Tuesday 23rd. December

[TechnicalEphemera]

Michael Dugher ‏@MichaelDugherMP 53m53 minutes ago
I only wrap 1 present. I ran out of paper, left a big gap & taped my thumb. My eldest said "that's a 2 out of 10 - and I'm being generous"

Who says we don't have any ordinary people as MPs?

Plus it is about consistent with Dugher's level of competence.

[citizenJA]

https://www.facebook.com/14406246245222 ... 712/?type=1

Posted on Facebook by an American. But will Tory voters take notice of stuff like this?

It involves an open-minded appreciation of the ideas others bring to community, so, what are the odds?
I live for the day those odds become short.
This brief post from your link here

You're confusing Govt Regulation with Govt Subsidy.

is followed by this comment.

That isn't subsidy.

Other countries like the UK that have national healthcare collectively bargain with pharmaceutical companies and medical companies for their products. So when deciding which drugs the national health service is going to prescribe for example, the government sends notice to all the pharmaceutical companies, and whoever can produce the most effective drug for the cheapest price gets the contract. This not only keeps drug prices down but also makes the companies extremely wealthy, because their contract serves the entire country and whoever uses the NHS.

That's not a subsidy, that's regulatory practices.

If that's not how it's currently operating, it should be. I'm happy to listen to why I may be wrong.

[rebeccariots2]

Cyclists lying injured for two hours 'is not good enough', says London NHS chief
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/c ... 41976.html

Dr Anne Rainsberry admitted the London Ambulance Service was “struggling” due to a national shortage of paramedics, leaving it unable to respond within target times to non life-threatening emergencies...

The LAS, which is recruiting paramedics from Australia and New Zealand to fill more than 400 vacancies, has delivered the slowest response times in the country since September.

Of the “category A” calls in November, it got to 64.2 per cent of the most time-critical “red 1” calls — to patients who are not breathing and do not have a pulse — within eight minutes. Just 54.8  per cent of “red 2” calls — where the patient is having a stroke or fit —were reached within the target. The NHS target for both is 75 per cent.

Dr Rainsberry said: “It’s struggling. I think everybody can see that. They have got very significant vacancies. There are medium-term plans to manage that, but there is no getting away from the fact that they have seen a significant number of staff leave.

“They have the highest attrition rates of any ambulance service in the country. They are doing international recruitment and in January they will have a significant influx of staff. I think that will make a big, big difference.

Can someone who knows more than I - and I'm not in London anymore - explain what the main reasons are for this shortage of paramedics? Is it lack of workforce planning and training opportunities? Why are so many paramedics leaving - is it cost of living in London, poor wages, poor working conditions, endless pressure and not enough staff / support?

But again this seems crazy when we have so many people looking for jobs that we need to go abroad and take their already trained people. Surely this becomes self defeating - if we can always get people from abroad we won't bother training here ....

[PaulfromYorkshire]

This is amazing from the ONS

[Tubby Isaacs]

I don't know. Tower Hamlets, I notice, has some keyworker housing for paramedics. Don't know how much else there is.

[citizenJA]

Michael Dugher ‏@MichaelDugherMP 53m53 minutes ago
I only wrap 1 present. I ran out of paper, left a big gap & taped my thumb. My eldest said "that's a 2 out of 10 - and I'm being generous"

Who says we don't have any ordinary people as MPs?

Plus it is about consistent with Dugher's level of competence.

I've a liking for this MP, I do hope you'll acknowledge he's capable in other spheres & an asset to the Labour party. He's such an earnest fellow. I can just imagine his present wrapping mishap described above. I like his eldest's comment - it rings true, more or less. It's sweet. Not at all disturbing. I like representatives who don't disturb me.

The PM, now, Dave - his judgement. It's not sound. That's disturbing.

[citizenJA]

This is amazing from the ONS

Yep. What'd I tell you? That ONS, it's got the data if you've got the time.

[rebeccariots2]

This is amazing from the ONS

It's actually bloody terrifying and appalling - that's what it is. But I don't think we'll get that kind of bald openess from many in the press - and certainly not from any of the coalition (quick, cross your heart and get the stake ready).

[PaulfromYorkshire]

This is amazing from the ONS

Yep. What'd I tell you? That ONS, it's got the data if you've got the time.

Well thanks be to the Indy who still have journalists who share it with the population.

