Monday 18th May 2015

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Mon 18 May, 2015 7:19 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Why are the media finding this contest quite so fascinating? Was it always like this - the intense scrutiny, grubbing around for stories and nuance that aren't really there, blowing every little gesture and remark up into something more?

I can't really remember - was it like this when the Tories appointed Cameron?

It's a squirrel...

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 18 May, 2015 7:35 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Political Scrapbook ‏@PSbook 1h1 hour ago
Doyen of Labour blogging @Markfergusonuk quits LabourList after five years as editor http://labourlist.org/2015/05/thank-you-and-goodbye/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … Big shoes to fill!

I'd completely forgotten Derek Draper (who gets mentioned in Mark Ferguson's farewell). Whatever happened to Derek Draper?

Edited
Brackets.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Mon 18 May, 2015 7:38 pm

Good grief...although I shouldn't be at all surprised given this is the DfE.

Remember that manifesto commitment to turn coasting schools into academies?

Laura McInerney
‏@miss_mcinerney
Biggest worry from today's #SWebinar with @NickyMorgan01 : Lack of plan for developing good academy sponsors (or school improvement peeps)

One of the Select Committee criticisms was that the DfE didn't seem to have any notion about what makes a good sponsor. From this, I'd say they still don't and have no plan for finding out or developing sponsors.

"Just give them the schools and if they fail, they fail. And then we hand them to someone else but don't do any kind of investigation as to why they failed" seems to be the message.

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Mon 18 May, 2015 7:40 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Eric_WLothian wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: Classic Skinner.
He's right:

THE SNP was last night accused of a “Stalinist” approach to politics after passing rule changes that will block new MPs from speaking out against party policy.
A controversial change to standing orders was overwhelmingly agreed at conference yesterday and states that no MPs shall “publicly criticise a group decision, policy or another member of the group”.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/t ... -1-3732693
(I was going to add a comment about another Nat party that were 'just obeying orders' - but I won't).
He has a way of putting his finger, or his words, on the most important point - doesn't he just. This pledge the SNP MPs had to make re not speaking out against party policy seems to be completely against the image / brand - firebrand politics, speaking out, radical and bold, free thinking. I presume it was also why they didn't select Craig Murray as a candidate ... they must have known such a rule change was coming and it would have been a pledge too far for him.

Yes - Craig Murray said he was asked at a vetting interview if he would always follow the party line.

He said that following the vetting process SNP officials told him that a “lack of commitment to party discipline” meant he could not be a candidate next year.
Murray added that he was asked by officials during the process whether he would be prepared to support the so-called Bedroom Tax as part of a pact with another party in the House of Commons in the event of a hung parliament after the election.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/t ... -1-3645014

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:02 pm

Angie Ewart retweeted
Caz ‏@cazziemacca 9 minutes ago

NUT rep says that something massive is brewing amongst teachers AND students

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:04 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Angie Ewart retweeted
Caz ‏@cazziemacca 9 minutes ago

NUT rep says that something massive is brewing amongst teachers AND students

Ooooh. Well let's hope it's something that is going to make this government sit up and think ... properly think.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:06 pm

Kevin Schofield ‏@schofieldkevin 21s21 seconds ago
From "locking the Tories out of Downing St" to chucking an old MP out his seat. Politics is a funny business.

Quote of the day IMO.

Post by **refitman** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:08 pm

Sorry, having a few hiccups moving posts.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:11 pm

Labour List has a "who do you want as leader" poll
I stubbornly put Ed Miliband in the "other" box

http://labourlist.org/2015/05/weekly-su ... candidate/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:11 pm

refitman wrote:Sorry, having a few hiccups moving posts.

You don't get enough thanks refitman.

Having to clean up and bin social media turds and other such rubbish is not a nice job. Thank you, thank you, thank you and another thousand thank yous.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:15 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Angie Ewart retweeted
Caz ‏@cazziemacca 9 minutes ago

NUT rep says that something massive is brewing amongst teachers AND students
Ooooh. Well let's hope it's something that is going to make this government sit up and think ... properly think.

I wonder if this is going to be The Summer of Discontent?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:15 pm

refitman wrote:Sorry, having a few hiccups moving posts.

Thank you, refitman.
I usually just ignore it but that one wanted to commandeer the conversation.
Ugly much.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:22 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Me chard has bolted. (Best to hear that in the rolling Somerset burr I had as a child ... and lost very quickly when we went to a new school). So Mr Riots is going to get a veritable feast of chardiness tonight ... I've picked as much as I can in a fit of waste not want not, it will be a while before the new crop is ready, itis.

No use locking the stable door then.

What?

Post by **refitman** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:22 pm

refitman wrote:Sorry, having a few hiccups moving posts.

