Wednesday 18th February 2015

[rebeccariots2]

Peter Jukes ‏@peterjukes 4m4 minutes ago
6 years ago Guido Fawkes had emails about a Labour Smear campaign. Now says he has them for a Conservative Smear campaign. Will he publish?

Seems Kevin Maguire knew of some plot as well
15 January, 2015

"Squeaky bum time for staffers at the Conservative campaign headquarters. The word is that a cell of David Cameron’s stormtroopers has been speculating which prominent Labour figures could be implicated in allegations of historic child abuse. I hear that an email list has been compiled, should a dirty trick be needed. But electronic messages are dangerous. The compilation of supposed paedophiles was, mutters a snout, inadvertently copied to a Daily Telegraph reporter. Cue panic at CCHQ. This email would make Damian McBride’s notorious memos seem like fraternal greetings."

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... est-friend" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There's been a bit of twitter exchange about various people submitting subject access requests for information held about themselves from CCHQ, Telegraph etc to smoke out any such emails ... wonder if that will happen.

[GetYou]

Another Government IT success:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/18 ... _of_govuk/

[rebeccariots2]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... nt-britain
There will be a concerted effort to rubbish all this as uncosted, statist and anti-business. The truth is almost the opposite – it’s a feasible programme that will leave Britain with stronger firms, large and small; and more empowered, skilled workers. Sure, it could go further. But whatever else, it is not trivial. It would change Britain, in my view, for the better.

I missed the above yesterday. Will Hutton on Labour's economic policy document. It all sounds very positive.....if Labour could just get the majority to do it.....

Thanks for pointing us to that. It's a heartening piece - and I like Hutton's suggestion re the Companies Act being rejigged etc.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Another academy success.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-31504960" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A Kent secondary school is to close at the end of the academic year because of falling student numbers.

Oasis trust said Hextable Academy, in Egerton Avenue, Swanley would be operating at only half its capacity by 2018 if it stayed open.

All students, except those in years 10 and 12, will be transferred to neighbouring schools in September.

Kent County Council (KCC) said low numbers were a short-term problem and it would rather the school stayed open.

[rebeccariots2]

“I know what life’s like”: On the road with Lee Sherriff, the working single mother heading for Westminster
Labour’s candidate for Carlisle on being a political outsider, why we need more working-class voices in politics, and how her background helps her campaign.
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... estminster

She sounds real and as though she'll do a good job for her constituents if she gets elected.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 6s7 seconds ago
SNP leads in Scottish polls so far this year
YouGov 21
TNS 10
Ipsos 28
Survation 20
Panelbase 10
New Survation due 10pm

[citizenJA]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... nt-britain
There will be a concerted effort to rubbish all this as uncosted, statist and anti-business. The truth is almost the opposite – it’s a feasible programme that will leave Britain with stronger firms, large and small; and more empowered, skilled workers. Sure, it could go further. But whatever else, it is not trivial. It would change Britain, in my view, for the better.

I missed the above yesterday. Will Hutton on Labour's economic policy document. It all sounds very positive.....if Labour could just get the majority to do it.....

Thanks for pointing us to that. It's a heartening piece - and I like Hutton's suggestion re the Companies Act being rejigged etc.

I hadn't seen it. The G articles I come across are either linked here or I manage to find them on a page. Only 153 comments at this time & the article was published yesterday. There's no rhyme or reason to how the G's organised. I have to wander into them when I have some time.

On another note, I'm angry current government aren't deigning to do more than have the DWP minister tell lies about the Opposition. Current government require investigation. Who the hell do they think they are.

[rebeccariots2]

James McLaughlin ‏@jj_mclaughlin 3m3 minutes ago
Application refused on grounds of ecological and wildlife implications #Fineshade

This is the Forestry Commission plan to put lodges and other intrusive developments all over one of 'our' forests. I posted a link about it earlier today.

Looks like the council have rejected the planning application. Great news.

