Friday 2nd January 2015

[Tubby Isaacs]

Fuck me, the idiots over at LDV aren't even willing to engage in a discussion about the Fibs' chances in May! I've been published (oh thank you, thank you, oh mighty moderators) and they've not even replied to the point made!

They're just keeping on chatting calmly about how when everyone knows what nice guys they are, then the entire voting population will have that Damascene conversion and they'll be back in government. It's astonishing the extent to which these people are deluding themselves.

I've left another comment - published immediately, I'm pleased to report - which I hope might generate a little more awareness, although I'm not holding out much hope.

My comment (on policy) didn't get any response either.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Heavyweight paper reporting.

Euro falling. Holidays!

[Tubby Isaacs]

Lord Ashcroft ‏@LordAshcroft 3m3 minutes ago
With the Fixed Parliament Act we now have to listen to 4 months of political spin! #ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

This is getting a bit of attention.

Won't help the governing parties, you'd have thought.

[RogerOThornhill]

Evening all.

Spent the day with my in-laws down near the south coast - bloody freezing by the time we came to get the train back! My feet have just about thawed out now.

Did anyone else notice that Toby Young has abandoned his 'unite the right' campaign?

http://www.spectator.co.uk/life/status- ... re-modest/

Then there was the fact that I wasn’t the right person to lead this crusade, given my close identification with the Conservative party. If the proposal was associated with me, it would always be viewed with deep scepticism by most Kippers.

There was another, more fundamental problem. If I pursued this project, given how hostile senior Tories were towards it, I would probably end up falling out with my own party and I didn’t much like the idea of being exiled from my tribe. I value the camaraderie of fellow Tories and I don’t want to lose that. I’ve got so many enemies as it is, I have no wish to throw away my few remaining allies.

I don;'t think he gets why so many Tories abandoned them - quite why he thought in UKIP they'd be happy with a pact with the people they despise is beyond me.

Oh hang on, I've remembered...he's a dimwit.

[TechnicalEphemera]

The whole Andrew thing is a bit embarrassing isn't it.

Hypothetically were this to have taken place - which he denies, I think the legal aspects are problematic.

If a famous and wealthy person in similar circumstances knew she was not consenting that fictitious person would be in a lot of trouble, but of course they might claim not to know this. I am not sure about how the law views a 17 year old if there was any suggestion of a financial involvement, I suspect that is very problematic as well (certainly would be in France). Then again I suspect the law would have to prove our fictitious person was aware of the transaction.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Evening all.

Spent the day with my in-laws down near the south coast - bloody freezing by the time we came to get the train back! My feet have just about thawed out now.

Did anyone else notice that Toby Young has abandoned his 'unite the right' campaign?

http://www.spectator.co.uk/life/status- ... re-modest/

Then there was the fact that I wasn’t the right person to lead this crusade, given my close identification with the Conservative party. If the proposal was associated with me, it would always be viewed with deep scepticism by most Kippers.

There was another, more fundamental problem. If I pursued this project, given how hostile senior Tories were towards it, I would probably end up falling out with my own party and I didn’t much like the idea of being exiled from my tribe. I value the camaraderie of fellow Tories and I don’t want to lose that. I’ve got so many enemies as it is, I have no wish to throw away my few remaining allies.

I don;'t think he gets why so many Tories abandoned them - quite why he thought in UKIP they'd be happy with a pact with the people they despise is beyond me.

Oh hang on, I've remembered...he's a dimwit.

Indeed.

He never quite explained why the Right, as defined by him as UKIP and Tories, went from about 39% in 2010 to something nearer 50% later.

[AngryAsWell]

Poor Lambs! Don't ya just love the Cruel commentators ?

Tweeters ride roughshod over Tory road poster
Cruel commentators claim David Cameron’s new poster shows a road to nowhere

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... mentpage=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(Tweet storm Saturday 6pm hashtag #RoadToRuin)

[ErnstRemarx]

The whole Andrew thing is a bit embarrassing isn't it.

Hypothetically were this to have taken place - which he denies, I think the legal aspects are problematic.

If a famous and wealthy person in similar circumstances knew she was not consenting that fictitious person would be in a lot of trouble, but of course they might claim not to know this. I am not sure about how the law views a 17 year old if there was any suggestion of a financial involvement, I suspect that is very problematic as well (certainly would be in France). Then again I suspect the law would have to prove our fictitious person was aware of the transaction.

Just as well, one might hypothetically say, that this is taking place in the US, and therefore is well removed from the glare of the UK's meeja. Except, as it turns out, the Americans have the same meeja paranoias and interests as over here.

