Friday 6th February

[frightful_oik]

Sorry, but someone's nicked the FT from work so I can't look at what it says.

[StephenDolan]

“So now we know – every time patients wait longer for test results, longer in A&E and longer for an operation the responsibility goes directly to David Cameron’s door. Today he should personally apologise to the British people for betraying their trust, letting them down and damaging our National Health Service.”

Cameron should apologise for NHS reforms, says Miliband

http://gu.com/p/45hqd" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mikems]

“This independent assessment also puts paid to Ed Miliband’s myth that the reforms were about privatisation, and highlights why both the public and the health sector should be wary of Labour’s plans for upheaval and reorganisation”

A public servant said this. It's not just the NHS they've f****d up. Where's our independent civil service gone?

[ephemerid]

Is Gove a modern-day Thomas Cromwell?

It would be concerning if a minister no longer in post could manipulate the work of his successor from behind the scenes, like a modern-day Cromwell, says Sue Freestone

Unseen powers have always lurked behind all manner of thrones, but it is deeply concerning, if the reports are true, that a minister no longer in post can undermine and devalue the work of his successor and yet remain aloof and unaccountable for the work of a department he no longer leads.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/ed ... mwell.html

A slightly flippant article, but it does finally pinpoint that Gove isn't done with power yet.

Cromwell was a very clever man.

Despite all his cleverness, he got his head chopped off.

Luckily for the Govefish, beheading isn't a thing we do here any more.

[mikems]

Gove's a cleverclogs, not a clever man.

[pk1]

My complaint to the Speakers office:

Dear Sir

I feel compelled to complain to you having watched today's session of questions to the Prime Minister.

The behaviour of the elected members of Parliament in the Chamber is utterly atrocious & the Prime Minister's own behaviour is the worst of all.

I am angry that you do not insist that he answers the questions put to him by Opposition MPs. The abuse he throws towards those whose opinion he does not share is demeaning to the office of PM but also demeans the electorate that voted for that particular Member of Parliament he abuses.

I gave up watching PMQs several weeks ago because of the rowdiness of supposed adults in the Chamber. They behave worse than a group of 2 year olds, high on adrenalin & sugar.

Today I gave it another viewing & wish I hadn't.

I hope you will use the powers invested in you to ensure the behaviour of these men & women improves during these weekly sessions.

Regards

Reply from the Speakers office:

Dear Mrs XXXXX

Mr Speaker has asked me to thank you for your email of 4 February, and to reply on his behalf.

The Speaker notes what you say and agrees that the Chamber does have its noisy and unruly moments, particularly during Questions to the Prime Minister. He always does his utmost to encourage Members to conduct themselves in a more dignified and productive manner in the Chamber, and to remind them of the views of the public on this matter. Of course, Parliament is not a debating society; it is the arena in which political argument finds its expression and it is inevitable that from time to time passions run high. However, this is by no means typical of parliamentary business, most of which is conducted in a much more orderly fashion.

Mr Speaker has also asked me to say that he is not responsible for the content of questions asked nor of answers given, so long as they are “in order” in Parliamentary terms and they do not breach the rules and conventions of the House. However, Mr Speaker would like to point out that, from time to time, he reminds the House of the expected form of questions to and answers from Ministers.

Regards,
Jade

Jade Knight
Secretary to the Speaker’s Secretary

[pk1]

Get that man off my profile NOW !!

edit - phew ! That was nasty

[StephenDolan]

Get that man off my profile NOW !!

edit - phew ! That was nasty

[AngryAsWell]

George Galloway Calls For Action Against BBC Over Question Time 'Lynch Mob'
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/02 ... _hp_ref=tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have to say it did look like a lynch mob in full swing. But George also perhaps needs to think before accepting QT invites in Finchley...?

[ohsocynical]

@Ephemerid & Mikems

It's appalling proof of how Dave has let his ministers run amok and disregard the rules.
I'm also wondering if that's why they've not had a leadership contest. He's so lazy and easy to manipulate that he's perfect for the job.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

My complaint to the Speakers office:

Dear Sir

I feel compelled to complain to you having watched today's session of questions to the Prime Minister.

The behaviour of the elected members of Parliament in the Chamber is utterly atrocious & the Prime Minister's own behaviour is the worst of all.

I am angry that you do not insist that he answers the questions put to him by Opposition MPs. The abuse he throws towards those whose opinion he does not share is demeaning to the office of PM but also demeans the electorate that voted for that particular Member of Parliament he abuses.

I gave up watching PMQs several weeks ago because of the rowdiness of supposed adults in the Chamber. They behave worse than a group of 2 year olds, high on adrenalin & sugar.

