Saturday, 21st & Sunday 22nd Feb

[RogerOThornhill]

Afternoon all.
Returning from a week in Ireland yesterday, I was surprised to see a massive "Welsh Conservatives" poster in a field next to the A40 between Fishguard & Haverfordwest. Is that part of Wales a Tory hot bed, or is it just a lone farmer?

Today's Telegraph shows how far into the gutter its sinking with an inuendo-based "story" claiming that Islamic radicals are practicing Militant-style "entryism" into the government after Baroness Warsi & Nick Clegg gave official roles to people linked with a fundamentalist "megamosque" in London.
BTL comments not allowed

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

If anyone bothered to read right down to the end they'd get this:

Not all members of the working group are Islamist or radical sympathisers and there is no suggestion that any member is a supporter of violent extremism.

Oh.

Another member, Matthew Goodwin, the associate professor of politics at Nottingham University and an expert in hard-Right political movements, said he was not aware of any attempt by the group to push an Islamist agenda. He said that he and others had been frustrated at the group’s lack of progress.

So (i) there's no suggestion that they're extremist (ii) no suggestion they're pushing extremist views and (iii) not that great at coming up with anything.

Wow...

[yahyah]

Afternoon all.
Returning from a week in Ireland yesterday, I was surprised to see a massive "Welsh Conservatives" poster in a field next to the A40 between Fishguard & Haverfordwest. Is that part of Wales a Tory hot bed, or is it just a lone farmer?

Today's Telegraph shows how far into the gutter its sinking with an inuendo-based "story" claiming that Islamic radicals are practicing Militant-style "entryism" into the government after Baroness Warsi & Nick Clegg gave official roles to people linked with a fundamentalist "megamosque" in London.
BTL comments not allowed

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

If anyone bothered to read right down to the end they'd get this:

Not all members of the working group are Islamist or radical sympathisers and there is no suggestion that any member is a supporter of violent extremism.

Oh.

Another member, Matthew Goodwin, the associate professor of politics at Nottingham University and an expert in hard-Right political movements, said he was not aware of any attempt by the group to push an Islamist agenda. He said that he and others had been frustrated at the group’s lack of progress.

So (i) there's no suggestion that they're extremist (ii) no suggestion they're pushing extremist views and (iii) not that great at coming up with anything.

Wow...

It's a sexed-up piece by Andrew 'New Labour sexed-up...' Gilligan.

[rebeccariots2]

danesclose@

The only place I've seen mass Tory posters on show around this neck of the woods is in Pembrokeshire.

Yes - Crabb will be fighting from the fields.

Editing to add: Another fine line he came up with in his Q & A session that we were so lucky to be invited to last week. Apparently the Welsh Government is 'basically just a spending department' - they're 'not accountable' because they don't raise any taxes themselves.

If we had stayed any longer I would have needed a gag - and that would have made me look as mad as I was feeling. We left just before the official ending time - there was a question about why the government wasn't going to ban halal slaughter (yes, there was a strong UKIP contingent there) which was smoothed away by Crabb and then someone said 'of course you've avoided the elephant in the room there' - and someone else said what do you mean - and the first someone said 'Islam, the muslims'. I picked up my coat and Mr Riots and I left. I just didn't need to hear whatever was going to follow.

[citizenJA]

This year's flu jab effectiveness was unfortunately diminished by a mutating virus. There's nothing anyone could've done to prevent that.

Not necessarily true. See PM

Thank you, Robert. I've written a PM back. Whether or not more could have been done from a vaccination stand point, I don't know. We do know the mortality rates this winter are the highest in years. The ONS report will be published soon. I'm very sorry.

[rebeccariots2]

Daniel Boffey retweeted
Jon W. Chambers ‏@jonwillchambers 4h4 hours ago
This is one hell of a powerful interview from the Danczuk's. And probably one of the best I've ever seen. Honest. http://gu.com/p/462gx/stw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is going to seem picky - given the much more serious content of this G piece. But I'm infuriated to see they are still reporting Karen Danczuk is a Labour councillor. She resigned from this role several weeks / months ago. What happened to basic accuracy in reporting? They've made this mistake before and I'm pretty sure people corrected them then.

