Thursday 9th July 2015

Post by **refitman** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 7:11 am

Morning all.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:22 am

Good morfternoon.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:29 am

Aaagh - woken up to hear Osborne pontificating. He's just avoided answering a question on calling it the 'Living Wage' and whether it is really a different minimum wage by saying well - it's a 'National Living Wage' - 'we've used research done by William Bain of the Resolution Foundation a left of centre think tank to set the level' - and no further challenge on that from the interviewer other than 'and it's going to cost 60,000 jobs?'

He's now talking about businesses taking a free ride on apprenticeships ... but that's not anti business talk eh?

This man, Osborne, is aiming to be Prime Minister. If we think Cameron is underhand and weaselly ... he's that and more to the power of squillions.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:30 am

From the Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/tele ... party.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Budget that shows the Conservatives are the real workers' party
George Osborne's bold choices in his 'emergency' Budget will define politics - and his party - for years to come

The first is bollocks, clearly. Making people on low wages worse off is no one's definition of a party for workers. As for the second, we've been here before. I fail to see how a classic Tory budget of tax cuts for the rich and benefit cuts for the poor in any way redefines politics. All the media rubbish about the Tories parking their tanks on Labour's lawn is really winding me up as well. They know very well that Ed Miliband was adamant that tax credits would remain to support people until their wages rose. Pulling the rug out from under people long before wages are set to rise is the polar opposite of Labour's policy.

Morning, btw.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:33 am

Richard Burden MP ‏@RichardBurdenMP 42m42 minutes ago
Why are so much of media swallowing Osborne claim that £7.20 is living Wage? If it is, it's a cut @LivingWageUK

I haven't heard any interviewer point this basic - glaring - fact out.

Editing to add:

But I have just heard the SNP spokesperson make that very point when being interviewed on their response. Good on em.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:57 am

Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 33m33 minutes ago
Interesting how keen Osborne is to point out that he's taken an idea from a centre-left think tank.

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 25m25 minutes ago
@IsabelHardman now run by David Willetts. They are just very good colonised whole area of living standards low pay skills Universal credit.

Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 4m4 minutes ago
@patrickwintour but Osborne super keen to claim he's adopting lefty policies

Trying to politically muzzle an anti-austerity approach? And in the process the Labour party.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:10 am

Andy Burnham ‏@andyburnhammp 7m7 minutes ago
Osborne's undoing will be his desperation to play politics with everything he does. This Budget is not what it seems. Hits under-25s hard.

Andy Burnham ‏@andyburnhammp 13h13 hours ago
Not a One Nation Budget, but the Two Generations Budget – cementing divide between young and old. Read my post here: " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Liz Kendall ‏@LizforLeader 18h18 hours ago
Living wage is currently £7.85. Last time it was £7.20 was 2011. George's 'living wage' is an #Osbornecon #budget2015

Yvette Cooper ‏@YvetteCooperMP 11h11 hours ago
A Budget that betrays working parents - with women hit more than twice as hard as men. See my response http://goo.gl/xWRpOs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; @TheStaggers

JeremyCorbyn4Leader ‏@Corbyn4Leader 12h12 hours ago
Jeremy on #budget15 http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/7755834? ... K+Politics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … Young people, our future, face the removal of student grants, no right to housing benefit,

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:14 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 33m33 minutes ago
Interesting how keen Osborne is to point out that he's taken an idea from a centre-left think tank.

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 25m25 minutes ago
@IsabelHardman now run by David Willetts. They are just very good colonised whole area of living standards low pay skills Universal credit.

Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 4m4 minutes ago
@patrickwintour but Osborne super keen to claim he's adopting lefty policies
Trying to politically muzzle an anti-austerity approach? And in the process the Labour party.

This is still austerity, it's just being applied very narrowly again. The sick, disabled and now children are seeing their standard of living severely reduced while the better off enjoy another tax cut. There's no justification for this. Yvette Cooper has been good at highlighting the unfairness of this approach, but only on the internet. The media ignores Labour's poweful responses, preferring their "Labour in disarray" narrative, which is so far from the truth, I assume it's being co-ordinated from Tory central office.