Mark Avery ‏@MarkAvery 7m7 minutes ago
Fineshade proposal rejected on ecological grounds. Irreplaceable habitat. @AndySawfordMP @ForestryCommEng @forestholidays @wildlifetrusts

Andy Sawford MP ‏@AndySawfordMP 5m5 minutes ago
Delighted to hear that @forestholidays plan to destroy Fineshade Woods has been refused at @ENCouncil planning committee tonight

[citizenJA]

http://b.3cdn.net/labouruk/7bba28130239 ... 6brkh7.pdf

A BETTER PLAN FOR BRITAIN’S PROSPERITY

I didn't know if we had this document from Labour yet.
It was referenced in the Hutton article but the link took me to Sparrow's blog in a general way; not the document itself.
I plugged the title into a search engine & found Labour Press Miliband's speech below given 16 Feb 2015

http://press.labour.org.uk/post/1111700 ... -speech-by

A link for the file document at the foot of the speech linked below

https://www.scribd.com/doc/255895360/A- ... Prosperity

[Tubby Isaacs]

And more. One for old Toadmeister (who's blocked me). This is the woman who helped him select his headteacher (3rd time lucky).

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/educa ... 55011.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Exclusive: Dame Sally Coates says the 'time has come for an independent review of admissions across the country'

[AngryAsWell]

One for our education buffs
Dorries Shows Off Her Grasp of Maffs

https://sdbast.wordpress.com/2015/02/18 ... -of-maffs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[WelshIan]

Re school leaving age.

It was to be 17 from 2013 and 18 from 2015.

I have found references to the original Labour plans but have found nothing about what has happened regarding this since the Coalition came to power. Both the Conservatives and Libdems opposed the policy to raise the leaving age when Labour first introduced the idea in 2007. It was due to come into force in 2013. Did the Coalition reverse it? I'm actually wondering now if it ever actually happened.

School leaving age is 16 in both England and Wales, but in England you have to stay in some form of education or training until your 18th birthday.

[AngryAsWell]

Martin Rowson on the Daily Telegraph's coverage of the HSBC files – http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ng-cartoon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

[Spacedone]

Martin Rowson on the Daily Telegraph's coverage of the HSBC files – http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ng-cartoon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Eww...

[Tubby Isaacs]

Chris Cook ‏@xtophercook 6s6 seconds ago
We've got new stuff on the @OborneTweets / @Telegraph story on #newsnight. But struck by how there's *no* sympathy for Tele among hacks.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 22s22 seconds ago
Survation Record Westminster voting intention
SNP 45-1
LAB 28+2
CON 15+1
LD 5-2

[AngryAsWell]

Martin Rowson on the Daily Telegraph's coverage of the HSBC files – http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ng-cartoon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Eww...

My thoughts exactly on that one

[Tubby Isaacs]

That result would probably see 1 LD left in Scotland, in Orkney and Shetland.

[refitman]

Oborne speaking to 38 Degrees:

[youtube]l9eJf2XbrIw[/youtube]

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/co ... er-oborne/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PaulfromYorkshire]

That result would probably see 1 LD left in Scotland, in Orkney and Shetland.

And bye bye Danny Alexander

[PaulfromYorkshire]

[Tubby Isaacs]

Bye bye Charles Kennedy too.

[ohsocynical]

You can't say anything other than serves them right. They're a right shower. Hugely disappointing to thousands of voters.

[ohsocynical]

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 7 mins7 minutes ago
Survation projection that their poll shows LAB losing half its Scottish MPs http://bit.ly/1CJFPsY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Kennedy has more chance of holding on than Alexander.

And he's a good bit more likeable too in my view.

[rebeccariots2]

Anne McGuire MP ‏@AnneMcGuireMP 8m8 minutes ago
"SNP need to get their members in line, this form of politics should be nowhere near the general election in May.” http://mirr.im/1DrvpB2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SNP accused of using 'intimidation' tactics after urging supporters to post pictures of Labour activists on internet
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/polit ... ar_twitter

Sheesh ... I'd hate that to happen to me on the doorsteps down here. Things are getting seriously out of hand if a branch of a party thinks this is acceptable behaviour. I agree with McGuire that Sturgeon has to show really firm leadership on these kind of tactics or things will escalate even further in the run up to the election ... and some people seem to have little or no self control.

[Eric_WLothian]

Bye bye Charles Kennedy too.

But do the polls allow for personal support? (I doubt whether Danny Alexander has any)!

I suspect the old Liberal seats (as opposed to LibDem) might do ok as an alternative to the Tories.