Editing to add: Scrap that comment - I'm wrong - she's standing down at the election so she is still a councillor.

[citizenJA]

FWIW.


It may depend on where the farms are,many mining areas are/ were semi rural ,a sort of mutual awareness of each others concerns and shared community interest.

Its in Congleton, a constituency that’s strongly Tory.
The amazing thing is they found out at the meeting that their daughters have the same rare genetic condition. Its just a rather nice storey.

Most times we invariably discover we've more in common with each other than we've differences. Standing together, agreeing cooperatively on openly negotiated policy will literally make us stronger. It's not an ideology. It's not a theory.

[RogerOThornhill]

Daniel Boffey retweeted
Jon W. Chambers ‏@jonwillchambers 4h4 hours ago
This is one hell of a powerful interview from the Danczuk's. And probably one of the best I've ever seen. Honest. http://gu.com/p/462gx/stw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is going to seem picky - given the much more serious content of this G piece. But I'm infuriated to see they are still reporting Karen Danczuk is a Labour councillor. She resigned from this role several weeks / months ago. What happened to basic accuracy in reporting? They've made this mistake before and I'm pretty sure people corrected them then.

Editing to add: Scrap that comment - I'm wrong - she's standing down at the election so she is still a councillor.

It really isn't that great - there's a few searching questions they could have asked e.g. about his company that went bust owing £200k+, the fact that they'd already had one child and with another on the way before he admitted the affair to his wife and...oh, maybe asking what on earth a 'liberal elite' is anyway.

Predictable that the Kippers like them...it's one thing being a maverick, another being a damned nuisance.

[rebeccariots2]

Lord Ashcroft ‏@LordAshcroft 1h1 hour ago
When can we expect the data tables of the recent LibDems #comfortpolling

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 1h1 hour ago
@LordAshcroft I understand that big difference with your marginals polling is that incumbents/candidates named in Survarion/LD surveys

Lord Ashcroft ‏@LordAshcroft 54m54 minutes ago
@MSmithsonPB let us see!!

Mike Smithson
‏@MSmithsonPB
@LordAshcroft I requested data on Thurs evening after reports of the polling's existence came. At time @Survation not aware of LD move

@someone who knows more about polling regulations than me
Does this mean that Survation now have to provide all the polling information they have - since the Lib Dems published some? Or will it just be the tables for the limited number of seats that the Lib Dems released info for?

[citizenJA]

I went to see David Here's the absence of war last. Absolutely superb and as poignant today as it ever was. I can understand why they have redone it completely unchanged, so much rings true with today and the current labour leadership. I believe it is going to tour nationally and id recommend going to see it if you get the chance. So many memories of 1992 come back and so many mistakes still being made today.

Geoffrey Manboob! Welcome! It's great to read you.

[citizenJA]

TV bosses raise stakes in Election debate row: Lots to be drawn to decide scheduling order for three confrontations (but will they ever actually take place?)
BBC, ITV and Sky/Channel 4 team will draw lots to decide scheduling order
They want three proposed TV confrontations between the party leaders
Intend to show debates in the six weeks leading up to the May Election
But there is speculation that the debates may never be screened because of squabbling between the rival parties and the broadcasters
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... e-row.html

The Prime Minister has complained that the debates are too close to polling day, Mr Clegg says it is unfair to exclude him from the Cameron versus Miliband showdown and Mr Miliband is worried that allowing Scottish Nationalist Party leader Nicola Sturgeon to take part in two of the debates is a major threat to Labour’s fading hopes north of the border.

The bit in bold is pure surmise. I haven't seen any quotes from Miliband to that effect - or from his advisors or spokespeople. Whereas we know that Cameron has complained about the dates of the debate - and Clegg has complained about not being included in the head to head with Cameron. Miliband has consistently said he will debate whoever the broadcasters decide should be in the debates. But rather than report what he has actually said - the Mail report that 'he is worried'. It's pathetic stuff.