Today I gave it another viewing & wish I hadn't.

I hope you will use the powers invested in you to ensure the behaviour of these men & women improves during these weekly sessions.

Regards

Reply from the Speakers office:

Dear Mrs XXXXX

Mr Speaker has asked me to thank you for your email of 4 February, and to reply on his behalf.

The Speaker notes what you say and agrees that the Chamber does have its noisy and unruly moments, particularly during Questions to the Prime Minister. He always does his utmost to encourage Members to conduct themselves in a more dignified and productive manner in the Chamber, and to remind them of the views of the public on this matter. Of course, Parliament is not a debating society; it is the arena in which political argument finds its expression and it is inevitable that from time to time passions run high. However, this is by no means typical of parliamentary business, most of which is conducted in a much more orderly fashion.

Mr Speaker has also asked me to say that he is not responsible for the content of questions asked nor of answers given, so long as they are “in order” in Parliamentary terms and they do not breach the rules and conventions of the House. However, Mr Speaker would like to point out that, from time to time, he reminds the House of the expected form of questions to and answers from Ministers.

Regards,
Jade

Jade Knight
Secretary to the Speaker’s Secretary

Fair play to Mr Bercow (and Ms Knight). A prompt reply, and a pretty decent one as well.

[ohsocynical]

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 19 mins19 minutes ago
Concerns about the NHS now the top Ipsos-MORI Issues Index - ahead of immigration & economy

[ephemerid]

The last thing people with mental health issues need is politicians uttering platitudes and soundbites in an attempt to win votes. We are not a political football.

The Work Capability Assessment, banned in the US as 'disability-denial factories', was the result last time Labour looked at mental health and was explicitly designed to reduce the numbers with mental health problems on benefits. It replaced the PCS which hadn't done this enough. They took the advice of Unum, who wanted rid of state benefits so they could sell their privare insurance, and hired Atos to throw everyone to the dogs.

Now Ed's off again with his fatuous tweets. The best thing politicians can do for mental health people is stay the fuck off our case.

We saw how committed Ed was to mental health when he crawled up to Scotland and told Atos what a great job they were doing.

Afternoon, Red.

Whilst I agree with most of what you've said here, I think you are being a bit unfair to Miliband. He gets a very bad press as we know, and he isn't the only politician to make fatuous remarks on this subject.
Like many people who do not have a deep understanding of mental health issues, politicians and journalists (not to mention the Great British Public) generally have very little exposure to mental ill-health.
A lot of people think depression is just a failure to perk oneself up, bi-polar is a trendy thing Zeta-Jones has (and she doesn't look ill, does she?) and suicide attempts are attention-seeking behaviour.

No recent government has much to crow about when it comes to mental health - Care in the Community for acute psychiatric patients went much too far and has left the country with very few places of asylum left for people to heal and recover however long it takes.
Mental health care has always been a "cinderella service" - underfunded and frequently misunderstood by many people.

I am inclined to think that Burnham is moving the right direction - one thing we do know is that since the Tories took over the provision of services for mental health care has been cut by up to 70% in some areas in England. People are waiting for more than a year for their first specialist appointment; as we know it can take a long time after that initial assessment to even get a definitive diagnosis.

On the subject of the WCA, you already know what I think. From Peter Lilley to Rachel Reeves, no politician has ever really been willing to find out what the meaning and impact of the bio/psych/social model is, and as a result they have no idea how warped and twisted the Unum-style model actually is.
All they care about is that it's appealing because it has been sold as the answer to cutting the benefit bill - no government for decades has cared about anything else.
Reeves is particularly irritating because she (and Green) continually conflate illness with disability; I do not have much hope that things will change under Labour as a result.

What I think IS important is that people who have mental illness who are in the public eye (Stephen Fry is a good example) get out there and say it's OK to be unwell, it's OK to be different, it's OK to be crazy or low or whatever.
I don't talk about my black dogs often because I know what the reaction will be. That's what needs to stop - and maybe one day I'll be allowed to be sick, without being judged by people who have absolutely no idea what it's like to live under the cosh of thoughts I can do nothing to stop or the other cosh of chemicals to stop me thinking at all.

Honestly, Red - there's a lot more wrong with mental health in this country than Miliband and few daft comments.

Pax.

[ohsocynical]

The last thing people with mental health issues need is politicians uttering platitudes and soundbites in an attempt to win votes. We are not a political football.

The Work Capability Assessment, banned in the US as 'disability-denial factories', was the result last time Labour looked at mental health and was explicitly designed to reduce the numbers with mental health problems on benefits. It replaced the PCS which hadn't done this enough. They took the advice of Unum, who wanted rid of state benefits so they could sell their privare insurance, and hired Atos to throw everyone to the dogs.