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/w ... xJTAYLfhYl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rather than the Guardian and the rest who prefer their Westminster tittle tattle.

[PorFavor]

Goodnight, everyone.

[rebeccariots2]

Science A level practicals face axe despite barage of criticism, says MP
Opposition from Royal Society and others should force a government rethink, says chair of Commons science and technology committee Andrew Miller
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014 ... rew-miller

[Tubby Isaacs]

Science A level practicals face axe despite barage of criticism, says MP
Opposition from Royal Society and others should force a government rethink, says chair of Commons science and technology committee Andrew Miller
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014 ... rew-miller

Gove knew best.

Totally avoidable mistake. Pure prejudice.

[citizenJA]

I don't know. Tower Hamlets, I notice, has some keyworker housing for paramedics. Don't know how much else there is.

Keyworker paramedics housing is a wonderful thing - I'm not surprised Tower Hamlets is home to keyworkers. I've read some positive things leadership has done for regular people inhabiting that region. I'll tell you plainly I don't understand the negativity meted out to local leadership. I apologise if I'm ignorant of serious problems, I very well may be. I can't make anything out of news reports I've seen.

Any region taken over by Eric Pickles Squad of Enforcers or whatever the hell he calls them, I'm concerned for.

Pickles has behaved high-handed at his best & wholly unprofessional during last years floods. He was rude to workers in the Environment Agency at that time.

It's unprecedented, isn't it, Pickles deposing the democratically elected leadership in Tower Hamlets?

If Tower Hamlets is home to key workers can we justifiably demand more (above safe, competent, not horrid) from Tower Hamlets?

[citizenJA]

Science A level practicals face axe despite barage of criticism, says MP
Opposition from Royal Society and others should force a government rethink, says chair of Commons science and technology committee Andrew Miller
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014 ... rew-miller

Gove knew best.

Totally avoidable mistake. Pure prejudice.

Insane. Vote these people out, please.

[rebeccariots2]

Natalie Rowe is very interesting on the Napier conviction ...

[rebeccariots2]

Jonathan Ashworth MP ‏@JonAshworth 12m12 minutes ago
Hello @grantshapps is this character really your prospective MP for Wirral South or is it a parody account ? " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

[citizenJA]

This is amazing from the ONS

Yep. What'd I tell you? That ONS, it's got the data if you've got the time.

Well thanks be to the Indy who still have journalists who share it with the population.

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/w ... xJTAYLfhYl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rather than the Guardian and the rest who prefer their Westminster tittle tattle.

Yes, Paul, why I bother with the G at all is a question I'll have to answer some time. I will say the dubious accuracy of some article content drove me to search for the information at the source - the G drove me to the ONS website to figure it out myself. I've a great respect for the Independent. Thank you for the link. Wow. That really is worthwhile, the content sums up ONS data clearly & accurately - scary stuff. Current government have to go. What a waste these five years. Truly. I'm sorry.

[howsillyofme1]

Hi all

'Tis the Eve of Christmas Eve!

At this special time I would like to express my sadness at the events in the great city of Glasgow last night

Also, I hope that Clarke Carlisle makes a quick and successful recovery - an articulate voice in a sport needing to listen to people such as him

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... wife-gemma" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Finally, I would like to wish everyone on here a fantastic festive season....bring on 2015 and let us hope we end 2015 with a bit more caring Government than the one we have today! The figures today suggest their 'long term economic plan' is as baseless as we knew it was.....

[citizenJA]

Cyclists lying injured for two hours 'is not good enough', says London NHS chief
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/c ... 41976.html

Dr Anne Rainsberry admitted the London Ambulance Service was “struggling” due to a national shortage of paramedics, leaving it unable to respond within target times to non life-threatening emergencies...

The LAS, which is recruiting paramedics from Australia and New Zealand to fill more than 400 vacancies, has delivered the slowest response times in the country since September.

Of the “category A” calls in November, it got to 64.2 per cent of the most time-critical “red 1” calls — to patients who are not breathing and do not have a pulse — within eight minutes. Just 54.8  per cent of “red 2” calls — where the patient is having a stroke or fit —were reached within the target. The NHS target for both is 75 per cent.

Dr Rainsberry said: “It’s struggling. I think everybody can see that. They have got very significant vacancies. There are medium-term plans to manage that, but there is no getting away from the fact that they have seen a significant number of staff leave.

