Sat 30 to Sun 31 May - don't say it's another bank holiday

nickyinnorfolk · Post by **nickyinnorfolk** » Sat 30 May, 2015 8:43 pm

Tonibel wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote: Its a parody account, pal - though I don't blame you for believing it
Oops I hadn't read this far. I've been trying to get my head around converting files from MS to Open Office.
I believed it totally and assumed that was why he had given up the ME job. I thought Fishpointer might make him responsible for negotiations with EU!

Yes, I also thought it seemed weirdly plausible. I even thought Blair might be motivated by using the kudos he has with Cameron and co to mitigate the destructive path they're set on. They apparently refer to Blair as 'the Master'. Gove, when he was still working at the Times, wrote an article where he gushed 'I can't hold it back anymore - I love Tony!' Owen Jones wrote back in 2012 about the overlap between Blair and Cameron's Tories. http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/com ... 08282.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 30 May, 2015 9:35 pm

Goodnight, everyone.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 30 May, 2015 9:37 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 30 May, 2015 9:46 pm

Tesco store manager accused of beating up man with mental health issues

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/te ... ng-5793563" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 30 May, 2015 9:47 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Nigh PF

well
Edit to put the P & f in right places

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 30 May, 2015 10:22 pm

Ex-Whitehall chief criticises right-to-buy housing policy

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... f-kerslake

The former head of the civil service will this week denounce the government’s flagship plan to extend the “right to buy” to 1.3 million housing association tenants, saying it is wrong in principle and practice and will not address the urgent need to build more affordable homes.

Lord Kerslake (formerly Sir Bob Kerslake), who was the most senior mandarin at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) until February, when he was made a peer by David Cameron, will break cover in his maiden speech in the House of Lords on Tuesday, delivering a serious blow to a centrepiece of the prime minister’s legislative programme outlined in last week’s Queen’s speech.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 30 May, 2015 10:26 pm

Firm which mocked Bedroom Tax victims in advert has fatcat Tory MP as a director
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fi ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A spokesman for Furniture Village did not wish to comment today. And McPartland, Tory MP for Stevenage, who helped defeat a Labour move to scrap the tax in a crunch vote last December, failed to respond to calls.

He faced more brickbats earlier this month when it emerged he is trousering thousands from second jobs, despite vowing to be a full-time MP.

In 2010 he told voters: “I believe it’s important we have a MP who is going to take role responsibility and treats it as a full-time job.”

But within weeks it emerged he was pocketing his five-figure sum from Furniture Village plus £35,000 a year from a recruitment firm. That’s on top of his £67,000 plus generous expenses as an MP.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 30 May, 2015 10:33 pm

Indy Politics ‏@IndyPolitics 33m33 minutes ago
Michael Gove determined to scrap Human Rights Act - even if Scotland retains it http://ind.pn/1Bxz1MF" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Gove is going to bring his special touch to this mission ... as he did with Education and the Whips Office. Those with any judicial expertise are probably going to end up wishing they had Failing Grayling back in charge.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 30 May, 2015 10:49 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Ex-Whitehall chief criticises right-to-buy housing policy

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... f-kerslake

The former head of the civil service will this week denounce the government’s flagship plan to extend the “right to buy” to 1.3 million housing association tenants, saying it is wrong in principle and practice and will not address the urgent need to build more affordable homes.

Lord Kerslake (formerly Sir Bob Kerslake), who was the most senior mandarin at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) until February, when he was made a peer by David Cameron, will break cover in his maiden speech in the House of Lords on Tuesday, delivering a serious blow to a centrepiece of the prime minister’s legislative programme outlined in last week’s Queen’s speech.

I'm expecting to see a legal battle commence over this. It's an utterly toxic policy. Also hope it really annoys the increasing number of people with no other option than the private rental sector - who are being dumped on yet again - annoys them sufficiently to do something about it at the next elections.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sat 30 May, 2015 11:27 pm

Willow904 wrote: Will the economy ever truly recover if house prices aren't allowed to crash and re-adjust to true market levels?

House prices will not crash unless some serious house building is done. What we have now is the market level.

