Wednesday 25th February 2015

Post by **refitman** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 7:18 am

Morning all. Tories leas by 2 points on Yougov:

Latest YouGov / The Sun results 24th February -

Con 35%, (+2)
Lab 33%, (nc)
LD 6%, (-2)
UKIP 14%, (+1)
GRN 7%; (nc)

APP -18 (+1)

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 8:47 am

Mornin' good. Let's also remember yesterday's poll (Survation?) for the Mirror showed Labour on 34%, being 6% ahead of the Conservatives who were on 28%.

Peter Kellner, on something BBC last night, reminding people that one poll doth not a surefirecertaintyofabet make. Although, he didn't use those words but echoed what AnatolyKasparov and others have said here about taking the polls all together, being aware of different samples and sample sizes, etc., And I'm pretty sure he said that the pollsters weren't worried about being 'right' right now but getting the final poll before Election Day, 'cause it struck me as a pollster saying, in effect, "Ignore the polls for now. We just hope they'll be right on the night."

In other news, I'm wondering whether or not IDS will be doing the press-round this morning to defend his Grand Scheme aka Universal Credit (UC) against its 'lamentable progress'. I think those were the words used in one report, if not the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) one – although I wouldn't think it greatly lamentable were the project to be strangled immediately. He might just slide off the long-lines, though, due to the 'official announcement' about Greater Manchester's, well - um - the Mayor that they haven't got yet (?) being handed full control of the area's NHS Budget including Health and Social Care, from 2016.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:19 am

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

Got any ailments, dodgy back, recurring chest infections, hip giving you jip, well save the NHS the time and bother and consult an astrologer. Forget about going back the 30s with spending, go back further, to the middle ages.

To which the sublime Mark Gattis tweeted:

In the spirit of David Tredinnick's forward thinking views on the NHS I'd like to him burnt at the stake this Michaelmastide.

Toby Latimer · Post by **Toby Latimer** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:23 am

My new doctor has just been showing me my latest MRI results.

Apparently I am going to be troubled by a full moon mingling with Uranus. Not good.

: russell.jpg (19.79 KiB) Viewed 16211 times

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:24 am

My question about IDS was prompted by a couple of posts from @HindleA, last night. Here's one:

HindleA wrote:PAC report on UC

http://www.parliament.uk/business/commi ... ss-update/

and another, giving the BBC's take on the PAC report:

HindleA wrote: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31610232

But I don't think we will see IDS today, or any of his minions. It's Ed Vaizey Day (Nuisance Calls legislation) – in terms of the press-round/news-round.

Toby Latimer · Post by **Toby Latimer** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:30 am

I'm just surprised that Dan is still unaware of why he is becoming more unpopular

: ScreenShot00249.png (29.29 KiB) Viewed 16200 times

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:31 am

Toby Latimer wrote:My new doctor has just been showing me my latest MRI results.

Apparently I am going to be troubled by a full moon mingling with Uranus. Not good.

russell.jpg

Well, at least the full moon's gone once you've passed it. The waning crescent moon's the awkward one. Tends to get snagged when it mingles with Uranus and you have to watch it doesn't all go retrograde on you.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:33 am

Toby Latimer wrote:I'm just surprised that Dan is still unaware of why he is becoming more unpopular
ScreenShot00249.png

Maybe Bryant has blocked him because he is a complete and utter ****.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:36 am

FactCheck:

The Greens want to tax the assets of the wealthiest 1 per cent of Brits. That’s people who have more than £3m in property, pension rights, belongings and financial assets.

http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/fac ... aces/20285

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:49 am

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
Toby Latimer wrote:I'm just surprised that Dan is still unaware of why he is becoming more unpopular
ScreenShot00249.png

Maybe Bryant has blocked him because he is a complete and utter ****.

**** = a Soubry?
Morning all.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:50 am

Breaking on Sky News: Latest ONS figures for people with zero-hours contracts as their main source of employment was at c.697,000, in most recent quarter available. From what was said, that's almost doubled since last year, same quarter...

Edit to correct 679,000 to 697,000 and to add the BBC's initial take on the story

BBC has:

The number of zero-hours contracts has increased from 1.4 million to 1.8 million, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.

