Wednesday 7th January 2015

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:46 am

Morning.

Pictures and video of the Save The ILF lobby of Parliament yesterday,for those interested.

http://dpac.uk.net/2015/01/pictures-and ... roadblock/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **refitman** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 7:34 am

Morning all. Conservatives and Labour tied on Yougov:

Latest YouGov / The Sun results 6th January -

Con 33%, (+2)
Lab 33%, (-1)
LD 7%, (nc)
UKIP 13%, (-1)
GRN 8%; (nc)

APP -21 (+3)

howsillyofme1 · Post by **howsillyofme1** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 8:00 am

Morning all

Just seen this - firstly I thought it was the normal LDV guff (yes Caron again) but when I read it I found out it was an amusing satirical pievce, so well done to her for having a sense of humour

Apparently he got angry, mocked and was brave on a number of things!

Hilarious

http://www.libdemvoice.org/48-good-thin ... ent-332167" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 8:03 am

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 2m2 minutes ago
Great new resource from Lord Ashcroft. Easy access to all his single constituency polls http://po.st/EDxwiA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 8:07 am

Am I a conspiracy theorist?

Around our village last night there were several ambulances with blue flashing lights, yet no obvious calamity. Again this morning on the bus into Town I saw the same thing.

It wouldn't be possible that ambulances have been instructed to put on a bit of a show would it?

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 8:56 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Am I a conspiracy theorist?

Around our village last night there were several ambulances with blue flashing lights, yet no obvious calamity. Again this morning on the bus into Town I saw the same thing.

It wouldn't be possible that ambulances have been instructed to put on a bit of a show would it?

It's probably one of Rhyming Slangs' bullet points. Part of our experience of A&E/NHS over the festive period involved a wait at the department entrance. As the ambulance carrying our family member had been sent from a different area (so the para-medics had different uniforms on)....they were kept waiting whilst patients in ambulances from the area (with para-medics wearing the 'correct' uniforms) were admitted - it required the para-medic from our ambulance to become very aggressive with staff in A & E before they would accept the (very ill) patient - I used to laugh at the chaos and incompetence emanating from the Coalition of Clowns....but it's really not funny any more.

...and morning all...many thanks for your kind thoughts - as TGS said - this is a community and I find it helps just being part of it (and you all give me quite a lot of Hope

)

Toby Latimer · Post by **Toby Latimer** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 8:59 am

First PMQs of the year ? Wonder what Cameron's new buzzwords will be ?
I'm putting a fiver on ''Wales'' " Mid Staffs" & "We won't take any lectures on this side of the hice"

Toby Latimer · Post by **Toby Latimer** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 9:10 am

What odds will i get for Cameron shuffling his papers and not listening to the questions before standing up and bursting several more blood vessels in his Billy Bunter fatuous beetroot Bullingdon hate filled face ?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 9:17 am

Morning.

Have just looked up the price of domestic heating oil for my area [we have no mains gas] and the price locally is down nearly 10p a litre since October [could buy it for 42.99pence + 5% VAT if ordered today].

That means a drop in VAT revenue for the Exchequer on heating oil, petrol & presumably LPG too which a lot of people have to use for heating & cooking.

That's surely going to have some effect on the economy, but maybe people will spend their energy savings on higher rated VAT consumer items so the Exchequer won't feel a loss ?

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 9:18 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 2m2 minutes ago
Great new resource from Lord Ashcroft. Easy access to all his single constituency polls http://po.st/EDxwiA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I noticed in the briefing it says 'Indeed as Times columnist Tim Montgomerie has pointed out, the availability of this data means tactical voters can be better informed than ever before. Voters in Sheffield Hallam, for example, will note that Labour look best placed to unseat Nick Clegg in a constituency the Lib Dems have traditionally – if not, recently, very closely – contested with the Tories (indeed they may well bump into Ed Miliband out canvassing). Conservatives in both Dudley North and Great Grimsby will see that although their party came second by less than a thousand votes last time round, UKIP now appear to offer the best chance of unseating Labour. Lib Dems considering Labour in North Cornwall will know their seat is on a knife edge and that their switch would make a Tory gain more likely. Labour voters in Thanet South who do not wish Nigel Farage to represent them in parliament will observe, however reluctantly, that to keep him out they will have to vote Conservative. '

Anyone but Labour strategy. That'll end well given how much UKIP, Conservatives and Lib Dems core voters get on.....