The tories aren't going to enable sufficient house building for a market adjustment, if they do they're toast at the ballot box.
As with so many other things, we're stuffed.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:40 am

citizenJA wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:
citizenJA wrote: I don't know what to do.
Did Labour not get my memo about showing up in jeans & being real?
Most of the UK is white.
What the hell say it for?
There's that bloody word Aspiration again. Sorry, but I refuse to vote for any would be leader who persists in using it.
I don't blame you. Have they checked out what the word means?
Aspiration
Aspiration means to draw in or out using a sucking motion. It has two meanings:

Aspiration can mean breathing in a foreign object (such as sucking food into the airway).
The term can also refer to a medical procedure that removes something from an area of the body. These substances can be air, body fluids, or bone fragments. An example is removing ascites fluid from the belly area.

I just wish they'd say, "Hopes, dreams, and ambitions." Those are words that people understand, words they don't have to google. One of the most googled political questions during the first Leaders' Debate, was, "What does 'austerity' mean?" According to Susie Dent, on the most recent episode of This Week, it's originally from the Greek for 'having a dry mouth' and relates to things which 'leave a bitter taste.'

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Sun 31 May, 2015 1:50 am

It's a funny thing writing from behind a pseudonym. Some feel they may say, do or claim anything whatsoever behind the cloak of anonymity, others find greater freedom to express themselves openly.

Tonight was a gathering of my sons' generation; many I've seen grow up from toddlers, secondary school or more recent encounters. Quite a few, well a lot really, used to descend on our place (my late wife's and mine) after clubbing at some out of town venue or other, primarily the same circle or club performing elsewhere, albeit largely locally based.

Where was I? Cloak of anonymity or in my case honest expression. Some of the first people I bumped into were the Kipper (now activist?) and the street resident vigorously flicking me the 'V' as we blocked eachother's path. I told them of how they'd both been awarded pride of place on this very site. You don't think I make this stuff up, do you?

I'm going back soon; a childhood friend of my youngest (from 2 years old) and his woman/wife and child are emigrating to Aussie (2½ years in the. making). Pity I'm so old but nothing to stop me visiting. There is already one there who turned my head despite the age difference. Shush, utopian, some things even you don't share unless invited. Talked to a lot of old faces, also learned of a fellow PTA member when our kids were at primary. Haven't seen him for a while either, before my wife's brain haemorrhage for a guess.

Looking back it's surprising we were never busted with all the after-parties that used to take place. Detached we may have been but in a somewhat prominent position at the heart of the village overlooking a green and park gates. Damned lucky really when you consider what right-wing red-tops would have made of a raid on a college and university lecturer's pad. Throw in dependency on the state via his wife's stroke (languishing or lifestyle choice according to the gospel of the Damascene IDS) and his stupid daughter, sorry I meant Downs not stupid. I wish I had her memory for names - indeed had I known in advance I'd have taken her along. She loved the after-parties; whatismore they all loved her too...

I'm back now and my wanderlust is unimaginably increased; apparently I am legend. Stuff all this aspirational nonsense, those who shout loudest know not of what they speak; inspiration is what's required. It seems I must get my passport renewed; someone I inspired wants me as guest speaker at international events. She even has the ear of ministers, a much further reach than I could ever have imagined.

I spoke to my fellow PTA member later, he was sane back then, and discussed whether I'll be needing a blue pill. I of course had forgotten he now has a younger partner than his children's mother. I'd reminded the centre of my attention of the time she and her younger sister beat me at Scrabble, something I once referred to at the G well after my wife's demise. She hadn't realised at the time that my every word had sexual connotations Now she does of course and is no longer a child.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sun 31 May, 2015 2:44 am

frightful_oik wrote:Bit of a shocker from Chris Leslie. Another one promising Tory-lite.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... r-election

