Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd March 2015 -

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 7:49 am

Morning all.

Nice to start the weekend with another Lib Dem scandal.
More donor allegations against them, Lord Rasburger has resigned from the party.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31996192" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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

[After recent questions about links opening in new tabs, these should I hope]

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 7:59 am

Oops, I smirked too soon.

''It is understood that a businessman posing as a potential donor approached the three main political parties about supporting them in the run-up to the general election. There are expected to be more revelations in the coming days that will draw Labour and the Conservatives into the funding row.''

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 8:56 am

Bloody Hell, the Indy has had enough of kitchens and has launched a two footed tackle in Cameron's direction.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 23963.html

Top of the page and vicious.

Edited to add, this is the subheading and exec summary.

David Camerons’ kitchen: A microcosm of the hierarchical society a Tory victory would give us

If the Tories win this election, expect an un-austere, self-conscious and, ultimately, hypocritical society of socially engineered superiors

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 9:00 am

Small Heath School in special measures: NUT says school must not become an academy

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... ar_twitter

Another for Roger and Tubby.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 9:01 am

TechnicalEphemera wrote:Bloody Hell, the Indy has had enough of kitchens and has launched a two footed tackle in Cameron's direction.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 23963.html

Top of the page and vicious.

Edited to add, this is the subheading and exec summary.

David Camerons’ kitchen: A microcosm of the hierarchical society a Tory victory would give us

If the Tories win this election, expect an un-austere, self-conscious and, ultimately, hypocritical society of socially engineered superiors

Great parody on Sarah Vine's bile dripping piece about Ed.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 9:05 am

ohsocynical wrote:
Small Heath School in special measures: NUT says school must not become an academy

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... ar_twitter
Another for Roger and Tubby.

Thanks - I posted on that a week or so back.

Gilligan tried to paint it as 'return of the Trojan Horse' but a reading of the report makes it more of a 'school going downhill appoints new HT and staff don't like her getting tough'. The last HT didn't do enough to stop results going to pot. The new one has only been in post since last September.

Gilligan quoted the report (draft at that stage) as a narrowing of the curriculum whereas the report says the exact opposite.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 9:05 am

David Goulding, the manager of The Hoy restaurant, who blew the whistle on Janice Atkinson's staff, has clarified a few things.

He had intended to vote for UKIP, but he won't now.

He said this - "She explained to me that it was a way of them getting some funds into their UKIP account to help with their campaign. I didn't really have a problem with that as it was a sponsor. The problem for me became apparent when I found out that you and me and the rest of the British public were the sponsor because they were claiming the money back off the EU which we pay in to".

So - this stalwart of the landlords, being praised for whistle-blowing, was perfectly content to assist UKIP to swell its coffers by engaging with them in fraud when he thought the person being ripped off was some unnamed sponsor.

That's illegal, Mr.Goulding.

Post by **refitman** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 9:16 am

yahyah wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:Bloody Hell, the Indy has had enough of kitchens and has launched a two footed tackle in Cameron's direction.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 23963.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Top of the page and vicious.

Edited to add, this is the subheading and exec summary.

David Camerons’ kitchen: A microcosm of the hierarchical society a Tory victory would give us

If the Tories win this election, expect an un-austere, self-conscious and, ultimately, hypocritical society of socially engineered superiors
Great parody on Sarah Vine's bile dripping piece about Ed.

Amazing how many people BTL missed the parody. I did like "is this why we fought Hitler...".

Tonibel · Post by **Tonibel** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 9:16 am

The Indy had a report yesterday of a man from Wales taken ill on holiday in England being billed for £1700 for treatment because he was a 'foreigner'. Hinchingbrooke of course. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 20925.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 9:22 am

refitman wrote:
yahyah wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:Bloody Hell, the Indy has had enough of kitchens and has launched a two footed tackle in Cameron's direction.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 23963.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Top of the page and vicious.

Edited to add, this is the subheading and exec summary.