Now Ed's off again with his fatuous tweets. The best thing politicians can do for mental health people is stay the fuck off our case.

We saw how committed Ed was to mental health when he crawled up to Scotland and told Atos what a great job they were doing.

Afternoon, Red.

Whilst I agree with most of what you've said here, I think you are being a bit unfair to Miliband. He gets a very bad press as we know, and he isn't the only politician to make fatuous remarks on this subject.
Like many people who do not have a deep understanding of mental health issues, politicians and journalists (not to mention the Great British Public) generally have very little exposure to mental ill-health.
A lot of people think depression is just a failure to perk oneself up, bi-polar is a trendy thing Zeta-Jones has (and she doesn't look ill, does she?) and suicide attempts are attention-seeking behaviour.

No recent government has much to crow about when it comes to mental health - Care in the Community for acute psychiatric patients went much too far and has left the country with very few places of asylum left for people to heal and recover however long it takes.
Mental health care has always been a "cinderella service" - underfunded and frequently misunderstood by many people.

I am inclined to think that Burnham is moving the right direction - one thing we do know is that since the Tories took over the provision of services for mental health care has been cut by up to 70% in some areas in England. People are waiting for more than a year for their first specialist appointment; as we know it can take a long time after that initial assessment to even get a definitive diagnosis.

On the subject of the WCA, you already know what I think. From Peter Lilley to Rachel Reeves, no politician has ever really been willing to find out what the meaning and impact of the bio/psych/social model is, and as a result they have no idea how warped and twisted the Unum-style model actually is.
All they care about is that it's appealing because it has been sold as the answer to cutting the benefit bill - no government for decades has cared about anything else.
Reeves is particularly irritating because she (and Green) continually conflate illness with disability; I do not have much hope that things will change under Labour as a result.

What I think IS important is that people who have mental illness who are in the public eye (Stephen Fry is a good example) get out there and say it's OK to be unwell, it's OK to be different, it's OK to be crazy or low or whatever.
I don't talk about my black dogs often because I know what the reaction will be. That's what needs to stop - and maybe one day I'll be allowed to be sick, without being judged by people who have absolutely no idea what it's like to live under the cosh of thoughts I can do nothing to stop or the other cosh of chemicals to stop me thinking at all.

Honestly, Red - there's a lot more wrong with mental health in this country than Miliband and few daft comments.

Pax.

I'll never forget that cow Virginia Bottomley when she was Health minister going on TV and announcing their 'Care in the Community' policy.
I have a deadly clear picture of her blithely brushing aside worries about how the more severely mentally disabled were expected to take control of their medications.

No one like the old fashioned 'Mental Hospitals' but Maggie's reforms - which basically meant shutting down asylums and turning patients out onto the streets - left gaps which were never adequately filled.

I hope I don't offend anyone by this, but mental illness still scares a lot of people. I don't think we've entirely cast off the stigma which was still going strong in my youth.

[ohsocynical]

And to add. Peter Lilley is related to Virginia Bottomley. Enough said!!!

[ErnstRemarx]

I've been looking at the live blog over at the G on Greece.

Apart from some idiotic soundbites ATL from a few stroppy Eurocrats, who seem to think that because Varoufakis doesn't tuck his shirt in and refuses to wear a tie makes him a bully (odd - I think he's seriously attractive...but I digress) there is an astonishing amount of ignorance BTL.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but my impression of the situation is this - the IMF wants to lend the Greeks 7BN Euros to pay their existing debt of 4BN plus some other bills worth another 2BN or so due soon; ie. the IMF wants to lend the Greeks the cash they need to give it back to the IMF again. If they do that, they are in exactly the same position as before but will have to comply with the IMF's conditions of further austerity.

Surely it would make more sense to simply defer payments on the loans for a while and give Greece a bit of time to sort their country out?
If Tsipiras doesn't stick to his guns, the IMF will walk all over him and he'll have to impose even more austerity on his people and I can't see how he could do that because a) he wants the best for his people and b) there's nothing left for the Greeks to give.

Greece will be fucked. Again. People will die. Even more than have died already.

I'm sick of this. A sovereign nation being held to ransom like this. Being told it must comply and run the government how the creditors dictate.
I don't care about what went on before any more - we know it was down to greed and corruption in politics and banking.

The Euro-techno-whatever-crats are determined to make Tsipiras back down; they are basically refusing to allow him to be reasonable.
He's doing the right thing here, but they're putting obstacles in his way - and that's a surefire recipe for defaults, Grexit, and they will never ever get their money back and they will cause chaos in the banking systems they are claim they're trying to protect.