How on earth can 'allowing state companies to bid for rail franchises sounding like a form of re-nationalisation' be a problem? I'm paraphrasing there. Re-nationalising the railways was one of the most popular demands across all demographics and right across voters from all parties. A massive proportion of the population are in favour of that! Or are we now believing that anything the polls and surveys say is automatically wrong and, therefore, taking the opposite path from anything that appears widely popular? Rather than casting aside popular policies (and that was true of a lot of Labour's offer in the Manifesto for 2015) what is needed is a more positive way to frame and explain those policies. Creating new nationalised/state-owned railway lines is not the same as going back to the forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, or eighties. We don't live in the same world. A lot has been learnt about better ways to do business, better ways/channels of organisation, better technologies. Moving forward to a form of mutualised-company might be the way. The only shareholders being the staff and the state, with profits part-shared and part-reinvested, surely does more for the workers, the passengers, and the country, than the only (or vast majority of) shareholders siphoning the profits away but demanding increasing subsidies from government in order to create those profits!

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sun 31 May, 2015 5:03 am

utopiandreams wrote: ...I'm back now and my wanderlust is unimaginably increased; apparently I am legend. Stuff all this aspirational nonsense, those who shout loudest know not of what they speak; inspiration is what's required. It seems I must get my passport renewed; someone I inspired wants me as guest speaker at international events. She even has the ear of ministers, a much further reach than I could ever have imagined...

(My bold)
Yep, everyone needs to be inspired by someone, or something, somewhere along the line of their lives – on multiple occasions, too, for most. Glad you're back with us; re-energised, it seems, by reconnections and recollections, and the invitation to speak to many new circles of people to inspire and be further inspired by them.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 5:36 am

Labour are such masters at slagging each other (and therefore themselves) off, that they do the Tories' "job" for them.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 8:45 am

The real reason David Cameron is sitting on a Commons majority
Andrew Rawnsley
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... t-the-post" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The flaws of first past the post, especially when used in a multi-party political climate for which it was never designed, are well known. What’s special about this election is just how stark they have become. The Electoral Reform Society will tomorrow publish a study that marshals the evidence to argue that this was the most disproportionate result in British election history. It also makes a compelling case that the electoral system is now working to cleave an already fractious kingdom by artificially exaggerating our regional and national divides. Look at one of those maps with constituencies coloured to show the party of the MP. The sea of blue in the home counties leads you to think that there are virtually no Labour voters there when, in fact, there are quite a lot. The sea of red in the big cities of the north suggests that there are no Tory voters there when, in fact, there are quite a lot. Looking at the map you’d think there was barely anyone who wasn’t a Nationalist voter north of the Tweed when, in fact, half of Scotland voted for a unionist party. These many millions of voters have been cheated out of representation...

Shortly after the election, a petition was organised and 478,000 names signed the call for electoral reform. It was delivered to Number 10. Unfortunately for reformers, that is the one address in the UK least likely to be interested in changing the way we elect governments. David Cameron is the last person who is going to be interested in reforming a voting system that has just converted a minority of the vote into all the spoils of power. When he looks at first past the post, far from seeing a broken system, he sees one that has just worked perfectly for him.

We've just lost the chance to influence a government into looking again at adopting some form of proportional representation. It was the deal that should have been done before the last election - the bargaining chip that should have been used by the smaller / emerging parties with Labour - as we discussed here a few times. I don't see how we will ever get to a time where that seem possible again with the current Tory advantage being entrenched as fast as they can do it.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 9:12 am

Madeleine Moon ‏@MadeleineMoon 2m2 minutes ago
Gove may allow Scotland to keep HR Act Wales must also demand 2 keep it & show Human Rights R deeply embedded in Welsh legislation

Too true. But that's the thin end of the wedge - it would be better not to scrap the HRA in the first place. Once we have such fundamental differences between the home nations ... there really is no proper union. And I cannot see how England having no adherence to the HRA and, possibly, opting out of the European Convention of Human Rights - wouldn't have an impact on matters involving Scotland, Wales and NI anyway.