It's quite worse than pathetic, it's an outrageous lie.
Foul.

[rebeccariots2]

louis appleby ‏@ProfLAppleby 5h5 hours ago
Have pulled out of presentation on rising prison suicide at MoJ tomorrow after being told not to refer to falling staff nos. #HowGovtWorks

[rebeccariots2]

Daniel Boffey retweeted
Jon W. Chambers ‏@jonwillchambers 4h4 hours ago
This is one hell of a powerful interview from the Danczuk's. And probably one of the best I've ever seen. Honest. http://gu.com/p/462gx/stw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is going to seem picky - given the much more serious content of this G piece. But I'm infuriated to see they are still reporting Karen Danczuk is a Labour councillor. She resigned from this role several weeks / months ago. What happened to basic accuracy in reporting? They've made this mistake before and I'm pretty sure people corrected them then.

Editing to add: Scrap that comment - I'm wrong - she's standing down at the election so she is still a councillor.

It really isn't that great - there's a few searching questions they could have asked e.g. about his company that went bust owing £200k+, the fact that they'd already had one child and with another on the way before he admitted the affair to his wife and...oh, maybe asking what on earth a 'liberal elite' is anyway.

Predictable that the Kippers like them...it's one thing being a maverick, another being a damned nuisance.

I've given up trying to know what I think about the Danczuks and the strands of their life. I didn't post the link to endorse the 'great' description ... to my shame it was because I was being pernickety, over pernickety and wrong.

And yes - what is a liberal elite? Is it just to do with beliefs - or do you first have to be stinking rich so you can hold those beliefs - or do you have to have gone to a particular university / universities and be stinking rich and hold those beliefs?

[AngryAsWell]

I went to see David Here's the absence of war last. Absolutely superb and as poignant today as it ever was. I can understand why they have redone it completely unchanged, so much rings true with today and the current labour leadership. I believe it is going to tour nationally and id recommend going to see it if you get the chance. So many memories of 1992 come back and so many mistakes still being made today.

Hi Geoffrey - nice to see you here, coffee, cake and fresh made bread and Jam in the lounge (no Jaffa cakes, I gave them to the birds)

[ohsocynical]

Mick retweeted
LBC ‏@LBC 15 mins15 minutes ago

Former Defence Sec. Liam Fox says we should reallocate money from our welfare budget to arm Ukraine. Should Britain do this?

@TomSwarbrick1

Is this right?

[Tish]

Daniel Boffey retweeted
Jon W. Chambers ‏@jonwillchambers 4h4 hours ago
This is one hell of a powerful interview from the Danczuk's. And probably one of the best I've ever seen. Honest. http://gu.com/p/462gx/stw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is going to seem picky - given the much more serious content of this G piece. But I'm infuriated to see they are still reporting Karen Danczuk is a Labour councillor. She resigned from this role several weeks / months ago. What happened to basic accuracy in reporting? They've made this mistake before and I'm pretty sure people corrected them then.

Editing to add: Scrap that comment - I'm wrong - she's standing down at the election so she is still a councillor.

It really isn't that great - there's a few searching questions they could have asked e.g. about his company that went bust owing £200k+, the fact that they'd already had one child and with another on the way before he admitted the affair to his wife and...oh, maybe asking what on earth a 'liberal elite' is anyway.

Predictable that the Kippers like them...it's one thing being a maverick, another being a damned nuisance.

I find that interview quite disturbing to be honest. I don't doubt Karen Danczuk's story for a minute, but I do wonder if she is being exploited somewhat. She's married to a man who is a lot older than her, who appears quite dominating and who has, to a certain extent used the issue of child sexual abuse to turn himself from an obscure back bencher into a household name. I've never doubted his sincerity in his pursuit of child abusers, but he does seem to revel somewhat in the attention that its given him. I noticed this phrase in that article:

"His book, Smile For the Camera: The Double Life of Cyril Smith, prompted the inquiry into allegations of historical child abuse at Westminster."