Great parody on Sarah Vine's bile dripping piece about Ed.
Amazing how many people BTL missed the parody. I did like "is this why we fought Hitler...".

It is only partly a parody though, it makes a shed load of very sly digs at Cameron. Very effective propaganda, because unlike the isn't Ed weird meme, the Cameron is a rich alien meme has slightly more to it. If Labour had the media in its pocket Cameron would be seen as a clueless toff lording it over us.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 9:31 am

yahyah wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:Bloody Hell, the Indy has had enough of kitchens and has launched a two footed tackle in Cameron's direction.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 23963.html

Top of the page and vicious.

Edited to add, this is the subheading and exec summary.

David Camerons’ kitchen: A microcosm of the hierarchical society a Tory victory would give us

If the Tories win this election, expect an un-austere, self-conscious and, ultimately, hypocritical society of socially engineered superiors
Great parody on Sarah Vine's bile dripping piece about Ed.

BTL posters didn't 'get it'.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 10:39 am

The thing about the kitchen in the article that struck me is that it's the Number 10 kitchen - he's got another one at Number 11.

Anyway - donors.
The Labour Party donor in the headlines today is one Martin Taylor, who has donated £600,000 over the past 3 years.
Mr.Taylor done good. His dad was a Labour councillor and his mum was a teacher who became the head of a comprehensive.
He said this - "...those who are lucky enough to earn a lot should contribute more than others" and a lot more.
He fully supports Labour, pays his taxes, and is domiciled in the UK. Seems like a nice bloke.
He wrote a letter to the Independent, but I don't know if they've published it.
More at - thebureauinvestigates.com (at the very bottom after they've slagged Labour off a bit)

Labour are being criticised for "hiding" this. The records at the Electoral Commission show very clearly who paid that money to Labour.
£591,000 in separate donations went to the central funds; £4,800 to Greenwich CLP where Mr.Taylor lives.

The Tories have had £19 Million in total from hedge funds.
35% of their funding, £12.2 Million, comes from the top 8 hedge fund managers.
In 2013, stamp duty charges on stock market transactions was changed, and hedge funds saved £147 Million.

Now the MSM are calling Miliband a hypocrite for accepting a fifth of what the Tories have had from hedge funds.

Sickening.

pk1 · Post by **pk1** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 11:12 am

ephemerid wrote:The thing about the kitchen in the article that struck me is that it's the Number 10 kitchen - he's got another one at Number 11.

Anyway - donors.
The Labour Party donor in the headlines today is one Martin Taylor, who has donated £600,000 over the past 3 years.
Mr.Taylor done good. His dad was a Labour councillor and his mum was a teacher who became the head of a comprehensive.
He said this - "...those who are lucky enough to earn a lot should contribute more than others" and a lot more.
He fully supports Labour, pays his taxes, and is domiciled in the UK. Seems like a nice bloke.
He wrote a letter to the Independent, but I don't know if they've published it.
More at - thebureauinvestigates.com (at the very bottom after they've slagged Labour off a bit)

Labour are being criticised for "hiding" this. The records at the Electoral Commission show very clearly who paid that money to Labour.
£591,000 in separate donations went to the central funds; £4,800 to Greenwich CLP where Mr.Taylor lives.

The Tories have had £19 Million in total from hedge funds.
35% of their funding, £12.2 Million, comes from the top 8 hedge fund managers.
In 2013, stamp duty charges on stock market transactions was changed, and hedge funds saved £147 Million.

Now the MSM are calling Miliband a hypocrite for accepting a fifth of what the Tories have had from hedge funds.

Sickening.

Here's Martin Taylor's letter:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/mar ... 24420.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It would appear that it's too much of a stretch for people to understand that Ed M was attacking the Cons dependence on hedge funds despite taking donations from a hedge fund manager. They are wilfully blind to the fact that Ed M does not permit such donors to influence Labour policy - the same cannot be said for the Cons.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 11:24 am

yahyah wrote:Oops, I smirked too soon.