“They have the highest attrition rates of any ambulance service in the country. They are doing international recruitment and in January they will have a significant influx of staff. I think that will make a big, big difference.

Can someone who knows more than I - and I'm not in London anymore - explain what the main reasons are for this shortage of paramedics? Is it lack of workforce planning and training opportunities? Why are so many paramedics leaving - is it cost of living in London, poor wages, poor working conditions, endless pressure and not enough staff / support?

But again this seems crazy when we have so many people looking for jobs that we need to go abroad and take their already trained people. Surely this becomes self defeating - if we can always get people from abroad we won't bother training here ....

Private companies own & 'employ' the ambulance service workers. The thing about private companies I've noticed is that they don't like to pay people to do the work the company has agreed to do. It reduces the amount of money the companies' owners may keep to themselves. Not all private companies do this. But some do. I think we've got a dangerous combination of too few workers, those still working aren't paid enough for the level of responsibility they're vested with, poor employment conditions, poor morale.

[ephemerid]

Can someone who knows more than I - and I'm not in London anymore - explain what the main reasons are for this shortage of paramedics? Is it lack of workforce planning and training opportunities? Why are so many paramedics leaving - is it cost of living in London, poor wages, poor working conditions, endless pressure and not enough staff / support?

But again this seems crazy when we have so many people looking for jobs that we need to go abroad and take their already trained people. Surely this becomes self defeating - if we can always get people from abroad we won't bother training here ....

LAS paramedics take 5 years to train - they are trained to foundation degree level now, along with all the driving/emergency stuff.
First year (the academic year) starts at about £16K and as they do more shift work it goes up to about £20K plus weightings.

A fully qualified experienced paramedic can earn up to £30K to £39K but that includes shift premiums and weightings. They can work alone as first responders on motorbikes or whatever. It's not good pay for what they're expected to do.

Call handlers (who need training too) start at about £18K and after time can go to £25K.

They don't get extra for shifts as they do them; they get an annual allowance for unsocial hours. If someone gets a lot of nights or weekends, it's not really fair. They also take a lot of abuse and are often in quite dangerous situations.

Anything under £25K is not easy to live on in London these days.

I'm inclined to think that they are not treated all that well (it was the same back in my day) and they are chronically underpaid.

[citizenJA]

“They have the highest attrition rates of any ambulance service in the country. They are doing international recruitment and in January they will have a significant influx of staff. I think that will make a big, big difference.

Is this another example of the 'skills gap' crap worker shortages?
Workers expect their work to pay appropriately as well as be provided with professional working conditions.
Oh, I think I've answered my question.
Hire-A-Team from an agency with a Crew-4-U
Ship crew in, ship crew out, like turning lights on & off.
I think this is the agency abuse Miliband wants to stop.
I'm glad.
It demonstrates an ugly lack of vision for workers everywhere.

[ohsocynical]

Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

[TechnicalEphemera]

Cyclists lying injured for two hours 'is not good enough', says London NHS chief
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/c ... 41976.html

Dr Anne Rainsberry admitted the London Ambulance Service was “struggling” due to a national shortage of paramedics, leaving it unable to respond within target times to non life-threatening emergencies...

The LAS, which is recruiting paramedics from Australia and New Zealand to fill more than 400 vacancies, has delivered the slowest response times in the country since September.

Of the “category A” calls in November, it got to 64.2 per cent of the most time-critical “red 1” calls — to patients who are not breathing and do not have a pulse — within eight minutes. Just 54.8  per cent of “red 2” calls — where the patient is having a stroke or fit —were reached within the target. The NHS target for both is 75 per cent.

Dr Rainsberry said: “It’s struggling. I think everybody can see that. They have got very significant vacancies. There are medium-term plans to manage that, but there is no getting away from the fact that they have seen a significant number of staff leave.

“They have the highest attrition rates of any ambulance service in the country. They are doing international recruitment and in January they will have a significant influx of staff. I think that will make a big, big difference.

Can someone who knows more than I - and I'm not in London anymore - explain what the main reasons are for this shortage of paramedics? Is it lack of workforce planning and training opportunities? Why are so many paramedics leaving - is it cost of living in London, poor wages, poor working conditions, endless pressure and not enough staff / support?

