Wednesday 21st January 2015

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:28 pm

This is like swatting flies.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:29 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
yahyah wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote: The current legal maximum, AFAIK, is 2%, after which you trigger a local ballot of electors (who'll probably say no) and gain Fat Eric's eternal interest in your council, which he will then probably persecute to the best of his abilities, which I suppose means he'll probably royally screw up, as he does with everything else that he touches. Still, not a wise idea to try it - anyone suggesting it to me would get a curt 'get stuffed'.

We had a 4.4% rise here in Ceredigion from April 2014.
Ceredigion seem to be generally expensive. The parking charges in Cardigan are eye watering in comparison to nearby Pembs and Carmarthenshire towns. Cardigan £2.10 for up to 3 hours. Fishguard 70p for equivalent. Carmarthen 40p when we were last there.

Aberystwyth's even dearer, £2.50 for three hours. Odd when we Cardis have a reputation for meanness.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:30 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:This is like swatting flies.

Well, he does proudly call himself a 'loony lefty'.

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:30 pm

Ed Balls asked on LBC if he'd debate Osborne. He offered a very eager yes. He seemed hungry for it.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:36 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote: Ouch.
There have been so many bad choices in this government many of them merge into one big nightmare, but wasn't there warnings that it was the first time ever [?] the post had been given to someone with no legal background and it was risky?
Was it Ken Clarke?
Well, given that they gave the role of Chancellor to someone with a degree in history, no economics experience, and no business experience beyond being a towel folder, I think it's pretty par for the course that they'd appoint a complete idiot with no legal knowledge as Lord Chancellor, in a similar way to having an environment minister who refuses to listen to environmental experts about the badger cull, a health secretary who believes in homeopathy and a minister responsible for the subject of climate change who doesn't believe in it at all.

I wish I could Twitter that in its entirety.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:46 pm

Christ, that is one bellend. The other guy you could reason with a bit but didn't admit he'd been caught talking bollocks.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:46 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Christ, that is one bellend. The other guy you could reason with a bit but didn't admit he'd been caught talking bollocks.

Both bellends imo.

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:50 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote:
ohsocynical wrote: There have been so many bad choices in this government many of them merge into one big nightmare, but wasn't there warnings that it was the first time ever [?] the post had been given to someone with no legal background and it was risky?
Was it Ken Clarke?
Well, given that they gave the role of Chancellor to someone with a degree in history, no economics experience, and no business experience beyond being a towel folder, I think it's pretty par for the course that they'd appoint a complete idiot with no legal knowledge as Lord Chancellor, in a similar way to having an environment minister who refuses to listen to environmental experts about the badger cull, a health secretary who believes in homeopathy and a minister responsible for the subject of climate change who doesn't believe in it at all.
I wish I could Twitter that in its entirety.

Feel free to try - it's all true, and it surprises me that people don't yet see the bizarre contradictions behind so many government appointments.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:53 pm

Actually other guy is a bit silly as well.

I said if £7bn cut, I'd take most from Education because of silly duplication and half empty schools. This was me "fucking kids futures".

55DegreesNorth · Post by **55DegreesNorth** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:56 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: It's not 'a common sense policy' - it's just nasty them and us garbage speak.
That's pretty terrible. Less so but still worrying is the declaration that bicycles would be relegated to the pavement in Ukip Britain. For one thing, this would increase collisions with pedestrians massively. For another thing, what do they mean 'back to the pavement'? Bicycles were using roads before motor vehicles were! Cycles don't hold up traffic, they are traffic! They don't cause congestion, they reduce it. Can you imagine what would happen if every cyclist in London switched to a car? Cycling isn't a 'past time' (sic), it's a way of life for many people, the best or only way to get to work for many others. Ukip pursuing the Top Gear vote evidently.

http://www.roadswerenotbuiltforcars.com/

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 6:57 pm

Chris Mason ‏@ChrisMasonBBC 31m31 minutes ago
Lib Dems email to remind journos to accredit for Spring Conference. If we don't by end of week "you’ll have to stump up £82m I’m afraid."

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 7:03 pm

Awwwww, Rory has blocked me, I'm devastated......

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 7:10 pm

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 2m2 minutes ago
Oakeshott has given £300,000 £10,000 each to 30 Labour candidates and £300,000 to 15 Lib Dem candidates including 8 Mps.

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 1m1 minute ago
Oakeshott has also given £10,0000 to Caroline Lucas Green MP.

I imagine the £10,0000 to Lucas is a typo

Jason Beattie ‏@JBeattieMirror 28s28 seconds ago
Lord Oakeshott also praises "courage and nous" of @Ed_Miliband

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 7:13 pm

Leftwing SNP latest.

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

The Scottish government has been accused of falling into line with Tory tax cuts after the finance minister, John Swinney, announced changes to flagship legislation that he previously described as emblematic of the SNP’s approach to a more progressive taxation system in Scotland.