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:23 am

Labour's Chuka Ummuna is going to get a kicking on QT tonight. Apart from Dimbleby, there's gobshite Anna Soubry, a Ukipper, aScotnat and Boris Johnson's equally odious sister.
I think I'll give it a miss.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:23 am

Willow904 wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 33m33 minutes ago
Interesting how keen Osborne is to point out that he's taken an idea from a centre-left think tank.

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 25m25 minutes ago
@IsabelHardman now run by David Willetts. They are just very good colonised whole area of living standards low pay skills Universal credit.

Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 4m4 minutes ago
@patrickwintour but Osborne super keen to claim he's adopting lefty policies
Trying to politically muzzle an anti-austerity approach? And in the process the Labour party.
This is still austerity, it's just being applied very narrowly again. The sick, disabled and now children are seeing their standard of living severely reduced while the better off enjoy another tax cut. There's no justification for this. Yvette Cooper has been good at highlighting the unfairness of this approach, but only on the internet. The media ignores Labour's poweful responses, preferring their "Labour in disarray" narrative, which is so far from the truth, I assume it's being co-ordinated from Tory central office.

I completely agree that this is still austerity. My point is that Osborne is trying to pretend it's not ... to 'soften' (makes me cringe to use that word in association to Osborne but hey ho) the real body blows and kid the plebs. It's worse for that ...

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:41 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Willow904 wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: Trying to politically muzzle an anti-austerity approach? And in the process the Labour party.
This is still austerity, it's just being applied very narrowly again. The sick, disabled and now children are seeing their standard of living severely reduced while the better off enjoy another tax cut. There's no justification for this. Yvette Cooper has been good at highlighting the unfairness of this approach, but only on the internet. The media ignores Labour's poweful responses, preferring their "Labour in disarray" narrative, which is so far from the truth, I assume it's being co-ordinated from Tory central office.
I completely agree that this is still austerity. My point is that Osborne is trying to pretend it's not ... to 'soften' (makes me cringe to use that word in association to Osborne but hey ho) the real body blows and kid the plebs. It's worse for that ...

The budget calculators will be showing a lot of people they are to be worse off. Fancy semantic games are unlikely to "soften" that. If those affected cut back on spending, everyone may end up feeling the effects of this budget in the form of a slowing economy. Osborne got a bit lucky last time, with a fall in oil prices easing the squeeze before election day. Can he be that lucky again? Will voters continue to trust the Tories on the economy if their cuts trigger a recession? I can't trust my own judgement any more. Young people stayed at home, letting wealthy pensioners vote the Tories in to protect their interests. Why didn't young people get out and vote to protect their own interests? The Tories threatened to take away their housing benefit, yet so many failed to exercise their vote to stop them. It's no good that under-25's favour Labour if only a handful actually vote.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:49 am

Morning all.

Come on Carney, we're on the road to recovery so let's here why interest rates should stay the same.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:56 am

What I'm annoyed over is shrinking contents and yet it's never mentioned when they're on about food prices stabilizing.

It must also affect grocery sales figures because you run out faster and need to buy more frequently.

I bought a pack of chocolate digestives the other day and I swear it had at least six biscuits less than the last time. That's a lot when you're on a tight budget.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:03 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Andy Burnham ‏@andyburnhammp 7m7 minutes ago
Osborne's undoing will be his desperation to play politics with everything he does. This Budget is not what it seems. Hits under-25s hard.

Andy Burnham ‏@andyburnhammp 13h13 hours ago
Not a One Nation Budget, but the Two Generations Budget – cementing divide between young and old. Read my post here: " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Liz Kendall ‏@LizforLeader 18h18 hours ago
Living wage is currently £7.85. Last time it was £7.20 was 2011. George's 'living wage' is an #Osbornecon #budget2015

Yvette Cooper ‏@YvetteCooperMP 11h11 hours ago
A Budget that betrays working parents - with women hit more than twice as hard as men. See my response http://goo.gl/xWRpOs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; @TheStaggers

JeremyCorbyn4Leader ‏@Corbyn4Leader 12h12 hours ago
Jeremy on #budget15 http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/7755834? ... K+Politics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; … Young people, our future, face the removal of student grants, no right to housing benefit,

Good-morning, RR2 & everyone.
I've brought chocolate, please help yourself.