But again this seems crazy when we have so many people looking for jobs that we need to go abroad and take their already trained people. Surely this becomes self defeating - if we can always get people from abroad we won't bother training here ....

Private companies own & 'employ' the ambulance service workers. The thing about private companies I've noticed is that they don't like to pay people to do the work the company has agreed to do. It reduces the amount of money the companies' owners may keep to themselves. Not all private companies do this. But some do. I think we've got a dangerous combination of too few workers, those still working aren't paid enough for the level of responsibility they're vested with, poor employment conditions, poor morale.

I think in this case it is reasonably simple. Ambulance staff are not paid particularly well, and London is a stonkingly expensive place to live. So rubbish salary, long (and on shifts, difficult) commute plus anti-social hours; for a tiny salary.

Or move to somewhere affordable and do the same job without the miserable commute, sky high rent and tiny disposable income.

I imagine those recruited from overseas will do it for a couple of years, get sick of it and quit, possibly to another part of the UK.

Edited to say - or you could just read Ephemerid's post above to save time.

[refitman]

Who says we don't have any ordinary people as MPs?

Plus it is about consistent with Dugher's level of competence.

I've a liking for this MP, I do hope you'll acknowledge he's capable in other spheres & an asset to the Labour party. He's such an earnest fellow. I can just imagine his present wrapping mishap described above. I like his eldest's comment - it rings true, more or less. It's sweet. Not at all disturbing. I like representatives who don't disturb me.

The PM, now, Dave - his judgement. It's not sound. That's disturbing.

Dugher is my MP. I follow him on Twitter and a lot of his posts, when not about Labour stuff (meetings, campaigning and what-have-you) is about his family life. Playing with his kids, cooking currys and the like. I quite like it, it shows that he is 'human'.

[citizenJA]

@TechnicalEphemera

Yes, poorly paid ambulance & paramedics staff.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I don't know. Tower Hamlets, I notice, has some keyworker housing for paramedics. Don't know how much else there is.

Keyworker paramedics housing is a wonderful thing - I'm not surprised Tower Hamlets is home to keyworkers. I've read some positive things leadership has done for regular people inhabiting that region. I'll tell you plainly I don't understand the negativity meted out to local leadership. I apologise if I'm ignorant of serious problems, I very well may be. I can't make anything out of news reports I've seen.

Any region taken over by Eric Pickles Squad of Enforcers or whatever the hell he calls them, I'm concerned for.

Pickles has behaved high-handed at his best & wholly unprofessional during last years floods. He was rude to workers in the Environment Agency at that time.

It's unprecedented, isn't it, Pickles deposing the democratically elected leadership in Tower Hamlets?

If Tower Hamlets is home to key workers can we justifiably demand more (above safe, competent, not horrid) from Tower Hamlets?

It's basically that the Mayoral system was supposed to end up with mayors like Richard Branson, not Lutfur Rahman. They were supposed to "cut through bureaucracy" by handing over everything to business, not by giving money to groups associated with mosques (who I have no opinion on overall). Overruling officers in Tower Hamlets is a capital offence- when the right type of mayor does it, it's dynamism, leadership etc. See also appointing close friends to jobs- this is OK for Johnson, not for Rahman.

Labour and Tory join in with it, and tell Gilligan and Ted Jeory and Private Eye. Hence the shitstorm.

Barnet, who outsourced so much they couldn't manage the contracts properly, are fine and dandy with Pickles.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Can someone who knows more than I - and I'm not in London anymore - explain what the main reasons are for this shortage of paramedics? Is it lack of workforce planning and training opportunities? Why are so many paramedics leaving - is it cost of living in London, poor wages, poor working conditions, endless pressure and not enough staff / support?

But again this seems crazy when we have so many people looking for jobs that we need to go abroad and take their already trained people. Surely this becomes self defeating - if we can always get people from abroad we won't bother training here ....

LAS paramedics take 5 years to train - they are trained to foundation degree level now, along with all the driving/emergency stuff.
First year (the academic year) starts at about £16K and as they do more shift work it goes up to about £20K plus weightings.

A fully qualified experienced paramedic can earn up to £30K to £39K but that includes shift premiums and weightings. They can work alone as first responders on motorbikes or whatever. It's not good pay for what they're expected to do.

Call handlers (who need training too) start at about £18K and after time can go to £25K.

