves to be replicated in many areas.

I particularly like this:

But Mr Smith says The Real Junk Food Project – which is in the process of being registered as an official charity – is about more than simply feeding those who might otherwise go hungry.

"It is bringing people from different demographics together that doesn't involve money. People are opening Junk Food Projects because they have had enough of what is going on in society and care about what is happening to other human beings," he said. "It is a revolution."

[letsskiptotheleft]

David TC Davies is the MP for Monmouth, which is in Wales.

David TC Davies is vying with Alun Cairns for the biggest wanker in Welsh politics, unfortunately one is relatively safe, the other faces a bit of a scrap.

Had to log in to thank you for that one letsskip. Nearly choked on me lunch in my haste to agree with you.

Good read, as always from Steve Richards, on how Cameron and Osborne are now on the back foot over spending cuts, I read on here that Chris Leslie put up a good fight against that nincompoop David Gauke, Leslie is good, very, I hope he used effectively over the coming months.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 26877.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[rebeccariots2]

David TC Davies is vying with Alun Cairns for the biggest wanker in Welsh politics, unfortunately one is relatively safe, the other faces a bit of a scrap.

Had to log in to thank you for that one letsskip. Nearly choked on me lunch in my haste to agree with you.

Good read, as always from Steve Richards, on how Cameron and Osborne are now on the back foot over spending cuts, I read on here that Chris Leslie put up a good fight against that nincompoop David Gauke, Leslie is good, very, I hope he used effectively over the coming months.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 26877.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chris Leslie is good, very good. Manages to sound friendly and firm, not defensive, and states his case and back up stats with authority and confidence. I hope he's in a pretty safe seat.

[rebeccariots2]

PostOfficeNews ‏@PostOfficeNews 52m52 minutes ago
New 7 year Post Office card account contract is great news for millions of customers and local Post Office branches http://tinyurl.com/nooyulb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dame Anne Begg MP ‏@annebegg 28m28 minutes ago
Doesn't look like POCA accounts will get the flexibility to operate as a jam jar account so not suitable for those on UC

Not sure what she means by a jam jar account ... and why that makes them not OK for those on UC ... anyone?

[letsskiptotheleft]

Had to log in to thank you for that one letsskip. Nearly choked on me lunch in my haste to agree with you.

Good read, as always from Steve Richards, on how Cameron and Osborne are now on the back foot over spending cuts, I read on here that Chris Leslie put up a good fight against that nincompoop David Gauke, Leslie is good, very, I hope he used effectively over the coming months.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 26877.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chris Leslie is good, very good. Manages to sound friendly and firm, not defensive, and states his case and back up stats with authority and confidence. I hope he's in a pretty safe seat.

8,000ish majority over the LibDems last time out, I reckon he's pretty safe.

Talking of which, Philip Davies, professional nasty piece of work unseated him in Shipley in '05, no accounting for taste is there?!

[rebeccariots2]

Kerry McCarthy MP ‏@KerryMP 7m7 minutes ago London
8 MPs voted against the Equal Pay (Transparency) Act. 258 mostly Labour MPs voted for. Nearly all Tory and Lib Dem MPs abstained.

[rebeccariots2]

Good read, as always from Steve Richards, on how Cameron and Osborne are now on the back foot over spending cuts, I read on here that Chris Leslie put up a good fight against that nincompoop David Gauke, Leslie is good, very, I hope he used effectively over the coming months.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 26877.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chris Leslie is good, very good. Manages to sound friendly and firm, not defensive, and states his case and back up stats with authority and confidence. I hope he's in a pretty safe seat.

8,000ish majority over the LibDems last time out, I reckon he's pretty safe.

Talking of which, Philip Davies, professional nasty piece of work unseated him in Shipley in '05, no accounting for taste is there?!

None whatsoever. I like to think there's going to be a very special place reserved for him in hell ... where he is forced to listen to other voices droning on and on and on at him for ever whilst enduring some unspeakable discomfort (nay I mean pain really) .... Because he seems to make it his purpose to make life harder and nastier for a lot of people.

[letsskiptotheleft]

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


Contender for the biggest crock of shit this week.

[rebeccariots2]

The sinister right-to-buy housing policy has had its day
A policy designed to decimate council-owned property lives on as the housing crisis piles more people on waiting lists. Why doesn’t Labour advocate ending it?
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... d-property

The author is asking why Labour won't address / stop right to buy ... I wish they would too. But his piece also reminds us that yet again Welsh Labour has been pioneering and clever in its approach to this issue. Scotland too - and they are going further than Wales.

Except that four years ago in Wales, the assembly introduced legislation to allow local councils to suspend the right to buy in areas where there was a lack of affordable housing. It was not a total ban, and was couched in the most moderate terms – councils had to ask for permission for suspensions, which could only be granted in “extreme cases” – but the policy has proven popular. Carmarthenshire is the most recent council to be granted the power to stop purchases of houses from the council. The Scottish parliament has a similar policy, which was extended in 2013, when the SNP’s then deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, unambiguously announced “the final stage of the abolition of the right to buy”. The head of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations spoke in favour of the abolition, claiming that the right was “beneficial to a relatively small number of individuals, but clearly a loss to the greater public good”. This all managed to happen without much in the way of outrage or protest. The right to buy may soon become an England-only policy, although if there’s anywhere that desperately needs its abolition, it is London and the south-east.

Seems to me that this is a power that English authorities should be fighting to get a devolved right to implement as they see fit ... isn't that something Labour could propose?

[letsskiptotheleft]

There is a wonderful clip of FM Sturgeon doing the rounds, you have to wonder what they would have been like if they had actually won, sadly, I cannot link it, but Mark Ferguson is having a laugh with it.