Wednesday 1st July 2015
Posted: Wed 01 Jul, 2015 7:11 am
Morning all.
This is definitely one of those things where society has changed and I didn't notice. When I was growing up, all the widowed pensioners who lived on their own seemed to end up in the council retirement bungalows - those semi-detached ones with the rails down the front path and nowhere for a car, with a warden on hand to call an ambulance if they fell. I suppose they've all been sold off and are now rented out by private landlords to eastern european imigrants or something. Yet another comparison to Japan in this article, btw. We definitely seem to have hit a kind of economic cul-de-sac as the limits of economic growth is reached and no one yet seems to have a solution for the two tier society that develops as a result leaving more and more people behind facing low pay combined with high cost of living, while public services collapse under the weight of a growing elderly population.People should consider inviting elderly strangers to live with them for a while to reduce isolation and the number of pensioners dying a “lonely death”, the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, will say in a speech.
He will also urge people to keep in closer touch with older relatives, friends and neighbours. Hunt will highlight the case of a man found in Edinburgh last week three years after he died, and the eight council-funded “lonely funerals” a day in England, half of which involve over-65s.
The direct action by law professionals against the cuts in legal aid kicks in today ... it may be starting relatively quietly but this explanation of what will happen means things should get louder and more noticeable pretty quickly.Anatomy of a legal strike: How lawyers are bringing the system to its knees
http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/07 ... -the-syste" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Gove is going to work his magic in yet another department ... lawyers are the latest to feel his lurve. (What did the justice department do to deserve Grayling and Gove?)The duty solicitor will still be working. Solicitors are contractually obliged to continue to cover their duty slots. But those who know the lawyer they want will not be able to get their help. Instead, they'll likely be given a leaflet from striking lawyers which reads:
"Until the government agree to pay us a fee that allows us to properly represent you and do the best we can for you, [we] will not be attending police stations.
"The law provides that the government make a solicitor available to you and the police must ask you before the interview if you want one.
"If you cannot have a solicitor then the police might ask you to waive your right to one. The choice is yours of course but you do not have to be interviewed without a solicitor. This might mean the police cannot interview you at all."
For most solicitors, this is about showing the government how reliant it is on their goodwill for the system to work. Every day they work pro-bono, as Michael Gove urged wealthy law firms to do. They are just not recognised for it. Instead, they say their fees are cut over and over again until it becomes commercially impossible to continue.
"They've privatised prisoner transport and court interpreters," one solicitor tells me, as an example. "We used to have a van per court to pick up prisoners. Now there's just one van full stop. They go round picking up prisoners and then drop them off at courts one by one. It takes ages. We sit there at court waiting until 1pm, not getting paid.
"Or take interpreters. Capita sends one to two or three courts. We wait all day for them and don't get paid. Sometimes the case gets adjourned for the next day and we don't get paid at all. One fee: that's what a solicitor is paid. But we sit there, waiting with our client so we don't leave them alone and anxious in court."
That goodwill is about to be taken away. The creaky courts system is about to see what happens when the people who strive to keep it together withdraw their labour. Over the next few day's we'll see if it can handle that level of disruption.
Well observed HindleA. This is the government of black holes.HindleA wrote:Morning.
http://touchstoneblog.org.uk/2015/07/wh ... tE.twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Why are the self-employed included in employment statistics, but excluded from earnings figures?
Being able to keep people out of both the Unemployment Stats (because they are self-employed) as well as keeping them out of the average wage figures (because they are self employed) provides a very useful black hole to both ignore and not ignore a growing cohort of low paid UK workers.
Good-morning, friends.refitman wrote:Morning all.
Lest we forget Wales is also affected by Cameron's EVEL trick ...Nia Griffith @NiaGriffithMP 14m14 minutes ago
Powerful speeches @DavidHansonMP @IanCLucas @MarkTamiMP attacking Govt's ill-prepared plans to stop WelshMPs voting on issues vital to Wales
Zac Goldsmith's "bluff" (if you can use that term) called, then? And can he still be the Tory mayoral candidate next year??Tubby Isaacs wrote:Heathrow to be expanded.
As decided 6 years ago by anti-business Labour. Strong leader Cameron about to U-turn.
Funny old game.
And still Tory government can't flee the facts from the ONS.HindleA wrote:Morning.
http://touchstoneblog.org.uk/2015/07/wh ... tE.twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Why are the self-employed included in employment statistics, but excluded from earnings figures?
Being able to keep people out of both the Unemployment Stats (because they are self-employed) as well as keeping them out of the average wage figures (because they are self employed) provides a very useful black hole to both ignore and not ignore a growing cohort of low paid UK workers.
