Thursday 12th March 2015

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 12:56 pm

@Ephemerid

Have you seen this?

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/comm ... o-work.pdf

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:01 pm

yahyah wrote:Just look at the headline ffs.

''SARAH VINE: Why their kitchen tells you all you need to know about the mirthless Milibands... and why there's nothing to suggest that Ed and Justine are not, in fact, aliens''

& 'No home-making for Justine: she’s far too busy sticking to her feminist principles'
''Not much prospect of a decent meal emanating from that mean, sterile, little box inside Ed Miliband's home, pictured''

Ms Vine is queen of the Gotcha, the Mail's very own Glenda Slagg.
If they had an expensive, cluttered kitchen Vine would be bitching about that.

Just shows Justine was right in what she said.

My jaw dropped.
Sarah Vine's commentary is ugly, rude disreputable.
Got to live up to the nasty party reputation.
Sick.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:01 pm

I think Garage has lost the plot (finally)

"Nigel Farage: Some Muslims want to kill us"

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 03203.html#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:05 pm

ohsocynical wrote:@Ephemerid

Have you seen this?

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/comm ... o-work.pdf

Self-Employment is a flexible option for many disabled people. I am now able to announce that I
have recently established a further specialist team to provide expert advice and support to
disabled people who want to run their own successful businesses. Furthermore, to ensure
disabled people have a clear understanding of how they can be supported to maintain their
business and continue in self employment, from October 2015 eligibility will be based around the
Universal Credit rules. These balance allowing a reasonable period for businesses to establish
themselves, with ensuring that taxpayers money goes to support legitimate and viable
businesses, offering Access to Work a more consistent and objective basis for awards.

From the link
It's dated today.
My headache is getting worse.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:15 pm

Posted below the line on the shale gas story.
It's got the MPs with fossil fuel interests in a handy one page brochure.
It looks accurate.

http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/archive/frac ... 015-A3.pdf

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... ts1415.htm

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:19 pm

Remember this photo of the supposedly "mirthless Milibands"?

What are the chances of Michael and Sarah looking so relaxed and happy?

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:37 pm

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Remember this photo of the supposedly "mirthless Milibands"?

What are the chances of Michael and Sarah looking so relaxed and happy?

It proves to me that they don't go in for glitzy VERY expensive kitchens which are often just for show. Sod the Jones's or in this case the Goves's.

They are both busy. They probably don't have the time for tarting up a house so that snotty cows like Gove's wife could come in and give it her approval. I hope Justine puts two fingers up at her.

Homemaking especially for the sake of appearances has never been on my list of to do. I daresay there are thousands like me.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:44 pm

Clare Hepworth OBE retweeted
Ian ‏@Mancman10 8 mins8 minutes ago @Xlibris1

Labour bounce back & lead this week now with Populus, YouGov & IpsosMORi "Tory Cross Over"

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:53 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Clare Hepworth OBE retweeted
Ian ‏@Mancman10 8 mins8 minutes ago @Xlibris1

Labour bounce back & lead this week now with Populus, YouGov & IpsosMORi "Tory Cross Over"

I've seen the YouGov figures, but not the other two - anyone got them?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:56 pm

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB · 2 hrs2 hours ago
53% told Ipsos Standard poll they thought it's “time for a change” & just 32% said Tories deserved to win election.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:56 pm

Graeme Burrell ‏@Cadoret · 1 min1 minute ago
@MSmithsonPB Have any pollsters (especially YouGov) made any changes to methodology in #GE2015 voting intention polls recently? @PetersWooll

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 1:58 pm

Alastair Campbell ‏@campbellclaret · 1 hr1 hour ago
So @David_Cameron what are we being passionate about today? The crisis in young people's mental health services or Jeremy effing Clarkson?

(sorry for quick fire twitters, I just logon and they came up)

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:02 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Clare Hepworth OBE retweeted
Ian ‏@Mancman10 8 mins8 minutes ago @Xlibris1

Labour bounce back & lead this week now with Populus, YouGov & IpsosMORi "Tory Cross Over"
I've seen the YouGov figures, but not the other two - anyone got them?