That's what's getting reported. I want to know why the enquiry into child abuse from the 70s/80s/90s doesn't have a new head after all the false starts. I have my suspicions why dossiers have disappeared over the years, why the press is only fitfully interested and why the government is dragging its feet. And if I'm right, then I suspect that the chances of the guilty ever being named and tried are vanishingly small.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ernst, someone replied to you.

[ErnstRemarx]

Ernst, someone replied to you.

Cheers, Tubs, I'll go and try not to post something massively insulting...!

[AngryAsWell]

Ernst, someone replied to you.

I'm looking on LDV but can't find the article ? any chance of a link...

[ErnstRemarx]

Ernst, someone replied to you.

I'm looking on LDV but can't find the article ? any chance of a link...

Try here: http://www.libdemvoice.org/malcolm-bruc ... 44017.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've been back on as some snotty little shit is trying to rubbish bookies, quoting isolated instances where bookmakers have got electoral results wrong. Do feel free to pitch in as those smug fuckers seem to be in denial.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Nice bit of Cybernattery I hadn't seen before.

http://www.indyrefanswers.com/defence/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Scotland's simultaneously getting not very much defence work but apparently has unique expertise in it!

Nicely skirts over EU opt outs too.

If Scotland votes Yes there will be no problem, under EU rules, with the Clyde yards continuing to produce warships for the rest of the UK without needing to put the work out to tender throughout Europe because the contract would be for “military or security” reasons.

There has never been a challenge to the UK state’s use of this tendering opt-out, primarily because no other EU member state has the skills to compete under an open tender.

Scotland of course would just get an opt out too.

[rebeccariots2]

Iain Dale ‏@IainDale 53m53 minutes ago
I'm doing my Welsh seat predictions at the moment, Interested in views on where UKIP are strong and where their vote is coming from in Wales

Owen Smith MP ‏@OwenSmithMP 36m36 minutes ago
.@IainDale Tell them not to get their hopes up, Iain. There'll be no welcome for UKIP in these hillsides.

Iain Dale ‏@IainDale 30m30 minutes ago
@OwenSmithMP Well, I understand you can't say anything else, but their vote did help the Tories retain their Euro seat I think.

Owen Smith MP ‏@OwenSmithMP 11m11 minutes ago
.@IainDale Iain, they lost to us in the Euros and they will not win a single seat in Wales. They might help us in Aberconway & The Vale tho

Iain Dale ‏@IainDale 10m10 minutes ago
@OwenSmithMP I agree they won't win a seat but they could prevent you winning the odd one. Delyn, Wrexham, Alyn/Deesdie for example.

Gwyn Williams ‏@Gwyn_Dr 8m8 minutes ago
@IainDale @OwenSmithMP Aberconwy - no 2nd "a"

Owen Smith MP ‏@OwenSmithMP 6m6 minutes ago
@IainDale Not a chance. I was campaigning in Shotton just a few weeks ago.They are a shop-front shell.

Iain Dale ‏@IainDale 5m5 minutes ago
@OwenSmithMP Owen, you know I have a lot of time for you, but I also know even if you thought they would affect things, you couldn't say so!

Olaf Cai Larsen ‏@OlafCaiLarsen 4m4 minutes ago
@Gwyn_Dr @IainDale @OwenSmithMP There is polling evidence that UKIP will have more of an pact on Labour than the Tories in Wales

[AngryAsWell]

Ernst, someone replied to you.

I'm looking on LDV but can't find the article ? any chance of a link...

Try here: http://www.libdemvoice.org/malcolm-bruc ... 44017.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've been back on as some snotty little shit is trying to rubbish bookies, quoting isolated instances where bookmakers have got electoral results wrong. Do feel free to pitch in as those smug fuckers seem to be in denial.

Not registered there and lost access to my "throw away" email (must make another) but you two are holding your own

[rebeccariots2]

Cameron Accused of Deficit Lie.jpg (74.79 KiB) Viewed 6381 times

Gordon Marsden MP retweeted
Nick Sutton ‏@suttonnick 2h2 hours ago
Saturday's i front page:
Cameron accused of deficit lie
#tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers

[rebeccariots2]

GENERAL ELECTION PREDICTIONS 24: STAFFORDSHIRE
http://iaindale.com/posts/2015/01/02/ge ... ffordshire

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Jonathan Portes ‏@jdportes 3m3 minutes ago
Yes, the government has halved the deficit. Whose idea was that? http://niesr.ac.uk/blog/halving-deficit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

[rebeccariots2]

Polish workers left jobless and with an unusual Christmas message
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/busin ... 54738.html
For the 150 Polish employees of Mike Waterton’s collapsed employment agency, it is advice they could have probably done without. While they contemplated a Christmas of unpaid wages, their former boss posted a festive online message suggesting people “enjoy family time, the workplace being closed and spreading goodwill and happiness to those close to us”...
Some of those left out of work had to cancel plans to return to Poland for Christmas while others were only able to buy groceries after the owner of a Polish delicatessen in the town offered them credit.