Neat, precise, the Labour responses to the Tory budget.
Labour would be governing neatly too, making things promised come to fruition.
I write that to emphasis Labour is best as a wholesome group coming together for progressive leadership.
Having one leader is necessary, I suppose, but I like the Labour leadership candidates best when they're working on something together. They smooth out individual rough edges.

When I lived & studied politics in the US, it was wholly complementary to refer to political leader(s) as 'policy wonks' - this is some years back - the term may mean something else now - it means policy competently legislated, properly enforced, funding adequately & representatives leading a team creating this goodness are professional without arrogance. I was in California - Governor Brown, currently in office, is the person called upon to lead when things become too crap for endurance. That's an aside.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:09 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 33m33 minutes ago
Interesting how keen Osborne is to point out that he's taken an idea from a centre-left think tank.

Patrick Wintour ‏@patrickwintour 25m25 minutes ago
@IsabelHardman now run by David Willetts. They are just very good colonised whole area of living standards low pay skills Universal credit.

Isabel Hardman ‏@IsabelHardman 4m4 minutes ago
@patrickwintour but Osborne super keen to claim he's adopting lefty policies
Trying to politically muzzle an anti-austerity approach? And in the process the Labour party.

I am reminded a bit of when Brown cut income tax in his last budget as Chancellor before becoming PM.

At the time it was hailed as a masterstroke and stealing the Tories clothes, but it probably didn't do any favours in the longer term - not just the backlash over scrapping the 10p rate (which, amazingly, he totally got away with at the time - just shows what a lazy and compliant media can achieve) but the fact that in a broader sense it "legitimised" Tory politics.

Osborne can continue to "steal" Labour policies (even in the devious fashion he is doing) but in the longer run it reinforces the "Ed was right" narrative.

(which I think we are going to be hearing a fair bit of in the next 5 years)

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:30 am

Willow904 wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Willow904 wrote: This is still austerity, it's just being applied very narrowly again. The sick, disabled and now children are seeing their standard of living severely reduced while the better off enjoy another tax cut. There's no justification for this. Yvette Cooper has been good at highlighting the unfairness of this approach, but only on the internet. The media ignores Labour's poweful responses, preferring their "Labour in disarray" narrative, which is so far from the truth, I assume it's being co-ordinated from Tory central office.
I completely agree that this is still austerity. My point is that Osborne is trying to pretend it's not ... to 'soften' (makes me cringe to use that word in association to Osborne but hey ho) the real body blows and kid the plebs. It's worse for that ...
The budget calculators will be showing a lot of people they are to be worse off. Fancy semantic games are unlikely to "soften" that. If those affected cut back on spending, everyone may end up feeling the effects of this budget in the form of a slowing economy. Osborne got a bit lucky last time, with a fall in oil prices easing the squeeze before election day. Can he be that lucky again? Will voters continue to trust the Tories on the economy if their cuts trigger a recession? I can't trust my own judgement any more. Young people stayed at home, letting wealthy pensioners vote the Tories in to protect their interests. Why didn't young people get out and vote to protect their own interests? The Tories threatened to take away their housing benefit, yet so many failed to exercise their vote to stop them. It's no good that under-25's favour Labour if only a handful actually vote.

I ranted over that very issue last night, Willow. I was incensed & the forceful language I used inadvertently landed on RR2 as I was responding to our friend's excellent comment - that's an aside.

Yesterday, my young friend under the age of twenty-five asked me in all seriousness why billions of pounds were being sent to help other countries while he can't afford to support himself & attend an institution of higher learning. I've got to create the space where he finds out for himself where resources are being funnelled, or more accurately, not being made available, for use of his generation. I was able to look sagacious & nodded solemnly listening to his complaint. I think. But the conversation is only just begun.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:42 am

Greece falls deeper into deflation
There’s no escape from deflation in Greece. Consumer prices fell by 2.2% annually in June, down from a 2.1% drop in May.
This month’s figures will surely be even worse, given the imposition of capital controls at the end of June.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/liv ... 14f96c685d" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh god! Does this mean our Tory Chancellor is wrong about the joyful benefits of consumer prices falling?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:44 am

