Tuesday 3rd March 2015

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:38 pm

Just to let people know, The Grim Squeaker has been quite poorly, so can we join in wishing him well and a fast recovery?

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:39 pm

SpinningHugo wrote:Labour's constitutional proposals

http://b.3cdn.net/labouruk/3045a507f6e7 ... 6i6611.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pretty thin, in my view, more notable for what is not there than for what is. So, no repeal of the Fixed Terms Parliament Act. No single constitutional document. The (previously much heralded) constitutional convention now just about devolution.

The section on devolution (page 10) deliberately conflates devolution of law-making and devolution of administration, something which is disingenuous.

I don't myself support giving 16 year olds the vote, but I can see why it is being proposed.

1997 it is not, but then that perhaps reflects the success of the earlier wave of reforms.

Pretty thin? Some items of real significance in that document, not least the Lords reform, Commons reform (i.e. giving Bercow a set of knuckledusters) and calling a halt to the revolving door syndrome. You choose your battles and, at the moment, I think the stuff in that document is far more important than repealing the Fixed Terms Parl Act. I also think you are reading your own prejudices into the regionalisation proposals but, hey, life is all about compromise and I don't intend to argue with you about it.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:40 pm

I thanked you Hugo before finishing the last few words....but am starting to think you may be right.

mbc1955 · Post by **mbc1955** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:41 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
Kathy retweeted
Jim AK ‏@jamesak47 1 hr1 hour ago
"Cameron: jail those who ignore child abuse". Wait for unintended consequenses from malicious rumour reporting. #CSAinquiry #bbcdp #wato
So does that include MPs who are even as I write keeping quiet and/or covering up?

No. Why do you even ask these things? Though if they were to be Labour...

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:41 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Just to let people know, The Grim Squeaker has been quite poorly, so can we join in wishing him well and a fast recovery?

Ooops - didn't realise you were here Grim

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:42 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Just to let people know, The Grim Squeaker has been quite poorly, so can we join in wishing him well and a fast recovery?

Ta, AAW. Obviously everybody else was too busy rowing to notice my absence!!

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:43 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:What happens when homeless people ask for help? Take our #NoOneTurnedAway quiz to find out: http://bzfd.it/1EtS7sy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for the excellent link.

When we confront how little help the most needy and vulnerable are already faced with, it really is hard to imagine what this country will be like if Osborne is allowed to cut even more just to give money away in tax cuts. I think that's why the polls right now are so depressing, as there seems to be a hard core of Tory voters who are actually willing to vote for austerity, not out of (faux) necessity, but out of ideological choice. I find it very hard to keep reminding myself that for some it's just ignorance as then I get angry with the media for letting that ignorance to persist. Although Channel 4 have been better lately - 'Here come the Romanians' and the Dispatches on sanctions for example - we need a lot more on the realities of hardship and poverty if it's going to get through to the masses.

SpinningHugo · Post by **SpinningHugo** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:43 pm

He certainly has a good avatar Rog.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:45 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
Kathy retweeted
Jim AK ‏@jamesak47 1 hr1 hour ago
"Cameron: jail those who ignore child abuse". Wait for unintended consequenses from malicious rumour reporting. #CSAinquiry #bbcdp #wato
So does that include MPs who are even as I write keeping quiet and/or covering up?

It's the usual knee-jerk reaction to events - it'll start to unravel in the next few days when people point out the shortcomings.

Interesting that Morgan doesn't want an independent inquiry in Oxfordshire - nothing to do with the fact that it was either Tory or NOC during the period under question surely?

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:45 pm

Lonewolfie wrote:Morftereveninoon

I can't help feeling slightly downhearted here in Hope (just North of Peterborough). It seems Osborne is in fact the 'evil genius' many claim him to be and not just an elitist over-privileged sack of Bullingdon Bullshit

He comes across like an uncharismatic, failed Mandelson clone without the moral compass, or sartorial elegance.

Alternatively, bit like the Hooded Claw (wacky races/Penelope pitstop), except unfortunately his plans seem to have more success.

