FlyTheNest

Morning

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
in the Independent:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 07905.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Game of Cuts - no great script, but the message is clear. Needs dissemination.

kitchengate wrote:"It's a bit rich lecturing people about poverty from his 2 million pound mansion."
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/labour-leader ... ml#O8lPPq7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The point our international embarrassment of a media appear to have overlooked in their sad puerile glee, is that unlike the Tories Miliband is lecturing against poverty not for it.

tinyclanger2 wrote:Morning

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
in the Independent:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 07905.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Game of Cuts - no great script, but the message is clear. Needs dissemination.

I can already see the spin against the message of this video.

"If you don't have any money then how come you could waste some of it on creating a spoof of Game Of Thrones?"

tinyclanger2 wrote:Morning

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
in the Independent:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 07905.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Game of Cuts - no great script, but the message is clear. Needs dissemination.

Just shared this on Google+

It's very well done! I'll be interested to hear thoughts from Ernst, as this is the first time I remember hearing of SIGOMA.

Morning all.


http://qz.com/360265/a-run-down-welsh-c ... the-tides/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

UKIP leader Nigel Farage: 'NHS almost killed me' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31883683" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

StephenDolan wrote:Morning all.


http://qz.com/360265/a-run-down-welsh-c ... the-tides/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

,

Bit unfair on Swansea that article, true it has it's ugly parts, what city doesn't, but there's massive investment going on there, multi million redevelopment plans were approved in January, the civic centre, in a prime location, right next to the beach is being sold, the council is on its arse, so unfortunately that makes sense.. Also, there's a 450 million new university campus near completion..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-sout ... s-22454471" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

StephenDolan wrote:UKIP leader Nigel Farage: 'NHS almost killed me'

Damn NHS! 'Almost' isn't good enough.


Good morning.

StephenDolan wrote:UKIP leader Nigel Farage: 'NHS almost killed me' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31883683" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nigel has only got one ball? We know a song about that, don't we boys and girls?

Anyone seen Putin?

tinyclanger2 wrote:Anyone seen Putin?

Found him:
[youtube]w3-V_82VwQQ[/youtube]

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

Morning all.
So excited to be at the ICC with the Labour Party today waiting with baited breath to see/hear Ed Miliband.

Having sat for last 30 min right next to Tristan, Gloria and Liam I have no doubts if Labour get in that Next Generation will have chances.

Sitting with Andy and Lord Phil on the NHS desk now.

Already met Chuck a Umanna.

The Flints are here too - just moving towards door to ensure prime spot for Ed now.

Hope!

giselle97 wrote:Morning all.
So excited to be at the ICC with the Labour Party today waiting with baited breath to see/hear Ed Miliband.

Having sat for last 30 min right next to Tristan, Gloria and Liam I have no doubts if Labour get in that Next Generation will have chances.

Sitting with Andy and Lord Phil on the NHS desk now.

Already met Chuck a Umanna.

The Flints are here too - just moving towards door to ensure prime spot for Ed now.

Hope!

Great

I was just about to ask whether any FTNers were at the Spring Rally! Joining you in Hope – and spirit

Spacedone wrote:

tinyclanger2 wrote:Morning

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
in the Independent:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 07905.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Game of Cuts - no great script, but the message is clear. Needs dissemination.

I can already see the spin against the message of this video.

"If you don't have any money then how come you could waste some of it on creating a spoof of Game Of Thrones?"

Agreed - but don't give them ideas!

I think Citizen is here as well but don't know how to find her!

@giselle

If you see him, tell Ed I'm not exactly chuffed with the pledge card.



What about raising living standard for us non-working people too ?!!



2) For the pedants, amend the 'freeze' to say 'cap'

5) Mention the increase in maintenance grant !!

What if someone moves to the UK for a job, moves their family here and then - after say a year loses said job through, let's say a restructuring because the company has been sold to a venture capitalist who isn't remotely interested in anything but stripping assets, reducing costs and selling the company on for a massive profit. Can someone who moved here specially for such a job not get benefits?

tinyclanger2 wrote:What if someone moves to the UK for a job, moves their family here and then - after say a year loses said job through, let's say a restructuring because the company has been sold to a venture capitalist who isn't remotely interested in anything but stripping assets, reducing costs and selling the company on for a massive profit. Can someone who moved here specially for such a job not get benefits?

...and if that person is from an EU country, are they not entitled to the benefits they would have got if they hadn't moved?

