Friday 16th January 2015

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StephenDolan
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Friday 16th January 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

Morning all.

7% leads, that's more like it. Seems a long time since Labour consistently polled 35+.

As for why so many vote Tory, personally I think a lot of it is down to a lot of the population taking no interest in politics. Leaves the choice on polling day to be based upon tribal / historical choices and an acceptance of what the MSM say as not worth questioning. When family get togethers occur and politics comes up (rarely initiated by myself) I've found standard phrases being repeated back to me. When trying to discuss the facts behind the message there's a distinct lack of interest. Is it cognitive dissonance, perhaps. There's a bit of "I don't really understand and I'll leave it to the experts to summarise". Unfortunately those experts include Osborne, Cameron, Hunt, IDS etc. Considering a number of relatives work in a battered public sector it's kinda mind boggling.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Morning all. For those sleepy heads who won't have seen the latest poll from last night which Stephen is referring to:
Mike Smithson @MSmithsonPB · 8h 8 hours ago
New poll from TNS-BMRB just published has LAB retaining its 7% lead
LAB 35%=
CON 28%=
UKIP 18%-1
LD 6%+1
GRN 5%-2
OTH 9%+3
Think we've got a Populus to come this morning as well.
Working on the wild side.
yahyah
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by yahyah »

Morning.

Good to see the Indie highlighting the effects of the coalition's gerrymandering voting registration changes.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 81453.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Ben Bradshaw ‏@BenPBradshaw 22m22 minutes ago
The scandal of the extra 1 million missing from the electoral roll potentially disenfranchising mainly young people http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 81453.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
They are not going to start an advertising campaign about registering to vote until March according to R4. Pathetic. Meanwhile we've got Help To Buy and Superfast Broadband ads during peak time TV ... wonder why the difference (no I don't).

And these people have the front to lecture us about the unions and their supposed lack of democratic accountability.

Editing to add: Snap and good morning yahyah. Reminds me I still have to complain about the unhelpful Election Office here ...
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

GENERAL ELECTION PREDICTIONS 70: MERSEYSIDE (PART 1)
http://www.iaindale.com/posts/2015/01/1 ... um=twitter
Seats: 8
Current Political Makeup: Lab 8
Predicted Political Makeup after May 7: Lab 8

GENERAL ELECTION PREDICTIONS 71: MERSEYSIDE (PART 2)
http://www.iaindale.com/posts/2015/01/1 ... um=twitter
Seats: 7
Current Political Makeup: Con 1, Lab 5, LibDem 1
Predicted Political Makeup after May 7: Con 2, Lab 5
Southport: Sitting MP: John Pugh (LibDem) Prediction: Conservative gain

Wirral West: Sitting MP: Esther McVey (Con) Prediction: Conservative hold
Liverpool Labour are determined to win this seat back, but the Ashcroft poll has Esther McVey only one point behind, which surely has to be encouraging for her. I reckon she’ll pull it off, but there may be only a few hundred votes in it.
Big boo for that last prediction. Really hope he's wrong with that one.
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StephenDolan
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
GENERAL ELECTION PREDICTIONS 70: MERSEYSIDE (PART 1)
http://www.iaindale.com/posts/2015/01/1 ... um=twitter
Seats: 8
Current Political Makeup: Lab 8
Predicted Political Makeup after May 7: Lab 8

GENERAL ELECTION PREDICTIONS 71: MERSEYSIDE (PART 2)
http://www.iaindale.com/posts/2015/01/1 ... um=twitter
Seats: 7
Current Political Makeup: Con 1, Lab 5, LibDem 1
Predicted Political Makeup after May 7: Con 2, Lab 5
Southport: Sitting MP: John Pugh (LibDem) Prediction: Conservative gain

Wirral West: Sitting MP: Esther McVey (Con) Prediction: Conservative hold
Liverpool Labour are determined to win this seat back, but the Ashcroft poll has Esther McVey only one point behind, which surely has to be encouraging for her. I reckon she’ll pull it off, but there may be only a few hundred votes in it.
Big boo for that last prediction. Really hope he's wrong with that one.
Alison McGovern will just hang on? McVey is going to scrape home?