I don't pray often, but I am praying that these very brave Syriza politicians get their way. That would give strength to other left-wing movements within the EU and we might even get a bit more support fr the left here too.

Good luck to them.

There's one card that the Greeks might care to play: ask Russia for the money. Greece and Russia are cloaser than most people think, Russia needs friends (even small ones) and Greece needs cash, of which Russia has oodles.Both Russia and Greece get to stick one on the EU financial system and the only losers are the EU financiers who end up with egg on their faces.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Russia is dying on its arse.

[ErnstRemarx]

Russia is dying on its arse.

Never let internal problems stop you exploiting a foreign policy opportunity.

[rebeccariots2]

Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 2m2 minutes ago
Exclusive: Nick Clegg has complained to Cabinet Sec Sir Jeremy Heywood after he was left out of a govt announcement http://specc.ie/16Nc1km" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But he thinks he might be a stand in Prime Minister if we get a hung outcome ..... yeah right.

[ohsocynical]

Russia is dying on its arse.

I thanked Ernst, then read your post. The price of oil has made a bit of a mess of their economy hasn't it? But didn't I read a couple of days ago it's beginning to rise again?

[ohsocynical]

Russia is dying on its arse.

Never let internal problems stop you exploiting a foreign policy opportunity.

And Putin is flexing his muscles isn't he.

[rebeccariots2]

Tim Shipman ‏@ShippersUnbound 27m27 minutes ago
A Labour MP on the Hunt Question Time spat. "It's nunsense."

I don't know what Tristram Hunt said about nuns re unqualified teachers on QT ... but it was obviously something the press think they can inflate to mega proportions.

But I do know we had nuns teaching at my school and some of them were truly awful at it. Some of them were also seriously lacking in kindness and empathy which is probably more of a central failing for a nun.

But then my sister was expelled for shutting a nuns head in the door ... so I've probably not got the most impartial of perspectives.

[mikems]

Krugman says it is more of a warning shot to everyone than a problem for the Greek banks :

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/0 ... egion=Body" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ohsocynical]

@Ephemerid

made in Grimethorpe retweeted
Socialist Worker ‏@socialistworker 1 hr1 hour ago

Thousands protest in Athens against bullying bankers

http://goo.gl/fb/AYSQVm

I think the Greek people are dictating what's going to happen. I imagine if he's half the man we think he is, he'll try to do what they want.

[ohsocynical]

Tim Shipman ‏@ShippersUnbound 27m27 minutes ago
A Labour MP on the Hunt Question Time spat. "It's nunsense."

I don't know what Tristram Hunt said about nuns re unqualified teachers on QT ... but it was obviously something the press think they can inflate to mega proportions.

But I do know we had nuns teaching at my school and some of them were truly awful at it. Some of them were also seriously lacking in kindness and empathy which is probably more of a central failing for a nun.

But then my sister was expelled for shutting a nuns head in the door ... so I've probably not got the most impartial of perspectives.

I think it was that nuns as such aren't qualified teachers. Another side remark being blown out of all proportion because it's by Labour . Hardly a word about the cruel words uttered yesterday by a Tory

[Tubby Isaacs]

I'm sick of this. A sovereign nation being held to ransom like this. Being told it must comply and run the government how the creditors dictate.
I don't care about what went on before any more - we know it was down to greed and corruption in politics and banking.

A sovereign nation can't unilaterally vote not to honour its debts. The biggest creditors, Germany and France, are sovereign nations too. German wages have been kept low for almost a decade now, despite booming exports. This is pretty much textbook capitalism, setting one group off against another, but the Germans surely have a point.

And forget all about Eurocrats- they're the servants of the member states.

What you're referring to, a blameless country undone by bankers and politicians, is basically Ireland. The Greece is a whole different kettle of fish, a ludicrously unsustainable pact between tax avoiding private sector and a public sector with incredible pensions.

This is good about the background from Michael Lewis.

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/10/ ... nds-201010" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Having said all this, the way the bail outs have had far too strict conditions attached to them, and squeezed the life out of the economy. I only understood recently that Germany probably wasn't doing this just to be nasty- German attitudes to debt, inflation, contract help explain it, along with the design flaws in the single currency. Also, I gather, Keynes isn't particularly influential in Germany. They're not privatizers like Britain has been, but they and the IMF could justifiably point to the Greek state's endemic problems. As I understand it, they've been less like that with Ireland.

There a few obvious retorts to that- like Germany being forgiven debt after WW2. But Germany might equally say that they've handed over a fortune in structural funds to the EU for donkeys years, not least to Greece.