''It is understood that a businessman posing as a potential donor approached the three main political parties about supporting them in the run-up to the general election. There are expected to be more revelations in the coming days that will draw Labour and the Conservatives into the funding row.''

Labour prolly outed the con.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 11:26 am

Good morning!
The visible grime is gone!
No headache & the air feels more wholesome.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 11:33 am

Deleted - repeated post

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 11:33 am

pk1 wrote:
ephemerid wrote:The thing about the kitchen in the article that struck me is that it's the Number 10 kitchen - he's got another one at Number 11.

Anyway - donors.
The Labour Party donor in the headlines today is one Martin Taylor, who has donated £600,000 over the past 3 years.
Mr.Taylor done good. His dad was a Labour councillor and his mum was a teacher who became the head of a comprehensive.
He said this - "...those who are lucky enough to earn a lot should contribute more than others" and a lot more.
He fully supports Labour, pays his taxes, and is domiciled in the UK. Seems like a nice bloke.
He wrote a letter to the Independent, but I don't know if they've published it.
More at - thebureauinvestigates.com (at the very bottom after they've slagged Labour off a bit)

Labour are being criticised for "hiding" this. The records at the Electoral Commission show very clearly who paid that money to Labour.
£591,000 in separate donations went to the central funds; £4,800 to Greenwich CLP where Mr.Taylor lives.

The Tories have had £19 Million in total from hedge funds.
35% of their funding, £12.2 Million, comes from the top 8 hedge fund managers.
In 2013, stamp duty charges on stock market transactions was changed, and hedge funds saved £147 Million.

Now the MSM are calling Miliband a hypocrite for accepting a fifth of what the Tories have had from hedge funds.

Sickening.
Here's Martin Taylor's letter:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/mar ... 24420.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It would appear that it's too much of a stretch for people to understand that Ed M was attacking the Cons dependence on hedge funds despite taking donations from a hedge fund manager. They are wilfully blind to the fact that Ed M does not permit such donors to influence Labour policy - the same cannot be said for the Cons.

Yesterday I asked why Tories are considered good on the economy, it being one of my main sources of astonishment, but this is yet another. What on earth do Tories hope to gain by repeatedly pointing to Labour donations? You'd have thought it a topic to avoid. Anyway assuming Ed is out next PM, which I do, I expect it is an area that he will attempt to clean up. I sincerely hope so.

Edit: maybe I won't bother correcting yet another typo, you may just have to live with them. I've only recently got back the use of my right hand but I have no such excuses with the above, being an error with my left.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 11:38 am

Website working okay for y'all?
It's giving me error messages & duplicate posts appearing.

edited to add things have settled down for me on the site

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:04 pm

citizenJA wrote:Website working okay for y'all?
It's giving me error messages & duplicate posts appearing.

ok for me.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:04 pm

@utopiandreams - whichever hand you use, your posts are always good. So there.

Re. Tories' alleged economic competence - they have this reputation for one reason only. No - two.

1. Goebbels Big Lie: tell a big lie (a really big lie) often enough and people will eventually believe it. All we have heard for 5 years is that Labour cannot be trusted with the economy, the really big lie; and lots of extra ones on employment/pay/benefits/growth/etc.etc.etc.

2. Compliant media: we are told this lie by a mainstream media that is predominantly right-wing; and which chooses to bolster the lies with either very small things they make an inordinate fuss about, or ergregiously vicious personal attacks with zero relevance to the subject in hand.

It will be very interesting to see what is unearthed when Labour get back into office - I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that Osborne has more than a few nasty economic skeletons in the Treasury closet. As it is, a Labour government will be stuck with a few expensive items, like the "poison pill" contracts so beloved of Grayling and a few black holes here and there.

55DegreesNorth · Post by **55DegreesNorth** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:06 pm

Morning all,
More strange coincidence time. Yesterday, a mate emailed me some chat about work, including this...