If that's the thought process he's applied across all his reviews I'm cautiously optimistic.
AnatolyKasparov
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

Neither of those are as hilarious as his prediction of a Tory gain in Southport, tbh.

They have had disastrous council election results there since the GE, and the local party is basically disfunctional with defections rife.

Just shows how much thought Dale puts into these forecasts?
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ohsocynical
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 15 mins15 minutes ago
Latest Populus online has LAB 3% ahead
LAB 35
CON 32
LD 9
UKIP 14
GRN 6
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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frightful_oik
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by frightful_oik »

QT last night was as awful as I expected it to be. David Starkey is invited on to be outrageous, a role he clearly relishes. Every QT he appears on becomes all about him. It would also make a welcome change if the first two questions were on domestic issues rather than 'something about Islam'. Dimbleby needs to retire asap. Not up to it.
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pk1
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by pk1 »

Does anybody know what methodology Iain Dale is applying to these 'predictions' ?

Seems to me it's that trusty old method - pluck a number, any number & declare it the winner.

Anyway, for your enjoyment, I bring you the Times cartoonist, Peter Brookes' cartoon (apologies for the size but the site wouldn't let me upload a bigger version so I'm puzzled as to how sometimes the images are so large, they skew the entire page but ho hum.....)
Attachments
Untitled.png
Untitled.png (208.9 KiB) Viewed 12699 times
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frightful_oik
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by frightful_oik »

More balance from the BBC on tonight's AQ.
Jonathan Dimbleby presents political debate and discussion from Barnham in West Sussex with the former Home Office Minister Norman Baker MP, Political Director of the Tax Payers Alliance Dia Chakravarty, Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan MP and Francis Maude MP Minister for the Cabinet Office.
So four from the right and one from the left. No doubt Dimbleby will still feel the need to interrupt SK as he's about to make his substantive point with some irrelevant quotation from some no-mark MP from 10 years ago.

And why is AQ almost always from a Tory constituency? Often from a public school as well.
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you-
Ye are many - they are few."
PaulfromYorkshire
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Morning All!

Nice to see the polls edging in the right direction, for now at least. I think two things in the media may be hitting home. Firstly, the NHS crisis is finally hitting the front pages and rightly so. We know the Tories are vulnerable on this and it's also been noted widely that they are avoiding it in their "election priorities". Which brings me onto the other thing, the "empty chair". Of course the media won't be able to forgive him for not joining the debates, a far greater crime for them than wrecking the economy and peoples' lives. So, Dave the chicken enters the national consciousness. And quite right too. Not looking quite so "prime-ministerial" these days eh Empty Dave?
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by citizenJA »

Ya'll know anything about Swiss currency?
StephenDolan
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

A long read, but worth it.
http://www.pieria.co.uk/articles/the_my ... al_deficit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
pk1
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by pk1 »

Notice how today's yougov has no approval question & how disproportionately up-weighted the Sun/Star readers have been ?
Newspaper Type
Express / Mail 272 236
Sun / Star 199 334
Mirror / Record 112 146
Guardian / Independent 155 73
FT / Times / Telegraph 120 133
Other Paper 259 191
No Paper 543 548
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/d ... 150115.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
HindleA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by HindleA »

http://blogs.channel4.com/michael-crick ... g-day/4733" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


"The pivotal pre-election postal vote"
Michael Crick

"Most postal ballots,will be sent out in the w/b 13th April."
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Tizme1
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by Tizme1 »

Afternoon all,

I'll hopefully be back later but I just wanted to quickly bring this to your attention. An email I've just received from Greenpeace;

Wow -- David Cameron's plan to force fracking on us just hit a new low.

The prime minister wants to change the law to allow fracking firms to drill under our homes. But now he's fast-tracking his plan through Parliament at a blistering rate.