I'd like to see Carwyn Jones speaking out about this matter ... in the same way Sturgeon has been on behalf of the Scottish Government.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 9:18 am

The English have always been at the mercy of the British aristocracy. Crucial to changing anything will be opening citizens' eyes. Is there any popular movement around Leveson?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 9:39 am

Chris Bryant MP ‏@RhonddaBryant 18s19 seconds ago
Why is #Marr so unpleasant and patronising?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 9:44 am

Rowena Mason ‏@rowenamason 1m1 minute ago
Labour leader hopeful Yvette Cooper accuses some colleagues of "swallowing the Tory manifesto" - won't deny she's talking about Liz Kendall

David Maddox ‏@DavidPBMaddox 8m8 minutes ago
If I were an SNP MP I'd be smiling watching Yvette Cooper on Marr...Labour trying to move on to Tory ground leaving a bigger gap on left

I'm not watching Marr - more than I will inflict on myself on a Sunday morning. But which is it ... is Cooper spouting Tory lite guff - or accusing others of doing so? Or is she doing both and being a real hypocrite?

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sun 31 May, 2015 10:08 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Rowena Mason ‏@rowenamason 1m1 minute ago
Labour leader hopeful Yvette Cooper accuses some colleagues of "swallowing the Tory manifesto" - won't deny she's talking about Liz Kendall

David Maddox ‏@DavidPBMaddox 8m8 minutes ago
If I were an SNP MP I'd be smiling watching Yvette Cooper on Marr...Labour trying to move on to Tory ground leaving a bigger gap on left
I'm not watching Marr - more than I will inflict on myself on a Sunday morning. But which is it ... is Cooper spouting Tory lite guff - or accusing others of doing so? Or is she doing both and being a real hypocrite?

No, neither. She said that the need for Labour to win back some of the Tory and UKIP voters did not mean swallowing the Tory manifesto. She refused to play Marr's game of trying to get her to accuse the other candidates of swallowing the Tory manifesto. She said that Labour needs to develop a Labour manifesto for 2020. She said that there need to be fair and firm rules for benefits but that there should be no demonising of the people who need to rely on them. She wouldn't say she agreed with the new £23,000 benefit cap. She thought there could be regional caps but the best way to keep the cost of benefits down is for people to have good jobs that pay. There was more but I can't remember it all.

He wanted her to give 'crunchy' answers and kept going on about whether or not she could give him 'crunchy' answers. She refused to play that game, too. He said that while she hadn't given 'crunchy' answers she had given 'clear and full' answers. I thought she did pretty well against him. WTF is 'crunchy' anyway? Is he hungry? Does he think it's Friday!?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 10:13 am

LadyCentauria wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Rowena Mason ‏@rowenamason 1m1 minute ago
Labour leader hopeful Yvette Cooper accuses some colleagues of "swallowing the Tory manifesto" - won't deny she's talking about Liz Kendall

David Maddox ‏@DavidPBMaddox 8m8 minutes ago
If I were an SNP MP I'd be smiling watching Yvette Cooper on Marr...Labour trying to move on to Tory ground leaving a bigger gap on left
I'm not watching Marr - more than I will inflict on myself on a Sunday morning. But which is it ... is Cooper spouting Tory lite guff - or accusing others of doing so? Or is she doing both and being a real hypocrite?
No, neither. She said that the need for Labour to win back some of the Tory and UKIP voters did not mean swallowing the Tory manifesto. She refused to play Marr's game of trying to get her to accuse the other candidates of swallowing the Tory manifesto. She said that Labour needs to develop a Labour manifesto for 2020. She said that there need to be fair and firm rules for benefits but that there should be no demonising of the people who need to rely on them. She wouldn't say she agreed with the new £23,000 benefit cap. She thought there could be regional caps but the best way to keep the cost of benefits down is for people to have good jobs that pay. There was more but I can't remember it all.

He wanted her to give 'crunchy' answers and kept going on about whether or not she could give him 'crunchy' answers. She refused to play that game, too. He said that while she hadn't given 'crunchy' answers she had given 'clear and full' answers. I thought she did pretty well against him. WTF is 'crunchy' anyway? Is he hungry? Does he think it's Friday!?

Thank you. Crunchy. I could probably give him a crunchy answer - I'm hoping it has something to do with biting his head off.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sun 31 May, 2015 10:16 am

LadyCentauria wrote: She wouldn't say she agreed with the new £23,000 benefit cap. She thought there could be regional caps

You watched it so we don't have to, thank you.