Wouldn't underestimate him, but think is vile (or anagram thereof)

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:49 pm

tinybgoat wrote:
Lonewolfie wrote:Morftereveninoon

I can't help feeling slightly downhearted here in Hope (just North of Peterborough). It seems Osborne is in fact the 'evil genius' many claim him to be and not just an elitist over-privileged sack of Bullingdon Bullshit /quote]

He comes across like an uncharismatic, failed Mandelson clone without the moral compass, or sartorial elegance.

Alternatively, bit like the Hooded Claw (wacky races/Penelope pitstop), except unfortunately his plans seem to have more success.

Wouldn't underestimate him, but think is vile (or anagram thereof)

Hi tinybgoat nice to see you - welcome

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:50 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Just to let people know, The Grim Squeaker has been quite poorly, so can we join in wishing him well and a fast recovery?
Ta, AAW. Obviously everybody else was too busy rowing to notice my absence!!

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 1:55 pm

tinybgoat wrote:
Lonewolfie wrote:Morftereveninoon

I can't help feeling slightly downhearted here in Hope (just North of Peterborough). It seems Osborne is in fact the 'evil genius' many claim him to be and not just an elitist over-privileged sack of Bullingdon Bullshit /quote]

He comes across like an uncharismatic, failed Mandelson clone without the moral compass, or sartorial elegance.

Alternatively, bit like the Hooded Claw (wacky races/Penelope pitstop), except unfortunately his plans seem to have more success.

Wouldn't underestimate him, but think is vile (or anagram thereof)

Hello tinybgoat! Welcome to FTN.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:04 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -sanctions
Nick Boles, a business and education minister, told constituents the way sanctions were used in some cases did need to be looked at but acknowledged that change was not likely until after the general election.

The remarks to a group of charity volunteers concerned about sanctions were reported by his local newspaper, the Grantham Journal. Boles agreed to take case studies of hardship caused by sanctions to the government, after being told about a claimant who was penalised after staying overnight at a hospital when their newborn baby was in intensive care.

“With some of these cases it seems to me that there is an inhuman inflexibility that is imposed on them … The sanctions are a worry, and do need to be looked at,” he said.

Nick Boles is obviously saying this because he's trying to get re-elected but I'm rather cheered by the fact that he feels he needs to appear softer on sanctions in order to win votes.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:11 pm

Get well soon, Squeaker

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:27 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Just to let people know, The Grim Squeaker has been quite poorly, so can we join in wishing him well and a fast recovery?
Ta, AAW. Obviously everybody else was too busy rowing to notice my absence!!

Very glad you're back TGS. And no, not everyone has been too busy to notice your absence - I 'reported' it to the powers that be this morning as a concern ... as in everyone's getting the hump at the moment and by the way I haven't heard a squeak from the Grim Sqeaker for quite a while either. You were missed!

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:28 pm

As we hear more and more about religion and how so many of our leaders have "Religion" the one thing I still managed to admire about Clegg was his atheism, being a none believer myself.
But look - as the tide changes so does Cleggy (from A blog)
"Clegg says being infused with religious faith would be 'wonderful'
Nick Clegg is an atheist. But he has a “complex attitude to faith”, he told Premier Christian Radio in an interview. He said that his family was “infused with faith” and that, if he got religion, that would be “wonderful”.
Be prepared for his conversion any day now..
Bah humbug!

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

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:41 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Get well soon, Squeaker

Thanks AK, appreciated.

Just to bring you all up to speed. On Saturday I walked into the town centre to run a few errands (and, serendipitously, signed the 38 Degrees "Save The NHS" petition; as I was walking home I felt a tightness in my chest which swiftly developed into a sickening pain, to the extent that I literally fell in to our local RSPCA shop (just five minutes from home) and asked them to call me an ambulance. Thankfully they resisted the obvious response to my feedline, closed the shop and did their best to keep me comfortable until the ambulance arrived.