Only a HUGE backlash from our MPs can stop him -- and we've got just days to make it happen.

Can you tell your MP to vote against the prime minister's plans to force fracking on us?

Sign the urgent petition to all MPs: https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/fracking-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it's often known, is a controversial process where a high-pressure mix of water, sand and chemicals is blasted underground to release trapped gas and oil.

It's already been banned in France and Bulgaria, and just last month New York joined the list of US states that have taken action to stop the industry.

Despite massive public opposition, David Cameron is determined to bring fracking to the UK. And right now he's on the cusp of changing our laws to make it easier to roll it out.

But the prime minister's plan can't get the go ahead without approval from MPs -- and inside the halls of Westminster, a backlash is starting. The Scottish National Party and the Green Party have spoken out against Cameron's plan. Amongst Labour and the Lib Dems voices of dissent are on the rise, while Conservatives are feeling increasingly nervous as we approach the election.

MPs will vote on the issue before the end of this month -- that's far earlier than expected and a move that would slash the time for debate and scrutiny.

152,000 people have already asked their MP to vote against Cameron's plan, but we'll be even stronger if thousands more join in. Can you quickly sign?

We're piling the pressure on before the crucial vote. Alongside our friends at 38 Degrees and Friends of the Earth, teams of volunteers will visit several MPs at their offices -- handing over our petition face-to-face. And then next week, we'll double our impact by sending letters to every single Westminster MP -- telling them who's signed the petition in their constituency, and calling on them to vote down Cameron's plan.
Together we'll make this petition unmissable, so if you haven't yet, please sign today: https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/fracking-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With all my thanks,

Richard

PS I know you've received a few emails from Greenpeace this week and I hope you're not feeling too overloaded. I wanted to let you know about this urgent news as the new law that will make us powerless to oppose fracking under our homes is being rushed through at an alarming rate -- so we must act fast. Please sign: https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/fracking-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by citizenJA »

Page 2 of Yougov's latest fieldwork poll - worst data collection instrument I've ever read. I flashed on StephenDolan's relatives, nice people making incongruous comments - here's part of the reason why - this is an opinion manufacturing device, not a survey.
Here are some statements that different people make about different political parties.
In each case, which party do you think it applies to most - the Conservatives, Labour or the Liberal Democrats?


The kind of society it wants is broadly the kind of society I want
Applies most to the Conservatives
Applies most to Labour
Applies most to the Liberal Democrats
Applies to none of them
Don't know

It is led by people of real ability
Applies most to the Conservatives
Applies most to Labour
Applies most to the Liberal Democrats
Applies to none of them
Don't know

Its leaders are prepared to take tough and unpopular decisions
Applies most to the Conservatives
Applies most to Labour
Applies most to the Liberal Democrats
Applies to none of them
Don't know

It seems to chop and change all the time: you can never be quite sure what it stands for
Applies most to the Conservatives
Applies most to Labour
Applies most to the Liberal Democrats
Applies to none of them
Don't know
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/d ... 150115.pdf
HindleA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by HindleA »

I stood for election,once I didn't know much about it.It was as a student representative.A friend forged my signature and got the necessary nominations.The first I knew,about it was at school assembly and being named as a candidate.Who is he?"(polite version) was the overwhelming response.Needless to say I didn't win ,I never even voted for myself.As far as I am aware the new fangled pretence of democracy never met.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by citizenJA »

Oil prices have lost nearly 60% since June as production around the world went up.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/blo ... 81351a484f
We're being jerked around. Who makes oil prices collapse?
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by citizenJA »