Described as a new mansion tax to fund a cut in sales duty on affordable homes, the land and building transaction tax (LBTT) was unveiled last October as a replacement for stamp duty, with an incremental scale of rates under which buyers of homes worth £1m, for example, would pay £78,300 in tax, compared with £50,000 under the old system. The scheme comes into force in April.

In December the UK chancellor, George Osborne, announced his own changes to stamp duty, resulting in properties at the higher end of the market attracting a lower rate of tax than under the proposed Scottish system. Industry experts said this would lead to panic-buying before April and a flattening of the upper portion of the Scottish property market afterwards.

The Scottish government then announced plans to review its scheme, which Osborne described as an early example of “tax competition in action” between the countries. The revised scheme announced on Wednesday has a higher starting rate and includes a new band of 5% tax for properties priced between £250,000 and £325,000. The 12% marginal rate will now apply to houses costing more than £750,000, rather than £1m.

Roughly translated "people who'd supported us for ages as untoxified conservatives got on the phone to us".

Actually that's a bit unfair- there is a real problem. But guess what? You don't get everything you want if you're independent. As they didn't at all realise with the EU- it seemed genuinely a revelation that other countries might have a problem with separatists breaking away and joining.

Doubtless this all the fault of Trident.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 7:18 pm

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 2m2 minutes ago
Oakeshott wants "parliament for progress & reform & Labour led government with Miliband as PM". Says Tories spend is £100,000 per seat.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 7:57 pm

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 7 mins7 minutes ago
Why I’m now betting that Cameron will not appear in any leaders’ debate http://bit.ly/1ElwWWw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 7:58 pm

Good-evening, everyone. It's a lovely, raucous, information-packed thread. I love you people.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:19 pm

Sir John Chilcot writes to Dave Cameron - letter dated 13 July 2012 regarding the Iraq Inquiry. What's Dave's problem? Looks an honourable endeavour by Chilcot, keeping everyone up to date, government prior to Dave's cooperated fine, Chilcot doesn't seem to have worries there, no ugliness in the communication. I don't understand the brouhaha.

http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/542 ... ameron.pdf

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:26 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:This is like swatting flies.
I particularly enjoyed 'you're making a fool of yourself because...! Oh, I can't post links. Google it!'

Both of them have now blocked everybody and, despite the fact that kicked the whole thing off, are whining about being bullied. I may watch my tongue on here (hence my recent silence) but I have no such compunction with fools like those two.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:26 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:This is like swatting flies.
I particularly enjoyed 'you're making a fool of yourself because...! Oh, I can't post links. Google it!'

My friends, your time is precious. Thank you for taking precious time devoted to telling the truth.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:37 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
RobertSnozers wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:This is like swatting flies.
I particularly enjoyed 'you're making a fool of yourself because...! Oh, I can't post links. Google it!'
Both of them have now blocked everybody and, despite the fact that kicked the whole thing off, are whining about being bullied. I may watch my tongue on here (hence my recent silence) but I have no such compunction with fools like those two.

I presume they blocked me too. Good riddance.
I told one he was an embarrassment to decent Greens [like Tizme] then bowed out because you can't argue with idiots like that. At one point one of them made a post that any Kipper would be proud to write.

WelshIan · Post by **WelshIan** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:39 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote:
yahyah wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote: The current legal maximum, AFAIK, is 2%, after which you trigger a local ballot of electors (who'll probably say no) and gain Fat Eric's eternal interest in your council, which he will then probably persecute to the best of his abilities, which I suppose means he'll probably royally screw up, as he does with everything else that he touches. Still, not a wise idea to try it - anyone suggesting it to me would get a curt 'get stuffed'.

We had a 4.4% rise here in Ceredigion from April 2014.
That's a biggie - was there a ballot, or was that down to agreements regarding other precepts (from the local umbrella waste authority, for example) that ensured that the measured rise wouldn't hit Jubba's radar?

There is no cap on council tax increases in Wales. There is an informal agreement to keep rises below 5%.

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:42 pm

WelshIan wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote:
yahyah wrote:
We had a 4.4% rise here in Ceredigion from April 2014.
That's a biggie - was there a ballot, or was that down to agreements regarding other precepts (from the local umbrella waste authority, for example) that ensured that the measured rise wouldn't hit Jubba's radar?
There is no cap on council tax increases in Wales. There is an informal agreement to keep rises below 5%.

Thanks - I didn't know that! You're lucky to not have that fat bastard breathing down your necks and trying to centralise all your functions.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:43 pm

I have noticed though, that the gloves are coming off now there's the smell of power in the air. Lots of Tweets from the Cons today including Priti Patel?