The CNBC reporter interviewing 2 ladies who were undoubted fans of Ed has just said "I know you're a fan of Ed Miliband but one day can you see Yvette Cooper as leader". I crossed myself in front of him and walked away shaking my head, (he saw me do so!) not wanting to hear the answer! Was that an Agenda or what???

giselle97 wrote:Morning all.
So excited to be at the ICC with the Labour Party today waiting with baited breath to see/hear Ed Miliband.

Having sat for last 30 min right next to Tristan, Gloria and Liam I have no doubts if Labour get in that Next Generation will have chances.

Sitting with Andy and Lord Phil on the NHS desk now.

Already met Chuck a Umanna.

The Flints are here too - just moving towards door to ensure prime spot for Ed now.

Hope!

How fantastic. A day to remember....

Damn good Rowson cartoon today...

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... are_btn_tw

giselle97 wrote:The CNBC reporter interviewing 2 ladies who were undoubted fans of Ed has just said "I know you're a fan of Ed Miliband but one day can you see Yvette Cooper as leader". I crossed myself in front of him and walked away shaking my head, (he saw me do so!) not wanting to hear the answer! Was that an Agenda or what???

The reporter was from CNBC. Hopefully after he's finished asking inane questions he'll see for himself that Ed is worth a thousand of Cameron and the word will be spread abroad...

I'm also writing this in Hope...

I expect those of you on twitter already follow Martin Rowson, he's laying into Vine this morning. Warning - strong language.

Someone can link it here?

tinyclanger2 wrote:What if someone moves to the UK for a job, moves their family here and then - after say a year loses said job through, let's say a restructuring because the company has been sold to a venture capitalist who isn't remotely interested in anything but stripping assets, reducing costs and selling the company on for a massive profit. Can someone who moved here specially for such a job not get benefits?

I'm not particularly happy about that one myself. Maybe if it was just in-work benefits like housing benefit and tax credits? That would seem fair enough. Or maybe they can't claim those already. See - that's the big problem with welfare, most people don't know what applies at the moment so can't make informed judgements about any proposed changes.

On a brighter note our local PPC for Labour Todd Foreman, who's going up against Rees-Mogg, did quite well in the local paper this week when all the candidates set out their stall:

Our historic industries are long gone, and my top priority will be to work with businesses and government to attract new jobs to the area and to support the employers that are already here. We need to carefully manage development to preserve local green spaces as much as possible.

Read more: http://www.somersetguardian.co.uk/North ... z3UMC1rvDK" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Follow us: @SomGuardian on Twitter | SomGuardian on Facebook

He was the only one to mention jobs at all and I think he'll really strike a cord with this. One of the biggest issues locally is the continued exodus of large, factory based employers to areas with better road networks. Rees-Mogg struggled to say anything relevant about the local area at all, waffling something about opposing a return of "Avon". Not sure what he means. Numpty! I'm afraid to say the Green candidate isn't very strong at all. A Bath university student, her only pitch is anti-fracking. I have great sympathy for the Green cause, but it's clearly still a very small party with only limited scope to challenge in most areas. I don't see them taking many votes from Labour here, but she could pinch a few from the Libdems whose candidate is not as strong as in 2010, when they ran with a well known local councillor.

Like everywhere, it's very unpredictable what may happen, there are some strong Labour supporting areas which will ensure Todd Foreman does respectably well, but whether he can topple Rees-Moggy I just can't tell. The suspense is starting to take it's toll!

pk1 wrote:
What about raising living standard for us non-working people too ?!!

I have the same misgivings about all this faux guff from the main Parties about hardworking families/taxpayers and get a little frustrated with it.

I am a taxpayer but certainly don't consider myself as 'hardworking'.
I do not have a family unless you count my dogs.

So... this rhetoric isn't aimed at people like me.
It comes across - If you don't have a 'family' and don't 'work hard' even if you pay your taxes - you don't count?


I'm being mischeivious but such rhetoric can be annoying.

Morning all. No fewer than four articles in the Torygraph today about Ed's kitchen. Good to see our magnificent free press, unencumbered by Leveson, concentrating on the real issues.

Any Questions last night decided they didn't need a Labour person and had Phil Redmond instead. Who chooses who goes on these programmes? If it's the BBC then this is bias. If it's the Labour Party they need to sack the person responsible. The only party Redmond attacked was the Labour Party.