Nice quote from FoE on AS blogTubby Isaacs wrote:Heathrow to be expanded.
As decided 6 years ago by anti-business Labour. Strong leader Cameron about to U-turn.
Funny old game.
This report vacillates over a false choice - expansion at Heathrow or Gatwick - when neither can be allowed if we’re to stop runaway global warming.........
The UK will be a laughing stock if it turns up at crucial climate talks in Paris later this year, claiming global leadership while at home having nodded through new runways, killed its onshore wind industry and foisted fracking on communities that don’t want it.
3. Regional Schools Commissioners decide if a coasting school’s improvement plan is credible enough to save it from forced academy conversion. Regional Schools Commissioners are evaluated on the number of schools they turn into academies. HMMMM.
The public know that regional schools commissioners are evaluated in their job on the basis of how many schools they convert. They know this because we revealed it last year after a freedom of information request. But it raises a serious conflict of interest.
Asked about it today in the committee session, regional schools commissioner Tim Coulson admitted that performance indicators do change behaviour. (As the whole point of the coasting bill is to change school behaviour via indicators, he didn’t really have a choice). If true, why should we expect regional schools commissioners not to force a school to academise whenever they can?
Correct."More than two thirds of contracts held by outsourcing firms are not being scrutinised properly by the government, the public spending watchdog has found. The National Audit Office examined £35bn worth of public contracts held by private firms and found that just 31% allowed profit margins to be scrutinised by Whitehall. The move comes in the wake of a series of difficult contracts that have highlighted the government’s difficulties in managing complex outsourcing deals."
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... two-thirds" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
...neither the Cabinet Office nor HM Treasury currently monitors how Pay by Results (PbR) is operating across government.
Nor is there a systematic collection or evaluation of information about how effectively Pay by Results (PbR) is working.
Without a central repository of knowledge and a strong evidence base to refer to, Pay by Results (PbR) schemes may be poorly designed and implemented and commissioners are in danger of ‘reinventing the wheel’ for each new scheme.
- National Audit Office (NAO)
Outcome-based payment schemes: government’s use of payment by results
19 June 2015
http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/upload ... ummary.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
...and presumably NI?rebeccariots2 wrote:Lest we forget Wales is also affected by Cameron's EVEL trick ...Nia Griffith @NiaGriffithMP 14m14 minutes ago
Powerful speeches @DavidHansonMP @IanCLucas @MarkTamiMP attacking Govt's ill-prepared plans to stop WelshMPs voting on issues vital to Wales
Yes.gilsey wrote:Nice quote from FoE on AS blogTubby Isaacs wrote:Heathrow to be expanded.
As decided 6 years ago by anti-business Labour. Strong leader Cameron about to U-turn.
Funny old game.This report vacillates over a false choice - expansion at Heathrow or Gatwick - when neither can be allowed if we’re to stop runaway global warming.........
The UK will be a laughing stock if it turns up at crucial climate talks in Paris later this year, claiming global leadership while at home having nodded through new runways, killed its onshore wind industry and foisted fracking on communities that don’t want it.
An aside - Lord Deben, also known as John Gummer, former Tory MP for Mad Cow Disease, is one of the committee asking government to explain it's incoherent energy strategies."The government must explain how its withdrawal of support from onshore windfarms will affect the cost of meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets, and urgently set out plans for alternative electricity generation, its statutory advisors on climate change have said."
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... visers-say" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That sounds like a phrase cooked up and rehearsed over a country supper.Jim Pickard retweeted
Jason Groves @JasonGroves1 3h3 hours ago
Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye says 3rd runway proposal is v.different to the one Cameron vetoed: 'We hv u-turned so the PM doesn't hv to'
Too many expensive breakfasts and changes of underpants?James Tapsfield @JamesTapsfield 5m5 minutes ago
Iain Duncan Smith among 19 MPs who had official credit cards suspended this year after running up expenses debts, Ipsa discloses under FOI
MPs running up expenses debts while students run up expensive debts:rebeccariots2 wrote:Too many expensive breakfasts and changes of underpants?James Tapsfield @JamesTapsfield 5m5 minutes ago
Iain Duncan Smith among 19 MPs who had official credit cards suspended this year after running up expenses debts, Ipsa discloses under FOI
Across the UK, almost 32,000 students are using payday loans and similar high-interest debt to fund everyday living costs, the Unite Students Insight Report found.
But in Scotland the total is said to be 6,339 - almost 3 per cent of all students.
The figures are based on a survey of more than 8,500 university applicants, undergraduates and postgraduate students across the UK.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/ ... -1-3817620
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 150608.pdfI have accepted honorary life membership of Pratt’s Club as a Special Member, 14 Park Place, London SW1A 1LP.