A bit much when we have to rely on him to pull the torys up :

Guido Fawkes ‏@GuidoFawkes · 8m8 minutes ago
Porkies for Breakfast on #R4Today http://guyfawk.es/1LTFny3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; pic.twitter.com/1fDPvutsbp

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:49 am

China bans major shareholders from selling their stakes for next six months
Regulator seeks to slow stock market plunge with threat to punish those who flout ban as other markets continue to suffer

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/j ... six-months" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One thing going for fascist dictatorships is they get things done.
There seems to be no god-awful dissonance problem either.
"We're a dictatorship & this is what we're all going to do today."
Something honest in that - an honesty I sometimes envy.

China stocks bounce back after days of panic selling among investors
Market crisis eases, though it remains unclear whether apparent recovery is a temporary reprieve or beginning of stabilisation

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... c-selling-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:52 am

As thoroughly expected support for mortgage interest converted to a loan.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:54 am

AngryAsWell wrote:A bit much when we have to rely on him to pull the torys up :

Guido Fawkes ‏@GuidoFawkes · 8m8 minutes ago
Porkies for Breakfast on #R4Today http://guyfawk.es/1LTFny3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; pic.twitter.com/1fDPvutsbp

Osborne's lying record laid bare, clearly, accurately, one Tory failure after another.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:59 am

frightful_oik wrote:Labour's Chuka Ummuna is going to get a kicking on QT tonight. Apart from Dimbleby, there's gobshite Anna Soubry, a Ukipper, aScotnat and Boris Johnson's equally odious sister.
I think I'll give it a miss.

There reaches a point when Labour just needs to say,
'the hell with this sh**, here's the truth, you lying Tory party of doom'

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 11:04 am

http://touchstoneblog.org.uk/2015/07/no ... 8Y.twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not a workers budget

Richard Exell

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 11:25 am

"We have asked the Treasury to identify any changes to future contingent liabilities as a result
of policy announcements since March. The Government has signed an agreement to join
the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with a total capital contribution of £2 billion,
80 per cent of which is callable capital and therefore represents a contingent liability."

- fragment from the comprehensive OBR response to Chancellor Jeff's Emergency July 2015 Budget
8 July 2015

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.indepen ... 234224.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(my bold)

"Last week saw the official signing ceremony in Beijing of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a China-led international financial institution that will eventually rival the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. The bank is a key part of President Xi Jinping’s efforts to boost China’s influence, called “peripheral diplomacy”, and redress an imbalance – China’s poor levels of representation on international bodies such as the World Bank and ADB.

The multilateral institution has attracted many prominent US allies including Britain, Germany, Australia and South Korea, as well as most Asian nations and countries from the Middle East and South America. The most prominent countries not to join are Japan and the United States."
- IrishTimes
6 July 2015

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/pers ... -1.2275282" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(my bold)

If the young person under twenty-five was referring to these billions sent off by Osborne, he's absolutely correct - this is something to be concerned about. The older I get the more I discover I don't know. Thank you for your patience with me.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 11:29 am

More from the OBR on July Budget:

"One classification uncertainty that may be relevant to future forecasts relates to housing associations. At present, these are classified in the private sector, so their income, spending, borrowing and debt do not feature in our forecast.

But Government policies – including the social sector rent measure in this Budget and the Right-to-Buy proposals that are not yet firm enough to be included in this forecast – could prompt the ONS to reconsider this classification.

If housing associations were to be classified as part of the public sector, their approximately £60 billion of debt would be added to public sector net debt while the social sector rent reduction policy announced in this Budget would increase rather than reduce public sector net borrowing because the full amount of the rent reduction would then reduce public sector income, and outweigh the housing benefit and other expenditure savings."

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.indepen ... 234224.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The OBR document is worth downloading & reading.
It's horrifying.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 11:57 am

citizenJA wrote:More from the OBR on July Budget:

"One classification uncertainty that may be relevant to future forecasts relates to housing associations. At present, these are classified in the private sector, so their income, spending, borrowing and debt do not feature in our forecast.