I wish someone would point out that people in work on the median wage get child benefit.
The benefit cap is means testing in reverse, if you're unemployed and live in the southeast, bye bye child benefit.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 10:35 am

I am going off to Aldi to swop the things that Mr Riots bought by mistake last time ... reading labels isn't one of his strong points. Hearing him explete furiously by the fridge as he realises he bought the low or no fat yogurt option is a too common occurrence. How dispiriting is that ... a no fat yogurt? Last time he also bought a batch of chopped tomatoes that are so thin and watery they won't even be OK for adding to soups.

I will be back in a bit - with the full fat, full juice alternatives.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 10:49 am

Nice Mr Riots.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 31 May, 2015 10:53 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Madeleine Moon ‏@MadeleineMoon 2m2 minutes ago
Gove may allow Scotland to keep HR Act Wales must also demand 2 keep it & show Human Rights R deeply embedded in Welsh legislation
Too true. But that's the thin end of the wedge - it would be better not to scrap the HRA in the first place. Once we have such fundamental differences between the home nations ... there really is no proper union. And I cannot see how England having no adherence to the HRA and, possibly, opting out of the European Convention of Human Rights - wouldn't have an impact on matters involving Scotland, Wales and NI anyway.

I'd like to see Carwyn Jones speaking out about this matter ... in the same way Sturgeon has been on behalf of the Scottish Government.

I don't doubt this is one of the reasons why the government has got cold feet about the whole thing.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 31 May, 2015 11:12 am

Good morfternoon.

Beware the first budget of a new parliament. Especially this oneWilliam Keegan (Guardian\Observer)

This is a good, if depressing, read. I hope the link works - it's doing funny things,

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015 ... rne-tories

@AngryAsWell

And what, pray tell, does\did FP stand for? If you'd rather not say, I'll let it go this time . . . .

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 31 May, 2015 11:27 am

Anyone interested in this job?

Job title: Labour Women’s Network Co-ordinator

Location: Flexible. Some travel to London required

Salary: £20,000 - £22,000 pro rata

Details: We are looking for a Co-ordinator to support our training and campaigning work. We would like someone to work 2-3 days per week. We are able to offer a twelve-month contract, with the possibility of extension.

Role profile:
•Manage the LWN membership system
•Membership communications, including updating the website, co-ordinating blogs, writing member emails and processing training applications
•Provide admin support for bi-monthly Committee Meetings and the AGM
•Attend Labour Party Conference
•Co-ordinate training events and other ad hoc events such as the LWN Political Day and the Annual Dinner etc
•Support the committee with campaigning work
•Working with Committee on a fundraising strategy
•Other tasks as the Committee deems necessary from time to time

Closing Date: 12pm, Friday 12 June

Interviews: Week commencing 22 June

How to apply: Please apply by emailing your CV and a covering letter to contact@lwn.org.uk, using the subject line ‘Recruitment: LWN Co-ordinator’. Your covering letter should set out why you want to work for LWN, and how your skills and experience match with the role profile. In particular, we are keen to hear about your administrative skills, your experience writing copy, any previous campaigning work and any fundraising experience.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 31 May, 2015 11:29 am

PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Beware the first budget of a new parliament. Especially this oneWilliam Keegan (Guardian\Observer)
This is a good, if depressing, read. I hope the link works - it's doing funny things,

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015 ... rne-tories

@AngryAsWell

And what, pray tell, does\did FP stand for? If you'd rather not say, I'll let it go this time . . . .

Ha! I edited it to get them round the right way ... lol
(A simple case of fat fingers hitting wrong keys)

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 31 May, 2015 11:29 am

It seems both Burnham and Cooper have been showing a bit of fight this morning - good to see.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:06 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:It seems both Burnham and Cooper have been showing a bit of fight this morning - good to see.

Yes - but I'd love to have heard, "Crunchy answers? What on earth are you talking about?"

It would be good to hear someone challenge the way presenters, er, present. Bring them down from their lofty heights, and put a spoke in the wheel of their "clever-clever" games.