[ohsocynical]

Even Tories can't stomach smear tactics used by party against Labour

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ev ... ar_twitter

I didn't know about the YouTube advertising and that it didn't have to be true or accurate. Disgusting behaviour.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Bye bye Charles Kennedy too.

But do the polls allow for personal support? (I doubt whether Danny Alexander has any)!

I suspect the old Liberal seats (as opposed to LibDem) might do ok as an alternative to the Tories.

Actually Kennedy probably OK- he starts with 37 point lead over SNP. Swing is 20%, and his personal vote should be enough.

Thurso is probably gone.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 7 mins7 minutes ago
Survation projection that their poll shows LAB losing half its Scottish MPs http://bit.ly/1CJFPsY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Only half? That would be a relief at the moment.

Good result in England and we can tell the SNP to put the Tories in or go away.

[Tubby Isaacs]

SNP candidate in Kennedy's constituency:

He was a managing director of Deutsche Bank AG, running their operations in Scotland and Netherlands

What did he learn from the Crash?

Following the financial crisis of 2007–08 he has made calls for Scotland to have its own financial regulator, to protect society from irresponsible practice

Nationalism, it's the answer to everything. Right Tiger the Salmond bank regulator would have been.

[HindleA]

Latest YouGov poll (17 - 18 Feb):
LAB - 34% (-)
CON - 32% (-1)
UKIP - 14% (-1)
LDEM - 8% (+2)
GRN - 6% (-1)

[Eric_WLothian]

Anne McGuire MP ‏@AnneMcGuireMP 8m8 minutes ago
"SNP need to get their members in line, this form of politics should be nowhere near the general election in May.” http://mirr.im/1DrvpB2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SNP accused of using 'intimidation' tactics after urging supporters to post pictures of Labour activists on internet
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/polit ... ar_twitter

Sheesh ... I'd hate that to happen to me on the doorsteps down here. Things are getting seriously out of hand if a branch of a party thinks this is acceptable behaviour. I agree with McGuire that Sturgeon has to show really firm leadership on these kind of tactics or things will escalate even further in the run up to the election ... and some people seem to have little or no self control.

I don't recall whether Orwell's essay on nationalism was mentioned here during the referendum but if not, it's worth a glance:

http://orwell.ru/library/essays/nationa ... lish/e_nat

To quote his take on nationalist traits:

Obsession. As nearly as possible, no nationalist ever thinks, talks, or writes about anything except the superiority of his own power unit.

Instability. The intensity with which they are held does not prevent nationalist loyalties from being transferable.

Indifference to Reality. All nationalists have the power of not seeing resemblances between similar sets of facts.

Celtic Nationalism. Welsh, Irish and Scottish nationalism have points of difference but are alike in their anti-English orientation. Members of all three movements have opposed the war while continuing to describe themselves as pro-Russian, and the lunatic fringe has even contrived to be simultaneously pro-Russian and pro-Nazi. But Celtic nationalism is not the same thing as anglophobia. Its motive force is a belief in the past and future greatness of the Celtic peoples, and it has a strong tinge of racialism. The Celt is supposed to be spiritually superior to the Saxon — simpler, more creative, less vulgar, less snobbish, etc. — but the usual power hunger is there under the surface. One symptom of it is the delusion that Eire, Scotland or even Wales could preserve its independence unaided and owes nothing to British protection. Among writers, good examples of this school of thought are Hugh McDiarmid and Sean O'Casey. No modern Irish writer, even of the stature of Yeats or Joyce, is completely free from traces of nationalism.

And that was written in 1945.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 4m4 minutes ago
After yesterday's YouGov 1% LAB lead tonight's survey has
CON 32
LAB 34
LD 8
UKP 14
GRN 6

[citizenJA]

Martin Rowson on the Daily Telegraph's coverage of the HSBC files – http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ng-cartoon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Well there's an unequivocal image! Yikes!

[citizenJA]

Five years into the future, the minority government resulting from the May 2010 GE has...

...One Single Response To Any Question...