It may seem a small thing, but that simply isn't true. It was Tom Watson's question to Cameron at PMQs that brought those allegations into the mainstream, Danczuk was involved in his own campaign into the grooming gangs operating in Rochdale, but as far as I am aware had never mentioned Cyril Smith or the Westminster child abuse ring prior to Watson's intervention and the confirmation of Smiths involvement. So why pretend otherwise?

If Karen Danczuk wants to go public with her experiences, either becouse she thinks it will help other people, or simply to help her come to terms with her terrible experiences, then of course she should, but reading that article she seems very unsure as to whether she's done the right thing. I just hope she hasn't been pushed into all this.

[ohsocynical]

Money for old political rope? New Tory attack ad is IDENTICAL to video produced by their £500,000 election guru Lynton Crosby a decade ago
Advert has economic messages flying in the air before being shot down
Ends with warning against putting Ed Miliband in charge of the economy
A learner driver's 'L' plate has been added to the Labour leader's name
Advert is a carbon copy of a 2004 film for John Howard's Liberal party
Both even use the same song: Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... e-ago.html

We know they haven't run out of money, so it must be they're run out of ideas.

[rebeccariots2]

You don’t need a tremendous degree of political sophistication to spot that the SNP’s goal of independence would be best served by Mr Cameron winning another term in Downing Street. That would add potency to the nationalist argument that Scotland and England have become so politically divergent that the two nations ought to go their separate ways. It would also likely mean a referendum on British membership of the European Union. If the English voted to leave the EU and the Scots voted to stay, that would furnish the nationalists with perfect grounds to demand another vote on Scottish independence and a highly propitious context in which to win it.

Though they’d never admit this, it suits the nationalists’ central ambition for the Tories to do well. It equally suits the short-term electoral interests of the Tories, if not the long-term health of the union that Mr Cameron claims to care so much about, if the nationalists rob Labour of a lot of its seats north of the border.

For their very different reasons, the Tories and SNP suggest that a vote for the nationalists will be a vote for a Labour government. The reverse is much more likely to be the case. What a mighty irony it would be if voting SNP were to put David Cameron back in Downing Street. That outcome might secretly delight the leadership of the SNP. It is rather more doubtful that it would please many of the Scots currently saying they plan to vote nationalist.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... n-miliband

It's a Rawnsley. For once I mostly agree with the analysis.

[yahyah]

Just reading the piece on the Danczuk self publicists:

“On the Thursday before the meeting I came into the office late, about 12, and another director took me to one side and said these funeral wreaths have arrived. It was ‘Simon’ spelled out in flowers. Over £600 worth of them. And a cross in flowers with a card saying, ‘We will miss your politics’.”

I wonder if that has ever been substantiated ?
We are to believe someone handed over £600 in cash, or used a credit card which would have been traceable, just to irk/frighten Danczuk ?

[danesclose]

Just reading the piece on the Danczuk self publicists:

“On the Thursday before the meeting I came into the office late, about 12, and another director took me to one side and said these funeral wreaths have arrived. It was ‘Simon’ spelled out in flowers. Over £600 worth of them. And a cross in flowers with a card saying, ‘We will miss your politics’.”

I wonder if that has ever been substantiated ?
We are to believe someone handed over £600 in cash, or used a credit card which would have been traceable, just to irk/frighten Danczuk ?

Probably the same people who smashed up Julie Bailey's mother's grave stone & forced her into an undercover existence a la Salman Rushdie

[yahyah]

Mmm...have read a lot about the way Coulson/Brooks and their underlings worked.
Often they would pressure people into having to spill their guts in an 'exclusive' or as a spoiler to some other paper's piece.

Haven't seen any evidence that Murdoch's papers behave any differently now, so maybe the Danczuks were made an offer they couldn't refuse to talk to the Sun.
Or maybe she thinks she can use the Sun's readership to further her glamour modelling career more lucratively than selfie-ing her cleavage.