But Government policies – including the social sector rent measure in this Budget and the Right-to-Buy proposals that are not yet firm enough to be included in this forecast – could prompt the ONS to reconsider this classification.

If housing associations were to be classified as part of the public sector, their approximately £60 billion of debt would be added to public sector net debt while the social sector rent reduction policy announced in this Budget would increase rather than reduce public sector net borrowing because the full amount of the rent reduction would then reduce public sector income, and outweigh the housing benefit and other expenditure savings."

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.indepen ... 234224.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The OBR document is worth downloading & reading.
It's horrifying.

Thats... incredible. No news outlet has picked it up!
Can you post this to AS Blog? or do you mind if I do ?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 11:59 am

AngryAsWell wrote:
citizenJA wrote:More from the OBR on July Budget:

"One classification uncertainty that may be relevant to future forecasts relates to housing associations. At present, these are classified in the private sector, so their income, spending, borrowing and debt do not feature in our forecast.

But Government policies – including the social sector rent measure in this Budget and the Right-to-Buy proposals that are not yet firm enough to be included in this forecast – could prompt the ONS to reconsider this classification.

If housing associations were to be classified as part of the public sector, their approximately £60 billion of debt would be added to public sector net debt while the social sector rent reduction policy announced in this Budget would increase rather than reduce public sector net borrowing because the full amount of the rent reduction would then reduce public sector income, and outweigh the housing benefit and other expenditure savings."

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.indepen ... 234224.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The OBR document is worth downloading & reading.
It's horrifying.
Thats... incredible. No news outlet has picked it up!
Can you post this to AS Blog? or do you mind if I do ?

Please do.
You never need ask me to re-post something I've written here.
I post it, I'm responsible for it, my friend.
Thank you for spreading the word.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:02 pm

Mr Ohso has just rung from the hospital...They have given him a machine to wear at night for sleep apanea.

The good news is the car passed its MOT. We had it serviced at the same time, so it cost a bit, but it didn't make me suck my breath in.
Now to get the road tax out of the way before I forget....

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:12 pm

The Institute for Fiscal Studies is about to start its briefing on yesterday’s budget. But, in the mean time, the BBC’s World at One has interviewed the IFS’s director Paul Johnson and the verdict doesn’t look great. (Politics Blog, Guardian, at 13.05)

This will be interesting (even if not at all surprising).

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:24 pm

How's that "socialist" thing going SNP?

Man with Aspergers 'punished for being disabled' after council charges £1,000 for support service

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ma ... ed-6032017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:24 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Mr Ohso has just rung from the hospital...They have given him a machine to wear at night for sleep apanea.

The good news is the car passed its MOT. We had it serviced at the same time, so it cost a bit, but it didn't make me suck my breath in.
Now to get the road tax out of the way before I forget....

Will you please allow me to apprentice with you?
You're an intrepid, knowledgeable, down-to-earth, successful, human being.
We'll send the apprentice wage bill 'round to No 11 with thanks & progress reports.
We can run these Tories into the ground with persistent attention documenting their antics.

From a poet Ed Miliband has quoted more than one time:

"This is what you shall do: love the earth and sun, and animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labour to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning god, have patience and indulgence towards the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, or to any man or number of men; go freely with the powerful uneducated persons, and with the young, and mothers, of families: read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life: re-examine all you have been told at school or church, or in any books, and dismiss whatever insults your soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.”"

- Walt Whitman
1819-1892
United States of America

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:28 pm

PorFavor wrote:
The Institute for Fiscal Studies is about to start its briefing on yesterday’s budget. But, in the mean time, the BBC’s World at One has interviewed the IFS’s director Paul Johnson and the verdict doesn’t look great. (Politics Blog, Guardian, at 13.05)
This will be interesting (even if not at all surprising).

The Tory <forehead smacks table> Budget Summer 2015

Post by **refitman** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:37 pm

IFS briefing can be watched here: http://www.fsmevents.com/ifs-09-july-2015/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:41 pm

Dear homeowner,if you get sick/disabled,you have no part in our new Osbornite World,want to be supported pay it all back with interest,work a nano second and you will get naff all.Be good citizens and relinquish your pretensions ,get ye to social housing,be aware though that room that wasn't spare now is.It'll cost us a bloody fortune you moving but it has nothing to do with savings as you well know.