They don't get extra for shifts as they do them; they get an annual allowance for unsocial hours. If someone gets a lot of nights or weekends, it's not really fair. They also take a lot of abuse and are often in quite dangerous situations.

Anything under £25K is not easy to live on in London these days.

I'm inclined to think that they are not treated all that well (it was the same back in my day) and they are chronically underpaid.

It depends how old they are really. Even now in London, you can live fine on less than £25k if you're young, just as you could on £17k in my heyday (late nineties). But looking for anything like a family life or saving up to buy a place, and you have to move out.

[StephenDolan]

Jonathan Ashworth MP ‏@JonAshworth 12m12 minutes ago
Hello @grantshapps is this character really your prospective MP for Wirral South or is it a parody account ? " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Wow. I'm getting fed up with all the Conservative leaflets for here, straight into the recycling. Alison McGovern currently at 78.8% on electoral calculus.

[ohsocynical]

Well I've wrapped the last present. Made bread rolls and froze some down. Made two gateaus [one gluten free for our son] the other for us instead of Christmas pudding. Baked 4 dozen gluten free and regular mince pies and countless sausage rolls, some of which I shall take to my nieces tomorrow afternoon when we meet up with all the family.
Made two quiches [one for son] which have already been eaten and the lovely lump of gammon I bought in Aldi is finishing off in its foil wrapper full of cider and will be a delicious ham.
Mr Ohso was awake with indigestion last night after polishing off most of the quiche, and today did his last turn as Santa, came home and immediately shaved his long white beard off. I'd forgotten what he looked like without it.
My mother will be turning in her grave because I haven't given the house a thorough cleaning, but this year it's too much for me to do that and all the baking.

It's my 52nd married Christmas. Where does the time go?

[citizenJA]

@Tubby Isaacs -

Thank you. I thought that was more or less the case. I've done some research & I couldn't find anything credible against local government in Tower Hamlets.

I'm sorry. It's wrong.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Cheers.

I don't say there's no problem with favouritism, or that Rahman doesn't have support from some unpleasant people, or that there might not be connected party stuff going on. But the amounts talked about so far don't justify take over. Couple of compliance officers would reassure everybody.

Things do basically work here. Go into the One Stop Shop and there's enough staff, and they know what they're talking about. The (private) rubbish collectors are efficient. And schools are doing very well indeed.

Private Eye's role has been very disappointing.

[TechnicalEphemera]

Clueless journo on North Korea. They only have 1024 IP addresses so not many people can have access to the internet......

Port Address Translation would neatly solve that, especially as everybody is going through a government content gateway.

Of course a more fundamental question would be how many devices that can connect to the internet do they have.

[citizenJA]

Well I've wrapped the last present. Made bread rolls and froze some down. Made two gateaus [one gluten free for our son] the other for us instead of Christmas pudding. Baked 4 dozen gluten free and regular mince pies and countless sausage rolls, some of which I shall take to my nieces tomorrow afternoon when we meet up with all the family.
Made two quiches [one for son] which have already been eaten and the lovely lump of gammon I bought in Aldi is finishing off in its foil wrapper full of cider and will be a delicious ham.
Mr Ohso was awake with indigestion last night after polishing off most of the quiche, and today did his last turn as Santa, came home and immediately shaved his long white beard off. I'd forgotten what he looked like without it.
My mother will be turning in her grave because I haven't given the house a thorough cleaning, but this year it's too much for me to do that and all the baking.

It's my 52nd married Christmas. Where does the time go?

The best writing I've read all day. Thank you, Ohso. Definitely not important, the thorough house cleaning, really.

The time goes, somehow, I don't understand it either.
I was 35 just the other day, it seems like.
No matter how rich or poor, we all only get the one life.

[Tubby Isaacs]

This is presumably OK with Pickles too.

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/ ... -1-6463894" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Budget cuts of £148 million will result in Northamptonshire County Council ‘outsourcing’ 95 per cent of staff

[citizenJA]

Cheers.

I don't say there's no problem with favouritism, or that Rahman doesn't have support from some unpleasant people, or that there might not be connected party stuff going on. But the amounts talked about so far don't justify take over. Couple of compliance officers would reassure everybody.

Things do basically work here. Go into the One Stop Shop and there's enough staff, and they know what they're talking about. The (private) rubbish collectors are efficient. And schools are doing very well indeed.