[ErnstRemarx]

WRT local politics and the quality of local politicians, it's fair to say that it can be variable, depending who's in power and the depth of their party membership. Parties with plentyof members in a locality will, perforce, have a larger number of volunteers to stand as councillors and commensurately a higher standard of person in general. Parties with low membership have to scrabble round looking for 'volunteers' to stand locally - checking out the list of candidates in the local area frequently throws up 'husband and wife' scenarios.

When that occurs and they get elected, they'll inevitably be rather worse than committed volunteers who know their stuff and aren't just doing it as a favour to the hubby/missus. That's happened here in Bury whereboth the FibDems and Tories have exactly that scenario, whilst the local UKIP all appear to be from the Southworth family (whoever they might be...).

The simple answer is to get involved yourself, stand for council, get elected and show people how it should be done. As far as I'm aware, FTN has one elected councillor (well, for now, anyway), but some of you lot seem absolutely suited to stand for elected office and put up with the shit I have to suffer make your mark in your area.

Think about it. More than a few of you are members of Labour or the Greens. A chance to influence how life is where you live. I've never regretted standing for and serving in council, even though it's likely that the ungrateful Tory bastards in my ward won't re-elect me in 2016....

[Tubby Isaacs]

Russia is dying on its arse.

Never let internal problems stop you exploiting a foreign policy opportunity.

Wasn't that said about Cyprus?

[rebeccariots2]

WRT local politics and the quality of local politicians, it's fair to say that it can be variable, depending who's in power and the depth of their party membership. Parties with plentyof members in a locality will, perforce, have a larger number of volunteers to stand as councillors and commensurately a higher standard of person in general. Parties with low membership have to scrabble round looking for 'volunteers' to stand locally - checking out the list of candidates in the local area frequently throws up 'husband and wife' scenarios.

When that occurs and they get elected, they'll inevitably be rather worse than committed volunteers who know their stuff and aren't just doing it as a favour to the hubby/missus. That's happened here in Bury whereboth the FibDems and Tories have exactly that scenario, whilst the local UKIP all appear to be from the Southworth family (whoever they might be...).

The simple answer is to get involved yourself, stand for council, get elected and show people how it should be done. As far as I'm aware, FTN has one elected councillor (well, for now, anyway), but some of you lot seem absolutely suited to stand for elected office and put up with the shit I have to suffer mark your mark in your area.

Think about it. More than a few of you are members of Labour or the Greens. A chance to influence how life is where you live. I've never regretted standing for and serving in council, even though it's likely that the ungrateful Tory bastards in my ward won't re-elect me in 2016....

There are some of us thinking about doing just that Ernst. Final straws - end of tethers - having been reached and well and truly gone past with the recent shenanigans at Pembs CC. It would take a natural disaster of epic proportion and complete repopulation of this area for anyone other than our 'independent' incumbent to lose his seat however. Some of the other wards are a bit more promising.

[ohsocynical]

Sarah Palin well and truly putting her foot in it...How long before we hear her words being echoed over here by some right wing idiot.

https://twitter.com/PatrickStrud/status ... 04/photo/1

[rebeccariots2]

Ukip disowns Yorkshire police death tweet
Ukip is investigating after a tweet posted from an official party account branded the death of a South Yorkshire policeman “karma”.
https://www.politicshome.com/party-poli ... eath-tweet
PC Hassan Ali, who was reportedly under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in relation to the Rotherham child abuse scandal, died in hospital after being hit by a car last month.

A Twitter account representing Ukip's Plymouth office posted a message this afternoon which read: “South Yorkshire police says PC Hassan Ali who was under investigation in relation to child abuse in Rotherham has died in a car crash KARMA!”

The party told PoliticsHome the account was “run by a team of volunteers” and that the post been made “without permission”.

A spokesperson added: “Once it was tweeted it was deleted almost immediately.

"The content of the Tweet does not reflect the views of the Branch, its candidates or indeed the wider party. The matter is being investigated."​

The controversy comes on the day Nigel Farage accused trade unions of trying to silence Ukip, after he was blockaded in the party’s office in Rotherham because of a protest. ...

[gilsey]

This is literally the best analysis of the euro area’s problems we’ve ever read. You should take the time to closely read the whole thing yourself.

http://blog.mpettis.com/2015/02/syriza- ... f-1871-73/

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2015/02/06/2 ... hings-too/

[Tubby Isaacs]

From a poster on another board. More academy success- though converted before Gove's time, his lot "oversaw" it for 4 years. In which time it lost £1m in a scam, got about the worst GCSE results in the country (17% A-C inc Maths and English) and was put into special measures. The sponsor stepped aside but no other took it on, and the LA wasn't brought in.