I think I'm turning into a troll, because I can only think of insulting things to say. It's because there are so few words to use. You can't explain why you've come to a conclusion or logically knock down someones claims but what you say has to have punch; has to make an impression. Sarcasm works well, but could become a bad habit.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:54 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
RobertSnozers wrote: I particularly enjoyed 'you're making a fool of yourself because...! Oh, I can't post links. Google it!'
Both of them have now blocked everybody and, despite the fact that kicked the whole thing off, are whining about being bullied. I may watch my tongue on here (hence my recent silence) but I have no such compunction with fools like those two.
I presume they blocked me too. Good riddance.
I told one he was an embarrassment to decent Greens [like Tizme] then bowed out because you can't argue with idiots like that. At one point one of them made a post that any Kipper would be proud to write.

It had turned into something akin to a Monty Python sketch. Tubby had shot their fox (repeatedly, to be frank) and their responses after that were much like Michael Palin in the Parrot Sketch -

Idiot - *Kicks Fox* "See, it moved. Look on Google, they will tell you it moved*
Tubby - *bang* "So is it dead now?"
Idiot - *Kicks Fox* "No, it moved. Look on Google, they will tell you it moved*

Rinse and repeat.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 8:57 pm

The Brighton council tax thing is "look at them lining up with Eric Pickles" stuff, isn't it?

Mind you Labour used to have people like that in it.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:06 pm

Just look at the earth shattering observations my MP makes.

@DrPhillipLeeMP says Energy is fundamentally important to the health of our nation and our futures #bigenergydebate

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:14 pm

UK Opinion Bee ‏@OpinionBee 6 mins6 minutes ago
ICM/Guardian - Westminster Voting Intention:
LAB lead by 3. CON 30, LAB 33, LD 11, UKIP 11, GRN 9.

http://opinionbee.uk/poll/1929" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:18 pm

Of course have you considered that Kermit (Your Green Muppet) could have been a Tory pretending to be Green.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:20 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Just look at the earth shattering observations my MP makes.

@DrPhillipLeeMP says Energy is fundamentally important to the health of our nation and our futures #bigenergydebate

I hear he also thinks oxygen is good for you

Good for him. Not we lesser constituents.
He's a doctor, does a day a week at a private practice in Slough. He started doing articles in the local paper about the evils of drink and too much sugar, and on the bottom of the article, announce his constituents could meet him on such and such a date in a local pub. That went down like a lead brick.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:20 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Just look at the earth shattering observations my MP makes.

@DrPhillipLeeMP says Energy is fundamentally important to the health of our nation and our futures #bigenergydebate

I hear he also thinks oxygen is good for you

But he should be billed for wasting it by breathing.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:25 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Just look at the earth shattering observations my MP makes.

@DrPhillipLeeMP says Energy is fundamentally important to the health of our nation and our futures #bigenergydebate

I tend to think that any statement that doesn't pass the "Who would ever disagree with this?" test is utterly pointless.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:29 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Just look at the earth shattering observations my MP makes.

@DrPhillipLeeMP says Energy is fundamentally important to the health of our nation and our futures #bigenergydebate

I tend to think that any statement that doesn't pass the "Who would ever disagree with this?" test is utterly pointless.

He's as pointless as his statement.

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:31 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Just look at the earth shattering observations my MP makes.

@DrPhillipLeeMP says Energy is fundamentally important to the health of our nation and our futures #bigenergydebate

Breathing is is fundamentally important to the health of our bodies and our futures #sayingnothingunderstandinglesspaidafortune

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:33 pm

Don't know if this got flaqged up yesterday (it certainly 'escaped' the attention of the MSM), Luciana Berger outlining Labour's MH strategy.

http://www.labour.org.uk/blog/entry/tak ... -thrive-as" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tizme1 · Post by **Tizme1** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:51 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Lib Dem Leaflet Bristol West.jpg

Kerry McCarthy MP retweeted
Sam Johnson ‏@thelarker67 8m8 minutes ago Bristol, England
Is this best @LibDems can do in #Bristol West? Five years in govt & no achievements to note. PATHETIC. @KerryMP
That is a corker. Note the careful use of 'Ed Miliband's Labour candidate' - no name, and hoping to maximise the sneer by using Miliband instead. Is this the 'different' politics the Lib Dems were so proud of. Hoping Tizme along later to comment on the jibe at the Green Party too.

Evening all,

Another nonsense leaflet from the Lib dems RR. The Greens are doing well in Bristol West so I think they worry the Lib dems. Obviously they'll be worried by Labour too. I don't know how the Labour campaign is going in the area but I do know their candidate acknowledges the Green threat. I guess the Lib dems are hoping to grab the Tory vote in an attempt to hang on.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 9:54 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote: Thanks - I didn't know that! You're lucky to not have that fat bastard breathing down your necks and trying to centralise all your functions.

Leave Alex Salmond out of this!

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:01 pm

Durham Free School still digging.