(Bear in mind that's overall figures,

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 9:53 am

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
Toby Latimer wrote:I'm just surprised that Dan is still unaware of why he is becoming more unpopular
ScreenShot00249.png

Maybe Bryant has blocked him because he is a complete and utter ****.

Something which I'd be more than happy to tell Glenda's lad .... except, of course, he has blocked me!

Morning all.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 10:05 am

ohsocynical wrote:
FactCheck:

The Greens want to tax the assets of the wealthiest 1 per cent of Brits. That’s people who have more than £3m in property, pension rights, belongings and financial assets.

http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/fac ... aces/20285

The problem with the Citizens Income is a real downer ... can't see how it's possible given it will make some of the poorest households worse off ... and having to retain most of the means tested benefits just defeats the purpose. I wonder how much coverage the Green party has given to the latest research by Malcolm Torry that identifies these issues amongst its members. I haven't heard either Bennett or Lucas identify these issues when asked about CI ... they simply say it is now a long term aspiration.

I wish they'd identify a few clear priorities for areas - such as housing - that they would start to address and reform in order to build a better societal and economic base to be able to consider introduction of CI. I'd like their manifesto to be more of an indication of the measures that they would try to get introduced through collaboration with whoever forms a government ... as part of confidence and supply arrangements.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 10:10 am

Chuka Umunna ‏@ChukaUmunna 5m5 minutes ago
There was a 19% increase in the numbers of people reporting they are on a zero hours contract in the year to Dec 2014 http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_396885.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

That can't be right. Our MP, the Rt Honorable Stephen Crabb, assures us the govt have created lots of lovely full time jobs that pay well ... 80% of the jobs created are like that according to him. And he really doesn't see the same conditions and insecurity that a group of his constituents told him they were experiencing themselves and seeing others struggle with. No, he doesn't - he was quite bemused by the suggestion this could be happening - and said he would 'look into it'. That's all tickety boo then - we won't worry our silly heads about it for another minute.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 10:31 am

RobertSnozers wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:
The problem with the Citizens Income is a real downer ... can't see how it's possible given it will make some of the poorest households worse off ... and having to retain most of the means tested benefits just defeats the purpose. I wonder how much coverage the Green party has given to the latest research by Malcolm Torry that identifies these issues amongst its members. I haven't heard either Bennett or Lucas identify these issues when asked about CI ... they simply say it is now a long term aspiration.

I wish they'd identify a few clear priorities for areas - such as housing - that they would start to address and reform in order to build a better societal and economic base to be able to consider introduction of CI. I'd like their manifesto to be more of an indication of the measures that they would try to get introduced through collaboration with whoever forms a government ... as part of confidence and supply arrangements.
The Citizens' Income has always struck me as like tax credits on steroids, a great way to get the state to subsidise multinationals paying piss-poor wages. Very progressive.

Edit: and if we take the basic tenet of Marxism as 'from each according to their ability, to each according to their need', then it's not very socialist either, as the state is paying an awful lot to people who don't need it - at a time when it's more or less impossible to take from the super-rich according to their ability because of the mobility of capital and the ease with which tax can be avoided.

I think the Green response to that point is that companies end up having to pay more of a living wage as people no longer feel the necessity to take absolutely any old job at dreadful wages because they have a safety net. Please note: I may not be expressing their argument very well - and it doesn't mean I'm advocating it - but that's the gist of what I recollect Bennett and others saying in previous outings.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 10:49 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
RobertSnozers wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: The problem with the Citizens Income is a real downer ... can't see how it's possible given it will make some of the poorest households worse off ... and having to retain most of the means tested benefits just defeats the purpose. I wonder how much coverage the Green party has given to the latest research by Malcolm Torry that identifies these issues amongst its members. I haven't heard either Bennett or Lucas identify these issues when asked about CI ... they simply say it is now a long term aspiration.