When it did the paramedic onboard rapidly identified my symptoms as being a heart attack and, despite my local hospital being just 10 minutes away, felt it more sensible to drive an extra 15 minutes to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, an acute hospital with a speciaiist cardiology unit (Paul O'Grady went there when he had his heart attack a few years back); a damn good call frankly, as the treatment I received (a coronary angioplasty and the insertion of three stents into the main artery) was swift, incredibly interesting (you get to watch the whole procedure n the x-ray screen) and effective! And the care I received from the nursing staff on the Cardiac Care Unit was exemplary; my admiration for the ladies and gents who work as nurses within the NHS, which was already high, is now stratospheric!

So I have spent the last few days festooned with wires, have had my blood pressure taken more times than in my life to date and given Tony Hancock's proverbial armful of blood (not all intentionally, some was down to the Cannula Incident of Saturday Night, as it became known). But it seems no real damage has been done to the heart itself (although I may have to have a stent inserted into one of the other arteries at a later date) so the prognosis is good; a few days rest, a carrier bag full of pills and a change in diet should see me back to normal (better even, thanks to the stents) within a couple of weeks. Home now, so able to harangue you all again!!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:47 pm

SpinningHugo wrote:Labour's constitutional proposals

http://b.3cdn.net/labouruk/3045a507f6e7 ... 6i6611.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pretty thin, in my view, more notable for what is not there than for what is. So, no repeal of the Fixed Terms Parliament Act. No single constitutional document. The (previously much heralded) constitutional convention now just about devolution.

The section on devolution (page 10) deliberately conflates devolution of law-making and devolution of administration, something which is disingenuous.

I don't myself support giving 16 year olds the vote, but I can see why it is being proposed.

1997 it is not, but then that perhaps reflects the success of the earlier wave of reforms.

Reversing our democratic decline
Labour’s plan for Parliament and political reform
[Twelve page policy document.]

Foreword
Trust in politics and politicians is at a record low. Voter turnout has been in decline for sixty years and fewer
and fewer people see Parliament as relevant let alone effective.

People are struggling to get by, but they don’t see politics as the answer to their problems. Westminster
plays out on the TV screen, but vast swathes of the population just aren’t tuning in.

This reality isn’t just regrettable, it threatens our democracy. As more people give up on politics, more
power will be concentrated in the hands of a privileged few. That is why a Labour government will prioritise
reversing our democratic decline, and building a country where everybody has a stake and a say.

Over my time as Shadow Leader of the House, I’ve spoken to non-voters across the UK about why they feel
detached from our political system, and I’ve spent time in Commons committees talking about the minutiae
of our legislative process. I’ve seen our politics operate at every level and I know that at every level we
need change.

This document details Labour’s four point plan for political reform, building on work from colleagues across
the Shadow Cabinet. We are going to make sure everyone has a voice by reforming voter registration and
the process of elections. We are going to overhaul the scrutiny process to deliver better quality legislation
that gives the public a real say. We are going to stand up to vested interests in Parliament and politics. And
we are going to oversee the biggest devolution of power in our history.

It is only a Labour government that will do what it takes to reverse this democratic decline.

Angela Eagle MP

Labour’s four-point plan to reverse our democratic decline
1.Reforming elections so everyone has their say (p. 3)
2.Overhauling how Parliament works to improve legislation and give the public a role (p. 5)
3.Standing up to vested interests in our politics (p. 7)
4.Devolving power so people feel closer to politics (p. 9)

http://b.3cdn.net/labouruk/3045a507f6e7 ... 6i6611.pdf

"So, no repeal of the Fixed Terms Parliament Act."

There's good reasons to keep Fixed Terms. Without it governments can create crisis by calling an election solely for the benefit of partisan interests - not the best interests of the democracy a returned government represents.

"No single constitutional document."

We've not had the Constitutional Convention yet. I'd be pissed off to find one already drafted myself.

"The (previously much heralded) constitutional convention now just about devolution."

Did you actually read the document you've linked in your post? Or did you stop on page 10? Read page 11.

"The section on devolution (page 10) deliberately conflates devolution of law-making and devolution of administration, something which is disingenuous."