I have also opened the pub again and recreated the Members Only forum.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:23 pm

Chris MasonVerified account
‏@ChrisMasonBBC Yvette Cooper has said that under Ed Miliband Labour sounded "anti-business, anti-growth and ultimately anti-worker."

Well she wasn't appealing to me any way, but definitely lost my vote if that is a true statement (BBC = can't be trusted)

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:24 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Kevin Schofield ‏@schofieldkevin 21s21 seconds ago
From "locking the Tories out of Downing St" to chucking an old MP out his seat. Politics is a funny business.
Quote of the day IMO.

I'm just wondering if there are any SNP voters who are already regretting how they voted, because their MP's aren't coming across as there to do a job, but merely to make themselves unpleasant and rub noses in.

I'd say they and the Cons deserve each other, if it wasn't so damaging for the rest of the UK.

Sad days.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:25 pm

Just had a little online natter with Sue Marsh, on the subject of ESA50's not being issued prior to a WCA.

She is doing something about this, has told me some of it, but has asked me not to discuss the details until she can make an official statement; which I have to respect.

In the meantime, if anyone here, or someone they know, has an issue with this, they should do this - if the Assessment Centre refuses to help and insists the WCA appointment must be kept, they must call DWP immediately and inform them; if they have internet access, they can send a complaint to customer-relations@chdauk.co.uk

To recap - the rules are:
DWP notifies Maximus that an assessment is due; Maximus must issue a new ESA50 to claimant and ask for supporting evidence, if any;
The ESA50+evidence is then supposed to be scrutinised by a qualified HCP who decides what form the WCA should take;
The options are - face-to-face; "paper" assessment if the evidence submitted is enough; or a home assessment if requested by claimant and if the evidence supports this, and/or if the centre is is more than 90 minutes away by public transport and either are not accessible.
All claimants have the right to re-schedule at least one appointment with no effect on their claim; they can do this more than once if the appointment is not booked in a reasonable way for their needs/access/condition, but they need evidence to support this.
All discussion with Maximus should be recorded if possible and DWP informed of what happens.

NB - this is my advice, not Sue's.

Until/unless the rules change, this is what every ESA claimant due for a first WCA or a reassessment is entitled to.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:25 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Labour List has a "who do you want as leader" poll
I stubbornly put Ed Miliband in the "other" box

http://labourlist.org/2015/05/weekly-su ... candidate/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ditto.

I see Ben Bradshaw is on the deputy list. So I did miss it. Where was I ?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:26 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Me chard has bolted. (Best to hear that in the rolling Somerset burr I had as a child ... and lost very quickly when we went to a new school). So Mr Riots is going to get a veritable feast of chardiness tonight ... I've picked as much as I can in a fit of waste not want not, it will be a while before the new crop is ready, itis.

I'm glad you have it, growing your own food is wonderful. Chard & other leafy greens are food medicine - I wish I could cultivate some. The allotment garden is currently on hold for my spouse & I.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:29 pm

PorFavor wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Labour List has a "who do you want as leader" poll
I stubbornly put Ed Miliband in the "other" box

http://labourlist.org/2015/05/weekly-su ... candidate/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ditto.

I see Ben Bradshaw is on the deputy list. So I did miss it. Where was I ?

Ed for leader, Hunty for deputy, Tessa for Mayor (Sadiq's too good at law - we need him in the House)

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:32 pm

ephemerid wrote:
PorFavor wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Labour List has a "who do you want as leader" poll
I stubbornly put Ed Miliband in the "other" box

http://labourlist.org/2015/05/weekly-su ... candidate/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ditto.

I see Ben Bradshaw is on the deputy list. So I did miss it. Where was I ?

Ed for leader, Hunty for deputy, Tessa for Mayor (Sadiq's too good at law - we need him in the House)

I went for Angela Eagle as deputy leader. Otherwise - ditto.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:35 pm

Paul Waugh ‏@paulwaugh 1m1 minute ago
Big news. @DanJarvisMP is backing @andyburnhammp for Labour leadership. The one they all wanted

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:35 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Kevin Schofield ‏@schofieldkevin 21s21 seconds ago
From "locking the Tories out of Downing St" to chucking an old MP out his seat. Politics is a funny business.
Quote of the day IMO.
I'm just wondering if there are any SNP voters who are already regretting how they voted, because their MP's aren't coming across as there to do a job, but merely to make themselves unpleasant and rub noses in.

I'd say they and the Cons deserve each other, if it wasn't so damaging for the rest of the UK.

Sad days.