I wish they'd identify a few clear priorities for areas - such as housing - that they would start to address and reform in order to build a better societal and economic base to be able to consider introduction of CI. I'd like their manifesto to be more of an indication of the measures that they would try to get introduced through collaboration with whoever forms a government ... as part of confidence and supply arrangements.
The Citizens' Income has always struck me as like tax credits on steroids, a great way to get the state to subsidise multinationals paying piss-poor wages. Very progressive.

Edit: and if we take the basic tenet of Marxism as 'from each according to their ability, to each according to their need', then it's not very socialist either, as the state is paying an awful lot to people who don't need it - at a time when it's more or less impossible to take from the super-rich according to their ability because of the mobility of capital and the ease with which tax can be avoided.
I think the Green response to that point is that companies end up having to pay more of a living wage as people no longer feel the necessity to take absolutely any old job at dreadful wages because they have a safety net. Please note: I may not be expressing their argument very well - and it doesn't mean I'm advocating it - but that's the gist of what I recollect Bennett and others saying in previous outings.

In the last few years some bills have risen by a third.
I'm not at all sure the sum mentioned would be a big enough safety net to stop employers offering jobs at ultra low wages.
I can envision oil prices rocketing again and because of that energy companies putting their prices up, food prices rising because of it, plus all the other bits and bobs that swallow an income at an alarming rate.

Knowing how big business operates, they'll find some way around it, and screw those at the bottom once again as per usual.

It might stop the desperate need for pay day lenders though?

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:02 am

Adam Parsons ‏@AdamParsons1 1 hr1 hour ago
Number of people on zero-hours contracts up by more than 100,000 to 697,000

More
Michael Langford ‏@slepe12 34 mins34 minutes ago
@AdamParsons1 @dimayray To be honest that figure seems very low. I was expecting it to be at least twice that. Are the figures verified?

More
Adam Parsons ‏@AdamParsons1 29 mins29 minutes ago
@slepe12 @dimayray Here are the ONS statistics that I quoted.
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lmac/cont ... index.html
More
Michael Langford ‏@slepe12 19 mins19 minutes ago Barnsley, England
@AdamParsons1 @dimayray fine that seems okay. Still a scandal the way people are treated. Proper jobs please Mr Cameron.

Adam Parsons ‏@AdamParsons1 31 mins31 minutes ago
@slepe12 @dimayray Correct. Many people have more than one contract

More
Michael Langford ‏@slepe12 33 mins33 minutes ago Barnsley, England
@AdamParsons1 @dimayray I thought so the ONS are quoting 1.8 million zero hours contracts.

Taken from my Twitter feed. Adam Parsons is a BBC bod. We need Ephies sharp brain on this one.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:07 am

Silly rumour of the day is Dan Snow, the historian, being linked with Rifkind's seat (no 10 want to "give" him the Tory nomination, apparently

)

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:20 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-31615218" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Greater Manchester to take control of £6 billion social care budget.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:24 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-31615218

Greater Manchester to take control of £6 billion social care budget.

I posted that last night Paul, along with my feeling that its being done so fast it feels a little like a set up to fail thing.
Manchester is a staunch Labour council.
Edit to add - part of this feeling is Osborne forcing a Mayor on Manchester after it was voted against a couple of years ago. Will he be looking to impose a Tory who will have control of this new budget in the same way as he/she will have control of the police budget (Manchester's PCC being scrapped, and the budget passed to the new Mayor)

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:26 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-31615218

Greater Manchester to take control of £6 billion social care budget.

Worth noting this.

Helen Pidd ✔ @helenpidd
Follow
Howard Bernstein, Mcr chief exec, tells me reports of the city region getting control of £6bn health budget are "premature" & "speculative".
10:08 AM - 25 Feb 2015

Osborne kite flying?

If so, expect it to come up at PMQs as an answer to a completely different question.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:27 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Silly rumour of the day is Dan Snow, the historian, being linked with Rifkind's seat (no 10 want to "give" him the Tory nomination, apparently )

Lloyd-George's great-great grandson, didn't even know he was a Tory, always comes across as a decent kind of bloke.