No, it doesn't. No, it's not disingenuous.

"I don't myself support giving 16 year olds the vote, but I can see why it is being proposed."

You can see why it's being proposed? Why? You've not shared why you don't support the idea to give 16 and 17-year-old the right to vote as Labour's proposing to do from May 2016.

We will give all 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in elections from May 2016. We will place an emphasis on the importance of education about politics in schools to accompany this.

We will shake up the system of voter registration that currently leaves millions off the register.

We will deliver a legal obligation on schools and colleges to give details of students approaching voting age to electoral registration officers.

We will encourage universities to block register students, and we will trial election-day registration.

We will launch a new online democracy portal which draws together all of the things you need to know before you vote, including who your MP is, how you vote, who the political parties are and what they stand for.

We will also provide more information on polling cards about the process of voting, and encourage local councils to email first time voters with basic information.

To make it easier to vote, we’ll trial online voting to see if we can do it safely and cost effectively.

We’ll repeal the gagging law and consult with charities and campaigners about a fair replacement that doesn’t restrict democratic debate.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:49 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Get well soon, Squeaker
Thanks AK, appreciated.

Just to bring you all up to speed. On Saturday I walked into the town centre to run a few errands (and, serendipitously, signed the 38 Degrees "Save The NHS" petition; as I was walking home I felt a tightness in my chest which swiftly developed into a sickening pain, to the extent that I literally fell in to our local RSPCA shop (just five minutes from home) and asked them to call me an ambulance. Thankfully they resisted the obvious response to my feedline, closed the shop and did their best to keep me comfortable until the ambulance arrived.

When it did the paramedic onboard rapidly identified my symptoms as being a heart attack and, despite my local hospital being just 10 minutes away, felt it more sensible to drive an extra 15 minutes to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, an acute hospital with a speciaiist cardiology unit (Paul O'Grady went there when he had his heart attack a few years back); a damn good call frankly, as the treatment I received (a coronary angioplasty and the insertion of three stents into the main artery) was swift, incredibly interesting (you get to watch the whole procedure n the x-ray screen) and effective! And the care I received from the nursing staff on the Cardiac Care Unit was exemplary; my admiration for the ladies and gents who work as nurses within the NHS, which was already high, is now stratospheric!

So I have spent the last few days festooned with wires, have had my blood pressure taken more times than in my life to date and given Tony Hancock's proverbial armful of blood (not all intentionally, some was down to the Cannula Incident of Saturday Night, as it became known). But it seems no real damage has been done to the heart itself (although I may have to have a stent inserted into one of the other arteries at a later date) so the prognosis is good; a few days rest, a carrier bag full of pills and a change in diet should see me back to normal (better even, thanks to the stents) within a couple of weeks. Home now, so able to harangue you all again!!

So glad to hear you are on the mend! Whoot and

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:56 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:@ephe, please don't go! It's bad enough losing either of you, let alone both. These past few days have been seriously difficult, in many ways. None of us can know the effect our words might have on others, when someone might take a particular phrase as being pointed at them when it's a general comment, and I'm sure we've all said something that's accidentally stung someone else in a sensitive spot. We can't know when someone has got something major going on in their life that might make particular words particularly painful, unless they tell us – and even then we can all still say the wrong thing.

We don't want to lose either of you, so please re-consider and maybe take some time out.

I'll miss you horribly if you go for good. I'd have to do my own research, for one thing

Love

Beautiful post.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 2:58 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Get well soon, Squeaker
Thanks AK, appreciated.

Just to bring you all up to speed. On Saturday I walked into the town centre to run a few errands (and, serendipitously, signed the 38 Degrees "Save The NHS" petition; as I was walking home I felt a tightness in my chest which swiftly developed into a sickening pain, to the extent that I literally fell in to our local RSPCA shop (just five minutes from home) and asked them to call me an ambulance. Thankfully they resisted the obvious response to my feedline, closed the shop and did their best to keep me comfortable until the ambulance arrived.