Whatever happened to the plebs' right to get rid of their MP?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:37 pm

citizenJA wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Me chard has bolted. (Best to hear that in the rolling Somerset burr I had as a child ... and lost very quickly when we went to a new school). So Mr Riots is going to get a veritable feast of chardiness tonight ... I've picked as much as I can in a fit of waste not want not, it will be a while before the new crop is ready, itis.
I'm glad you have it, growing your own food is wonderful. Chard & other leafy greens are food medicine - I wish I could cultivate some. The allotment garden is currently on hold for my spouse & I.

Sad to hear your allotment is on hold citizen. I badly miss my London allotment - in Leyton just up from the Orient ground. I really, really loved having and cultivating that allotment. Fantastic people ... fantastic plots ... all around me.

Editing to add - can you make friends / contact with some other allotment holders? I and other holders used to have massive gluts of some crops - and we used to just leave the spare out on a table by the gates. It always got taken and used. That made me feel good - hate to think of wasted crops when there are people who would happily take the spare produce.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:38 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Chris MasonVerified account
‏@ChrisMasonBBC Yvette Cooper has said that under Ed Miliband Labour sounded "anti-business, anti-growth and ultimately anti-worker."

Well she wasn't appealing to me any way, but definitely lost my vote if that is a true statement (BBC = can't be trusted)

Yes, she is a fuckwit.

Top tip, get elected as Labour leader then tack to the right. Cooper should have stood in 2010, now she is just dead wood ready to be moved on.

The Blairite wing of the party has a fundamental issue. Their candidates are crap.

Kendall - hopeless.
Cooper - average at best.
CU - Not standing.
Jarvis - Not standing.

This is pretty depressing stuff. Best bet for Labour, Burnham with a front bench team including Jarvis, Creasy, Powell (for the awful Reeves), Leslie, KS and CU.

Burnham doesn't fill me with joy, but all of the alternatives are worse.

As for Progress find out what it will take Jarvis to stand and make it happen. He is the only candidate who passes Hugo's test of getting Tories to vote for him.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:40 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Paul Waugh ‏@paulwaugh 1m1 minute ago
Big news. @DanJarvisMP is backing @andyburnhammp for Labour leadership. The one they all wanted

Ok, so Andy is offering him as part of the left/right Dream Ticket. Smart.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:53 pm

Looking at the #LabourLeader twitter thread. Horrid photograph of Andy, thumbs up with a dead body behind him in a morgue

Seems to be stuck near the top of the page as well
https://twitter.com/hashtag/Labourleade ... lang=en-gb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:54 pm

BBC R4 World Tonight ‏@BBCWorldTonight 12m12 minutes ago
Andy Burnham 'right man' to lead Labour. @DanJarvisMP tells #r4worldtonight he backs @andyburnhammp as leader

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 8:57 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Looking at the #LabourLeader twitter thread. Horrid photograph of Andy, thumbs up with a dead body behind him in a morgue
Seems to be stuck near the top of the page as well
https://twitter.com/hashtag/Labourleade ... lang=en-gb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What's that about? Is this the Mid Staffs baggage being thrown at him?

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:00 pm

Am afraid Mid Staffs will be Burnham's Liam Byrne note. The Tories will just use it for the next five years - regardless of the validity or otherwise of doing so - and the result, I suspect, will be the same.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:02 pm

Tom Pride ‏@ThomasPride 36m36 minutes ago
Well OK re SNP/Lab thing, let's see what happens. Anyone'd think we didn't have bunch of Eton oinks running the country for the next 5 years

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:05 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Looking at the #LabourLeader twitter thread. Horrid photograph of Andy, thumbs up with a dead body behind him in a morgue
Seems to be stuck near the top of the page as well
https://twitter.com/hashtag/Labourleade ... lang=en-gb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
What's that about? Is this the Mid Staffs baggage being thrown at him?

Yes and I can't see an end to it. Papers - and DC - will use it mercilessly.
That's another thing, I don't see AB withstanding DC assaults at question time, DC will demolish him at every turn with "Mid Staffs"

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:09 pm

tinyclanger2 wrote:Am afraid Mid Staffs will be Burnham's Liam Byrne note. The Tories will just use it for the next five years - regardless of the validity or otherwise of doing so - and the result, I suspect, will be the same.

If he gets elected leader, wonder whether a statement to the house nailing the lies - including what Cameron said this morning and the bogus 1,400 deaths - might do the trick.

IIRC they are not subject to answer by anyone - they're simply a way of putting the record straight.

A definitive "put up or shut up".

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:13 pm

Mr Bell nails it again
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ce-cartoon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:16 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
tinyclanger2 wrote:Am afraid Mid Staffs will be Burnham's Liam Byrne note. The Tories will just use it for the next five years - regardless of the validity or otherwise of doing so - and the result, I suspect, will be the same.
If he gets elected leader, wonder whether a statement to the house nailing the lies - including what Cameron said this morning and the bogus 1,400 deaths - might do the trick.