Probably a load of bullshit.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:30 am

AngryAsWell wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-31615218

Greater Manchester to take control of £6 billion social care budget.
I posted that last night Paul, along with my feeling that its being done so fast it feels a little like a set up to fail thing.
Manchester is a staunch Labour council.
Edit to add - part of this feeling is Osborne forcing a Mayor on Manchester after it was voted against a couple of years ago. Will he be looking to impose a Tory who will have control of this new budget in the same way as he/she will have control of the police budget (Manchester's PCC being scrapped, and the budget passed to the new Mayor)

Sorry AAW I have yet to catch up with yesterday. Yes odd that Osborne would choose a Labour council.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:34 am

Toby Latimer wrote:My new doctor has just been showing me my latest MRI results.

Apparently I am going to be troubled by a full moon mingling with Uranus. Not good.

(edited out image)

A fat lot Tory dark arts false wizards know about it all. It's a bad day knowing they've taken to dabbling in this here.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:34 am

RogerOThornhill wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-31615218

Greater Manchester to take control of £6 billion social care budget.
Worth noting this.

Helen Pidd ✔ @helenpidd
Follow
Howard Bernstein, Mcr chief exec, tells me reports of the city region getting control of £6bn health budget are "premature" & "speculative".
10:08 AM - 25 Feb 2015
Osborne kite flying?

If so, expect it to come up at PMQs as an answer to a completely different question.

Supposed to be announced on Friday.
This is why I think its an imposed rather than negotiated deal, and that Osborne hopes to impose a Tory Mayor on us as well.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:35 am

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Silly rumour of the day is Dan Snow, the historian, being linked with Rifkind's seat (no 10 want to "give" him the Tory nomination, apparently )
Lloyd-George's great-great grandson, didn't even know he was a Tory, always comes across as a decent kind of bloke.

Probably a load of bullshit.

It was in the Currant Bun, so probably

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:38 am

edited to remove a confused post.
xx
JA

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:50 am

LadyCentauria wrote:
Toby Latimer wrote:My new doctor has just been showing me my latest MRI results.

Apparently I am going to be troubled by a full moon mingling with Uranus. Not good.

russell.jpg
Well, at least the full moon's gone once you've passed it. The waning crescent moon's the awkward one. Tends to get snagged when it mingles with Uranus and you have to watch it doesn't all go retrograde on you.

Thank goodness we've got a few on this board who're aware of these things.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 11:50 am

Homeless Accrington man thanks community for raising funds to replace possessions destroyed in a fire
http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/new ... ty-8715383

I need to hear these stories that remind me of the goodness in many people.

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:07 pm

Oh look, our old friend Labour's Defense Black Hole has popped up again!

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:12 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Silly rumour of the day is Dan Snow, the historian, being linked with Rifkind's seat (no 10 want to "give" him the Tory nomination, apparently )
Lloyd-George's great-great grandson, didn't even know he was a Tory, always comes across as a decent kind of bloke.

Probably a load of bullshit.
Hard to say. Been having a look at his twitter feed. Seems he's in favour of electoral reform, against Leveson, no fan of the Republicans, definitely no fan of the Greens (or Natalie Bennett, anyway), and his position on defence is closer to the traditional Tory position, i.e. more please (but then so is mine). Potentially a wonderful A-lister circa 2010. Now though...?

Mind you, that might be true of quite a few Greens after yesterday

Toby Latimer · Post by **Toby Latimer** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:13 pm

#pmqs WTF ? Linking party funding to an mp on 67 grand charging another 5 grand a day to fund their daily struggles ?

Cameron is nuts.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:15 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Silly rumour of the day is Dan Snow, the historian, being linked with Rifkind's seat (no 10 want to "give" him the Tory nomination, apparently )
Lloyd-George's great-great grandson, didn't even know he was a Tory, always comes across as a decent kind of bloke.

Probably a load of bullshit.
Hard to say. Been having a look at his twitter feed. Seems he's in favour of electoral reform, against Leveson, no fan of the Republicans, definitely no fan of the Greens (or Natalie Bennett, anyway), and his position on defence is closer to the traditional Tory position, i.e. more please (but then so is mine). Potentially a wonderful A-lister circa 2010. Now though...?

He voted with his party in support of the Bedroom Tax legislation.