When it did the paramedic onboard rapidly identified my symptoms as being a heart attack and, despite my local hospital being just 10 minutes away, felt it more sensible to drive an extra 15 minutes to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, an acute hospital with a speciaiist cardiology unit (Paul O'Grady went there when he had his heart attack a few years back); a damn good call frankly, as the treatment I received (a coronary angioplasty and the insertion of three stents into the main artery) was swift, incredibly interesting (you get to watch the whole procedure n the x-ray screen) and effective! And the care I received from the nursing staff on the Cardiac Care Unit was exemplary; my admiration for the ladies and gents who work as nurses within the NHS, which was already high, is now stratospheric!

So I have spent the last few days festooned with wires, have had my blood pressure taken more times than in my life to date and given Tony Hancock's proverbial armful of blood (not all intentionally, some was down to the Cannula Incident of Saturday Night, as it became known). But it seems no real damage has been done to the heart itself (although I may have to have a stent inserted into one of the other arteries at a later date) so the prognosis is good; a few days rest, a carrier bag full of pills and a change in diet should see me back to normal (better even, thanks to the stents) within a couple of weeks. Home now, so able to harangue you all again!!

Oh, Jesus!
Thank goodness you're okay!
Please know you're loved & appreciated.
Love
JA

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:03 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Get well soon, Squeaker
Thanks AK, appreciated.

Just to bring you all up to speed. On Saturday I walked into the town centre to run a few errands (and, serendipitously, signed the 38 Degrees "Save The NHS" petition; as I was walking home I felt a tightness in my chest which swiftly developed into a sickening pain, to the extent that I literally fell in to our local RSPCA shop (just five minutes from home) and asked them to call me an ambulance. Thankfully they resisted the obvious response to my feedline, closed the shop and did their best to keep me comfortable until the ambulance arrived.

When it did the paramedic onboard rapidly identified my symptoms as being a heart attack and, despite my local hospital being just 10 minutes away, felt it more sensible to drive an extra 15 minutes to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, an acute hospital with a speciaiist cardiology unit (Paul O'Grady went there when he had his heart attack a few years back); a damn good call frankly, as the treatment I received (a coronary angioplasty and the insertion of three stents into the main artery) was swift, incredibly interesting (you get to watch the whole procedure n the x-ray screen) and effective! And the care I received from the nursing staff on the Cardiac Care Unit was exemplary; my admiration for the ladies and gents who work as nurses within the NHS, which was already high, is now stratospheric!

So I have spent the last few days festooned with wires, have had my blood pressure taken more times than in my life to date and given Tony Hancock's proverbial armful of blood (not all intentionally, some was down to the Cannula Incident of Saturday Night, as it became known). But it seems no real damage has been done to the heart itself (although I may have to have a stent inserted into one of the other arteries at a later date) so the prognosis is good; a few days rest, a carrier bag full of pills and a change in diet should see me back to normal (better even, thanks to the stents) within a couple of weeks. Home now, so able to harangue you all again!!

Oh bless. You have been in the wars.

Isn't it fantastic what they can do nowadays. It's even better now than 17 years ago.
And [to my mind] more important than diet is staying stress free as much as you can.

There is a lot of 'stuff' in our life that causes the old ticker to pump faster than it should and it's surprising when you've had a heart attack just how easy that 'stuff' is to identify and discard.

Take it easy and do as they tell you....

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:09 pm

Thanks for all the messages, public and personal.

I'm upset that my comments have caused such offence that someone I have always looked up to has chosen to leave.
That's why I will stay away for a while, because I really hope he comes back; if my absence facilitates that, good.

Glad to know you are OK, TGS.
Treatment worth £15,000 for free - this is what we could lose if the vermin get their way.

I might be back sometime.

Meanwhile, take care.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:10 pm

We will give all 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in elections from May 2016. We will place an emphasis on the importance of education about politics in schools to accompany this.

Another one for Ofsted then.