Populus presumably refers to their Monday poll. MORI figures are, I think, Lab 34 Con 33 UKIP 13 LibDem 8 Green 6.

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:08 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
ErnstRemarx wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Clare Hepworth OBE retweeted
Ian ‏@Mancman10 8 mins8 minutes ago @Xlibris1

Labour bounce back & lead this week now with Populus, YouGov & IpsosMORi "Tory Cross Over"
I've seen the YouGov figures, but not the other two - anyone got them?
Populus presumably refers to their Monday poll. MORI figures are, I think, Lab 34 Con 33 UKIP 13 LibDem 8 Green 6.

…

Hooray,you came back.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:09 pm

Just popping in - I will be posting sparingly for a while yet. Keep the flag flying, everybody

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:09 pm

Tory MP Tim Yeo South Suffolk is a busy man.
Some people have no shame.
None.

Page 384

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 150309.pdf

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:12 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Just popping in - I will be posting sparingly for a while yet. Keep the flag flying, everybody

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:14 pm

yahyah wrote:Just look at the headline ffs.

''SARAH VINE: Why their kitchen tells you all you need to know about the mirthless Milibands... and why there's nothing to suggest that Ed and Justine are not, in fact, aliens''

& 'No home-making for Justine: she’s far too busy sticking to her feminist principles'
''Not much prospect of a decent meal emanating from that mean, sterile, little box inside Ed Miliband's home, pictured''

Ms Vine is queen of the Gotcha, the Mail's very own Glenda Slagg.
If they had an expensive, cluttered kitchen Vine would be bitching about that.

Just shows Justine was right in what she said.

Many of the btl comments under the (incredibly bitchy)Vine piece are quite scathing of the author.Could it be too obvious even for the mail readers?
I mean,really?Does Mrs give think you can 't cook a decent meal in a small kitchen?snobby,gobby cow!

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:41 pm

citizenJA wrote:Tory MP Tim Yeo South Suffolk is a busy man.
Some people have no shame.
None.

Page 384

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 150309.pdf

I wonder what his mileage allowances are going to cost? And his phone calls.

We had a Tory councilor who only moved to Bath. You should have seen his expenses it went on for months until there was so much protest they gave him the heave ho.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:42 pm

ohsocynical wrote:@Ephemerid

Have you seen this?

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/comm ... o-work.pdf

I have OhSo - thank you.

Most of it's rubbish. Harper drones on about how many more people have been helped in the past couple of years, but neglects to mention that the actual number of people helped has fallen over this Parliament - by 2,000.

DWP has reduced the number of Disability Employment advisers, and now most people with disabilities who claim JSA or WRAG ESA are dealt with by the usual jobcentre staff - whose job it is to impose sanctions at any given opportunity or if there are none they invent them. This, in DWP Newspeak, is called "support".

He also claims that there is additional support for people with MH problems - this generally involves actively pushing people to do things they are frequently not ready for. Whether that's work, self-employment, or workfare.
Staff with little or no MH training do not understand the variability of many MH conditions, and while some people are enthusiastic one day they could easily be incapable of much more than functioning the next - of course once someone like this had agreed to do something, it becomes mandatory and if they do not continue they get sanctioned.
Currently, that's at the rate of 100 a day.

All the people with disabilities or health problems who are claiming JSA or WRAG ESA will be on Universal Credit if it ever happens; all the nasty stuff that goes by the name of "support" will apply to them too.

Harper may be the minister for disabled people, but he is not their friend.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:49 pm

yahyah wrote:@minch - thanks for the reminder about margin of error in polls.

@ ephie
The story I was trying to avoid was in the Mail, saw the headline on my search engine when I was searching for something else.

George Osborne's big benefit freeze: Budget to signal election pledge to cut £12billion from welfare
Slashing £12bn from benefits bill will be at the heart of Tory election pitch

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z3UAsmeH1D" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That story is utter bunkum.

What it proposes might save a few hundred million in a year, but even the child benefit cut would take years to have an effect.