I genuinely want to be able to respect this person & any decent person belonging to a political party not my own. Help me to see a wise, larger perspective how current government MPs supporting of some of the most regressive legislation passed during the last four and a half years are people I can acknowledge as good.

I'm sincere in my request. I don't like disliking people.

I've made a mistake. I apologise. Good news, I'm glad I'm wrong. Dan Snow isn't an MP at this time & hasn't voted with current government.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:16 pm

Snap PMQs Verdict

Snap PMQs Verdict: One of Miliband’s best performances for ages, and a good example of how hammering away at the same question can work so effectively, because he exposed Cameron’s initial claim about the Labour second jobs motion as entirely spurious.

- AS

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... 2c6bd25332" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:22 pm

citizenJA wrote:
RobertSnozers wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote: Lloyd-George's great-great grandson, didn't even know he was a Tory, always comes across as a decent kind of bloke.

Probably a load of bullshit.
Hard to say. Been having a look at his twitter feed. Seems he's in favour of electoral reform, against Leveson, no fan of the Republicans, definitely no fan of the Greens (or Natalie Bennett, anyway), and his position on defence is closer to the traditional Tory position, i.e. more please (but then so is mine). Potentially a wonderful A-lister circa 2010. Now though...?
He voted with his party in support of the Bedroom Tax legislation.

Sorry, who are you referring to here

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:31 pm

Toby Latimer wrote:#pmqs WTF ? Linking party funding to an mp on 67 grand charging another 5 grand a day to fund their daily struggles ?

Cameron is nuts.

Pretty desperate too.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:41 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
Toby Latimer wrote:#pmqs WTF ? Linking party funding to an mp on 67 grand charging another 5 grand a day to fund their daily struggles ?

Cameron is nuts.
Pretty desperate too.

Desperate as in saying:

''If you want to see what's wrong politics, it's the money that runs from the unions into the Labour Party''

Oh do fuck off, embarrassment to the post he holds, worst PM ever.

Tish · Post by **Tish** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:42 pm

Here are two interesting articles for anyone whose interested in what's happening to London, and how public space is being colonised by the rich and powerful.

A powerful polemic against the theft of public space by Ian Martin:

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

And a look at what happened when some Guardian journalists attempted to walk the supposed public access route along the Thames, including the reaction of a security guard when they treatened to have a picnic on what is legally a publicly accessible area. "A picnic? What's in the picnic?"

http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/ ... king-route" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:46 pm

Ed Vaizey apparently is now making a complete mammary of himself on DP.

I always miss the good ones.

Tish · Post by **Tish** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:56 pm

Haven't seen it yet but just read the write ups of PMQ's. I can't believe that Cameron just basically shouted "unions, unions, unions" at Miliband throughout, despite Miliband agreeing that being a union official would be one of the second jobs that would be banned by Labour's proposal the VERY FIRST TIME THAT CAMERON MENTIONED IT! I thought Cameron was supposed to be quick minded enough to react to debate, not just keep shouting out the one point that he's got, even when it's already been answered.

And then that desperate attempted to smear Ed by throwing David Miliband's earnings at him, as if he's somehow responsible for his brothers actions. How utterly pathetic.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:56 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
citizenJA wrote:
RobertSnozers wrote: Hard to say. Been having a look at his twitter feed. Seems he's in favour of electoral reform, against Leveson, no fan of the Republicans, definitely no fan of the Greens (or Natalie Bennett, anyway), and his position on defence is closer to the traditional Tory position, i.e. more please (but then so is mine). Potentially a wonderful A-lister circa 2010. Now though...?
He voted with his party in support of the Bedroom Tax legislation.
Sorry, who are you referring to here

Apologies, AK & the rest of the thread. Dan Snow isn't a Tory MP at this time. I've made a mistake. He was in no position to vote for policies current government have passed.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:57 pm

PMQs - Verdict

PMQs - Verdict: Ed Miliband will be feeling very satisfied with that. He scored a clear win.

At PMQs who wins partly depends on what the issue is, and what the public think. If voters are inclined to agree with the argument you’re making before you even start, you’re likely to do well. And, on this, as these YouGov figures show, there is clear public support for a ban on MPs having second jobs.