Parents have been invited in to talk to the Daily Mail tmrw.

Honestly!

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:04 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Durham Free School still digging.

Parents have been invited in to talk to the Daily Mail tmrw.

Honestly!

Why would they talk to the Daily Mail? I am confused.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:06 pm

Brasseye.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:09 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Marcus John ‏@MarcusBirding 2h2 hours ago
@OwenJones84 Are Labour 100% committed to PR??

Owen Jones ‏@OwenJones84 2h2 hours ago
@MarcusBirding Not at all. But if they're the biggest party in a hung parliament, the small parties can make referendum condition of support

Marcus John ‏@MarcusBirding 2h2 hours ago
@OwenJones84 fair point. But I will still act and vote on principle not expediency

"The Left" really don't get it do they. The SNP and SDP let in Thatcher and look where that's got us. Meanwhile I can't see that coming across as a bunch of arrogant self-righteous something or anothers helped the LibDems much. Until we have PR splitting the anti-Tory vote is - let's say - unwise.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:09 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Brasseye.

When did the Scots start reading government propaganda as news?

All the evidence is that Blair isn't behind the delays, there are clearly American sensitivities in play.

Tizme1 · Post by **Tizme1** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:10 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
brightonhovelabour ‏@bhlabour 3h3 hours ago Hove, England
Labour reaction to Green Party decision to set illegal budget in #Brighton and #Hove
http://www.brightonhovelabour.com/labou ... gal_budget" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
I'm a metropolitan borough councillor (as you are probably tired of hearing!), and if the Greens set an illegal budget, as a Labour party member, I'd be wishing them bon voyage as they will be disqualified from their posts as councillors and surcharged as well. Good riddance to them. The point of power is having to cope with what is thrown at you, rather than pretending that you can alter reality by ignoring it. Pickles' goons will be just waiting for the B&H Greens to submit an illegal budget - which the city's S151 will have to inform the government that he cannot pass, as it is fiscally insecure - then watch the carnage.

Tizme/Tem - if you're reading, use whatever influence you can with your colleagues on the south coast, as they are about to commit political suicide.

I don't know any of the Brighton Greens personally Ernst and, I'm not high up enough in the food chain to have any influence on them. I said the other day that I thought they'd put their councillors in an impossible position. That Labour post is bollocks though to the best of my knowledge. The Brighton Greens wanted to have a referendum on whether Council Tax should be increased by more than 2% but they weren't proposing 6% Labour and the Tories yet again joined forces to vote against that idea. As they apparently frequently do join forces to vote against anything the Green party in Brighton suggest.

I am sure there are arguments to be made for and against a Council tax increase in Brighton - none of us on here have the relevant information to have an informed opinion. However, a referendum on it would be a democratic option. If as a result of such a referendum, the people of Brighton had said no, the Green Councillors would have had yet another argument when this was discussed at the Green Party meeting. Again, I have no idea what happened at that meeting. I'd guess Caroline wasn't there so she can hardly 'come clean' as requested by the Labour post.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:12 pm

Welsh Government announcing their plans to end the Right To Buy,tomorrow.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:13 pm

Christ, look at the sidebar of The National, bet the producers of GOT decided not to film in Scotland because of some dastardly English plot..

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:15 pm

According to the Indy, new US comedy about a fictional British Royal family has been panned by critics. In particular they say.

The Sydney Morning Herald described it as “a bunch of bed-hopping halfwits saddled with... very, very lousy dialogue”, and went on to call it the worst show in TV history.

It may be a hopeless comedy but in portraying the royals as a bunch of bed-hopping halfwits I believe it is likely to be an excellent documentary.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:17 pm

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 92473.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From the Independent about the Guardian report on UK benefits claimants in Europe. Sorry if you've covered it already. Here a bit sporadically just now and the speed reading is often more speed than reading.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:19 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
When did the Scots start reading government propaganda as news?

All the evidence is that Blair isn't behind the delays, there are clearly American sensitivities in play.

You're apologising for Iraq there, you swine.

Other countries don't exist for the internationalist SNP. Independent nations just do exactly what they want, just becoz.

Post by **refitman** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:24 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:According to the Indy, new US comedy about a fictional British Royal family has been panned by critics. In particular they say.

The Sydney Morning Herald described it as “a bunch of bed-hopping halfwits saddled with... very, very lousy dialogue”, and went on to call it the worst show in TV history.
It may be a hopeless comedy but in portraying the royals as a bunch of bed-hopping halfwits I believe it is likely to be an excellent documentary.

I doubt it's worse then Heil Honey, I'm Home!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heil_Honey_I%27m_Home" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;!

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 21 Jan, 2015 10:24 pm

Scottish nationalists make the Welsh equivalent seem easy going, the kind you can have a drink with, an easy discussion over a pint of real ale, no mean feat that. Trust me.