Toby Young and all will ignore this, and happily ride out the controversy when failed

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:12 pm

There's good reasons to keep Fixed Terms. Without it governments can create crisis by calling an election solely for the benefit of partisan interests - not the best interests of the democracy a returned government represents.

As far as I know, only Heath ever did this, and it was a disaster. Governments don't tend to throw away power.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:14 pm

From last night:

Ofqual dancing about, trying to fit in with Gove's prejudice about practicals.

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/exam-questions ... l-confirms" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apparently you still do them but are assessed via exam questions on them.

What are they going to be like?

"What happened when you tested for starch with the iodine?"

That's basically an ordinary exam question. We're going to get the teacher doing it quickly, and lots of time cramming for the questions that could be asked about it.

Ofqual don't say how many people wanted to keep assessed practicals.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:16 pm

I was with the Labour Women's Network on Saturday in Manchester. An all day affair hashing out policy, asking questions, listening, sharing our own experiences & we topped it off by campaigning in the afternoon when it started raining. I was thoroughly physically exhausted & slept most of Sunday.

It's hard work. I'll never underestimate the amount of work good MPs do for their people.
Those Labour party MPs are good, there's all kinds of difference between political parties.
Angela Eagle is a force of nature. There's no stopping that woman.

I'm in Labour Spring Event 2015 - Birmingham - Saturday, 14 March for Ed Miliband & Labour comrades - the five election pledges

It's hard work - I understand why people may not have an understanding of where we're going as a country. It's not being televised, for the most part.

p.s.
The Pink Bus

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:17 pm

'the precedent of 2010 is that there is national consequence to tactical voting. Winning the popular vote nationally is used by the Lib Dems as a benchmark in coalition talks in a hung parliament. They say they will go into power with the party with the highest aggregate vote nationally. So on the one hand they are asking Labour supporters to tactically lend them votes in many seats, then when this depresses Labour’s national total vote they ignore the tactical element and judge all the votes at face value, claiming all the votes lent to them tactically as part of their mandate, and judging Labour not on any ideological proximity but on a vote share they themselves reduced. In case there is a hung parliament, Labour therefore needs to maximise its vote even where we cannot win the seat, so that in any coalition negotiations we can claim a stronger national mandate than the Tories.'

http://labourlist.org/2015/03/its-naive ... r-parties/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:17 pm

All the best to TGS.

And nice to see Hugo chucking stuff out there.

Noting the large number of fences that have recently gone missing round here:

- Internet forums are poor means of communication, you have no visual or audio signals to aid understanding.
- They are not real time so you have a delay factor to contend with.
- Everybody has off days (Glenda had a particularly bad one when Dan arrived).

I suggest a policy of amnesia and omertà can work well.

Now to substance.

What a tosser Cameron is on child abuse, basically using it as a political tool.

Why isn't Oxfordshire treated as per the other LA? If nothing else child safety surely demands it.
When is he going to sort out the Westminster abuse enquiry shambles (why is May still in a job)?
Does his stupid proposal on prosecution extend to the police? In both cases whatever the failings of social services the police were made aware of it and did bugger all. In both cases they are far more culpable than social services.

Also will it cover MPs, Whips, Peers, Diplomats and MI5?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:19 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:From last night:

Ofqual dancing about, trying to fit in with Gove's prejudice about practicals.

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/exam-questions ... l-confirms" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apparently you still do them but are assessed via exam questions on them.

What are they going to be like?

"What happened when you tested for starch with the iodine?"

That's basically an ordinary exam question. We're going to get the teacher doing it quickly, and lots of time cramming for the questions that could be asked about it.

Ofqual don't say how many people wanted to keep assessed practicals.

For the new approach, students will be required to show their understanding of scientific experimentation...

Exam boards will specify a minimum of eight practical activities in each individual science and 16 for combined science. Schools will be required to confirm that they have enabled their students to do the full range of practical work.

Hang on - does every student & their teacher have access to to labs to do experiments?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:23 pm

"What happened when you tested for starch with the iodine?"