- AS

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... f5b451d103" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 12:59 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma ... r-31615218

Greater Manchester to take control of £6 billion social care budget.
I posted that last night Paul, along with my feeling that its being done so fast it feels a little like a set up to fail thing.
Manchester is a staunch Labour council.
Edit to add - part of this feeling is Osborne forcing a Mayor on Manchester after it was voted against a couple of years ago. Will he be looking to impose a Tory who will have control of this new budget in the same way as he/she will have control of the police budget (Manchester's PCC being scrapped, and the budget passed to the new Mayor)
I suspect it's part of the 'Northern Powerhouse' narrative as a means of arguing that the Tories aren't cutting all but London and the SE adrift. The alternative is that they smell another opportunity for a Wales-style bashing of a Labour heartland.

That's how I see it. More divide and rule.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 1:06 pm

Via Mike Smithson, the Lib Dems and Survation will not be releasing the data behind the polling which suggests LDs holding onto an implausible amount of seats..

Shocked at that, etc, etc.

Post by **refitman** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 1:14 pm

Labour’s John Cryer asks Cameron to set up a statutory register of paid lobbyists.

Cameron congratulates Cryer on being elected as chair of the parliamentary Labour party. But what needs fixing is Labour’s relationship with the unions.

Really????? (From AS http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... dbe1e2a2df" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 1:17 pm

refitman wrote:
Labour’s John Cryer asks Cameron to set up a statutory register of paid lobbyists.

Cameron congratulates Cryer on being elected as chair of the parliamentary Labour party. But what needs fixing is Labour’s relationship with the unions.
Really????? (From AS http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... dbe1e2a2df" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

It would seem Dave is even more confused than I've been this afternoon.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 2:00 pm

From AS...

But that was not the only reason Miliband won. Cameron was on the defensive, but he could have made a principled argument for MPs being allowed to have second jobs (as he did when he was responding to Sir Peter Tapsell - see 12.26pm). Instead, he used the spurious argument that Labour’s plan would allow MPs to serve as paid trade union officials, but not to run a business. This is bogus because, as Nick Robinson has just explained on the BBC’s Daily Politics, there are no Labour MPs who are paid union officials. And Miliband smartly offered to amend his motion to rule this out too. At that point Cameron resorted to raising a second objection (which Miliband also countered), and he looked like someone doing a wriggling eel impression.

No wonder Ed was able to say "OK, no paid union officials to serve as MPs at the same time so quickly"!

Cameron way out of his depth and out of touch on this. If they wanted to say that you had to have had experience of a non-political job first before serving I don't really have an issue with that and can't really see what 'experience' a directorship gives you that could inform an MPs role anyway.

If you wanted to serve as a non-exec director, you could always do it unpaid and in your own time...

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 2:02 pm

Tom McTague retweeted
Rafael Behr @rafaelbehr · 2h 2 hours ago
Cameron looked a bit brain-fadey on second jobs there … retreated to his old trade union-bashing safe place #pmqs

Tom McTague @TomMcTague · 2h 2 hours ago
That really was a pretty dire performance by Cameron

Tom McTague retweeted
tom bradby @tombradby · 2h 2 hours ago
Ed Miliband is cornering David Cameron quite well here. HIs best performance for a while. #pmqs

Tom McTague retweeted
Tim Shipman @ShippersUnbound · 2h 2 hours ago
Miliband did very well there making policy on the hoof. Rules out MPs being paid union officials as well as directors. Clever

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 2:12 pm

Rachel Reeves ‏@RachelReevesMP 3m3 minutes ago
There are 27k ppl on Universal Credit. It has cost £26k per person & it'll take 1,605 yrs to rollout at current rate http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31610232" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Wed 25 Feb, 2015 2:15 pm

AT ‏@ammertufail · 49m49 minutes ago
I see @DPJHodges & @JohnRentoul are suspiciously quiet about the hammerin DC got at PMQ's. Happy to sing from rooftops when Ed has a bad one

Dan HodgesVerified account
‏@DPJHodges @ammertufail @JohnRentoul Didn't watch. I've been writing.