Private Eye's role has been very disappointing.

I understand, Tubby Isaacs, thank you. Tower Hamlets is essentially competent, run well for many people. The favouritism, yes, I've read about that but then when asked about voter turnout those painting a picture of despotic misrule are stymied by the fact democratically elected leadership were elected fairly.

xx
JA

[Tubby Isaacs]

Of course, there's one very obvious money saver with local government. But Pickles vetoed it.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/eric ... -and-devon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Eric Pickles has called time on the wasteful and unnecessary restructuring of councils in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon.

Reasons given are pitiful.

This government made it clear in its Coalition Agreement that reducing unnecessary spending would be part of how we cut the deficit. Today I am pulling the plug on this expensive distraction and saving the taxpayer £40 million of restructuring costs.

Cost of the reorganisation only, not the potential savings. About the clearest example of economic illiteracy one could expect to find.

Horrible and thick man.

[AngryAsWell]

Reject the proposal contained in the draft of the 'EU Animal Health Law' that defines stray domestic animals as "wild animals

https://www.change.org/p/martin-schulz- ... igned=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tubby Isaacs]

Devon's school budget alone for 2013/4 was £472m.

Spending £40m on restructuring 3 councils doesn't sound that outlandish to me.

[citizenJA]

Plus it is about consistent with Dugher's level of competence.

I've a liking for this MP, I do hope you'll acknowledge he's capable in other spheres & an asset to the Labour party. He's such an earnest fellow. I can just imagine his present wrapping mishap described above. I like his eldest's comment - it rings true, more or less. It's sweet. Not at all disturbing. I like representatives who don't disturb me.

The PM, now, Dave - his judgement. It's not sound. That's disturbing.

Dugher is my MP. I follow him on Twitter and a lot of his posts, when not about Labour stuff (meetings, campaigning and what-have-you) is about his family life. Playing with his kids, cooking currys and the like. I quite like it, it shows that he is 'human'.

I love that! I'm glad to know he's your MP. I haven't studied the man but I've run across some of his diligent endeavours.

[citizenJA]

Reject the proposal contained in the draft of the 'EU Animal Health Law' that defines stray domestic animals as "wild animals

https://www.change.org/p/martin-schulz- ... igned=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Done.

I've got to get away from the computer, everyone, & watch a film with Mr. Citizen.

I love you all. Please drive, walk & ride bikes safely. Please take every opportunity to enjoy yourselves. I'll be back tomorrow to read you.

xx
JA

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ooh, take that Hampstead Liberals! Or rather, Janet Street Porter.

Both Danczuk and his wife, Karen, a local Labour councillor in Rochdale, have been criticised for seeking the limelight - she was criticised by Janet Street Porter on ITV show Loose Women for continually Tweeting “cleavage selfies”. After appearing in the tabloids, Karen changed her Twitter profile to read: “The Uk’s only councillor to make European and International headlines.”

Yet Danczuk insists Karen is simply “doing what a lot of young women do” in her revealing Tweets: on Sunday night she posted a picture of herself, wet and apparently naked, subtitled: “A very long overdue & well deserved bath!! KD #heaven #candles #fizz #happysunday.”

Danczuk says he lets her do what she wants - “this isn’t the 1950s”. But he said: “She’s had a working class upbringing. Twenty-odd-year-old women, 30-year-old women, if they do Twitter, they take selfies of themselves before they go out on a Friday night.

[AngryAsWell]

I missed this (from November) by Rachel Reeves
"Rachel Reeves promises to remove benefit sanction targets with a Labour Government"

http://kittysjones.wordpress.com/2014/1 ... overnment/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TechnicalEphemera]

Ooh, take that Hampstead Liberals! Or rather, Janet Street Porter.

Both Danczuk and his wife, Karen, a local Labour councillor in Rochdale, have been criticised for seeking the limelight - she was criticised by Janet Street Porter on ITV show Loose Women for continually Tweeting “cleavage selfies”. After appearing in the tabloids, Karen changed her Twitter profile to read: “The Uk’s only councillor to make European and International headlines.”

Yet Danczuk insists Karen is simply “doing what a lot of young women do” in her revealing Tweets: on Sunday night she posted a picture of herself, wet and apparently naked, subtitled: “A very long overdue & well deserved bath!! KD #heaven #candles #fizz #happysunday.”

