Tuesday 27th January 2015

[rebeccariots2]

They've just opened up comments on this article ... I posted about it earlier when there was no comments facility.

Green party’s flagship economic policy would hit poorest hardest, say experts
Citizen’s income – an unconditional income for every individual – would not work as hoped unless means-tested, say researchers
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -hits-poor

Enjoyed the CI advocacy on here but on current evidence, they're ahead of where the Greens are on it.

I suppose you get this sort of thing when members get such a say. Easy for policy to become a collection of hobby horses.

Heck of a let off for Labour, unless they can firm it up.

I'm pretty supportive of the CI .... BUT if CIT's latest research is correct and the 'solution' they are proposing is to continue with means tested benefits alongside CI (inc keeping state pension as well as housing and child benefit) which does away with a lot of the administrative cost savings and the simplicity .... I don't see how it can be afforded or sold to people at present.

[rebeccariots2]

Parliamentary aide to Vince Cable resigns over fracking stance
Tessa Munt, the MP for Wells, defies government will by voting to support a moratorium on fracking
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ince-cable

[Tubby Isaacs]

Oh dear. But never mind kids, you enjoyed the referendum, right?

[ErnstRemarx]

Oh just spotted a wicked move via Peter Tatchell to Glenda Jackson and so.....

Dan F Hodges !

Jeremy Cunt

Which leaves a sideways move to his deputy Alan Milburn-Cunt open, which is a high points move but runs the risk of leaving the player Blaired.

Anybody brave enough?

Whoa. Still following this from earlier, I had to drop out to do some cooking, and I didn't fancy the Westminster Village rules. Being Blaired is high risk, as all someone has to do is to move to David Cameron, and you're sort of snookered.

Far better to move Heseltine-John Smith- Cruddas- Creasy but it'll be a cold day in hell beofre I give you the chance to get away with that one. Bit like the opening moves in Diplomacy: if you're Russia, try and sell a steamroller alliance to Tuurkey, knowing that it gifts you the game. If he's stupid enough, he might even let you into the Black Sea; if he's incredibly stupid, he might even permit you two builds in the south, giving you a probable three in all. The game is yours.

[ErnstRemarx]

I don't know, you lot. I leave the door wide open with thumper Prescott and nobody spots the opportunity.

Chris Huhne.

I tell ya Tex, if I hadn't been up to my ears in steak slices, peas and veggie balti, I'd have been all over that fucker. Please see my subsequent (and perhaps more nuanced) pronouncements on the subject.

But Chris Huhne? Really? You could get away with Ming Campbell and no-one would dream of doing anything other than William Rees-Mogg. Go on: tell me I'm wrong, I dare you.

[diGriz]

Andy Burnham ‏@andyburnhammp 15m15 minutes ago
READ > my full speech setting out Labour's 10-year plan to build a national health & care service > http://andyburnhammp.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... r.html?m=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

I think I feel hopeful! Not that the newspaper headlines would be any help to Labour, thanks to Milburn and co

They kill of Labour's chances and step in with their new, new version at the cost of the public suffering under the tories for another five years. Greedy self-centred bastards.

[citizenJA]

Jesus, current government put this guy on their payroll at the start of their jackass government! August 2010!

Alan Milburn appointment as social mobility tsar
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010 ... ility-tsar

Who gives a damn what Milburn says? With all the brouhaha conjured over this person, you'd think he was a Labour party representative with a constituency. But he's not, is he. It's horseshit like this pisses me off. It's telling lies.

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn - Chair - Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission

Alan Milburn was a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party from 1992 to 2010.

https://www.gov.uk/government/people/al ... rent-roles" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He's on current government's payroll.

[ErnstRemarx]

Leslie Hore-Belisha

Lovin' it! You've played this before haven't you? Go on, own up. I'd Cecil Parkinson you at this point if I didn't think that some bright spark wouldn't Selwyn-Gummer me just for laughs.

But bravo.