To be clear this rantish twaddle is NOT to be taken against social housing but just to outline the stupidity.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:48 pm

Just been invited to see Liz Kendall in Sheffield tonight,unfortunately I am washing my hair (singular)

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 1:53 pm

O'Brien on the tube strike
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/07 ... mg00000067" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You've got a job, you've got terms and conditions - your boss turns around and says 'oh no you don't, you'll do what your told or you can jog on'," O'Brien began.

"If that was you, I'd be furious, and I'd be furious on your behalf - and lots of people would be furious on your behalf, and they'd all be completely ignored by the mainstream media and called 'communists' by the usual suspects.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:05 pm

refitman wrote:IFS briefing can be watched here: http://www.fsmevents.com/ifs-09-july-2015/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edited to put their words, not mine, into the quote.

One simple question makes it easy to know if you need a TV Licence:
Am I watching or recording live TV on any device?
Live TV means any programme you watch or record at the same time as it's being shown on TV or an online TV service.
An online TV service is a service that mainly aims to provide TV programmes over the internet, e.g. on a website or through an app or Smart TV.

If you only ever watch on demand programmes, you don’t need a TV Licence. On demand includes catch-up TV, streaming or downloading programmes after they’ve been shown on live TV, or programmes available online before being shown on live TV.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-y ... nline-top8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:06 pm

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/3 ... -claimants" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Following yesterday’s budget, the Welfare Reform and Work Bill has now been published. It contains a strong indication that claimants waiting to be transferred from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance (ESA) will still have the chance to be paid the work-related activity component (WRAC), even it has been abolished for new claims.

Few details
The Welfare Reform and Work Bill it is primarily enabling legislation which contains very little in the way of detail about the changes that are to be made to the benefits system.

However, in relation to abolishing the WRAC the bill makes provision for “transitional or transitory
provision or savings as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient”.

The bill goes on to say that regulations:

“may in particular make provision about including a work-related activity component in an award of employment and support allowance that is converted under paragraph 7 of Schedule 4 to the

Welfare Reform Act 2007 from an award of incapacity benefit, severe 20 disablement allowance or income support after the coming into force of subsections (1) to (3).”

In other words, the DWP are intending to allow claimants who are currently on incapacity benefit to receive the WRAC, even if they are put in the work-related activity group after the additional component has been abolished for new claims.

Unanswered questions
This is clearly good news for the many thousands of claimants still on incapacity benefit and is intended to ensure that there is as little protest as possible about the changes. Most of those affected do not even know yet that they are going to make a claim for ESA in the future.

However, there are still many questions left unanswered.

Most importantly, the Bill gives no indication of when changes to ESA will take place – it is entirely up to Iain Duncan Smith to decide.

In addition, there is no indication of whether the changes will apply to people who have made a claim for ESA but are still awaiting a decision on the date when the new regulations come into force.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:08 pm

HindleA wrote:Just been invited to see Liz Kendall in Sheffield tonight,unfortunately I am washing my hair (singular)

I've been unimpressed with her campaign.
I'd go if I could.
Making eye contact with someone is a powerful thing.
I like being able to do it when appropriate or possible.
I've got to wash my hair too though so it's out.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:11 pm

Apparently if a woman gets raped and has a third child she will still get benefits for the child.Sickeningly surreal.No.stigmatisation involved at all,and what proof will DWP accept?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:11 pm

refitman wrote:IFS briefing can be watched here: http://www.fsmevents.com/ifs-09-july-2015/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A bit off topic here - is the Parliament TV live require a viewer to have a license?
That's just wrong, in my opinion.
Why we gotta pay to watch our representatives do their thing in the House of Commons?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:13 pm

46m ago12:56

Iain Duncan Smith is making his closing comments in the debate in parliament.