Today, the embargo was lifted and a press release was sent out first thing. At the moment, the RPA are getting a kicking - mainly for not having a contingency plan i.e. the paper forms xxx suggested. Tomorrow though, when the media have gone beyond scratching the surface, they'll discover that it was David Cameron's pet project Goverment Digital Service department that are the real culprits having fucked up the software. These guys with their arrogant attitude have pissed off a lot of civil servants and there are plenty lining up to give them a good kicking.

The rest of us are looking forward to seeing them getting what's coming to them

And today, I found a request to sign a petition in my inbox. The sound of bodies being buried is deafening.

This week, the Government made changes to the Civil Service Code relating to contact with the media, bringing in a requirement that civil servants obtain Ministerial authorisation before any contact with journalists.

This was done without the agreement of senior public service union the FDA, who had argued strenuously that the proposals were both unwarranted and unreasonable.

Sign the FDA’s petition to scrap these unworkable new rules

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:11 pm

citizenJA wrote:Website working okay for y'all?
It's giving me error messages & duplicate posts appearing.

Its very slow for me today, taking ages to re load on refresh, or clicking "like"

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:12 pm

Good ~~morning~~ afternoon.

I don't know about the suggestion that the Groaniad may support the Greens this time. Looking at today's politics page there are at least ten articles related to Nick Clegg.
Is he the new editor?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:14 pm

Oh poor didums....

David Cameron: my house is 'falling apart' due to protesters
Prime Minister claims tiles are falling off the roof of his consituency home after protesters climbed on it

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... ef=Default" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(and they spelt constituency wrong - smirk )

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:19 pm

Swarthlander wrote:Good ~~morning~~ afternoon.

I don't know about the suggestion that the Groaniad may support the Greens this time. Looking at today's politics page there are at least ten articles related to Nick Clegg.
Is he the new editor?

Afternoon. Haven't looked at the Graun today, but does the list of 10 include the hagiography of Mrs Clegg advertised on the front of the print edition?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:22 pm

Vote Labour ‏@VoteLabour2 · 29m29 minutes ago
#Cameron now refusing to appear on BBC 3s audience debate Free Speech All other leaders appearing. #labour #thesun #dailymail #snp #bbcnews

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:30 pm

danesclose wrote:
Swarthlander wrote:Good ~~morning~~ afternoon.

I don't know about the suggestion that the Groaniad may support the Greens this time. Looking at today's politics page there are at least ten articles related to Nick Clegg.
Is he the new editor?

Afternoon. Haven't looked at the Graun today, but does the list of 10 include the hagiography of Mrs Clegg advertised on the front of the print edition?

Yep! Time to bring out the missus.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:32 pm

ephemerid wrote:@utopiandreams - whichever hand you use, your posts are always good. So there.

Re. Tories' alleged economic competence - they have this reputation for one reason only. No - two.

1. Goebbels Big Lie: tell a big lie (a really big lie) often enough and people will eventually believe it. All we have heard for 5 years is that Labour cannot be trusted with the economy, the really big lie; and lots of extra ones on employment/pay/benefits/growth/etc.etc.etc.

2. Compliant media: we are told this lie by a mainstream media that is predominantly right-wing; and which chooses to bolster the lies with either very small things they make an inordinate fuss about, or ergregiously vicious personal attacks with zero relevance to the subject in hand.

It will be very interesting to see what is unearthed when Labour get back into office - I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that Osborne has more than a few nasty economic skeletons in the Treasury closet. As it is, a Labour government will be stuck with a few expensive items, like the "poison pill" contracts so beloved of Grayling and a few black holes here and there.

There'll be so much more though, ephemerid. For example, and I've forgotten the figures off the top of my head, but there will be a tremendous fall out of those currently classed as self-employed. Oh yes, what wonderful employment statistics we have under the Tories, not letting off the LibDems of course as on the whole parliamentary ones seem just as liable to finger pointing as Tories. Anyway after the necessary adjustment following hobbyists pushed off JSA into nominal self employment, no doubt under Labour's watch, can we expect the then opposition to be casting the blame elsewhere?