And only yesterday the UK government spokesperson - Jo Johnson - refused to rule out further rises in tuition fees. It is shameful how people don't seem to have woken up to the way debt is being shifted to individuals / public and away from the institutions.Eric_WLothian wrote:MPs running up expenses debts while students run up expensive debts:rebeccariots2 wrote:Too many expensive breakfasts and changes of underpants?James Tapsfield @JamesTapsfield 5m5 minutes ago
Iain Duncan Smith among 19 MPs who had official credit cards suspended this year after running up expenses debts, Ipsa discloses under FOI
Across the UK, almost 32,000 students are using payday loans and similar high-interest debt to fund everyday living costs, the Unite Students Insight Report found.
But in Scotland the total is said to be 6,339 - almost 3 per cent of all students.
The figures are based on a survey of more than 8,500 university applicants, undergraduates and postgraduate students across the UK.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/ ... -1-3817620
Good point. Let's see the HoC credit card being restricted to certain shops and certain products - and with a pre set cap on it.Rob Merrick @Rob_Merrick 4m4 minutes ago
Rob Merrick retweeted James Tapsfield
"Mr Duncan Smith has backed pre-paid cards for benefits claimants to stop them spending money on wrong things...."
Better still, give them debit cards linked to an HoC bank account. When they've emptied the account, card payments would be declined by the bank. Simple way of capping benefits (a phrase that seems vaguely familiar).rebeccariots2 wrote:Good point. Let's see the HoC credit card being restricted to certain shops and certain products - and with a pre set cap on it.Rob Merrick @Rob_Merrick 4m4 minutes ago
Rob Merrick retweeted James Tapsfield
"Mr Duncan Smith has backed pre-paid cards for benefits claimants to stop them spending money on wrong things...."
I agree but for very different reasons.Simon Danczuk @SimonDanczuk 3m3 minutes ago
Liz Kendall and Caroline Flint are the team to fear, say Conservative councillors http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... ouncillors" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
He lives on BEYOND THE GRAVE!!Eric_WLothian wrote:Aaarg ... 666... I thought he'd resigned...
I nominate this response to morphing into the Beast as the finest I've read thus farEric_WLothian wrote:Aaarg ... 666... I thought he'd resigned...
"wooohoooo!", says Chancellor Jeff, "Growth of 0.3%! 1.3% higher than last year! I don't realise how scary that is while I'm whistling," says Tory minister."UK labour productivity as measured by output per hour grew by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2015 compared with the previous quarter. This measure is 1.3% higher than the same period in 2014, the fastest annual growth since Q1 2012."
"Okay, spin that bit some prior to publication" says Tory government."Whole economy unit labour costs decreased by 0.6% on the quarter and were 0.9% higher than a year ago. Growth of labour costs per hour remains subdued. Output per hour in the manufacturing and production sectors fell on the quarter and on the year. Output per hour grew in the services sector, though estimates of individual service industries were more mixed."
"Seriously, someone shut this project down, now," ToryGov exclaim & issue their own ToryReport:"New for this release is an Industry Spotlight section, focusing on productivity in Information and communication services. This shows a pronounced slowdown in productivity in telecommunications services in recent years, after very strong growth prior to the economic downturn."
"We don't accept that"
I had a vague recollection of that cropping up some time ago.rebeccariots2 wrote: Heard a really nasty programme on Radio 4 the other day about female students who are signing up to contracts with 'sugar daddies' to pay their fees and living expenses while at university.
Coffin carriers during the day time don't come cheap.rebeccariots2 wrote:Too many expensive breakfasts and changes of underpants?James Tapsfield @JamesTapsfield 5m5 minutes ago
Iain Duncan Smith among 19 MPs who had official credit cards suspended this year after running up expenses debts, Ipsa discloses under FOI
More information chronicling activity utterly wrong taking place in our country.Eric_WLothian wrote:I had a vague recollection of that cropping up some time ago.rebeccariots2 wrote: Heard a really nasty programme on Radio 4 the other day about female students who are signing up to contracts with 'sugar daddies' to pay their fees and living expenses while at university.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11 ... 03303.html
These stories pop up every few years, and look suspiciously like older men wank fantasies. "Students stripping" is another.Eric_WLothian wrote:I had a vague recollection of that cropping up some time ago.rebeccariots2 wrote: Heard a really nasty programme on Radio 4 the other day about female students who are signing up to contracts with 'sugar daddies' to pay their fees and living expenses while at university.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11 ... 03303.html
Good lord.RogerOThornhill wrote:Morning all.