None of the measures he is proposing will save £12 Billion.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 2:54 pm

Remploy has been sold to Maximus for an undisclosed sum.

Paywall article in FT.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:06 pm

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 3 hrs3 hours ago
LAB still in lead in latest Ipsos-MORI poll

LAB 34
CON 33
UKIP 13
LD 8
GRN 6

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:16 pm

Terry Pratchett has died aged 66. Very sad news.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:17 pm

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 3 hrs3 hours ago

53% told Ipsos Standard poll they thought it's “time for a change” & just 32% said Tories deserved to win election

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:18 pm

Half tempted to watch QT tonight, Lucy Powell, Soubry, Charles Kennedy, Natalie Bennett and the insufferable bore that goes by the name of Ian Hislop.

Still, no doubt Clarkson will dominate, major concern of the day as it is.

Btw, someone wants to tell Noel Edmonds that his opinions stopped being important when he finished doing Swap Shop.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:30 pm

frightful_oik wrote:Terry Pratchett has died aged 66. Very sad news.

Thanks for posting - I can't click the like button for this sad news

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:36 pm

LC ‏@flcro 2 hrs2 hours ago

@sarahvine criticising others’ decor. That’d be the wife of this guy who had to pay back expenses spent on furnishing

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:40 pm

Media Watch: Mail rips Miliband’s ‘communist’ kitchen. But what of Cameron’s breadmaker?
Adam Barnett
This kitchen class warfare is silly, but if it counts the Prime Minister comes out smelling of flour
http://leftfootforward.org/2015/03/mail ... readmaker/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:43 pm

Remploy Employment Services:Written statement - HCWS373

[url]ttp://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2015-03-12/HCWS373/[/url]

I think I'm like CitizenJA today.the more I read the more my head aches.

They shut a load of Remploy factories. So whats with this?

Over the last few years Remploy Employment Services has gone from strength to strength in the support it provides to disabled people to find and remain in work. It is one of DWP’s key providers of specialist support for disabled people.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:55 pm

Ohso, I'm sorry your head is aching.
I think my headache is related to environmental causes today & I hope you headache isn't.
I'm going to rest for awhile.
I love you all very much.
JA

mbc1955 · Post by **mbc1955** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:56 pm

frightful_oik wrote:Terry Pratchett has died aged 66. Very sad news.

Oh no. What awful, awful news. I hope for him and his family it was the peaceful end he was determined to have, but how wretched to know that there will never be anything more from probably the most gifted prolific author of my time.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 3:57 pm

Budget 18th March, purdah 30th. Is there typically such a small amount of time in between? (Lazy question I know)

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:02 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Half tempted to watch QT tonight, Lucy Powell, Soubry, Charles Kennedy, Natalie Bennett and the insufferable bore that goes by the name of Ian Hislop.

Still, no doubt Clarkson will dominate, major concern of the day as it is.

Btw, someone wants to tell Noel Edmonds that his opinions stopped being important when he finished doing Swap Shop.

Noel Edmonds' opinions were ever thought important? That's news to me.

Post by **adam** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:03 pm

StephenDolan wrote:Budget 18th March, purdah 30th. Is there typically such a small amount of time in between? (Lazy question I know)

I know about the continuity of government and all that jazz but it's very difficult to see the point of having anything other than a perfunctory budget when there's only going to be another one within a couple of months. Weeks, almost.

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:04 pm

Sad news about Terry Pratchett; a nice bloke in a world where there aren't enough of them.

ErnstRemarx · Post by **ErnstRemarx** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:06 pm

adam wrote:
StephenDolan wrote:Budget 18th March, purdah 30th. Is there typically such a small amount of time in between? (Lazy question I know)
I know about the continuity of government and all that jazz but it's very difficult to see the point of having anything other than a perfunctory budget when there's only going to be another one within a couple of months. Weeks, almost.

I think you guarantee there'll be budget announcements regarding a massive tax giveaway - that can only happen April 2016 and only if there's a Tory government. I'd bet me left knacker on that.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:08 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Half tempted to watch QT tonight, Lucy Powell, Soubry, Charles Kennedy, Natalie Bennett and the insufferable bore that goes by the name of Ian Hislop.