Now it's closed to all but the GCSE year because no-one wants to teach there. And a girl in the GCSE year says teachers aren't turning up for some of her classes. Suspiciously, there's been a uniform blitz too, which has seen her and other sent home.

Is this the worst ever? Not quite the Hackney Downs to Mossbourne narrative we're fed, is it?

And the location of this basket case of low achievement? Moss Side? Dagenham? Scunthorpe?

Poole.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/1 ... ht_before/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Spacedone]

Nick Clegg on stand-by to be Prime Minister

NICK Clegg could serve as a caretaker prime minister after the general election until a new coalition is formed, a senior Lib Dem MP suggested yesterday.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/ ... e-Minister

Surely the fact that he won't even be an MP might have some bearing on the matter?

Gizza job! I can do that!

[ohsocynical]

I'm sick of this. A sovereign nation being held to ransom like this. Being told it must comply and run the government how the creditors dictate.
I don't care about what went on before any more - we know it was down to greed and corruption in politics and banking.

A sovereign nation can't unilaterally vote not to honour its debts. The biggest creditors, Germany and France, are sovereign nations too. German wages have been kept low for almost a decade now, despite booming exports. This is pretty much textbook capitalism, setting one group off against another, but the Germans surely have a point.

And forget all about Eurocrats- they're the servants of the member states.

What you're referring to, a blameless country undone by bankers and politicians, is basically Ireland. The Greece is a whole different kettle of fish, a ludicrously unsustainable pact between tax avoiding private sector and a public sector with incredible pensions.

This is good about the background from Michael Lewis.

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/10/ ... nds-201010" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Having said all this, the way the bail outs have had far too strict conditions attached to them, and squeezed the life out of the economy. I only understood recently that Germany probably wasn't doing this just to be nasty- German attitudes to debt, inflation, contract help explain it, along with the design flaws in the single currency. Also, I gather, Keynes isn't particularly influential in Germany. They're not privatizers like Britain has been, but they and the IMF could justifiably point to the Greek state's endemic problems. As I understand it, they've been less like that with Ireland.

There a few obvious retorts to that- like Germany being forgiven debt after WW2. But Germany might equally say that they've handed over a fortune in structural funds to the EU for donkeys years, not least to Greece.

I'm dreadful at economics am very simplistic. When Ireland is mentioned all I can think is: Poverty. Behind the times. Joined EU. Celtic Tiger. Boom. Bust. More emigrating now than during the potato famine.

[ohsocynical]

From a poster on another board. More academy success- though converted before Gove's time, his lot "oversaw" it for 4 years. In which time it lost £1m in a scam, got about the worst GCSE results in the country (17% A-C inc Maths and English) and was put into special measures. The sponsor stepped aside but no other took it on, and the LA wasn't brought in.

Now it's closed to all but the GCSE year because no-one wants to teach there. And a girl in the GCSE year says teachers aren't turning up for some of her classes. Suspiciously, there's been a uniform blitz too, which has seen her and other sent home.

Is this the worst ever? Not quite the Hackney Downs to Mossbourne narrative we're fed, is it?

And the location of this basket case of low achievement? Moss Side? Dagenham? Scunthorpe?

Poole.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/1 ... ht_before/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's not right is it. The country is under attack from a Tory wrecking ball.

[mikems]

It is simplistic to blame the level of pensions for such a devastating collapse in capitalism. Greek pensions would be perfectly affordable in a world that wasn't dominated by the interests of finance capital. And we would have to work a lot less for it.

[rebeccariots2]

Met my first former Labour voter who has decided to support UKIP on the doorstep today. He hesitated before telling me - and started with 'I'll tell you the honest ..." so I think he was a bit embarrassed. When I asked him why ... he couldn't really tell me. He said it was because all politicians are the same - they say they'll do this and that and then when they get in they do none of it. I did check with him that he knew that UKIP weren't going to be able to win in our seat - so there was no chance of the person he voted for actually doing anything for him (I didn't say that last bit). He did.

I asked him what it was he wanted politicians to do that they hadn't and he didn't have an answer. He told me he had also voted Tory before.

He was perfectly polite and we had a good tempered chat ... but I left very confused about what on earth was really motivating him to vote UKIP.

[mikems]

I mean all that 20+ trillion in tax havens could come in handy in affording pensions, couldn't they?

[ErnstRemarx]

@Ephemerid

made in Grimethorpe retweeted
Socialist Worker ‏@socialistworker 1 hr1 hour ago

Thousands protest in Athens against bullying bankers

http://goo.gl/fb/AYSQVm

I think the Greek people are dictating what's going to happen. I imagine if he's half the man we think he is, he'll try to do what they want.