"...five years ago the figure was much worse."

https://sdbast.wordpress.com/2015/02/18 ... -of-maffs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ErnstRemarx]

Yanis Varoufakis
Current Finance Minister of Greece
January 2015 general election, elected to the Greek parliament, representing SYRIZA
Wednesday 18 February 2015

He writes:

In 2008, capitalism had its second global spasm. The financial crisis set off a chain reaction that pushed Europe into a downward spiral that continues to this day. Europe’s present situation is not merely a threat for workers, for the dispossessed, for the bankers, for social classes or, indeed, nations. No, Europe’s current posture poses a threat to civilisation as we know it.

If my prognosis is correct, and we are not facing just another cyclical slump soon to be overcome, the question that arises for radicals is this: should we welcome this crisis of European capitalism as an opportunity to replace it with a better system? Or should we be so worried about it as to embark upon a campaign for stabilising European capitalism?

To me, the answer is clear. Europe’s crisis is far less likely to give birth to a better alternative to capitalism than it is to unleash dangerously regressive forces that have the capacity to cause a humanitarian bloodbath, while extinguishing the hope for any progressive moves for generations to come.

For this view I have been accused, by well-meaning radical voices, of being “defeatist” and of trying to save an indefensible European socioeconomic system. This criticism, I confess, hurts. And it hurts because it contains more than a kernel of truth.

I share the view that this European Union is typified by a large democratic deficit that, in combination with the denial of the faulty architecture of its monetary union, has put Europe’s peoples on a path to permanent recession. And I also bow to the criticism that I have campaigned on an agenda founded on the assumption that the left was, and remains, squarely defeated. I confess I would much rather be promoting a radical agenda, the raison d’être of which is to replace European capitalism with a different system.

Yet my aim here is instead to offer a window into my view of a repugnant European capitalism whose implosion, despite its many ills, should be avoided at all costs. It is a confession intended to convince radicals that we have a contradictory mission: to arrest the freefall of European capitalism in order to buy the time we need to formulate its alternative.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/fe ... ic-marxist" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The article is a good read, isn't it? (Although I admit that, so far, I have only skimmed it.)

This bit particularly resonated at first read:

Every non-Marxist economic theory that treats human and non-human productive inputs as interchangeable assumes that the dehumanisation of human labour is complete. But if it could ever be completed, the result would be the end of capitalism as a system capable of creating and distributing value. For a start, a society of dehumanised automata would resemble a mechanical watch full of cogs and springs, each with its own unique function, together producing a “good”: timekeeping. Yet if that society contained nothing but other automata, timekeeping would not be a “good”. It would certainly be an “output” but why a “good”? Without real humans to experience the clock’s function, there can be no such thing as “good” or “bad”.

Good afternoon, everyone.


Edited to get my "in quotes" bit right. I hope.

Edited. Again. It's afternoon - not morning. Although you all already knew that, didn't you?

When you read Varoufakis' stuff, you suddenly understand why philosophy started in Greece. He's absolutely nailed it in philosophical terms - not ones capitalists could ever comprehend, of course.

That sentence speaks to my heart.

[Spacedone]

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 7 mins7 minutes ago
Survation projection that their poll shows LAB losing half its Scottish MPs http://bit.ly/1CJFPsY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Only half? That would be a relief at the moment.

Good result in England and we can tell the SNP to put the Tories in or go away.

This is the trend in all of Survations Scottish polls in the last year. Looks like the SNP lead is starting to slowly ebb away as the election nears. Whether that continues is anyones guess. Five more polls etc...



That said, wasn't it Survation that supplied those duff Ashcroft polls?

[Tubby Isaacs]

LAB have big leads where they're losing the most votes. So I guess it wouldn't need to get the overall swing down by too much to keep quite a few seats.

[rebeccariots2]

Anne McGuire MP ‏@AnneMcGuireMP 54m54 minutes ago
"SNP need to get their members in line, this form of politics should be nowhere near the general election in May.” http://mirr.im/1DrvpB2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Michael McCann MP ‏@MichaelMcCannMP 40m40 minutes ago
@AnneMcGuireMP @carerclare its the same story in East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow.

[citizenJA]

@ErnstRemarx

"My view on this dilemma has always been that the powers that be are never perturbed by theories that embark from assumptions different to their own. The only thing that can destabilise and genuinely challenge mainstream, neoclassical economists is the demonstration of the internal inconsistency of their own models."