It would be wrong of me to express too much of an opinion about her claim that showing her t*ts every five minutes is a way of healing from her abuse.
But as a survivor myself, & if I were her friend, I would caution her against thinking exhibitionism is ultimately empowering or healing.
It could just become another thing to feel depressed/shamed about in the future, and there is the issue of encouraging others to lose their sense of boundaries about how they see women.

[rebeccariots2]

Scottish Greens set to field candidates in 32 seats
http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/ ... 1424597966
The Scottish Greens are to field more candidates than ever before in May's general election.

The party is to field candidates in 32 of Scotland's 59 Westminster constituencies, with 40% of those standing women.

Membership of the Greens soared after last year's independence referendum to more than 8,500 and a recent TNS poll on general election voting intentions put the party on 6%, two points ahead of the Liberal Democrats.

[rebeccariots2]

Isabel Oakeshott ‏@IsabelOakeshott 8m8 minutes ago
From what I can tell talking to key players today, the TV election debates are as good as dead. A v great pity. Good story @ShippersUnbound

[AngryAsWell]

Man arrested in Karen Danczuk sex abuse inquiry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... ow_twitter#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Willow904]

Isabel Oakeshott ‏@IsabelOakeshott 8m8 minutes ago
From what I can tell talking to key players today, the TV election debates are as good as dead. A v great pity. Good story @ShippersUnbound

I never watched the TV debates last time, have been unsure how positive or not they are for democracy in general, but I have to say after seeing Ed Miliband field questions from young people in 'Ask the Leaders' I was actually looking forward to see him in action so, although I never really believed Cameron would do them, I am a bit disappointed if it's true they're not going to happen.

[rebeccariots2]

Man arrested in Karen Danczuk sex abuse inquiry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... ow_twitter#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't work this one out AAW

Police said a 36-year-old man was being held on suspicion of rape.

The arrest relates to a victim aged between six and 12 years old and the abuse took place from 1989 until 1995, Greater Manchester Police said.

Karen Danczuk is 31, I believe. If this 36 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape - in connection with her allegations - there is only a 5 year age difference between them. Would / could an 11 year old rape/sexually abuse a six year old? Or the age of the man is being reported wrongly? Sorry, I'm probably getting this very messed up.

[RogerOThornhill]

Man arrested in Karen Danczuk sex abuse inquiry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... ow_twitter#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't work this one out AAW

Police said a 36-year-old man was being held on suspicion of rape.

The arrest relates to a victim aged between six and 12 years old and the abuse took place from 1989 until 1995, Greater Manchester Police said.

Karen Danczuk is 31, I believe. If this 36 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape - in connection with her allegations - there is only a 5 year age difference between them. Would / could an 11 year old rape/sexually abuse a six year old? Or the age of the man is being reported wrongly? Sorry, I'm probably getting this very messed up.

No, you're right - I came to the same conclusion.

I would imagine that most people were thinking of an adult.

[ohsocynical]

Been unfollowed by my MP Philip Lee. I knew it wouldn't take long.

I kept Tweeting stuff I knew would piss him off. And dared to question his boast about employment in Bracknell. He said he'd quoted the official figure, and I replied the figures were massaged by IDS as he very well knew. And what about Workfare?

Idiot!!!

[mbc1955]

Man arrested in Karen Danczuk sex abuse inquiry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... ow_twitter#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't work this one out AAW

Police said a 36-year-old man was being held on suspicion of rape.

The arrest relates to a victim aged between six and 12 years old and the abuse took place from 1989 until 1995, Greater Manchester Police said.

Karen Danczuk is 31, I believe. If this 36 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape - in connection with her allegations - there is only a 5 year age difference between them. Would / could an 11 year old rape/sexually abuse a six year old? Or the age of the man is being reported wrongly? Sorry, I'm probably getting this very messed up.

Same here. I assumed from her first interview that she was talking about someone her parents' generation, not her own. A 'family friend' aged 11 doesn't ring true at all, even if she's referring to a friend of one of her older siblings, and visiting 'every Sunday' suggests a relative.