Still, no doubt Clarkson will dominate, major concern of the day as it is.

Btw, someone wants to tell Noel Edmonds that his opinions stopped being important when he finished doing Swap Shop.
Noel Edmonds' opinions were ever thought important? That's news to me.

His underlying point that Top Gear should be aired albeit without Clarkson seems a valid one.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:10 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote:
adam wrote:
StephenDolan wrote:Budget 18th March, purdah 30th. Is there typically such a small amount of time in between? (Lazy question I know)
I know about the continuity of government and all that jazz but it's very difficult to see the point of having anything other than a perfunctory budget when there's only going to be another one within a couple of months. Weeks, almost.
I think you guarantee there'll be budget announcements regarding a massive tax giveaway - that can only happen April 2016 and only if there's a Tory government. I'd bet me left knacker on that.

I wonder if there'll be a couple of shockers that are effective immediately. I suppose the pension changes coming in April could be included in that category.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:11 pm

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 17 hrs17 hours ago

LAB, even with their Scottish problem, can probably secure most seats as long as they are within 3 points of the Tories.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:14 pm

ErnstRemarx wrote:
adam wrote:
StephenDolan wrote:Budget 18th March, purdah 30th. Is there typically such a small amount of time in between? (Lazy question I know)
I know about the continuity of government and all that jazz but it's very difficult to see the point of having anything other than a perfunctory budget when there's only going to be another one within a couple of months. Weeks, almost.
I think you guarantee there'll be budget announcements regarding a massive tax giveaway - that can only happen April 2016 and only if there's a Tory government. I'd bet me left knacker on that.

I don't have any knackers but I agree totally....

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:24 pm

mbc1955 wrote:
frightful_oik wrote:Terry Pratchett has died aged 66. Very sad news.
Oh no. What awful, awful news. I hope for him and his family it was the peaceful end he was determined to have, but how wretched to know that there will never be anything more from probably the most gifted prolific author of my time.

There's obviously lots of tributes flying around, and quotes, this is poignant, got my eyes welling up, and I am not embarrassed to say so..

''Terry took deaths arm and followed him through the doors and in to the black desert under the endless night'' I hope Terry stuck two fingers up at his cruel, god awful disease and whispered I got you before you completely got me.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:32 pm

With regards Terry Pratchett, I did my mourning when I heard his initial Alzheimers diagnosis so today I am choosing to celebrate a life well lived and a mind freed from the bars which had increasingly imprisoned it. If there is such a thing as an after life then I hope he has found one where the company is convivial, the beer is good and the sausages inna bun are edible!

Terry Pratchett, without doubt you

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:35 pm

Talking marginal's, the woman (forgot her name - sorry) standing in Morecombe has an 868 majority to over turn. A few weeks ago on twitter she posted along the lines of
".....2000th conversation today! Feeling good!"

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:39 pm

A cheerer upper. Bercow had to apologise to the shrieking harpy after comparing her to a washing machine, far worse things I could compare her to but there you go.

http://electoralcalculus.co.uk/conlist_ ... WirralWest" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:44 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Talking marginal's, the woman (forgot her name - sorry) standing in Morecombe has an 868 majority to over turn. A few weeks ago on twitter she posted along the lines of
".....2000th conversation today! Feeling good!"

Amina Lone?

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:49 pm

One for the HS2 fans

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _track.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HS2_Story_-_On_track

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:49 pm

A long read, but a good one :

Keynes's bulldog: a profile of Ed Balls, Labour's most polarising politician
If Ed Balls becomes chancellor, he will be one of the most experienced – and divisive – politicians ever to hold the job.

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

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:50 pm

PorFavor wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Talking marginal's, the woman (forgot her name - sorry) standing in Morecombe has an 868 majority to over turn. A few weeks ago on twitter she posted along the lines of
".....2000th conversation today! Feeling good!"
Amina Lone?

Yes that her - thanks

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 12 Mar, 2015 4:52 pm

Ipsos-MORI finds LAB with 4% lead amongst all those expressing voting intention