Mr Waterton, 43, said the “sudden and quick” closure of his agency, which found work for temporary cleaners, factory workers and clerical staff, was “regrettable” but he had been unable to reach an agreement with the HM Revenue & Customs to keep trading. A petition to wind up Temp Network was issued by HMRC on 16 July last year...

Some of the workers are saying they are owed pay. I'm not clear what the situation was here ... but it seems that while the workers have had tax deducted HMRC seem to think they are owed money. This agency sounds like bad news all round. I wonder what kind of rates these workers were on ... well no, I don't really. These agencies seem to be another of the latest get rich quick of the backs of low paid workers schemes. I hate what is happening in and to this country.

[RogerOThornhill]

Jonathan Portes ‏@jdportes 3m3 minutes ago
Yes, the government has halved the deficit. Whose idea was that? http://niesr.ac.uk/blog/halving-deficit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

High risk strategy that one - I would imagine that Labour have researchers trawling through speeches and Hansard looking for juicy quotes of Osborne saying that going for a 50% deficit reduction was reckless.

Labour could also remind voters that Clegg thought it not nearly enough which is why he switched to supporting Osborne rather than Darling.

[ErnstRemarx]

I'm looking on LDV but can't find the article ? any chance of a link...

Try here: http://www.libdemvoice.org/malcolm-bruc ... 44017.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've been back on as some snotty little shit is trying to rubbish bookies, quoting isolated instances where bookmakers have got electoral results wrong. Do feel free to pitch in as those smug fuckers seem to be in denial.

Not registered there and lost access to my "throw away" email (must make another) but you two are holding your own

Ta, AAW, I get really pissed off when I see people - of any party - indulging in fantasies, which is the reason I persisted there. That poster tried to tell me that the LibDems will overcome mathematical odds...er, sorry mate, that's why bookies make money and why your party of fucking liars will soon be out of business...

[Eric_WLothian]

Nice bit of Cybernattery I hadn't seen before.

http://www.indyrefanswers.com/defence/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Scotland's simultaneously getting not very much defence work but apparently has unique expertise in it!

Nicely skirts over EU opt outs too.

If Scotland votes Yes there will be no problem, under EU rules, with the Clyde yards continuing to produce warships for the rest of the UK without needing to put the work out to tender throughout Europe because the contract would be for “military or security” reasons.

There has never been a challenge to the UK state’s use of this tendering opt-out, primarily because no other EU member state has the skills to compete under an open tender.

Scotland of course would just get an opt out too.

What's really sad is that 1.6M people apparently believed the rubbish published on that site (and others).

[Tubby Isaacs]

Dr Phil Hammond ‏@drphilhammond 4h4 hours ago
Lansley reforms have increased quangos from 118 to 234, & levels of bureaucracy from 3 to 24 - Julie Moore, NHS CEO

Cull of the Quangos!

[ErnstRemarx]

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-7a ... Kc0gns0-g0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now that's the sort of editorial that should appear in the Graun, if they had any balls and didn't supinely back the FibDems. If the Mirror reprints it word for word, I bet it'll get a lot of applause as it's absolutely right on the numbers.

[Tubby Isaacs]

What's really sad is that 1.6M people apparently believed the rubbish published on that site (and others).

Indeed.

I give them credit for pointing out that Trident's stupid, but given that it's in Scotland, I can't see that kicking it out is a massive saving. Even if other parts of defence weren't linked with it.

There's also the contradiction between the UK being happy to send projects to the other side of the world and the idea they'd just keep buying off Scotland, just because.

[LadyCentauria]

Dr Phil Hammond ‏@drphilhammond 4h4 hours ago
Lansley reforms have increased quangos from 118 to 234, & levels of bureaucracy from 3 to 24 - Julie Moore, NHS CEO

Cull of the Quangos!

Cripes! Even my limited capability in arithmetic tells me they've very nearly doubled the number of quangos. And an eight-fold increase in layers of bureaucracy! They must be using the same calculator that told them they'd halved the deficit and halved the amount we have to pay the EU ~ and for all those glittering statistical successes GIDS is responsible for...

[HindleA]

63% reduction in "meals on wheels "since coalition formation

Equivalent to 220,000 thousand meals,average increase in charging for daily provision
£247 p.a.


Not just important in terms of meals of course.



http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... CMP=twt_gu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ErnstRemarx]

What's really sad is that 1.6M people apparently believed the rubbish published on that site (and others).