Edit: I've corrected this typo, it being ephemerid's moniker.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:32 pm

So now A%E set to be run by charities ??

British Red Cross ‏@BritishRedCross · 2m2 minutes ago
In the next five years we're aiming to start two new A&E services in every area in the UK #natass2015

Please - someone - tell me it a joke / parody ?

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:43 pm

Afternoon all.

Re. the Guardian declaring for the Greens, I've never thought that terribly likely. It has been a Liberal paper almost from its inception (granted, for much of that time the Liberals were a genuinely progressive party, not the sorry mess they are now), their support for Blair was something of an aberration; even the attitude they had in the run up to the Health & Social Care Bill (acquiescent silence until almost the last minute) is in keeping with their history, they spoke out against the formation of the NHS in 1947/48.

Swarthlander · Post by **Swarthlander** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:47 pm

utopiandreams wrote:....but there will be a tremendous fall out of those currently classed as self-employed.

I don't know much about this but apparently there is trouble ahead that some of the 'self-employed' don't realise.
I was reading a money forum, where someone who sold on ebay declared themselves as self-employed and claimed some benefits. They were having problems with the local council regarding certain benefits in that the council were demanding statements of income because there was a minimum required?
I don't know about how it works, but it appeared that just claiming you were self-employed wasn't adequate and that you have to prove you are feasibly self-employed.
Is that right?

Edit: I forgot the 'is that right' bit.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:49 pm

Some one was asking yesterday about Ed Balls budget response (think it was Rebecca? )
Here it is (text)

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/? ... 288#g940.0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 12:54 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:So now A%E set to be run by charities ??

British Red Cross ‏@BritishRedCross · 2m2 minutes ago
In the next five years we're aiming to start two new A&E services in every area in the UK #natass2015

Please - someone - tell me it a joke / parody ?

Where are St. John's Ambulance when you need them, AngryAsWell?

Seriously though, I shouldn't knock them. One of my teachers was a member and he made it one of his missions to teach basic first aid to all the pupils. I could add that it saved at least one lad's life but I don't want to go there.

GetYou · Post by **GetYou** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:01 pm

Thanks for the link to the Indy piece, it helped me find a significant challenge to the emptying of inner London by recent welfare reform:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 24344.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Westminster Council of course giving the family's situation their full understanding.

The full judgement should give more guidance to councils on their responsibilities.

edit: clarity and detail

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:11 pm

Swarthlander wrote:
utopiandreams wrote:....but there will be a tremendous fall out of those currently classed as self-employed.
I don't know much about this but apparently there is trouble ahead that some of the 'self-employed' don't realise.
I was reading a money forum, where someone who sold on ebay declared themselves as self-employed and claimed some benefits. They were having problems with the local council regarding certain benefits in that the council were demanding statements of income because there was a minimum required?
I don't know about how it works, but it appeared that just claiming you were self-employed wasn't adequate and that you have to prove you are feasibly self-employed.
Is that right?

Edit: I forgot the 'is that right' bit.

'And no doubt there will be more, Swarthlander. I've not paid much attention to Osborne's budget, I had to stop watching with his disgusting preamble full of false claims and have only picked up bits and bobs from the conversations following and still haven't read any of the summaries or articles about it. Anyway whilst knowing nothing of what has been proposed regarding tax returns or fines for non-declaration, but I expect that HMRC are going to have serious headaches in the ensuing clear up, not to mention further hardship on those who were so pushed (into self-employment). There shall also be the issue of NI, but assuming they didn't earn much would probably get away with self-declaring.

'And whilst I'm on NI and HMRC, I'm also wondering what effect they will have on those who haven't signed on between periods of temporary employment because of sanctions, or indeed those forced into the black economy or criminality. But why should IDS, Osborne and Cameron care? The fall-out will not be under their governance. It would bloody well serve them right if it did, but that is just too high a price for the rest of us to pay.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:12 pm

I agree with Conor...
...what?