HindleA wrote:I stood for election,once I didn't know much about it.It was as a student representative.A friend forged my signature and got the necessary nominations.The first I knew,about it was at school assembly and being named as a candidate.Who is he?"(polite version) was the overwhelming response.Needless to say I didn't win ,I never even voted for myself.As far as I am aware the new fangled pretence of democracy never met.
Happened to me too. I was absent from class. I was nominated & elected all on the same day. I found out my new duties upon my return. I was an indifferent representative. I was eleven years old.
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TechnicalEphemera
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by TechnicalEphemera »

citizenJA wrote:
Oil prices have lost nearly 60% since June as production around the world went up.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/blo ... 81351a484f
We're being jerked around. Who makes oil prices collapse?
Saudi primarily for one of two reasons:

1. To attack the emerging US shale oil industry so as to drive it out of business permanently, this restoring Saudi dominance in oil; and also to screw Iran its largest rival and by extension Syria and Russia.

Or

2. To make everybody realise what a bunch of complete morons the SNP are, and underline how they nearly inflicted Götterdämmerung on Scotland.


Rational people select 1, Cybernats 2.
Release the Guardvarks.
giselle97
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by giselle97 »

That meeting I went to in Huntingdon on Wednesday night to re-launch the Save Hinchingbrooke Hospital was better attended than I had expected and there's obviously a lot of concerns from local people as well as the staff, quite a few of whom were there.

There's lots happening at the hospital and with "the Unions" with meetings and so on but no-one knows what is going to happen - and that's the bottom line.

Nik Johnson, who's worked as a Consultant Paediatrician in Children's Services at Hinchingbrooke for nearly nine years and who is also standing as the Labour Party Candidate for Huntingdon against JanglesJongles, was at the meeting and very supportive - as a member of staff and a Huntingdonshire resident (versus Labour Candidate). I got the opportunity to speak with him after the meeting and was rather impressed. I'd mentioned it was worth contacting the SaveLewisham people and he came over to say it was a good idea ..... and he met his wife at Lewisham hospital!

And, for the ladies, he really is quite a good looker. :D

Politically, as you would expect from Huntingdon, there were more Tories in the room than any other complexion... but when a lady from the Green Party stood up and tried to patronise the attendants, saying that only the Green Party is going to stop the privatisation, there were deep intakes of breath all round. She hadn't actually sensed that the people there were there to #SaveHinchingbrooke and not for party political purposes. It's nuance - Tisme's got it, she hadn't! :D

There's going to be a "march" sometime in March and lots of briefings with local press, TV hopefully also National stuff.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ca ... e-30824556" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.facebook.com/pages/We-love- ... ?pnref=lhc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EDITED TO ADD

In that BBC article:
Mark Cubbon, from the NHS Trust Development Authority, said services would continue and there were no plans to remove A&E or maternity units.
Not to be believed, in my opinion and the same goes for most at the meeting!
Happy to be called a Labour Party Tribalist as I don't consider it as an insult in the grand scheme of things!
AnatolyKasparov
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

pk1 wrote:Notice how today's yougov has no approval question & how disproportionately up-weighted the Sun/Star readers have been ?
Newspaper Type
Express / Mail 272 236
Sun / Star 199 334
Mirror / Record 112 146
Guardian / Independent 155 73
FT / Times / Telegraph 120 133
Other Paper 259 191
No Paper 543 548
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/d ... 150115.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hasn't stopped Mr B bigging it up massively this morning at the other place, as "evidence" that Labour "weaponizing" the NHS has "failed" :toss:

He was, at least, quite polite until recently - but does anybody else think an increasingly snide streak is evident in his postings?

Evidence of desperation creeping in, methinks......
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HindleA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by HindleA »

Deleted.Irrelevant waffling.
Last edited by HindleA on Fri 16 Jan, 2015 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tish
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by Tish »

I don't want to come over all David Icke, but really!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... -dead.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"A former children's home manager has been found dead just weeks before he was due to stand trial over alleged historical sex abuse. John Stingemore, 72, was discovered at his home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, on Wednesday afternoon. "

This is the John Stingmore who ran Grafton Close, the children's home that allegedly supplied boys to the Elm Guest House.
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TheGrimSqueaker
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by TheGrimSqueaker »