Edited because I pressed submit before I was ready.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:16 pm

England should boycott 2018 World Cup, says Andy Burnham (Guardian)

That's almost an Ed-ism. I suppose there might be some hope left.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:16 pm

Nick Robinson: Labour asked me to be Ed Miliband's spin doctor
Senior party figure made extraordinary approach after concerns about opposition leader’s ‘presentational difficulties’, says BBC political editor
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/m ... pin-doctor" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Was there no one better than Robinson they could approach? They need to start looking seriously for good press people now if that's the case - urgently needed.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:24 pm

I still wonder why Ed didn't make more use of Alastair Campbell - I know that the Iraq obsessives would have hated it, but who cares?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:27 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:I still wonder why Ed didn't make more use of Alastair Campbell - I know that the Iraq obsessives would have hated it, but who cares?

Would Campbell have done it though? I've got the impression - maybe wrongly - that he has wanted to step back from politics and concentrate on his campaigns re mental health / depression etc.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:34 pm

Qatar cuts holding in London Stock Exchange by a third

Gulf investor trims stake ahead of $1.6bn rights issue to fund acquisition of Russell Investments

http://linkis.com/www.telegraph.co.uk/YiVHk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this important (internationally wise) ?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:50 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Qatar cuts holding in London Stock Exchange by a third

Gulf investor trims stake ahead of $1.6bn rights issue to fund acquisition of Russell Investments

http://linkis.com/www.telegraph.co.uk/YiVHk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this important (internationally wise) ?

I don't know. (Was that helpful?)

But Russell Investments is at present a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange Group and is owned by them (the LSE - which isn't the London School of Economics, in the same way that NI isn't Northern Ireland. I get so confused.)

Edited to add an "a"

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:50 pm

Good-afternoon, FlyTheNest people.
Thank you for your good posts.
Seeingclearly's latest contribution regarding Labour's 'ancestry' providing the platform for good political action - wonderful

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:53 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Qatar cuts holding in London Stock Exchange by a third

Gulf investor trims stake ahead of $1.6bn rights issue to fund acquisition of Russell Investments

http://linkis.com/www.telegraph.co.uk/YiVHk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this important (internationally wise) ?

Good-morning, AngryAsWell. I'm not able to answer your question but noted the date on the article linked is from 09 Jul 2014. It may not matter when this was reported & may be of the highest importance. I don't know.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 31 May, 2015 12:59 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Qatar cuts holding in London Stock Exchange by a third

Gulf investor trims stake ahead of $1.6bn rights issue to fund acquisition of Russell Investments

http://linkis.com/www.telegraph.co.uk/YiVHk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this important (internationally wise) ?

Oh, extraordinary. There's a twitter account with many interesting things going on in it.
The news tweets are links to articles published some time ago, AAW.

https://twitter.com/LabourNHSJAN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apologies if I've misunderstood something.

seeingclearly · Post by **seeingclearly** » Sun 31 May, 2015 1:16 pm

The Scotland bill is a Tory trap.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/co ... .127538314" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 31 May, 2015 1:19 pm

yahyah wrote:Always love reading your posts SeeingClearly, and fully understand lineage/transmission as I am someone who is interested in Dharma, sadly unable to practice true tolerance as my recent feelings about the SNP and others betrays.

Am also lacking in real world sangha support so would appreciate more of your experience/understanding on such matters. Maybe a thread off the Daily Politics ?

Agreed.
Me too.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sun 31 May, 2015 1:21 pm

citizenJA wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Qatar cuts holding in London Stock Exchange by a third

Gulf investor trims stake ahead of $1.6bn rights issue to fund acquisition of Russell Investments

http://linkis.com/www.telegraph.co.uk/YiVHk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this important (internationally wise) ?
Good-morning, AngryAsWell. I'm not able to answer your question but noted the date on the article linked is from 09 Jul 2014. It may not matter when this was reported & may be of the highest importance. I don't know.

Thank you - I missed that, I really should check twitter links more carefully !

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 31 May, 2015 1:21 pm

Willow904 wrote:
yahyah wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:We all have a flash point and a line that most of us are careful not to overstep, because it keeps us civilised.