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 9:21 am

Morning all.
Ashcroft has summarised his polling of marginal constituencies onto a single site

http://lordashcroftpolls.com/constituency-polls/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Spoiler alert - He has McVile down to lose narrowly

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 10:07 am

yahyah wrote:Morning.

Have just looked up the price of domestic heating oil for my area [we have no mains gas] and the price locally is down nearly 10p a litre since October [could buy it for 42.99pence + 5% VAT if ordered today].

That means a drop in VAT revenue for the Exchequer on heating oil, petrol & presumably LPG too which a lot of people have to use for heating & cooking.

That's surely going to have some effect on the economy, but maybe people will spend their energy savings on higher rated VAT consumer items so the Exchequer won't feel a loss ?

This is exactly the point Mr Riots made to me yesterday when we were talking about the reduction in diesel. We were wondering when the drop in VAT and fuel taxes would start to show on official treasury figures? They might be happening now ... but when will they actually get announced ... probably not until after the election?

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 10:54 am

Hmm it must be a Wednesday. The top recommended comment so far on the AS politics live blog says extra money is not what the NHS needs, it's further top down reorganisation.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 10:56 am

StephenDolan wrote:Hmm it must be a Wednesday. The top recommended comment so far on the AS politics live blog says extra money is not what the NHS needs, it's further top down reorganisation.

CCHQ got the drones and 'turfers working already? Grant must be really nervous about Cameron's performance today then.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 11:23 am

Yep, expecting a major astroturfing effort today.

Wouldn't be surprised to see those "lifelong Labour supporters" suddenly turning against the party in evidence again

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 11:37 am

Paul Waugh
‏@paulwaugh Speaker has granted Urgent Commons Question 12.30pm to @andyburnhammp asking @Jeremy_Hunt re A&E performance

Ah, the presence of the 'turfers explained, full damage control limitation exercise required after Rhyming Slang crashes and burns.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 11:43 am

dominic dyer @domdyer70 · 1m 1 minute ago
Liz Truss tells Oxford Farming Conference she will expand the badger culls but won't say if commitment be made before the General Election

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 11:44 am

Good morning.

There will be an urgent question in the Commons at 12.30pm about the A&E crisis.

Sky News Newsdesk ✔ @SkyNewsBreak
Follow

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has been granted an urgent question in the House of Commons on A&E department pressures in England
10:59 AM - 7 Jan 2015
(Andrew Sparrow, Guardian)

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 11:46 am

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Paul Waugh
‏@paulwaugh Speaker has granted Urgent Commons Question 12.30pm to @andyburnhammp asking @Jeremy_Hunt re A&E performance
Ah, the presence of the 'turfers explained, full damage control limitation exercise required after Rhyming Slang crashes and burns.

Whoops. Sorry - and snap!

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 11:51 am

PorFavor wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Paul Waugh
‏@paulwaugh Speaker has granted Urgent Commons Question 12.30pm to @andyburnhammp asking @Jeremy_Hunt re A&E performance
Ah, the presence of the 'turfers explained, full damage control limitation exercise required after Rhyming Slang crashes and burns.
Whoops. Sorry - and snap!

Great minds etc.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 12:10 pm

Oh Christ, just woke up from nights to hear Empty say something like "stop using the NHS like a political football" irony much?!

NHS in Wales klaxon.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 12:38 pm

Patrick Wintour @patrickwintour · 2h 2 hours ago
Witnesses call for sanctions on ESA (a key benefit for disabled) to be suspended. 4800 now being sanctioned a month, many mentally ill.