IIRC they are not subject to answer by anyone - they're simply a way of putting the record straight.

A definitive "put up or shut up".

I think Mid Staffs has very little shelf life. The Tories will push it, but far less effective than Mrs Ed Balls. I also think Labour should get legally aggressive on this. If the sort of bollocks Hunt was coming out with in the chamber is repeated outside it then launch legal action. That includes against twitter trolls.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:19 pm

George Eaton ‏@georgeeaton · 34 mins34 minutes ago
Burnham's backers now include Dugher, Falconer, Reeves, Berger, Ian Lavery, Owen Smith and Jarvis - that's a big tent by any measure.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:22 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Looking at the #LabourLeader twitter thread. Horrid photograph of Andy, thumbs up with a dead body behind him in a morgue
Seems to be stuck near the top of the page as well
https://twitter.com/hashtag/Labourleade ... lang=en-gb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
What's that about? Is this the Mid Staffs baggage being thrown at him?
Yes and I can't see an end to it. Papers - and DC - will use it mercilessly.
That's another thing, I don't see AB withstanding DC assaults at question time, DC will demolish him at every turn with "Mid Staffs"

All Burnham has to do is challenge Cameron to repeat his comments outside the House (i.e. without the protection of parliamentary privilege), with the implicit threat of legal action if he does so; I don't imagine Cameron is any braver than Jeremy Hunt, who hurriedly backed down when Burnham threatened a libel suit over his Twitter comments, so Dave will have to put up or shut up.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:29 pm

What is wrong with these people?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/to ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You have to wonder though, are idiots like this one and that councillor who suggested coloured armbands to help identify the ~~scapegoats~~ disabled indicative of the true Tory mindset.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:33 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:What is wrong with these people?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/to ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You have to wonder though, are idiots like this one and that councillor who suggested coloured armbands to help identify the ~~scapegoats~~ disabled indicative of the true Tory mindset.

That's from 24 September 2005, he was old then, probably dead now....

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:33 pm

Report finds that Britain's wages are the most unequal in Europe
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 59077.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The UK is the most unequal country in the EU, according to a new report.

The Dublin foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, the EU’s agency for life at work, found that the UK had the worst Gini coefficient of any EU member state....

It went on to conclude that the average overall results across the EU “was to a large extent driven by developments in the UK, without which the overall EU within-country component of inequality remained more or less stable.”

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:36 pm

Why I'm backing Andy Burnham to be the next Labour leader
by DanJarvis
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/im ... xt-5720021" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:36 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:What is wrong with these people?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/to ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You have to wonder though, are idiots like this one and that councillor who suggested coloured armbands to help identify the ~~scapegoats~~ disabled indicative of the true Tory mindset.
That's from 24 September 2005, he was old then, probably dead now....

Didn't look at the date, my mind was too busy boggling at the sentiment. Bevan did vermin a disservice with his comparison I feel.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:44 pm

Goodnight, everyone.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:45 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:What is wrong with these people?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/to ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You have to wonder though, are idiots like this one and that councillor who suggested coloured armbands to help identify the ~~scapegoats~~ disabled indicative of the true Tory mindset.
That's from 24 September 2005, he was old then, probably dead now....
Didn't look at the date, my mind was too busy boggling at the sentiment. Bevan did vermin a disservice with his comparison I feel.

I do agree with that sentiment

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:49 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:What is wrong with these people?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/to ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You have to wonder though, are idiots like this one and that councillor who suggested coloured armbands to help identify the ~~scapegoats~~ disabled indicative of the true Tory mindset.
That's from 24 September 2005, he was old then, probably dead now....

Almost.

He joined UKIP.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:53 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Mon 18 May, 2015 9:59 pm

Good night PF. Good night all.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 10:01 pm

Jack Monroe ‏@MsJackMonroe 2h2 hours ago
Dear @KTHopkins, public apology + £5k to migrant rescue & I wont sue. It'll be cheaper for you & v.satisfying for me.

Katie Hopkins @KTHopkins · 3h 3 hours ago
@MsJackMonroe scrawled on any memorials recently? Vandalised the memory of those who fought for your freedom. Grandma got any more medals ?

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Mon 18 May, 2015 10:05 pm

Does she mean people like Harry Leslie Smith?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Mon 18 May, 2015 10:10 pm

Why does Prince Harry want to bring National Service back?

by Fleet StreetFox

A marmite writer/person who can at time be funny. On this I totally agree with her.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pr ... al-5718330" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;