Too soon, and complete unfair to start doubting now, but this is a bit strange.

[AngryAsWell]

Man arrested in Karen Danczuk sex abuse inquiry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... ow_twitter#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't work this one out AAW

Police said a 36-year-old man was being held on suspicion of rape.

The arrest relates to a victim aged between six and 12 years old and the abuse took place from 1989 until 1995, Greater Manchester Police said.

Karen Danczuk is 31, I believe. If this 36 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape - in connection with her allegations - there is only a 5 year age difference between them. Would / could an 11 year old rape/sexually abuse a six year old? Or the age of the man is being reported wrongly? Sorry, I'm probably getting this very messed up.

No, you're right - I came to the same conclusion.

I would imagine that most people were thinking of an adult.

Thought the same myself, now wondering if BBC got age wrong?

[RogerOThornhill]

I can't work this one out AAW Karen Danczuk is 31, I believe. If this 36 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape - in connection with her allegations - there is only a 5 year age difference between them. Would / could an 11 year old rape/sexually abuse a six year old? Or the age of the man is being reported wrongly? Sorry, I'm probably getting this very messed up.

No, you're right - I came to the same conclusion.

I would imagine that most people were thinking of an adult.

Thought the same myself, now wondering if BBC got age wrong?

Telegraph is saying 36 as well.

Edit - removed.

[Willow904]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0544dry

An unprecedented insight into the heartland of UKIP that follows the party faithful as they ride high in the polls and try - but fail - to avoid the gaffes the media are looking for. Thanet on the Kent coast is where Nigel Farage has chosen to stand for parliament, but this timely film is about the local party activists who stand firmly behind him rather than the media-savvy leader himself. Filmed over six months, these true believers explain the UKIP phenomena, but there are also jaw-dropping views on race the national party would definitely prefer weren't aired.

I'm all for the media exposing the worst aspects of Ukip, but I really would rather they had done so before now, if they were going to. This close to the election I can't help but feel these types of progammes are seeking to influence in a way the TV media really shouldn't be. Am I being over-sensitive? Probably. I just wonder when we'll get to see the seedy underbelly of the local Conservative club (never, obviously), that's all.

[TechnicalEphemera]

I would suggest we don't pass comment on the Danczuks right now, unless it is related to politics, i.e. Simon being a Tory, or Karen appearing on some celebrity type thing.

Let the other stuff pass without comment here, things will come to rest in some form or other in due course.

[TechnicalEphemera]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0544dry

An unprecedented insight into the heartland of UKIP that follows the party faithful as they ride high in the polls and try - but fail - to avoid the gaffes the media are looking for. Thanet on the Kent coast is where Nigel Farage has chosen to stand for parliament, but this timely film is about the local party activists who stand firmly behind him rather than the media-savvy leader himself. Filmed over six months, these true believers explain the UKIP phenomena, but there are also jaw-dropping views on race the national party would definitely prefer weren't aired.

I'm all for the media exposing the worst aspects of Ukip, but I really would rather they had done so before now, if they were going to. This close to the election I can't help but feel these types of progammes are seeking to influence in a way the TV media really shouldn't be. Am I being over-sensitive? Probably. I just wonder when we'll get to see the seedy underbelly of the local Conservative club (never, obviously), that's all.

I agree, plus you can always find party members prepared to go further than the leadership would like. I mean I am sure Ernst has views the Labour Party would rather not have aired (probably related to Progress, coffins and sharp pointy sticks).

[ohsocynical]

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 37 mins37 minutes ago

Apologies if wrong but think big political story to break later tonight.

[AngryAsWell]

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 37 mins37 minutes ago

Apologies if wrong but think big political story to break later tonight.

Danczuk going over to Ukip?

[AngryAsWell]

How long is the world going to let them get away with this kind of thing ?
Israel opens dams’ gates, floods Gaza
"Hundreds of Palestinians have been forced to evacuate their homes in the Gaza Strip because of a move by the Israeli regime to open the gates of several dams surrounding the besieged area."