Patrick Wintour @patrickwintour · 2h 2 hours ago
DWP inquiry on benefit sanction told lack of systematic research on sanctioned going into work, black economy or turn to family/food banks

Patrick Wintour @patrickwintour · 2h 2 hours ago
DWP independent reviewer of JSA sanctions tells select committee govt should undertake stock-take of impact of sanction reforms.

Patrick Wintour @patrickwintour · 2h 2 hours ago
benefits sanctions has become "a parallel secret penal system", Professor Webster tells DWP select committee

Patrick Wintour @patrickwintour · 2h 2 hours ago
DWP is ignoring its own guidance including contacting GPs before deciding whether to sanction ESA claimants, select committee told by MIND.

We know what the DWP official response to this compelling and disgraceful evidence will be ... because they provided their totally dismissive and robotic 'evidence the other day. The same old denial factory.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 1:19 pm

For those seriously engaged with education issues:

Iain Dale retweeted
LBC @LBC · 4h 4 hours ago
Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw is in the LBC studio taking your calls on schools. Watch now: http://l-bc.co/lseNdx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 1:25 pm

Had to switch BBC Parliament off, my shouting at Rhyming slang has upset the neighbours. The (expected) appalling performances from both Hunt & Cameron; for the aficionados, Cameron's colour today was "Berry Smoothie" in the Dulux range (there is no equivalent in Farrow & Ball, because that company has class, unlike OGRFPG).

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 1:44 pm

Raise a cheer - someone on WATO has finally brought up the Tories / Lib Dems closing down of NHS Direct as one of the key factors behind the increased pressures on A & Es - and they are trying to be polite about the replacement 111 services but say it is clear they do refer more people to A & E as they are not staffed by trained clinicians as NHS Direct was.

This is the most horrible chickens coming home to roost. The media have a lot to answer for with their shameful lack of scrutiny re the NHS reforms.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:00 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:Had to switch BBC Parliament off, my shouting at Rhyming slang has upset the neighbours. The (expected) appalling performances from both Hunt & Cameron; for the aficionados, Cameron's colour today was "Berry Smoothie" in the Dulux range (there is no equivalent in Farrow & Ball, because that company has class, unlike OGRFPG).

I want to see a 'Completely Crushed Raspberry' shade in evidence on May 8th. That's what I really really want.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:12 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:Had to switch BBC Parliament off, my shouting at Rhyming slang has upset the neighbours. The (expected) appalling performances from both Hunt & Cameron; for the aficionados, Cameron's colour today was "Berry Smoothie" in the Dulux range (there is no equivalent in Farrow & Ball, because that company has class, unlike OGRFPG).
I want to see a 'Completely Crushed Raspberry' shade in evidence on May 8th. That's what I really really want.

Puce, scarlet then ghost white hopefully.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:17 pm

StephenDolan wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:Had to switch BBC Parliament off, my shouting at Rhyming slang has upset the neighbours. The (expected) appalling performances from both Hunt & Cameron; for the aficionados, Cameron's colour today was "Berry Smoothie" in the Dulux range (there is no equivalent in Farrow & Ball, because that company has class, unlike OGRFPG).
I want to see a 'Completely Crushed Raspberry' shade in evidence on May 8th. That's what I really really want.
Puce, scarlet then ghost white hopefully.