Interesting little article (not something I generally say about Socialist Worker). The Greeks' doomsday weapon is to bail out of the EU, and it looks as though the Troika are hell bent upon forcing that upon them. If that happens, then the collateral damage to the EU economy is likely to be considerable, and might tip the entire EU into deeper recession and crisis.

As brinksmanship goes, this one's a doozy.

[mikems]

Krugman says that the Greek banks do not need to be funded by the Greek goverment, that they already have other sources of liquidity and the amount currently backed by the Greek government is small. So it isn't about forcing Greece out of the Euro or back on the drachma.

It is still, seven years after the crash, about kicking the can down the road and using austerity to slowly drain wealth from nation states to prop up the useless behemothic banking system.

[ErnstRemarx]

WRT local politics and the quality of local politicians, it's fair to say that it can be variable, depending who's in power and the depth of their party membership. Parties with plentyof members in a locality will, perforce, have a larger number of volunteers to stand as councillors and commensurately a higher standard of person in general. Parties with low membership have to scrabble round looking for 'volunteers' to stand locally - checking out the list of candidates in the local area frequently throws up 'husband and wife' scenarios.

When that occurs and they get elected, they'll inevitably be rather worse than committed volunteers who know their stuff and aren't just doing it as a favour to the hubby/missus. That's happened here in Bury whereboth the FibDems and Tories have exactly that scenario, whilst the local UKIP all appear to be from the Southworth family (whoever they might be...).

The simple answer is to get involved yourself, stand for council, get elected and show people how it should be done. As far as I'm aware, FTN has one elected councillor (well, for now, anyway), but some of you lot seem absolutely suited to stand for elected office and put up with the shit I have to suffer mark your mark in your area.

Think about it. More than a few of you are members of Labour or the Greens. A chance to influence how life is where you live. I've never regretted standing for and serving in council, even though it's likely that the ungrateful Tory bastards in my ward won't re-elect me in 2016....

There are some of us thinking about doing just that Ernst. Final straws - end of tethers - having been reached and well and truly gone past with the recent shenanigans at Pembs CC. It would take a natural disaster of epic proportion and complete repopulation of this area for anyone other than our 'independent' incumbent to lose his seat however. Some of the other wards are a bit more promising.

Try it - you might be surprised. I was told my ward would never elect a Labour candidate. Well, it did after nearly four decades of nothing but Tories. If I can do it (although I probably won't get to hold my seat) then you might too.

[ErnstRemarx]

Sarah Palin well and truly putting her foot in it...How long before we hear her words being echoed over here by some right wing idiot.

https://twitter.com/PatrickStrud/status ... 04/photo/1

Stand to reason though, dunnit? Common sense.

[yahyah]

Sarah Palin well and truly putting her foot in it...How long before we hear her words being echoed over here by some right wing idiot.

https://twitter.com/PatrickStrud/status ... 04/photo/1

Stand to reason though, dunnit? Common sense.

There were some posts on here the other day about risk to children in the US because of low vaccination rates. They can't all be as stupid as Palin surely ?

[citizenJA]

This is literally the best analysis of the euro area’s problems we’ve ever read. You should take the time to closely read the whole thing yourself.

http://blog.mpettis.com/2015/02/syriza- ... f-1871-73/

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2015/02/06/2 ... hings-too/

'Debt allocation' - Pettis calls it. No virtuous states, no villainous states, just debt & sommat about massive cash inflows into banks of various colours watching it come & go.

I'm giving my impression only. Interesting read. I don't know enough to make a judgement.

I don't want people getting hurt or suffering because of a lack of cooperation on the part of the powerful.

[ErnstRemarx]

Met my first former Labour voter who has decided to support UKIP on the doorstep today. He hesitated before telling me - and started with 'I'll tell you the honest ..." so I think he was a bit embarrassed. When I asked him why ... he couldn't really tell me. He said it was because all politicians are the same - they say they'll do this and that and then when they get in they do none of it. I did check with him that he knew that UKIP weren't going to be able to win in our seat - so there was no chance of the person he voted for actually doing anything for him (I didn't say that last bit). He did.

I asked him what it was he wanted politicians to do that they hadn't and he didn't have an answer. He told me he had also voted Tory before.

He was perfectly polite and we had a good tempered chat ... but I left very confused about what on earth was really motivating him to vote UKIP.

It's because UKIP are anti politics in some people's eyes. When you tell people who Farago actually is, his links to the hedge funds/the City and the Tory party makeup of most of his party, the only reason that people can then come up with is the EU/anti-immigration stance, which really is the politics of the lowest common denominator, since leaving the one and stopping the other would be like taking aim at each foot in turn and blowing a hole in them.