Danczuk says he lets her do what she wants - “this isn’t the 1950s”. But he said: “She’s had a working class upbringing. Twenty-odd-year-old women, 30-year-old women, if they do Twitter, they take selfies of themselves before they go out on a Friday night.

What on earth she is doing with a muppet like him we will never know. Still as long as he doesn't take to over sharing I have no issue.

Janet needs to get over herself. There are many threats to feminism, but Karen Danczuk is exactly none of them - regardless of whether she tweets photographs of her anatomy.

[rebeccariots2]

Well. Just got back in after an emergency call out from our nearest neighbour. Car broke down on our track - on the worst bit - and they couldn't push it up the hilly bit to their place. Leaving it on the track isn't an option as our second nearest neighbour is arriving back late tonight from visiting her daughter who has just had her second operation for breast cancer. It's a single lane track with no passing places on most of it.

So we've had a jolly time in the pissing rain pushing his car uphill to a point where he could run it downhill to their driveway - and get out of the way. We would have done more and helped tow him to the garage tomorrow ... but he said he had to be in work tomorrow as he couldn't give his employers (Tesco) any excuse to get rid of him. 'They're looking for reasons to get rid and save money ... three of us have been fired this week already'. Lovely eh.

So when Osborne smugly announces that nobody's world has fallen in over his shit handling of the economy, massive spending cuts, no wage growth, insecure jobs meaning lower tax takes and less consumer spending .... this is the real world you over indulged dork. People are scared of losing their 16 hour a week job at Tescos which they've done for 12 and more years with never a single extra hour offered on their regular contract.

[AngryAsWell]

Two UKIP parliamentary candidates have put their names to a motion of no confidence in Winston McKenzie standing for the party at the General Election in May.
Gosh party of publicity getting a bit touchy....

"The email from Oakley, seen by Inside Croydon, said: “No member is to approach any press or media outlet about the branch suspension and if contacted is to refuse to comment.
“Posting on social media about this matter is similarly unacceptable. Failure to comply with this will be considered a disciplinary offence.”

http://insidecroydon.com/2014/12/22/two ... ce-motion/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ErnstRemarx]

This is presumably OK with Pickles too.

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/ ... -1-6463894" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Budget cuts of £148 million will result in Northamptonshire County Council ‘outsourcing’ 95 per cent of staff

They're a Tory council. That's the choice they have made. It has rather more to do with their ideology than the finances. Here in Bury we've suffered a far worse hit - our services are council run and remaining that way. Tory councils will see this as the chance to effectively disband themselves, unconscious to the idea that that will suit fat Eric very well as he takes over their remaining functions. Rule from London - the Tories wet dream for local democracy and accountability.

Always, always remember. Tory councils will stuff their staff and the public because that's their philosophy. Save £2 on council tax for next year, even if it means constantly rising and uncontrollable council tax for every year after that. It's the Tory way.

[AngryAsWell]

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB · 2m2 minutes ago
Final poll of 2014 - Survation for the Mirror
Westminster (chg on 3 Nov)
LAB 33% (+2)
CON 30% (+3)
UKIP 21% (-3)
LD 10% (+1)

[rebeccariots2]

Man sent back to prison for getting job that started too early in the morning
Parole officer told Ashley Stansfield he could take job but firm supervising his licence then told him he had breached licence
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... ly-morning

[RogerOThornhill]

Two UKIP parliamentary candidates have put their names to a motion of no confidence in Winston McKenzie standing for the party at the General Election in May.
Gosh party of publicity getting a bit touchy....

"The email from Oakley, seen by Inside Croydon, said: “No member is to approach any press or media outlet about the branch suspension and if contacted is to refuse to comment.
“Posting on social media about this matter is similarly unacceptable. Failure to comply with this will be considered a disciplinary offence.”

http://insidecroydon.com/2014/12/22/two ... ce-motion/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That picture...

Jesus has found Nigel Farage: the UKIP leader had to contend with being followed by a Christ-lookalike after the latest Winston McKenzie gaffe last week

[rebeccariots2]

Snapshot of the BBC's website. What an interesting choice of graphic they have chosen for this story about Osborne's growth ...

Osbornes Growth.jpg (31.4 KiB) Viewed 11782 times