I believe the next five years will see a renaissance in Britain as we change to an economic powerhouse, both in the North and in the South, with more people back to work earning a decent wage, in fact a living wage...
(Politics Blog, Guardian)

Edited to add -

Emphasis in the above quote is mine.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:13 pm

HindleA wrote:Apparently if a woman gets raped and has a third child she will still get benefits for the child.Sickeningly surreal.No.stigmatisation involved at all,and what proof will DWP accept?

That much Tory thought went into this particular????
Terrifying.
Apologies for three extra questions marks.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:17 pm

HindleA wrote:http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/3 ... -claimants

Following yesterday’s budget, the Welfare Reform and Work Bill has now been published. It contains a strong indication that claimants waiting to be transferred from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance (ESA) will still have the chance to be paid the work-related activity component (WRAC), even it has been abolished for new claims.

Few details
The Welfare Reform and Work Bill it is primarily enabling legislation which contains very little in the way of detail about the changes that are to be made to the benefits system.

However, in relation to abolishing the WRAC the bill makes provision for “transitional or transitory
provision or savings as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient”.

The bill goes on to say that regulations:

“may in particular make provision about including a work-related activity component in an award of employment and support allowance that is converted under paragraph 7 of Schedule 4 to the

Welfare Reform Act 2007 from an award of incapacity benefit, severe 20 disablement allowance or income support after the coming into force of subsections (1) to (3).”

In other words, the DWP are intending to allow claimants who are currently on incapacity benefit to receive the WRAC, even if they are put in the work-related activity group after the additional component has been abolished for new claims.

Unanswered questions
This is clearly good news for the many thousands of claimants still on incapacity benefit and is intended to ensure that there is as little protest as possible about the changes. Most of those affected do not even know yet that they are going to make a claim for ESA in the future.

However, there are still many questions left unanswered.

Most importantly, the Bill gives no indication of when changes to ESA will take place – it is entirely up to Iain Duncan Smith to decide.

In addition, there is no indication of whether the changes will apply to people who have made a claim for ESA but are still awaiting a decision on the date when the new regulations come into force.

See here, this is what scares me.
We've got evidence this legislation is incredibly detailed in an instance & question marks over vague bits too.
They're playing with peoples' lives.
It's not okay.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:21 pm

gilsey wrote:O'Brien on the tube strike
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/07 ... mg00000067" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
You've got a job, you've got terms and conditions - your boss turns around and says 'oh no you don't, you'll do what your told or you can jog on'," O'Brien began.

"If that was you, I'd be furious, and I'd be furious on your behalf - and lots of people would be furious on your behalf, and they'd all be completely ignored by the mainstream media and called 'communists' by the usual suspects.

The best information anyone can make whenever it's possible as often as possible - O'Brien's words above.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:54 pm

I believe IDS is an ill-informed narcissistic misuser of disabled toilets leaner on Anne Begg's wheelchair misanthrope hiding under a cloak of fake religiosity.I have evidence.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 2:59 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:How's that "socialist" thing going SNP?

Man with Aspergers 'punished for being disabled' after council charges £1,000 for support service

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ma ... ed-6032017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Something I know a bit about <ahem>

Makes me all the more glad I'm not in Sturgeon's socialist "progressive" nirvana then

Post by **refitman** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 3:30 pm

From the Graun:

On to constitutional reform news, plans for English votes for English laws is to be revised after a Commons revolt.

Tory whips have warned Downing Street it faced defeat because rebel Conservatives had joined forces with the Democratic Unionist party (DUP).

Alistair Carmichael, the former Lib Dem Scotland secretary, said that the government’s plans had descended into farce after a humiliating climbdown.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 4:29 pm

HindleA wrote:Just been invited to see Liz Kendall in Sheffield tonight,unfortunately I am washing my hair (singular)

If you weren't HindleA - or if I was you maybe - I would go because I'd want to hear her for myself and judge on that. I'm now so sceptical of what actually gets reported by the media I'd rather have a direct full sensory experience to base my views on. But I do appreciate that washing hair might be a priority for many.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 4:51 pm

Rob Merrick ‏@Rob_Merrick 14m14 minutes ago
It's "astonishing" that people on benefits are "allowed to have + encouraged to have more than two children" - Tory MP Pauline Latham (PA)

Mouth - dropping - open.