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
pk1 wrote:Notice how today's yougov has no approval question & how disproportionately up-weighted the Sun/Star readers have been ?
Newspaper Type
Express / Mail 272 236
Sun / Star 199 334
Mirror / Record 112 146
Guardian / Independent 155 73
FT / Times / Telegraph 120 133
Other Paper 259 191
No Paper 543 548
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/d ... 150115.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hasn't stopped Mr B bigging it up massively this morning at the other place, as "evidence" that Labour "weaponizing" the NHS has "failed" :toss:

He was, at least, quite polite until recently - but does anybody else think an increasingly snide streak is evident in his postings?

Evidence of desperation creeping in, methinks......
I pointed out that side of him quite a while before I stopped posting there; not only is he just another Tory troll, he is one of the nastier of the breed who genuinely doesn't care how many people are destroyed by his beloved party. The likes of Rusty and his mate at the next desk, OpenSeas, at least have the excuse that they are just doing their job, but NickyB genuinely believes this stuff and his open contempt for the poor & vulnerable made my stomach churn.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by citizenJA »

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
citizenJA wrote:
Oil prices have lost nearly 60% since June as production around the world went up.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/blo ... 81351a484f
We're being jerked around. Who makes oil prices collapse?
Saudi primarily for one of two reasons:

1. To attack the emerging US shale oil industry so as to drive it out of business permanently, this restoring Saudi dominance in oil; and also to screw Iran its largest rival and by extension Syria and Russia.

Or

2. To make everybody realise what a bunch of complete morons the SNP are, and underline how they nearly inflicted Götterdämmerung on Scotland.


Rational people select 1, Cybernats 2.
I need the help of members of the SNP just like I need the help of every other decent human being on this planet.

I'm unconvinced Saudi Arabia has sufficient motive. Shale extraction & the whole hydraulic fracturing mess is too costly in every way. It's unnecessary to tank oil prices to end its profitability.
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RogerOThornhill
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by RogerOThornhill »

And in the nick of time...Nicky Morgan comes up with the report as to whether the DfE had had warnings about possible extremism in Birmingham schools.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/ ... am-schools
The review has found no instances where specific warnings were ignored by the department and no cases where departmental officials or ministers acted inappropriately. It has, however, found that the department has in the past lacked inquisitiveness on this issue, and that procedures could have been tighter than they were.
So that's OK then...phew.

haven't seen the text of the statement yet so can't say whether this is just waffle and a "nothing to see here".
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RogerOThornhill
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by RogerOThornhill »

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:The likes of Rusty and his mate at the next desk, OpenSeas, at least have the excuse that they are just doing their job, but NickyB genuinely believes this stuff and his open contempt for the poor & vulnerable made my stomach churn.
Rusty hasn't been seen for a few months - completely vanished off the face. OS hasn't posted for a while.

NickyB is doing his best to keep the "weaponising the NHS" line going but is getting ridiculed.
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TechnicalEphemera
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by TechnicalEphemera »

citizenJA wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:
citizenJA wrote:We're being jerked around. Who makes oil prices collapse?
Saudi primarily for one of two reasons:

1. To attack the emerging US shale oil industry so as to drive it out of business permanently, this restoring Saudi dominance in oil; and also to screw Iran its largest rival and by extension Syria and Russia.

Or

2. To make everybody realise what a bunch of complete morons the SNP are, and underline how they nearly inflicted Götterdämmerung on Scotland.


Rational people select 1, Cybernats 2.
I need the help of members of the SNP just like I need the help of every other decent human being on this planet.

I'm unconvinced Saudi Arabia has sufficient motive. Shale extraction & the whole hydraulic fracturing mess is too costly in every way. It's unnecessary to tank oil prices to end its profitability.
For now I am excluding a large section of SNP members from the list of decent human beings. Not all of them, just the extremists.

There is no doubt this is a plan by Saudi to kill off American shale. At previous oil prices shale was profitable, and its availability meant America no longer needed Saudi oil.