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

Spacedone · Post by **Spacedone** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:20 pm

Swarthlander wrote:
utopiandreams wrote:....but there will be a tremendous fall out of those currently classed as self-employed.
I don't know much about this but apparently there is trouble ahead that some of the 'self-employed' don't realise.
I was reading a money forum, where someone who sold on ebay declared themselves as self-employed and claimed some benefits. They were having problems with the local council regarding certain benefits in that the council were demanding statements of income because there was a minimum required?
I don't know about how it works, but it appeared that just claiming you were self-employed wasn't adequate and that you have to prove you are feasibly self-employed.
Is that right?

Edit: I forgot the 'is that right' bit.

I caught the end of Money Box on R4 about an hour ago and they were talking about Osborne removing certain NI contributions from self-employed people and Paul Lewis mentioned that those contributions give those people the right to claim certain benefits. The short of it being that the guest couldn't really say what the effect would be and just that that it's being discussed. I think I've just spotted a group of people who are going to have their benefits cut...

They also briefly talked about the ending of tax returns and it sounds like a total mess that nobody has thought through.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:35 pm

Good morfternoon.

I like the picture of the ballot box (or, more precisely, the ballot paper) which goes along with the article (linked below) in the Guardian. It must have pained them to show it - in fact I'm surprised they didn't just have the word "Lefter" rather than "Labour". They slipped up there . . .

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -thinktank

(Sorry if we've already had this.)

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:40 pm

55DegreesNorth wrote:Morning all,
More strange coincidence time. Yesterday, a mate emailed me some chat about work, including this...

Today, the embargo was lifted and a press release was sent out first thing. At the moment, the RPA are getting a kicking - mainly for not having a contingency plan i.e. the paper forms xxx suggested. Tomorrow though, when the media have gone beyond scratching the surface, they'll discover that it was David Cameron's pet project Goverment Digital Service department that are the real culprits having fucked up the software. These guys with their arrogant attitude have pissed off a lot of civil servants and there are plenty lining up to give them a good kicking.

The rest of us are looking forward to seeing them getting what's coming to them
And today, I found a request to sign a petition in my inbox. The sound of bodies being buried is deafening.

This week, the Government made changes to the Civil Service Code relating to contact with the media, bringing in a requirement that civil servants obtain Ministerial authorisation before any contact with journalists.

This was done without the agreement of senior public service union the FDA, who had argued strenuously that the proposals were both unwarranted and unreasonable.

Sign the FDA’s petition to scrap these unworkable new rules

Holy cow!
How is that even legal, please?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:44 pm

Spacedone wrote:
Swarthlander wrote:
utopiandreams wrote:....but there will be a tremendous fall out of those currently classed as self-employed.
I don't know much about this but apparently there is trouble ahead that some of the 'self-employed' don't realise.
I was reading a money forum, where someone who sold on ebay declared themselves as self-employed and claimed some benefits. They were having problems with the local council regarding certain benefits in that the council were demanding statements of income because there was a minimum required?
I don't know about how it works, but it appeared that just claiming you were self-employed wasn't adequate and that you have to prove you are feasibly self-employed.
Is that right?

Edit: I forgot the 'is that right' bit.
I caught the end of Money Box on R4 about an hour ago and they were talking about Osborne removing certain NI contributions from self-employed people and Paul Lewis mentioned that those contributions give those people the right to claim certain benefits. The short of it being that the guest couldn't really say what the effect would be and just that that it's being discussed. I think I've just spotted a group of people who are going to have their benefits cut...

They also briefly talked about the ending of tax returns and it sounds like a total mess that nobody has thought through.