[citizenJA]

Good-night, everyone.
Breathe, CitizenJA, breathe & remember Dave's Scotland speech
"I won't always be PM & the Tories won't always be in government - please don't leave..."
You're correct about that, Dave.

Love,
JA

[ErnstRemarx]

Is this really the number one story for Times readers? Maybe the point is to get subject discussed on BBC paper reviews.

Ah, the blessing of the Blairites. Fuck the lot of them, the useless bastards.

[LadyCentauria]

Did I really hear Sarah Woolaston say, "it's true that people can't trust the Conservatives to fund the NHS." on the Daily Politics??? I think that I'll have to find it again on iPlayer once I've finished watching the late repeat on BBC Parliament. I mean, I know she wouldn't have meant to say that but there's many a Freudian slip 'twixt brain and lip...

[ErnstRemarx]

Jesus, current government put this guy on their payroll at the start of their jackass government! August 2010!

Alan Milburn appointment as social mobility tsar
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010 ... ility-tsar

Who gives a damn what Milburn says? With all the brouhaha conjured over this person, you'd think he was a Labour party representative with a constituency. But he's not, is he. It's horseshit like this pisses me off. It's telling lies.

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn - Chair - Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission

Alan Milburn was a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party from 1992 to 2010.

https://www.gov.uk/government/people/al ... rent-roles" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He's on current government's payroll.

So, a an ex-Labour MP who's not been in politics for about half a decade prognosticating that any change to the NHS by Burnham is electoral suicide is 'news', but, the actual speech from Burnham, who will probably be the next Health Secretary (unless Milburn and his fellow Tories get their way) is relegated way, way down the list of things to read, if indeed it's actually reported upon at all, so keen are the Tory press and their mates in the BBC to slag Labour off.

First act of parliament, 8th May 2015: sort the fucking media out once and for all. Impose Leveson and make sure it hurts. Ensure plurality in media ownership in Britain. They'll bitch like crazy, but, conveniently, a 5 year parliament will give them plenty of time to learn how to report objectively, won't it?

[TechnicalEphemera]

Leslie Hore-Belisha

Lovin' it! You've played this before haven't you? Go on, own up. I'd Cecil Parkinson you at this point if I didn't think that some bright spark wouldn't Selwyn-Gummer me just for laughs.

But bravo.

Seriously, I give you lot Prescott and Aitken and you don't take the opening. What is more you have left my floating Huhne in play.

Therefore following two MPs with actual or near legal encounters and a loose Huhne I can now do this.

Drum roll


Mike Hancock.

[RogerOThornhill]

I'm thinking of going back into work again after having left some years ago and then bitterly complain in a loud voice how everything's changed and they're not doing things in the way that I used to do.

Think that'll go down well?

[LadyCentauria]

Oh. I forgot to play. Am I allowed to say Norman Tebbit in polite company?

[TechnicalEphemera]

Jesus, current government put this guy on their payroll at the start of their jackass government! August 2010!

Alan Milburn appointment as social mobility tsar
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010 ... ility-tsar

Who gives a damn what Milburn says? With all the brouhaha conjured over this person, you'd think he was a Labour party representative with a constituency. But he's not, is he. It's horseshit like this pisses me off. It's telling lies.

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn - Chair - Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission

Alan Milburn was a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party from 1992 to 2010.

https://www.gov.uk/government/people/al ... rent-roles" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He's on current government's payroll.

So, a an ex-Labour MP who's not been in politics for about half a decade prognosticating that any change to the NHS by Burnham is electoral suicide is 'news', but, the actual speech from Burnham, who will probably be the next Health Secretary (unless Milburn and his fellow Tories get their way) is relegated way, way down the list of things to read, if indeed it's actually reported upon at all, so keen are the Tory press and their mates in the BBC to slag Labour off.

First act of parliament, 8th May 2015: sort the fucking media out once and for all. Impose Leveson and make sure it hurts. Ensure plurality in media ownership in Britain. They'll bitch like crazy, but, conveniently, a 5 year parliament will give them plenty of time to learn how to report objectively, won't it?