Saudi figures if it tanks oil for a few years it will both bankrupt existing shale and also prevent future investment in the technology because no bank will lend money to shale companies (regardless of oil price).

There really is nothing more to it than that.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Andy Botham: the socialist train driver running against the Tory Transport Secretary
Having driven trains along the routes between Sheffield, London and Nottingham for 25 years, Andy Botham believes he is now on track to unseating Patrick McLoughlin in May 2015.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... -secretary
An interesting read - and worth remembering this bloke's name and background for when you meet someone who insists Labour candidates are all Westminster politicos born and bred ... he's definitely not that. Of course his longstanding union membership will be the thing that is held up as evil and terrible ... can't win can ya?
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TheGrimSqueaker
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by TheGrimSqueaker »

RogerOThornhill wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:The likes of Rusty and his mate at the next desk, OpenSeas, at least have the excuse that they are just doing their job, but NickyB genuinely believes this stuff and his open contempt for the poor & vulnerable made my stomach churn.
Rusty hasn't been seen for a few months - completely vanished off the face. OS hasn't posted for a while.

NickyB is doing his best to keep the "weaponising the NHS" line going but is getting ridiculed.
NickyB is ridiculous, doesn't stop his nastiness though. Interesting about Rusty as that particular persona had been in use for years, seemingly untouchable, maybe the mods decided they couldn't cover the tracks any longer; but both of them will still be there no doubt, occasionally forgetting who they are supposed to be and using the wrong 'voice' - I saw at least two 'Rusty' posts in those last few months that sounded more like OpenSeas, so just came to the conclusion that they were hot desking & forgot to change the log in.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

HindleA wrote:Deleted.Irrelevant waffling.
Just to say I do appreciate these occasional mysterious self berating posts from you HindleA. I always wonder what it was you said that you then decided wasn't worth the bother ... :D and leave a little marker to tell us that.
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by giselle97 »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
HindleA wrote:Deleted.Irrelevant waffling.
Just to say I do appreciate these occasional mysterious self berating posts from you HindleA. I always wonder what it was you said that you then decided wasn't worth the bother ... :D and leave a little marker to tell us that.
Ditto :D
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
HindleA wrote:Deleted.Irrelevant waffling.
Just to say I do appreciate these occasional mysterious self berating posts from you HindleA. I always wonder what it was you said that you then decided wasn't worth the bother ... :D and leave a little marker to tell us that.
And thirded :lol:
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by HindleA »

RR2

Just a memory from schooldays where under provocation I punched a teacher and wrestled them to the ground(the height differential being over a foot and caused a mixed reaction of hilarity and bemusement)It was settled amicably,and apart from that I was largely unnoticed,never receiving corporal punishment,nor Prefect status.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

HindleA wrote:RR2

Just a memory from schooldays where under provocation I punched a teacher and wrestled them to the ground(the height differential being over a foot and caused a mixed reaction of hilarity and bemusement)It was settled amicably,and apart from that I was largely unnoticed,never receiving corporal punishment,nor Prefect status.
Blimey! Now I've got quite a different / conflicted picture of you HindleA. :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by giselle97 »

Apologies if this has been covered here before!
Former Tory leader William Hague and his wife Ffion will move to Powys when he retires from frontline politics at the general election.

They have bought Cyfronydd Hall, near Welshpool, which was on offer at £2.5m.

"Ffion and I are looking forward to having a home in Wales for the first time and to living in such a beautiful part of the country," Mr Hague told the local County Times newspaper.

Their new home has 10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and 12.7 acres (5ha) of land.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-30828538

Must keep an eye on MP Expenses for a while! Yeah! I know I'm a cynical b!
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by refitman »

RogerOThornhill wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:The likes of Rusty and his mate at the next desk, OpenSeas, at least have the excuse that they are just doing their job, but NickyB genuinely believes this stuff and his open contempt for the poor & vulnerable made my stomach churn.
Rusty hasn't been seen for a few months - completely vanished off the face. OS hasn't posted for a while.