Yep, more holy cow. Current government are worse than the usurper King John in a field signing a document surrounded by hostile barons fed up to here.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:49 pm

There's a good article on deflation in the Indie by David Blanchflower. Deflation has already arrived in many parts of Europe and since the financial crash we've pretty much followed in the rest of Europe's footsteps, just several months behind. Pretending, as the Tory party is, that the UK is somehow unique is exasperating. Japan has been grappling with deflation for some time so we know it's a big problem and once in, it's hard to get out. This isn't a party political issue, it's bigger, more global than that. It would be nice to have a govt that will take this issue seriously instead of telling people deflation is a "good thing" because they're worried about being re-elected. It's not a "good thing" and it's something any govt of any ideological persuasion will struggle with. I guess I'm just saying I'd prefer to have a govt willing to treat us like grown-ups, instead of talking down to us like we're ignorant kids. Seeing newscasters on the tv trotting out the Coalition line that a little bit of deflation is fine, just to protect the Coalition saved the economy from the incompetent Labour party narrative is really exasperating. I just thank our lucky stars that Cameron and Osborne weren't in charge when the global financial crash hit.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/busin ... 78832.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:52 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:So now A%E set to be run by charities ??

British Red Cross ‏@BritishRedCross · 2m2 minutes ago
In the next five years we're aiming to start two new A&E services in every area in the UK #natass2015

Please - someone - tell me it a joke / parody ?

http://www.associationofairambulances.co.uk/key-issues/

Please look at that website, people, please, if you've some time.
I got blown away by the Key Issues section alone.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 1:59 pm

Willow904 wrote:There's a good article on deflation in the Indie by David Blanchflower. Deflation has already arrived in many parts of Europe and since the financial crash we've pretty much followed in the rest of Europe's footsteps, just several months behind. Pretending, as the Tory party is, that the UK is somehow unique is exasperating. Japan has been grappling with deflation for some time so we know it's a big problem and once in, it's hard to get out. This isn't a party political issue, it's bigger, more global than that. It would be nice to have a govt that will take this issue seriously instead of telling people deflation is a "good thing" because they're worried about being re-elected. It's not a "good thing" and it's something any govt of any ideological persuasion will struggle with. I guess I'm just saying I'd prefer to have a govt willing to treat us like grown-ups, instead of talking down to us like we're ignorant kids. Seeing newscasters on the tv trotting out the Coalition line that a little bit of deflation is fine, just to protect the Coalition saved the economy from the incompetent Labour party narrative is really exasperating. I just thank our lucky stars that Cameron and Osborne weren't in charge when the global financial crash hit.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/busin ... 78832.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Agreed.
I'm grateful the current Labour party leader is the person he is - intelligent, discerning, competent & an effective leader with a strong team. It's awful to know I'd get personally abused with words from others on different forums writing that information. I've no problems with anyone here in disagreement with what I've written about Ed Miliband & the Labour party. I'd like to know your thoughts.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 3:05 pm

Breaking news on BBC News 24 is that agreement has been reached on the election debates. Can't yet find an update on the BBC website to give you a link to the story.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 3:07 pm

Sky News ‏@SkyNews · 6m6 minutes ago
On Monday, you'll be able to #AskTheChancellors as George Osborne and Ed Balls take your questions live on Sky News

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PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 3:08 pm

Ah, here it is -

Election debates agreement reached (BBC News website)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32001383

Edited to add -

Bloody David Dimbleby

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 3:09 pm

The Prime Minister and Labour leader will be quizzed by audience members in a 90-minute programme on Sky News, it is confirmed.

Kay Burley and Jeremy Paxman.......well that will be unbiased then

http://news.sky.com/story/1449803/camer ... -confirmed" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 3:25 pm

If the Sky (and BBC) formats are similar to that used by Sky for their "Ask The Leaders" day then Miliband should do rather well; he was the only one of the leaders who came out of that day looking good, and his recent performance on the BBC3 equivalent was just as good. Conversely, even on something as stage managed as the Sky event Cameron came across as hectoring and unable to listen.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 3:30 pm

Burley, Paxman, & Tory boy Dimbleby. They don't even try to make it fair.

SpinningHugo · Post by **SpinningHugo** » Sat 21 Mar, 2015 3:31 pm

There is going to be no debate where Miliband appears without Cameron I see.