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/02/22 ... loods-Gaza" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 37 mins37 minutes ago

Apologies if wrong but think big political story to break later tonight.

This one maybe?

Dawn Foster ‏@DawnHFoster · 6m6 minutes ago
HSBC CEO sheltered £5m of his own money in Swiss bank account. And their annual report’s out tomorrow.

[RogerOThornhill]

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 37 mins37 minutes ago

Apologies if wrong but think big political story to break later tonight.

This one maybe?

Dawn Foster ‏@DawnHFoster · 6m6 minutes ago
HSBC CEO sheltered £5m of his own money in Swiss bank account. And their annual report’s out tomorrow.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... r-revealed

Stuart Gulliver, the HSBC chief executive who has vowed to reform the crisis-hit bank, sheltered millions of pounds in a Swiss account through a Panamanian company and remains tax domiciled in Hong Kong.

Leaked files show that the Derby-born Gulliver, who is due to present HSBC’s annual report on Monday in the wake of the international controversy over its Geneva-based private bank, was also one of its clients, holding about £5m in a Swiss account.

The bank executive was listed as the beneficial owner of an account in the name of Worcester Equities Inc, an anonymous company registered in Panama, containing a balance in 2007 of $7.6m. It was through this entity that Gulliver’s HSBC bonuses were paid until 2003. He also held a second account in the name of Worcester Foundation, which had been closed before 2007.

Although now based in the UK, where HSBC has its headquarters, Gulliver is domiciled in Hong Kong for legal and tax purposes.

Shocked etc...

[AngryAsWell]

Short video of Ed campaigning in Bristol
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ohsocynical]

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 37 mins37 minutes ago

Apologies if wrong but think big political story to break later tonight.

Danczuk going over to Ukip?

My hooks are on tenter....

[AngryAsWell]

Straw and Rifkind in latest cash for access scandal
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ohsocynical]

Changing the topic slightly:

Another sign of the times.

Mr Ohso had to go Wicks DIY store the other day.
He said tucked in a corner of the car park there was a covered stall buying second hand clothing for cash.
No wonder the charity shops are looking so bare, or with scrubby old stuff that I wouldn't have brought for twenty pence from a jumble sale.

[AngryAsWell]

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

Full Straw & Rifkin story

[ohsocynical]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/investi ... andal.html

Full Straw & Rifkin story

Is that it? I imagine we'll be bored to the back teeth with stories like this from now until the election....

Look a pink van --- No, look a squirrel --- pink van --- squirrel

[TheGrimSqueaker]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/investi ... andal.html

Full Straw & Rifkin story

Is that it? I imagine we'll be bored to the back teeth with stories like this from now until the election....

Look a pink van --- No, look a squirrel --- pink van --- squirrel

Spot on ohso. Anybody with half a brain realises that the Telegraph are running this story to distract from their HSBC woes; so, the question is, does Wintour not possess that requisite half a brain or is he colluding with his bezzie mate Hodges to take the pressure off the Telegraph? Either way does him no credit.

[ohsocynical]

I wonder if the news about Straw will affect the chances of his son who is a PPC.

[TechnicalEphemera]

Is it just me, or is the Indy dumping raw XML on everybody?

I love the comments, suggesting all sorts of hackery.

[AngryAsWell]

Is it just me, or is the Indy dumping raw XML on everybody?

I love the comments, suggesting all sorts of hackery.

"raw XML" ?? not sure what that is but Indy crashes my browser (IE 10 or 11 whatever latest one is) regularly

[rebeccariots2]

I wonder if the news about Straw will affect the chances of his son who is a PPC.

I wondered that too. This may be a squirrel sting job ... but I'm still beyond fed up with the politicians of any and every party colour that engage in this kind of stuff. More toxic branding for Westminster ... helps to confirm so many of the narratives running at present.

Just what I don't need when I'm out talking to people about politics and elections.

[HindleA]

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

"The Tories woo the grey vote again with pledge to protect pensioner benefits"