Not very inspiring, that pledge card. I desperately want Labour to win this election but I hope there's going to be more on offer than that.

1. Sound just like the Tories
2. As pk1 said, what about non working people, or single people, or the half the country that doesn't fit into the "hard working families" that I'm so sick to death of hearing about. What would have been wrong with "Higher Living Standards for All"
3. What does that even mean? The idea that people working in the NHS don't have the time to care now is a bit offensive really, in my experience they bust a gut trying to make resources stretch because they DO care. I understand what they're trying to say but its really clumsy wording.
4. It's depressing that Labour has to even think about putting that on a pledge card, and as stated above, how will it work in practice?
5. I like that one. That's inspiring, hopeful and positive. That reminds me of the Ed Miliband of old.

StephenDolan wrote:UKIP leader Nigel Farage: 'NHS almost killed me' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31883683" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So nothing to do with the pilot and/or the overuse of fags & booze then Nige?

Tish wrote:Not very inspiring, that pledge card. I desperately want Labour to win this election but I hope there's going to be more on offer than that.

1. Sound just like the Tories
2. As pk1 said, what about non working people, or single people, or the half the country that doesn't fit into the "hard working families" that I'm so sick to death of hearing about. What would have been wrong with "Higher Living Standards for All"
3. What does that even mean? The idea that people working in the NHS don't have the time to care now is a bit offensive really, in my experience they bust a gut trying to make resources stretch because they DO care. I understand what they're trying to say but its really clumsy wording.
4. It's depressing that Labour has to even think about putting that on a pledge card, and as stated above, how will it work in practice?
5. I like that one. That's inspiring, hopeful and positive. That reminds me of the Ed Miliband of old.

Yes ! It's like the "A country for the many, not just the few" that I found so inspiring & all-encompassing a couple of years ago.

I must confess I'm beginning to have doubts of seeing a Labour government on May 8th

Farage is talking about something that happened in 1985. Hardly relevant to today.

In fact it was when the party he supported at the time was in power...

Nothing to do with politics but... been there, done that, and will be there again, and again.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 07172.html

Good article. Where's me 'anky.

Message from Paddy to his party:

We're stuffed lads !

Interesting take on the positions of the Sun & Scottish Sun with regard to the Murdoch agenda:

The most striking, if slightly grotesque, political image of the week must be credited to the Sun newspaper, owned and directed by Alex Salmond’s publisher of choice, Mr Rupert Murdoch.
It depicted Scotland’s First Minister clad in tartan bikini, swinging from a chain attached to a large steel ball. It was not a flattering representation of Nicola Sturgeon but she will not be complaining as it accorded precisely with her own immediate political strategy.
Sadly, readers of the Sun’s Scottish edition were not invited to feast their eyes upon this portrayal. If they had been, even the most naïve might have noticed the contrasting approach across the Sun’s two editions and how, taken in tandem, they coincide with the interests of Nationalists and Tories with one common enemy.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/brian-wils ... -1-3718741

Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

Noticed a few Sky political journos having a good ol' laugh about Ed 'two kitchens' Miliband last night. For some reason they didn't seem to enjoy my own contribution of "British 'death of any real political analysis' Journalism". How odd...

Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

Difficult question - but the LibDems are more likely to roll over and do as they're told. To paraphrase Groucho Marx - They have their principles, and if you don't like them... well, they have others.

Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

What a horrible question! You're just being mean. I refuse to even think about it. Labour landslide. (Although if they do end up with a minority government, the DUP are looking quite helpful on issues such as repealing the bedroom tax. How weird is that?)

Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

I don't have issues with the SNP, just with some of their newer supporters who choose to paint them as something they are not; it isn't Salmond or Sturgeon who claim SNP=Scotland and therefore anybody dissing the Party is an anti-Scottish traitor ..... mind you, they don't exactly speak out against that notion.

Ed Miliband speaking (BBC News24). Good stuff. I think he (and we) could have managed without the pledge card. Too proscriptive. Or perhaps a one-liner (rather in the way that Clause 4 was)?


Edited to add -

I edited it in the first place to insert a space. I blame the brackets.

Willow904 wrote:(Although if they do end up with a minority government, the DUP are looking quite helpful on issues such as repealing the bedroom tax. How weird is that?)

The DUP are also demanding an EU referendum though.

They appear to have a bad case of 'LibDemism' - the state of looking both ways at the same time.