Laura McInerney has written a piece on the Education Bill.
http://schoolsweek.co.uk/5-things-bothe ... efinition/
3. Regional Schools Commissioners decide if a coasting school’s improvement plan is credible enough to save it from forced academy conversion. Regional Schools Commissioners are evaluated on the number of schools they turn into academies. HMMMM.
The public know that regional schools commissioners are evaluated in their job on the basis of how many schools they convert. They know this because we revealed it last year after a freedom of information request. But it raises a serious conflict of interest.
Asked about it today in the committee session, regional schools commissioner Tim Coulson admitted that performance indicators do change behaviour. (As the whole point of the coasting bill is to change school behaviour via indicators, he didn’t really have a choice). If true, why should we expect regional schools commissioners not to force a school to academise whenever they can?
The Regional Commissioners are being put in the same position as the Local Authorities were - that of champion of their schools and in charge of their oversight.
How can it be right that they have a performance measure which is about converting as many schools to academies as possible?
I think Cameron said no 3rd runway at all, didn't he?rebeccariots2 wrote:That sounds like a phrase cooked up and rehearsed over a country supper.Jim Pickard retweeted
Jason Groves @JasonGroves1 3h3 hours ago
Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye says 3rd runway proposal is v.different to the one Cameron vetoed: 'We hv u-turned so the PM doesn't hv to'
He might be getting bored with politics anyway.AnatolyKasparov wrote:Zac Goldsmith's "bluff" (if you can use that term) called, then? And can he still be the Tory mayoral candidate next year??Tubby Isaacs wrote:Heathrow to be expanded.
As decided 6 years ago by anti-business Labour. Strong leader Cameron about to U-turn.
Funny old game.
Only this time its a bit more organised...Tubby Isaacs wrote:These stories pop up every few years, and look suspiciously like older men wank fantasies. "Students stripping" is another.Eric_WLothian wrote:I had a vague recollection of that cropping up some time ago.rebeccariots2 wrote: Heard a really nasty programme on Radio 4 the other day about female students who are signing up to contracts with 'sugar daddies' to pay their fees and living expenses while at university.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11 ... 03303.html
I know what you mean. The story of high student costs is just as easily told via the rising numbers of sensible stay-at-home students who choose to go to a local university so they can save on accommodation costs which, at about 20%, is probably far more statistically significant than the numbers that choose the sugar daddy route, but don't make for as eye-catching a headline.Tubby Isaacs wrote:These stories pop up every few years, and look suspiciously like older men wank fantasies. "Students stripping" is another.Eric_WLothian wrote:I had a vague recollection of that cropping up some time ago.rebeccariots2 wrote: Heard a really nasty programme on Radio 4 the other day about female students who are signing up to contracts with 'sugar daddies' to pay their fees and living expenses while at university.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11 ... 03303.html
George Eaton @georgeeaton 60m60 minutes ago
Harman's fine Heathrow gag ("Boris won't let him land") likely the work of her aide and former stand-up Ayeesha Hazarika.
George Eaton @georgeeaton 1h1 hour ago
A sure sign that Cameron is in trouble when he changes the subject. Harman doing very well. #PMQs
And programme I heard was presented, researched and, I believe, produced by women. 'Sordid' best sums up the impression I was left with.AngryAsWell wrote:Only this time its a bit more organised...Tubby Isaacs wrote:These stories pop up every few years, and look suspiciously like older men wank fantasies. "Students stripping" is another.Eric_WLothian wrote: I had a vague recollection of that cropping up some time ago.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11 ... 03303.html
http://sugardaddie.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.seekingarrangement.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Oh. Skid marks.Paul Waugh @paulwaugh 34s34 seconds ago
Sounded like a top tale, but IDS's credit card has NOT been cancelled. IPSA made an error with him and several other MPs
Hah. Reverse skid marks.James Tapsfield @JamesTapsfield 50s50 seconds ago
@paulwaugh Ipsa still insists it was suspended, IDS team citing a different incident
Sorry - but are we still on the subject of underpants, or have we moved on?rebeccariots2 wrote:Oh. Skid marks.Paul Waugh @paulwaugh 34s34 seconds ago
Sounded like a top tale, but IDS's credit card has NOT been cancelled. IPSA made an error with him and several other MPs
I am moving us on - keeping with the story as it develops - through the entirely appropriate use of skid marks.PorFavor wrote:Sorry - but are we still on the subject of underpants, or have we moved on?rebeccariots2 wrote:Oh. Skid marks.Paul Waugh @paulwaugh 34s34 seconds ago
Sounded like a top tale, but IDS's credit card has NOT been cancelled. IPSA made an error with him and several other MPs