NickyB is doing his best to keep the "weaponising the NHS" line going but is getting ridiculed.
Poultice has been about though, very similar sneer :roll:
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

ExaroNews @ExaroNews · 2h 2 hours ago
Very bad news for abuse survivors due to give in trial of Fernbridge: John Stingemore is dead. He was found dead at his home on Weds.

ExaroNews @ExaroNews · 2h 2 hours ago
Our editor, @MarkWatts_1, is due to speak to @mrjamesob show @lbc shortly about terrible news that Stingemore has died just ahead of trial.

ExaroNews @ExaroNews · 1h 1 hour ago
John Stingemore has died: abuse survivor who was to give evidence in #Fernbridge trial against him nxt month tells Exaro of his devastation…

ExaroNews @ExaroNews · 1h 1 hour ago
Witness told Exaro today: “I am absolutely devastated. It has taken me, other witnesses, and the police this long to almost get to court…”

ExaroNews @ExaroNews · 1h 1 hour ago
Exaro revealed how the abuse survivor had initially been wrongly dropped as a witness from #Fernbridge trial: http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5148/ ... fernbridge" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … ...

ExaroNews @ExaroNews · 1h 1 hour ago
... The CPS reinstated him as a witness because of that Exaro story, coupled with intervention by @SimonDanczuk: http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5339/ ... uest-house" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … ...
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by citizenJA »

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
citizenJA wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote: Saudi primarily for one of two reasons:

1. To attack the emerging US shale oil industry so as to drive it out of business permanently, this restoring Saudi dominance in oil; and also to screw Iran its largest rival and by extension Syria and Russia.

Or

2. To make everybody realise what a bunch of complete morons the SNP are, and underline how they nearly inflicted Götterdämmerung on Scotland.


Rational people select 1, Cybernats 2.
I need the help of members of the SNP just like I need the help of every other decent human being on this planet.

I'm unconvinced Saudi Arabia has sufficient motive. Shale extraction & the whole hydraulic fracturing mess is too costly in every way. It's unnecessary to tank oil prices to end its profitability.
For now I am excluding a large section of SNP members from the list of decent human beings. Not all of them, just the extremists.

There is no doubt this is a plan by Saudi to kill off American shale. At previous oil prices shale was profitable, and its availability meant America no longer needed Saudi oil.

Saudi figures if it tanks oil for a few years it will both bankrupt existing shale and also prevent future investment in the technology because no bank will lend money to shale companies (regardless of oil price).

There really is nothing more to it than that.
I apologise if I've given offence. I intended none, please excuse my poor writing skill. I thank you for your help, sincerely.

What does Saudi Arabia want? Saudi Arabia wouldn't be a friend to renewable energy production then either? Even in a world intentionally abandoning fossil fuel based economies, we'd still need oil. CH4 extraction is god awful business - it's insane. It doesn't break my heart it's stopped. Ironic it'd be stopped by the need for Saudi oil market dominance. Market dominance. What's that good for? Creating dominated. Dumb. Childish. It's not sensible. It's not grown up, competent or wise.
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Mark Ferguson @Markfergusonuk · 7m 7 minutes ago
Lib Dem leaflet in Clegg's seat says Miliband is "more Tory than the Tories". Satire is dead. http://politicalscrapbook.net/2015/01/l ... legg-once/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
Unbelievable hypocrisy on show ... it also apparently says 'A party which will adopt Tory policies — “are they really worth voting for?”

And doesn't mention Nick Clegg once.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by citizenJA »

refitman wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:The likes of Rusty and his mate at the next desk, OpenSeas, at least have the excuse that they are just doing their job, but NickyB genuinely believes this stuff and his open contempt for the poor & vulnerable made my stomach churn.
Rusty hasn't been seen for a few months - completely vanished off the face. OS hasn't posted for a while.