We used it to wallpaper the lounge.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:26 pm

StephenDolan wrote:'the precedent of 2010 is that there is national consequence to tactical voting. Winning the popular vote nationally is used by the Lib Dems as a benchmark in coalition talks in a hung parliament. They say they will go into power with the party with the highest aggregate vote nationally. So on the one hand they are asking Labour supporters to tactically lend them votes in many seats, then when this depresses Labour’s national total vote they ignore the tactical element and judge all the votes at face value, claiming all the votes lent to them tactically as part of their mandate, and judging Labour not on any ideological proximity but on a vote share they themselves reduced. In case there is a hung parliament, Labour therefore needs to maximise its vote even where we cannot win the seat, so that in any coalition negotiations we can claim a stronger national mandate than the Tories.'

http://labourlist.org/2015/03/its-naive ... r-parties/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hell yes! Vote your heart! Every time!

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:30 pm

citizenJA wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:From last night:

Ofqual dancing about, trying to fit in with Gove's prejudice about practicals.

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/exam-questions ... l-confirms" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apparently you still do them but are assessed via exam questions on them.

What are they going to be like?

"What happened when you tested for starch with the iodine?"

That's basically an ordinary exam question. We're going to get the teacher doing it quickly, and lots of time cramming for the questions that could be asked about it.

Ofqual don't say how many people wanted to keep assessed practicals.
For the new approach, students will be required to show their understanding of scientific experimentation...

Exam boards will specify a minimum of eight practical activities in each individual science and 16 for combined science. Schools will be required to confirm that they have enabled their students to do the full range of practical work.

Hang on - does every student & their teacher have access to to labs to do experiments?

I don't know about Free Schools or Academies but going back to the 60's my LA Secondary Modern (no grammar school for me!) had a fully equipped lab, as do our current LA senior school that my G'kids went to.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:31 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
There's good reasons to keep Fixed Terms. Without it governments can create crisis by calling an election solely for the benefit of partisan interests - not the best interests of the democracy a returned government represents.
As far as I know, only Heath ever did this, and it was a disaster. Governments don't tend to throw away power.

A pity for those requiring the protection & conscientious representation of a decent government understanding the virtue of duty for all the people.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:32 pm

Charities have been warned that they will be stripped of grants if they campaign against the government.
Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, was denounced yesterday by charity chiefs, who said that he was using the threat to stifle democracy.
He was accused of a “squalid attempt” to make them “dance to the tune of government” during the election period.

In a written statement last week Mr Pickles said that research by the Institute of Economic Affairs had exposed the extensive practice of taxpayers money being given to pressure groups and supposed charities in turn being used to lobby government.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/poli ... 370498.ece

Sorry it's behind the Times pay wall for those who don't like putting money in Mr Murdochs pocket, including me, but I've managed to cut and paste and also copy the relevant storyline.

Who or what are supposed charities?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:41 pm

"We spoke to a total of 30,000 people on Saturday across the country, and so are on course to hit our target of 4 million conversations before the election.

The heart of our campaign is a dialogue with the public, away from the sound and fury of Westminster. It is in these everyday conversations with local people in communities across the country that we’re making progress – not by patronising anyone as “Lidl people."

http://labourlist.org/2015/03/state-of- ... upporters/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:43 pm

@ ohsocynical

Who or what are supposed charities?

Julie Bailey might be able to help you out there (not that I'm trying to back Eric Pickles).

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:44 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
Charities have been warned that they will be stripped of grants if they campaign against the government.
Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, was denounced yesterday by charity chiefs, who said that he was using the threat to stifle democracy.
He was accused of a “squalid attempt” to make them “dance to the tune of government” during the election period.

In a written statement last week Mr Pickles said that research by the Institute of Economic Affairs had exposed the extensive practice of taxpayers money being given to pressure groups and supposed charities in turn being used to lobby government.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/poli ... 370498.ece
Sorry it's behind the Times pay wall for those who don't like putting money in Mr Murdochs pocket, including me, but I've managed to cut and paste and also copy the relevant storyline.

Who or what are supposed charities?