Colours sound like the sweetpeas in Sarah Raven' seed catalogue I'm browsing at the moment.
Think gardening is the only thing that will help maintain sanity in the next four months.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:27 pm

"Ghost white" is hopefully what colour Clegg will turn when he hears the Hallam result

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:29 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:"Ghost white" is hopefully what colour Clegg will turn when he hears the Hallam result

& it really would be Labour's fault in that case

howsillyofme1 · Post by **howsillyofme1** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:44 pm

Doing some lurking on LDV this morning as I am having a giggle at the reaction Alexander's choice as economic spokesman

One interesting point is in an article on Laws where he is moaning about proposed Tory education cuts. Someone BTL (a potential recruit for here perhaps....) has asked if this is a red line and how they would stop the Tories doing it. The point is also made that Labour would be a far better option for the LD if these are their concerns (not that I would ever support this in reality but it is good watching LD squirm) and they should say so

I think the point I am trying to make is that each time the LD moan about another of the parties' policies they will be asked this type of question. It will also be interesting after all the manifestos are printed to see if someone asks which is their preferred partner in coalition. Their leader has said they want a coalition so I think it will be impossible for him to avoid giving a preference based on manifestos.

The 'largest party' approach is not credible in my view, and never has been - there surely has to be some ideological meeting of minds as well

The same poster asked yesterday which party the members of the site would prefer to be in coalition with but I cannot see any responses

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:47 pm

yahyah wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:"Ghost white" is hopefully what colour Clegg will turn when he hears the Hallam result

& it really would be Labour's fault in that case

'It's Labours' fault the voters in Hallam have chosen a Labour party MP.'

Oliver Coppard
Labour party candidate for Sheffield, Hallam
May 2015

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 2:55 pm

howsillyofme1 wrote:Doing some lurking on LDV this morning as I am having a giggle at the reaction Alexander's choice as economic spokesman

One interesting point is in an article on Laws where he is moaning about proposed Tory education cuts. Someone BTL (a potential recruit for here perhaps....) has asked if this is a red line and how they would stop the Tories doing it. The point is also made that Labour would be a far better option for the LD if these are their concerns (not that I would ever support this in reality but it is good watching LD squirm) and they should say so

I think the point I am trying to make is that each time the LD moan about another of the parties' policies they will be asked this type of question. It will also be interesting after all the manifestos are printed to see if someone asks which is their preferred partner in coalition. Their leader has said they want a coalition so I think it will be impossible for him to avoid giving a preference based on manifestos.

The 'largest party' approach is not credible in my view, and never has been - there surely has to be some ideological meeting of minds as well

The same poster asked yesterday which party the members of the site would prefer to be in coalition with but I cannot see any responses

Clegg acts as though the Lib Dems are an aloof beauty, able to treat potential suitors with sneering contempt, expecting the gentlemen from the wealthier, more powerful families to fight for the right to court her.

In reality he transformed them into Miss Haversham.

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 3:01 pm

Sensible editorail piece in the MS:

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-29 ... K1JpHs0-g0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 3:10 pm

Bit quiet in here today, maybe the news from France has something to do with that??

Murdered in cold blood - because of CARTOONS. Scum - absolute murderous bastard f***ing scum.

I hope (though don't expect, alas) that the print media in the entire civilised world are united in publishing ONE THING on their front pages tomorrow.

howsillyofme1 · Post by **howsillyofme1** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 3:23 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Bit quiet in here today, maybe the news from France has something to do with that??

Murdered in cold blood - because of CARTOONS. Scum - absolute murderous bastard f***ing scum.

I hope (though don't expect, alas) that the print media in the entire civilised world are united in publishing ONE THING on their front pages tomorrow.

JE SUIS CHARLIE et toutes mes condoléances aux familles touchées par cette crime abominable!

I hope we see the Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité side of the French coming out here - in support of free speech and against hate crime by whoever it is enacted. My concern is the Front National will try to use it to their advantage and sow further division in a society already under pressure

I would hope to see the journalists of the world show their support for free speech and a condemnation of the politics of division and hatred. Cartoons/satire may be at times offensive censorship of this should only be done at the extremes where hatred is encouraged. Some will do this - others won't. I will watch the British and Swiss press with interest

Hi I edited this as the last paragraph sounded wrong so have rewritten it

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 3:32 pm

yahyah wrote:
StephenDolan wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: I want to see a 'Completely Crushed Raspberry' shade in evidence on May 8th. That's what I really really want.
Puce, scarlet then ghost white hopefully.