The problem is that the meeja have never - ever - tried to educate the public by giving them facts about either subject, preferring to frame it as poor old 'native' Brits against the huge, overweening, overwhelming bureaucracy of the EU and the endless flood of darkies and people who speak funny from ThatForn. Facts are presumably sacred, ie, far too sacred to be mentioned in an article on either subject.

So, the endless tide of right wing bile plays into the hands of Farago and his UKIP morons (and they are morons for the most part), and voters like the one you met end up deciding their vote on the basis of a blokey persona who enjoys a pint and a fag - perhaps like themselves - without knowing the first thing about either UKIP policies (mind you, who does?) or the downsides of the few policies that are UKIP's firm policies (casting ourselves adrift where we'll get shredded and giving darkies a good kicking).

Depressing, isn't it?

On the bright side, you'll also get to meet voters who aren't card carrying morons, so hang on in there.

[ephemerid]

I'll never forget that cow Virginia Bottomley when she was Health minister going on TV and announcing their 'Care in the Community' policy.
I have a deadly clear picture of her blithely brushing aside worries about how the more severely mentally disabled were expected to take control of their medications.

No one like the old fashioned 'Mental Hospitals' but Maggie's reforms - which basically meant shutting down asylums and turning patients out onto the streets - left gaps which were never adequately filled.

I hope I don't offend anyone by this, but mental illness still scares a lot of people. I don't think we've entirely cast off the stigma which was still going strong in my youth.

Back in the 70s when I did my training, the big "looney bins" out in the country were like little towns. Thousands of beds, and staff living in (many of whom were difficult to distinguish from the patients). Some of them were just appalling.

Care in the Community was a great idea for people with what used to be called "mental handicaps" - the institutions they were in were disgusting. No real care or therapy; and I remember looking after little old ladies who had been incarcerated due to "lack of moral fibre" because they'd had babies out of wedlock. A lot of kids with things like CP were there too - "spastics" they were called then.
Putting people with learning difficulties into shared houses with live-in staff was good - and I think it was handled reasonably well, especially for those who also had physical disabilities, as it was more like a family home than an institution. Some of the old "handicap" hospitals had long Nightingale wards with 50 beds in - people left to rot in adult-sized cots. Horrific.

The problems arose with people who have acute mental illness. The historical tendency to over-use ECT and horrible drugs left a lot of people in an almost zombie-like state. Many simply couldn't look after themselves and had been institutionalised along with the brain damage many of them suffered. There was no way they'd ever cope alone.

What we don't have now is enough beds for people to get better in. People in acute distress need time and space to heal - under supervision sometimes, under section sometimes, but most of all they need asylum away from the madness of the "normal" world.
We we do have is very patchy availability of beds; people are being discharged far too quickly, and are thus much more likely to relapse.
It's shameful that so many are now relying on the kindness of police officers to keep them safe.

Police stations, prisons, even A&E departments, are not the place for poorly people. They end up being over-medicated to control them, and without skilled time-consuming care and support they will not do well.
What we end up with is a large cohort of over-medicalised people - just as they were in the old hospitals - and no intelligent or compassionate support or understanding for what they are experiencing.

Disgraceful.

[citizenJA]

Sarah Palin well and truly putting her foot in it...How long before we hear her words being echoed over here by some right wing idiot.

https://twitter.com/PatrickStrud/status ... 04/photo/1

Stand to reason though, dunnit? Common sense.

There were some posts on here the other day about risk to children in the US because of low vaccination rates. They can't all be as stupid as Palin surely ?

Some are. Thankfully not all. Not even a majority stupid. For this let us be grateful. But dang, people, make sure you vote. Neglect an election the next thing you know your state is governed by what got voted into office by a few people who did.

[rebeccariots2]

DWP appointment hoaxes ramp up stress for the sick and disabled
http://voxpoliticalonline.com/

[ohsocynical]

@Ephemerid

made in Grimethorpe retweeted
Socialist Worker ‏@socialistworker 1 hr1 hour ago

Thousands protest in Athens against bullying bankers

http://goo.gl/fb/AYSQVm

I think the Greek people are dictating what's going to happen. I imagine if he's half the man we think he is, he'll try to do what they want.

Interesting little article (not something I generally say about Socialist Worker). The Greeks' doomsday weapon is to bail out of the EU, and it looks as though the Troika are hell bent upon forcing that upon them. If that happens, then the collateral damage to the EU economy is likely to be considerable, and might tip the entire EU into deeper recession and crisis.

As brinksmanship goes, this one's a doozy.

Across the world there is so much hate for bankers I think any sort of 'solution' that involves them is likely to be rejected out of hand whether it's sensible or not...It's rapidly coming to that point in a lot of countries.