Mr Pickles said that research by the Institute of Economic Affairs

Good to see he's using research by an entirely non-partisan body and not at all libertarian right wingers...oh hang on...

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:45 pm

MPs are public servants, a position that comes with an unparalleled level of responsibility that must not be abused.

Regulate second jobs for MPs
Members of Parliament will be banned from paid directorships and consultancies and we will consult on introducing a cap on other forms of earned income.

This would mean that Members could do the necessary hours to retain a professional qualification, for example as a doctor or engineer, whilst ensuring they put their constituents first.

http://b.3cdn.net/labouruk/3045a507f6e7 ... 6i6611.pdf

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:45 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Who or what are supposed charities?

Public schools?

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 3:49 pm

@TGS

Wow! Very scary.

I'm just pleased nobody spoke to you in capital letters.

GetYou · Post by **GetYou** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 4:04 pm

Another success for Grayling

http://blog.shelter.org.uk/2015/03/lega ... -unlawful/

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 4:04 pm

Sorry - but it has a graph.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 81589.html

I suspect there is at least some correlation between the right hand edge and insecure fantasists.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 4:06 pm

PorFavor wrote:@ ohsocynical

Who or what are supposed charities?
Julie Bailey might be able to help you out there (not that I'm trying to back Eric Pickles).

No - Julie Bailey is not a charity.

Which we believe is leading to questions about donations.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 4:15 pm

@TGS

Very very glad you had such good care and are on the mend. On a cheeky note ... thank goodness for those pesky animal charities, eh.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 4:17 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03 ... mg00000067

Nick Boles said: “I do understand why there needs to be a disciplined system and there needs to be a process they go through, but I do think there are too many of these cases where it does seem inhumanly inflexible

But

As the furore built, Boles was forced to withdraw his attack on the "inhuman" sanctions regime, with Downing Street saying that the Prime Minister still has "full confidence" in him.

Is anyone surprised?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 4:21 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
PorFavor wrote:@ ohsocynical

Who or what are supposed charities?
Julie Bailey might be able to help you out there (not that I'm trying to back Eric Pickles).
No - Julie Bailey is not a charity.

Which we believe is leading to questions about donations.

No, she's not. It all fell by the wayside if I recall correctly. But she had ambitions (and that's what I was alluding to). Others more canny than she have probably succeeded.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 4:23 pm

Willow904 wrote:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -sanctions
Nick Boles, a business and education minister, told constituents the way sanctions were used in some cases did need to be looked at but acknowledged that change was not likely until after the general election.

The remarks to a group of charity volunteers concerned about sanctions were reported by his local newspaper, the Grantham Journal. Boles agreed to take case studies of hardship caused by sanctions to the government, after being told about a claimant who was penalised after staying overnight at a hospital when their newborn baby was in intensive care.

“With some of these cases it seems to me that there is an inhuman inflexibility that is imposed on them … The sanctions are a worry, and do need to be looked at,” he said.
Nick Boles is obviously saying this because he's trying to get re-elected but I'm rather cheered by the fact that he feels he needs to appear softer on sanctions in order to win votes.

Some of his constituents might just have heard the segment with David Clapson's sister on Radio 4 yesterday ... he was the poor bloke who was diabetic and was sanctioned and died - when they found him he had no food in his flat and his fridge with his insulin in it was off because he'd had no money to put in the electricity meter. The segment was about the ongoing battle to see the DWP peer reviews of the 49 deaths of claimants who had been sanctioned. His sister's testimony was so bald in its description of his character and life, his medical condition and the circumstances he found himself in - and so heartfelt it made me sob out loud ...
There needs to be a reckoning when this coalition are removed - people need justice for the cruelty that has been inflicted on those least able to endure it.

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Tue 03 Mar, 2015 4:28 pm

At the risk of kicking a hornet's nest, Andy Burnham has written a piece for the Manchester Evening News about the NHS & Greater Manchester.

But this is not the deal that I would be offering to Greater Manchester if I am Health Secretary in ten weeks’ time.

edited to include URL http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ar_twitter