I agree, the reporting on this has been shocking. The Indy ignored it, the Guardian and BBC went with that Tory paid, twat Milburn who is also on the payroll of private healthcare.

I assume he has already been thrown out of the party, if not now would be the time for massive conflict of interest and bringing the Labour Party into disrepute.

[Hobiejoe]

Is this really the number one story for Times readers? Maybe the point is to get subject discussed on BBC paper reviews.

Ah, the blessing of the Blairites. Fuck the lot of them, the useless bastards.

Indeed. But I think I'll not be looking for a smiley to illustrate that particular sentiment, Ernst.

Meanwhile, I see they've dangled a hefty carrot with the story at the top of the page. Not the subtlest juxtaposition I've seen, and I've been in the same room as Simon Hughes and a bunch of fellow keen young students wanting to do good when we could, and were delighted when we could meet real politicians, so a little starstruck, because aged 19 from Devon, in an actual university. Sorry.

[LadyCentauria]

Leslie Hore-Belisha

Lovin' it! You've played this before haven't you? Go on, own up. I'd Cecil Parkinson you at this point if I didn't think that some bright spark wouldn't Selwyn-Gummer me just for laughs.

But bravo.

Seriously, I give you lot Prescott and Aitken and you don't take the opening. What is more you have left my floating Huhne in play.

Therefore following two MPs with actual or near legal encounters and a loose Huhne I can now do this.

Drum roll


Mike Hancock.

Oh no! Now my Tebbit is completely redundant! But I bow to your skill and finesse and offer Jeremy Thorpe.

[TechnicalEphemera]

Lovin' it! You've played this before haven't you? Go on, own up. I'd Cecil Parkinson you at this point if I didn't think that some bright spark wouldn't Selwyn-Gummer me just for laughs.

But bravo.

Seriously, I give you lot Prescott and Aitken and you don't take the opening. What is more you have left my floating Huhne in play.

Therefore following two MPs with actual or near legal encounters and a loose Huhne I can now do this.

Drum roll


Mike Hancock.

Oh no! Now my Tebbit is completely redundant! But I bow to your skill and finesse and offer Jeremy Thorpe.

Oh crap I forgot about Thorpe, playing him early in the game would have got me to Hancock so much quicker. The best example (other than Mike) of getting away with it.

[ErnstRemarx]

Oh. I forgot to play. Am I allowed to say Norman Tebbit in polite company?

No.

[seeingclearly]

Here's the thing about succeeding electorally. The Tories do one thing very well. They gather their substantial, collective resources in a single action to make sure anyone able to vote Tory will do so. Single-minded, mobilised in one motion - not as many likely Tory voters as their are non-Tory voters but a Tory voter will vote; without fail. Without fail.

I've not seen the poll Ohso has seen. There's nothing that has happened to have negatively altered Labour support. But fear can be cultivated & Tories benefit from that. I'm gravely disappointed reading & hearing animosity between left-leaning parties. Only one party wins when people are frightened, stressed & without the consolation of a property portfolio. Tories do that one thing, mobilise whatever they have in order to hold onto power. Most people in this country aren't Tories & have little in common with the Tory party. Stay together. Don't let Tories win. Don't let Tories back into government.

Just a thought, but perhaps the Syriza result has affected our polls, panicking unsettled right leaners to get off the fence. You can jump on me if you want, I'm getting used to it,

[LadyCentauria]

Sarah Wollaston did indeed say, "It is absolutely right that people don't trust the Conservatives to be able to deliver on those funding commitments." She didn't quite finish the word "don't" but failed so just ploughed on. That 'absolutely right' could be read two ways – either, "it is true that people don't trust..." or "people are correct not to trust..." But funny (made me giggle) either way as the topic under discussion was whether or not most people trust Labour or the Conservatives on the NHS and its funding.

At least I've finally learnt how to spell her surname...