Clegg using balloons to demonstrate what happened to their principles:

pk1 wrote:

Willow904 wrote:(Although if they do end up with a minority government, the DUP are looking quite helpful on issues such as repealing the bedroom tax. How weird is that?)

The DUP are also demanding an EU referendum though.

They appear to have a bad case of 'LibDemism' - the state of looking both ways at the same time.

Good point. I'd forgotten about that.

Swarthlander wrote:Nothing to do with politics but... been there, done that, and will be there again, and again.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 07172.html

Good article. Where's me 'anky.

Sorry. Can't read it...Although we lost the last of our three dogs thirteen years ago, it's still too raw....

Eric_WLothian wrote:

Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

Difficult question - but the LibDems are more likely to roll over and do as they're told. To paraphrase Groucho Marx - They have their principles, and if you don't like them... well, they have others.

This.
Also,SNP are not demonstrably interested in the good of the uk,they will make constant demands to benefit Scotland regardless of the needs of poorer regions.

Gawd blimey! Sorry -

Good morfternoon.

Shocking bad form, what? Put it down to mental confusion caused by not knowing which wing of the house I was in.

Eric_WLothian wrote:

Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

Difficult question - but the LibDems are more likely to roll over and do as they're told. To paraphrase Groucho Marx - They have their principles, and if you don't like them... well, they have others.

That's kind of what I was thinking, although it would stick in the craw to see them still swanning about in government they'd probably be much easier to manage than the SNP, who I'msure will be much tougher negotiators. If Clegg and Aexander both get the chop the Libs left will be desperate to reinvent themselves as a party of the left again, so they probably won't interfere with any kind of social policy. To be honest, its difficult to see what the LibDems would actually want in a coallition with Labour, do they actually have any policies this time?

pk1 wrote:

Willow904 wrote:(Although if they do end up with a minority government, the DUP are looking quite helpful on issues such as repealing the bedroom tax. How weird is that?)

The DUP are also demanding an EU referendum though.

They appear to have a bad case of 'LibDemism' - the state of looking both ways at the same time.

That's why I said if Labour formed a minority government! I'm thinking what things Labour could get some additional support on. As far as coalition goes, I think another would be very bad for our country, whoever forms it. We need PR if we're going to have effective coalition government and a whole reform of how government works to accommodate it. If we have another hung parliament, constitutional reform will become a priority. If Cameron remains in charge without a majority I think we could be headed for a real crisis as he lacks basic negotiating skills. If Cameron wins a majority at least the country will be destroyed by majority choice, rather than a side effect of an antiquated and no longer fit for purpose democratic system.

Spacedone wrote:Noticed a few Sky political journos having a good ol' laugh about Ed 'two kitchens' Miliband last night. For some reason they didn't seem to enjoy my own contribution of "British 'death of any real political analysis' Journalism". How odd...

I've been trying for the last few days to find the nearest words to describe what most of our press have become and it's spiteful, untalented scandalmongers'.

Tish wrote:

Eric_WLothian wrote:

Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

Difficult question - but the LibDems are more likely to roll over and do as they're told. To paraphrase Groucho Marx - They have their principles, and if you don't like them... well, they have others.

That's kind of what I was thinking, although it would stick in the craw to see them still swanning about in government they'd probably be much easier to manage than the SNP, who I'msure will be much tougher negotiators. If Clegg and Aexander both get the chop the Libs left will be desperate to reinvent themselves as a party of the left again, so they probably won't interfere with any kind of social policy. To be honest, its difficult to see what the LibDems would actually want in a coallition with Labour, do they actually have any policies this time?

Judging by their conference this morning their policy is to splash the cash on benefit recipients and the NHS. Perhaps Clegg has forgotten he supports austerity again, just like he did in the run up to the last election.

Willow904 wrote:

Tish wrote:Vince Cable's obviously been at the gin, he still expects to be in the government after the election but he's determined not to let the SNP join him in his fantasy cabinet.

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

I know nobody on here thinks much of the SNP, but if Labour do end up with the choice of either them or the LibDems as coallition partners, which do you think would be the least worst option?

What a horrible question! You're just being mean. I refuse to even think about it. Labour landslide. (Although if they do end up with a minority government, the DUP are looking quite helpful on issues such as repealing the bedroom tax. How weird is that?)

Sorry! I do still think Labour will get a majority, but its always best to have a backup plan!