Colours sound like the sweetpeas in Sarah Raven' seed catalogue I'm browsing at the moment.
Think gardening is the only thing that will help maintain sanity in the next four months.

Just got my order of sweet pea seeds from there - delivered today. Not going to tell you what they are. Will wait until you tell me what you choose - or would choose if you were going to buy from there - and we can shout SNAP again!

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 3:44 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
yahyah wrote:
StephenDolan wrote: Puce, scarlet then ghost white hopefully.

Colours sound like the sweetpeas in Sarah Raven' seed catalogue I'm browsing at the moment.
Think gardening is the only thing that will help maintain sanity in the next four months.
Just got my order of sweet pea seeds from there - delivered today. Not going to tell you what they are. Will wait until you tell me what you choose - or would choose if you were going to buy from there - and we can shout SNAP again!

I'm a lupin person. They have such beautiful colours and the perfume is wonderful. I'm amazed that they don't get more of a write-up with regard to their wonderful, but subtle, smell.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 3:47 pm

@RobertSnozers

We haven't had a proper cold snap yet. That'll stretch things even tighter, and a good many hospitals have been running at absolute maximum for weeks already.

I think of this daily. In my area, the following:

Royal Stoke University Hospital
Data for University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust

61.3%
Patients seen in 4 hours

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-st ... e-30696386

Anecdotal information from CJA here, I've heard a lot more ground ambulance activity from the West Midlands Ambulance Service & far less Midlands Air Ambulance (a charity) activity to Royal Stoke University Hospital.

http://www.midlandsairambulance.com/about-us/about-us

West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Formed in 2006 bringing four previous services together - in January 2013, authorised as a Foundation Trust and in line with the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, was licenced as a provider of NHS Services on 1 April 2013. As a Foundation Trust, we must have a Constitution [see part of that constitution content posted below] that is compliant with current statute and the regulators Code of Governance.

http://www.wmas.nhs.uk/Documents/FT%20- ... 202013.pdf

(my bold)
Was it always considered a failure on the part of these foundation trusts if health care personnel & their departments had to use more money than was given to them by Westminster to provide medical treatment to the people? Was it like that prior to the Health & Social Care Act of 2012?

2.4 'The Trust may also carry on activities other than those mentioned in the
above paragraph for the purpose of making additional income available in
order better to carry on its principal purpose.

'What the hell else are they supposed to do on the side to raise cash?

What counts as the 'principle purpose' of health care provision providers in this context is horseshit.

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:23 pm

On the subject of flowers try these:
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/tal ... 59345.html
The fragrance is gorgeous and they last from June well into December if there are no hard frosts. I'm hoping they'll return this year as they were brilliant plants.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:25 pm

I'm reminded of last year, when the now sacked Benedict Brogan said there'd been no A&E crisis because the government were so great. Nothing of course to do with the mild weather.

I expect he made some allowance for the weather's responsibility for flooding.

Toby Latimer · Post by **Toby Latimer** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:34 pm

Oh dear

: ScreenShot00245.jpg (134.89 KiB) Viewed 14065 times

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:36 pm

Dear Ed, Kate and Rachel,

Please consider this one of the 4 million conversations you want to have with voters. The subject I’d like to discuss is the Independent Living Fund.

Let me start by saying that I am not myself disabled nor am I caring for someone who is disabled but this issue concerns me deeply. Let me follow that by saying that I am already a Labour voter and more recently have become an ‘activist’, so you have my support already. But you could greatly increase my confidence in and commitment to the Labour party by how you choose to deal with the Independent Living Fund.

I read the Labour statement on the court ruling re the abolition of the Independent Living Fund with real disappointment. "A Labour Government will issue guidance to local authorities to help protect the thousands of disabled people affected by today's decision so they can continue to live independently and with dignity."

Guidance is just not good enough. It will certainly not guarantee the continuing independence of those disabled people affected by this decision. Local authorities are already stretched to their limits to provide services to a variety of groups.