- Yanis Varoufakis

And that is why you're a brilliant negotiator, Mr. Varoufakis. You're unafraid of reality. Accept reality, point it out, bring what is to the attention of the powers that be & show the world where we are now because of it. Oh. There's nowhere to hide. Look.

[ErnstRemarx]

Jack Maidment ‏@jrmaidment 4h4 hours ago
A bid to cancel Gloucestershire's £500m incinerator has failed by 27 votes to 24. Ukip supported the Tories.

What's this?

http://www.forestofdeanukip.org.uk/how- ... ey-part-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Secondly UKIP councillors also voted to reject the establishment of a huge waste incinerator at Javelin Park. Councillor Alan Preest said that both this project and landfill were expensive and environmentally unsound. UKIP were in favour of exploring a Biomass Degradable option which will prove cheaper and better for the environment. The motion against the Incinerator was carried.

Expect an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate (or Eric Pickles, as it's more commonly known in local government). It's out of the hands of local governemtn now, and in the hands of the Tory party. Literally.

[citizenJA]

"Today, turning to the European crisis, the crisis in the United States and the long-term stagnation of Japanese capitalism, most commentators fail to appreciate the dialectical process under their nose. They recognise the mountain of debts and banking losses but neglect the opposite side of the same coin: the mountain of idle savings that are “frozen” by fear and thus fail to convert into productive investments. A Marxist alertness to binary oppositions might have opened their eyes."

- Yanis Varoufakis

[citizenJA]

Jack Maidment ‏@jrmaidment 4h4 hours ago
A bid to cancel Gloucestershire's £500m incinerator has failed by 27 votes to 24. Ukip supported the Tories.

What's this?

http://www.forestofdeanukip.org.uk/how- ... ey-part-1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Secondly UKIP councillors also voted to reject the establishment of a huge waste incinerator at Javelin Park. Councillor Alan Preest said that both this project and landfill were expensive and environmentally unsound. UKIP were in favour of exploring a Biomass Degradable option which will prove cheaper and better for the environment. The motion against the Incinerator was carried.

Expect an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate (or Eric Pickles, as it's more commonly known in local government). It's out of the hands of local governemtn now, and in the hands of the Tory party. Literally.

A nice General Election will sort that out. 76 days & counting....

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ernst, the incinerator went through, I think. Appeal to Pickles is pointless, isn't it?

[HindleA]

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/3 ... ecord-high" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Latest sanction figures about 130 a day for the sick/disabled.That'll teach'em.

[ErnstRemarx]

Couple forced to live apart after 65 YEARS because of savage care cuts
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/co ... er-5186412

Very sad story - and will get all the more common if we don't sort out the ludicrous divisions between health and social care provision and spending. Wasting a huge amount of the health budget with this poor lady stuck in hospital ... for the sake of far less money to provide the necessary home care. Not to mention the terrible denial of human rights here ... yes, I consider it that bad ... denial of the right to family life.

Just remember - if the local council don't have the funding to keep that couple together, the blame lies in London with Cameron. Never forget. Never forgive.

[Tubby Isaacs]

http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index. ... t-weekend/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The mystery of the second ICM poll that was carried out last weekend

[Tubby Isaacs]

Hadn't noticed this before.

http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/draft-prot ... le/1318339" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cull of the quangos? Not here. Load more powers for this quango proposed.

[citizenJA]

"My personal nadir came at an airport. Some moneyed outfit had invited me to give a keynote speech on the European crisis and had forked out the ludicrous sum necessary to buy me a first-class ticket. On my way back home, tired and with several flights under my belt, I was making my way past the long queue of economy passengers, to get to my gate.

Suddenly I noticed, with horror, how easy it was for my mind to be infected with the sense that I was entitled to bypass the hoi polloi. I realised how readily I could forget that which my leftwing mind had always known: that nothing succeeds in reproducing itself better than a false sense of entitlement.

Forging alliances with reactionary forces, as I think we should do to stabilise Europe today, brings us up against the risk of becoming co-opted, of shedding our radicalism through the warm glow of having “arrived” in the corridors of power."

- Yanis Varoufakis

Yep. We get tired, we're human & we'll make mistakes. It's so great to know there's democratically elected human beings aware of the mistakes we can make, we can recognise it, fix it & work cooperatively with others pulling victory out of failure. We remind each other we're regular people - nothing more or less.