NickyB is doing his best to keep the "weaponising the NHS" line going but is getting ridiculed.
Poultice has been about though, very similar sneer :roll:
Yeah, it's just a few; I've noticed that too.
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

GENERAL ELECTION PREDICTIONS 72: NORTHERN IRELAND (PART 1)
http://www.iaindale.com/posts/2015/01/1 ... um=twitter
Seats: 9
Current Political Makeup: DUP 4, Sinn Fein 2, SDLP 2, Alliance 1
Predicted Political Makeup after May 7: DUP 4, Sinn Fein 2, SDLP 2, Alliance 1

GENERAL ELECTION PREDICTIONS 73: NORTHERN IRELAND (PART 2)
http://www.iaindale.com/posts/2015/01/1 ... um=twitter
Seats: 9
Current Political Makeup: DUP 4, Sinn Fein 3, SDLP 1, Independent 1
Predicted Political Makeup after May 7: DUP 4, Sinn Fein 3, SDLP 1, Independent 1
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

citizenJA wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:
citizenJA wrote:We're being jerked around. Who makes oil prices collapse?
Saudi primarily for one of two reasons:

1. To attack the emerging US shale oil industry so as to drive it out of business permanently, this restoring Saudi dominance in oil; and also to screw Iran its largest rival and by extension Syria and Russia.

Or

2. To make everybody realise what a bunch of complete morons the SNP are, and underline how they nearly inflicted Götterdämmerung on Scotland.


Rational people select 1, Cybernats 2.
I need the help of members of the SNP just like I need the help of every other decent human being on this planet.

I'm unconvinced Saudi Arabia has sufficient motive. Shale extraction & the whole hydraulic fracturing mess is too costly in every way. It's unnecessary to tank oil prices to end its profitability.
I think you're probably correct in questioning TE's logic, JA. But you and he are being too rational about Saudi.

As I was until bloke on another board explained it to me. It's a very secretive,dictatorial monarchy with a succession dispute. We don't have to assume they're evil geniuses in the Rupert Murdoch mode.
Last edited by Tubby Isaacs on Fri 16 Jan, 2015 2:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

A 'manifesto for cats': Cat charity to launch its 10-point proposal at the House of Commons
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 81412.html
The nation’s first “manifesto for cats” has been drawn up in the hope that after Essex Man and Worcester Woman, the next voter group to influence the outcome of a general election will be Cat Lover.

The charity Cats Protection will launch its 10-point manifesto at a House of Commons reception next month, in the presence of the animal welfare minister Lord de Mauley, his Labour shadow Angela Smith, and more than 30 cat-owning MPs...
Cat Manifesto: The key points

- Compulsory microchipping of owned cats

- A national database of cats entering the UK legally so those entering illegally without a rabies vaccination can be identified without delay

- Updating the DangerousDogs Act to allow prosecution of owners whose dogs attack cats

- Inclusion of animal welfare in the National Curriculum

- Clear labelling of flowers, plants and household products that are toxic to cats

- Outright ban on snares

- Stricter regulation on the ownership of air guns and crossbows
Quick - get a pledge card made up ... I'll back you if you pledge to support this.
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by Toby Latimer »

On hearing his plans for banning encryption Barrack presented Cameron with a coffee mug
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

citizenJA wrote: What does Saudi Arabia want? Saudi Arabia wouldn't be a friend to renewable energy production then either? Even in a world intentionally abandoning fossil fuel based economies, we'd still need oil. CH4 extraction is god awful business - it's insane. It doesn't break my heart it's stopped. Ironic it'd be stopped by the need for Saudi oil market dominance. Market dominance. What's that good for? Creating dominated. Dumb. Childish. It's not sensible. It's not grown up, competent or wise.
That sadly is how the world works. The utility companies aren't going to complain because at present they're coining it in.
Meanwhile we get crushed.
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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Re: Friday 16th January 2015

Post by Toby Latimer »

Wait till Dave finds out what they had printed on the underside
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