I said I am not disabled myself. If I were – the Independent Living Fund model of support and service provision is exactly what I would hope to be available to me. We should be striving to spread the best elements of the ILF model to other care and support services.

Disabled people have borne the brunt of the current coalition government’s punitive policies time and time again. This is a step too far – as I have already heard on some doorsteps when out talking to others on your behalf. I consider this on a par with the Bedroom Tax which Labour has said it will repeal. Labour should be pledging to retain the Independent Living Fund – it’s that simple.

Please rethink Labour’s position on this. Not because it will make it easier for me when I’m out on doorsteps, although it will, but because it is absolutely the right thing to do.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:40 pm

Toby Latimer wrote:Oh dear
ScreenShot00245.jpg

If she had a brain she'd be dangerous.

Peter Jukes tweeted that he still hasn't heard from her lawyers despite her mouthy public Twitter declaration that she was going to sue him for referring to her career path from MP to Murdoch lackey.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:42 pm

frightful_oik wrote:On the subject of flowers try these:
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/tal ... 59345.html
The fragrance is gorgeous and they last from June well into December if there are no hard frosts. I'm hoping they'll return this year as they were brilliant plants.

Now you've done it, oiky. I had to google for a picture - and I'm utterly sold on them. Very very pretty.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:44 pm

Mensch is as ludicrous as ever, but the underlying point she was trying to make (ineptly, as usual) is not wrong.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:54 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
frightful_oik wrote:On the subject of flowers try these:
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/tal ... 59345.html
The fragrance is gorgeous and they last from June well into December if there are no hard frosts. I'm hoping they'll return this year as they were brilliant plants.
Now you've done it, oiky. I had to google for a picture - and I'm utterly sold on them. Very very pretty.

They do look lovely.
Have plumped for the Venetian sweet pea mix.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:55 pm

Dear me...AS has just written that 4 ministers have written back to their Labour counterparts regarding the dodgy dossier.

And one of those 4...Theresa May. I said that I hoped Yvette Cooper wrote back that she should sort out the mess that is the investigation into child sex abuse rather than engaging in silly stunts like this.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:57 pm

Labour seeks ban on fracking near aquifers
Party says it wants to protect Britain’s drinking water sources and reinstate the right of homeowners to block fracking under their land
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... r-aquifers
Fracking would be prohibited on the land that collects the nation’s drinking water, under a Labour proposal published on Wednesday. The party also wants to reverse the government’s decision to stop shale gas companies having to notify residents individually of fracking in their area.

David Cameron has said his government is “going all out” for fracking, which it says could be a valuable source of domestic energy, and has already removed the right of homeowners to block fracking under their land. Opponents argue that fracking brings unacceptable health and environmental risks and will add to climate-warming carbon emissions.

The new Labour proposals are put forward as amendments to the government’s infrastructure bill. The bill already includes provision to allow fracking companies to put “any substance” under people’s homes and leave it there, a move opposed by Labour. In December, other Labour amendments proposed independent inspection of fracking wells, baseline monitoring of methane gas in groundwater and extending the protection of national parks to other protected areas...

It's a start. I've got real concerns about the new infrastructure bill - not least because of how it might affect homes like ours which are on a private water supply. Our water comes from directly below us ... scary prospect when we have no rights to prevent companies from doing what they want to do below and around our homes.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 07 Jan, 2015 4:59 pm

yahyah wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
frightful_oik wrote:On the subject of flowers try these:
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/tal ... 59345.html
The fragrance is gorgeous and they last from June well into December if there are no hard frosts. I'm hoping they'll return this year as they were brilliant plants.
Now you've done it, oiky. I had to google for a picture - and I'm utterly sold on them. Very very pretty.
They do look lovely.
Have plumped for the Venetian sweet pea mix.

SNAP. Double SNAP and a million I told you so's. You are my long lost sister yahyah and I claim my rights to consider you such.