Indeed.

I give them credit for pointing out that Trident's stupid, but given that it's in Scotland, I can't see that kicking it out is a massive saving. Even if other parts of defence weren't linked with it.

There's also the contradiction between the UK being happy to send projects to the other side of the world and the idea they'd just keep buying off Scotland, just because.

Trident's ultimately self defeating. It's no longer needed and we can't afford it, end of. Your second point is well noted, since it highlights the risk to Scotland should it go indy and a British government decide that that's that WRT Trident. I've felt since the 80's that it has to go, but that's just me. I can't see a payback in times of financial strife in investing in weaponry that we have no idea whom would be its recepticle. It's nonsense.

The west as a whole needs a pretty major rethink about the whole NATO gig, as I suspect that it's long overdue, and an EU led force (without America) would be seen as less threatening to Russia and less of an imposition on America.

One last observation - the coverage of City over at the Morning Star isn't very good: I suspect I'm going to end up penning reports and sending them in.

[Eric_WLothian]

What's really sad is that 1.6M people apparently believed the rubbish published on that site (and others).

Indeed.

I give them credit for pointing out that Trident's stupid, but given that it's in Scotland, I can't see that kicking it out is a massive saving. Even if other parts of defence weren't linked with it.

There's also the contradiction between the UK being happy to send projects to the other side of the world and the idea they'd just keep buying off Scotland, just because.

I wonder if the people of Helensburgh have ever been consulted about losing the business from the Trident base (which is also home to conventional Naval vessels).
The idea that it would become the HQ of a Scottish Navy was laughable, given that the main function of such a (west coast) base would be to protect the dwindling (east coast) oil platforms.
I noticed that the site stated that the Clyde yards would continue building rUK warships because they were building Brazilian ships. I must have missed the news that Brazil had joined the EU.

[TechnicalEphemera]

What's really sad is that 1.6M people apparently believed the rubbish published on that site (and others).

Indeed.

I give them credit for pointing out that Trident's stupid, but given that it's in Scotland, I can't see that kicking it out is a massive saving. Even if other parts of defence weren't linked with it.

There's also the contradiction between the UK being happy to send projects to the other side of the world and the idea they'd just keep buying off Scotland, just because.

Trident's ultimately self defeating. It's no longer needed and we can't afford it, end of. Your second point is well noted, since it highlights the risk to Scotland should it go indy and a British government decide that that's that WRT Trident. I've felt since the 80's that it has to go, but that's just me. I can't see a payback in times of financial strife in investing in weaponry that we have no idea whom would be its recepticle. It's nonsense.

The west as a whole needs a pretty major rethink about the whole NATO gig, as I suspect that it's long overdue, and an EU led force (without America) would be seen as less threatening to Russia and less of an imposition on America.

One last observation - the coverage of City over at the Morning Star isn't very good: I suspect I'm going to end up penning reports and sending them in.

An EU led force without America would certainly be less threatening to Russia. It would be utterly useless. Even the current Russian airforce would roll over us.

As for Trident, we need nukes, but we could probably go for a cheaper land based system. I don't think we need to worry about a full scale war.

[Tubby Isaacs]

What's really sad is that 1.6M people apparently believed the rubbish published on that site (and others).

Indeed.

I give them credit for pointing out that Trident's stupid, but given that it's in Scotland, I can't see that kicking it out is a massive saving. Even if other parts of defence weren't linked with it.

There's also the contradiction between the UK being happy to send projects to the other side of the world and the idea they'd just keep buying off Scotland, just because.

Trident's ultimately self defeating. It's no longer needed and we can't afford it, end of. Your second point is well noted, since it highlights the risk to Scotland should it go indy and a British government decide that that's that WRT Trident. I've felt since the 80's that it has to go, but that's just me. I can't see a payback in times of financial strife in investing in weaponry that we have no idea whom would be its recepticle. It's nonsense.

The west as a whole needs a pretty major rethink about the whole NATO gig, as I suspect that it's long overdue, and an EU led force (without America) would be seen as less threatening to Russia and less of an imposition on America.

One last observation - the coverage of City over at the Morning Star isn't very good: I suspect I'm going to end up penning reports and sending them in.

I think the trouble with SNP arguments about Trident is that they're tied up with independence because of who's making them.

At a UK level, get rid of the darned thing tmrw and save money.

[HindleA]

"New consumer debt reaches seven year high"



http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/j ... -year-high" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[LadyCentauria]

According to Darren Adam on LBC, Nigel Farage will reveal 'left-leaning' policies designed to 'catch Labour voters in the Northern constituencies,' within the next few weeks. Topic of discussion for this hour (6am to 7am) is whether or not this might be successful...