What I'm wondering is how far can the Conservatives push us until we Brits say enough is enough and step over that invisible line?
I think our society has changed too much.
I'm not sure people will care about how far the Tories go as long as it doesn't affect them or someone close to them.
Osborne is counting on Tory voters remaining happy and complacent as long as he can keep on artificially propping up house prices. It was the house price crash under Major that mostly did for them last time. The question is, can he prop up house prices indefinitely? Will the economy ever truly recover if house prices aren't allowed to crash and re-adjust to true market levels? These are questions I've sporadically asked over on CIF but I've never got an answer, yet no one's taken issue with my assertion that the housing market never truly bottomed out, either. It's like everyone knows this recovery isn't really a recovery but they have no choice but to shut their eyes and pretend everything's fine because the alternative is too scary to even think about - that all those paper assets in bricks and mortar, in pensions and in the stock market aren't worth anything like what we collectively as a country are pretending they are and when everything goes pear shaped those in the middle, who have been least touched by austerity, will turn out to be the biggest losers.

I don't look forward to the time of reckoning but it will happen.
How it'll work out I don't know.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 31 May, 2015 1:25 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
citizenJA wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:Qatar cuts holding in London Stock Exchange by a third

Gulf investor trims stake ahead of $1.6bn rights issue to fund acquisition of Russell Investments

http://linkis.com/www.telegraph.co.uk/YiVHk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this important (internationally wise) ?
Good-morning, AngryAsWell. I'm not able to answer your question but noted the date on the article linked is from 09 Jul 2014. It may not matter when this was reported & may be of the highest importance. I don't know.
Thank you - I missed that, I really should check twitter links more carefully !

Someone is posting links to these articles now on their twitter feed may make the information relevant, AAW.
It very well may be important.
Thank you for drawing attention to it.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sun 31 May, 2015 1:34 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Madeleine Moon ‏@MadeleineMoon 2m2 minutes ago
Gove may allow Scotland to keep HR Act Wales must also demand 2 keep it & show Human Rights R deeply embedded in Welsh legislation
Too true. But that's the thin end of the wedge - it would be better not to scrap the HRA in the first place. Once we have such fundamental differences between the home nations ... there really is no proper union. And I cannot see how England having no adherence to the HRA and, possibly, opting out of the European Convention of Human Rights - wouldn't have an impact on matters involving Scotland, Wales and NI anyway.

I'd like to see Carwyn Jones speaking out about this matter ... in the same way Sturgeon has been on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Carwyn is speaking out.
But 99% of the media ignore him and pay court to Sturgeon/Salmond.

''Welsh Government will do 'everything it can' to block repeal of the Human Rights Act
Carwyn Jones will oppose any repeal of the Human Rights Act, as outlined by the Conservative Government in Westminster, according to a spokesman for the First Minister.

Mr Jones has suggested that Tory proposals are dangerous and will make the UK look like a “banana republic”.http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... ck-9279496" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Carwyn Jones AM/AC @AMCarwyn
Abolishing the Human Rights Act is dangerous. Means ignoring need for consent in Scotland and Wales and ditching the NI peace agreement.
9:40 PM - 14 May 2015

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sun 31 May, 2015 2:03 pm

Have just discovered that "restauranteur" is spelt without the "n".
What a language!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 31 May, 2015 2:07 pm

...London mayor, Boris Johnson...returned to the Commons as the Tory MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip...

This information had escaped my attention until today.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sun 31 May, 2015 2:09 pm

citizenJA wrote:
...London mayor, Boris Johnson...returned to the Commons as the Tory MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip...
This information had escaped my attention until today.

There was a lot going on after the election so understandable that you missed it.

Still, at least it was only Johnson, and not Farage as well, that got elected.
Thank heaven for small mercies.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sun 31 May, 2015 2:31 pm

"The flaws of first past the post, especially when used in a multi-party political climate for which it was never designed, are well known.
What’s special about this election is just how stark they have become.
The Electoral Reform Society will tomorrow publish a study that marshals the evidence to argue that this was the most disproportionate result in British election history."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... t-the-post" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;