Thursday 9th July 2015

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:04 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
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.

It seems to me that the more help families have received in the form of family allowance, child benefit, and now tax credits, the fewer children per family they've had. We're now on what, an average 1.7 children per family? If welfare was designed to encourage people to have lots of kids, it hasn't really worked, has it? Maybe all that taxpayer lolly has been blown on condoms!

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:11 pm

Lindsay Jane Watling ‏@LJWatling 1h1 hour ago
Former Aberdeen South MP @annebegg urges her successorthe SNP's @callum_mccaig to vote against any changes to the Hunting Act next week.

Paul Flynn ‏@PaulFlynnMP 50m50 minutes ago Newport, Wales
No pressure on SNP MPs to abstain from Tory Cruelty Multiplication stunt on Wednesday next as Tories EVEL English nationalist plan crumbles

My worry is that the Plaid MPs will vote with the pro hunting lobby (they get their votes mainly from the rural / farmer base) ... and the SNP may abstain. I will have to be doing a lot of invoking of the right spirits and forces over the next week. I do intend to do something practical as well - pick an SNP MP and write to them as someone in Wales who didn't vote this bunch of braying toff slaughterers in either.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:20 pm

Couple of very obvious loopholes for this minimum wage.

Apprenticeships and self-employment.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:22 pm

The OBR have the trade balance worsening every single year.

Government spending though is increasing its contribution to growth every year.

Rebalancing.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:24 pm

Willow904 wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
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.
It seems to me that the more help families have received in the form of family allowance, child benefit, and now tax credits, the fewer children per family they've had. We're now on what, an average 1.7 children per family? If welfare was designed to encourage people to have lots of kids, it hasn't really worked, has it? Maybe all that taxpayer lolly has been blown on condoms!

So families working in low paid work can't have more than 2 kids?

It's incredible that these are being made to seem like feckless horrors.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:44 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
Willow904 wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: Mouth - dropping - open.
It seems to me that the more help families have received in the form of family allowance, child benefit, and now tax credits, the fewer children per family they've had. We're now on what, an average 1.7 children per family? If welfare was designed to encourage people to have lots of kids, it hasn't really worked, has it? Maybe all that taxpayer lolly has been blown on condoms!
So families working in low paid work can't have more than 2 kids?

It's incredible that these are being made to seem like feckless horrors.

A future pension time bomb.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:51 pm

Far too many twunts like Latham about that infest Society,I blame the parents.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:53 pm

Nick Robinson ‏@bbcnickrobinson 29m29 minutes ago
So farewell Westminster. I'll miss you. I'm joining @BBCr4today - the programme which sets the nation's agenda - to fill Jim's immense shoes

My breakfasts are not going to be the same. I might need indigestion tablets from now on.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 5:57 pm

Nick Cohen ‏@NickCohen4 8m8 minutes ago
Word at the Observer is that Syriza about to settle for worse terms than they could have had last week.

ScarletGas · Post by **ScarletGas** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 6:05 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Nick Robinson ‏@bbcnickrobinson 29m29 minutes ago
So farewell Westminster. I'll miss you. I'm joining @BBCr4today - the programme which sets the nation's agenda - to fill Jim's immense shoes
My breakfasts are not going to be the same. I might need indigestion tablets from now on.

Today may set the nations agenda Nick, but I think we all know its the Daily Mail that sets Todays agenda.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 6:07 pm

Landale stoic defence of Osborne,there no attempt at impartiality.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 6:14 pm

Kevin Schofield ‏@schofieldkevin 8m8 minutes ago
Emergency airlift of 2-3,000 Brits in Tunisia now underway as fresh terror attack "highly likely", says FCO. Expected home within 48 hours.

Tonibel · Post by **Tonibel** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 6:24 pm

citizenJA wrote:
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.”"

Lovely quote JA. thanks. But I'm not standing up for IDS

- Walt Whitman
1819-1892
United States of America

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 6:41 pm

Delay to 'nakedly partisan' plans for English-only votes at Westminster welcomed by Shadow Welsh Secretary
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Angela Eagle sounds like she was really on form - giving Grayling a proper verbal booting.

Shadow Commons leader Angela Eagle, who is bidding to become her party’s deputy leader, said: “This week the Government’s reckless and shoddy plans for what they like to call Evel have descended into chaos.

“On Tuesday, you were dragged to this chamber kicking and screaming to account for your complex and controversial plans but it was clear from that debate you didn’t even have the support of your own side. We then had the sorry spectacle of the Government abstaining on its own process while you fled the chamber in embarrassment.

“You published 22 pages of draft changes to our standing orders which you were proposing to ram through the House with minimal votes and debates next Wednesday. Now I’m told you are frantically redrafting them in a desperate bid to regain the support of your own backbenches which is, I assume, why they have not been laid.

“This morning I hear you were summoned to the prime minister’s office to account for your role in creating this mess. We have heard the outcome of that meeting appears to be two days’ debate rather than one but we still haven’t seen these draft standing orders.”

Tonibel · Post by **Tonibel** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 6:42 pm

Sorry,meant to bold the bit about stupid and crazy

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 6:49 pm

M4 relief road plans thrown into disarray as plans for £1bn route are 'quietly dropped'
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... wn-9622481" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm pleased about this. Good result - for the wrong reasons. (Welsh govt cocked up the decision making process.)

There is widespread agreement that improvements to the M4 are necessary to relieve pressure around Newport, but the black route would take the motorway through a sensitive landscape and be very expensive.

An alternative “blue route” proposed by transport expert Prof Stuart Cole would use an existing road through the Llanwern steelworks site and cost significantly less.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 6:55 pm

The leader of Plaid Cymru has spoken out for the first time on the row between former presiding officer Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas and the party – saying the party had to pull in the same direction.

Lord Elis-Thomas is facing internal disciplinary procedures after he criticised Plaid Cymru’s general election campaign in the Welsh media.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... od-9624578" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I had no idea Plaid had a rule preventing members / reps from criticising the party.

Is it only Labour that seems to have maximum freedom for party flagellation by its 'grandees', 'renegades' and 'rebels'? We must clamp down on it like the others ... quick.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 7:06 pm

Evening all.

We're back home - looked like a very thin blood vessel so the other half had a bit of cauterizing done.

Public spending numbers look very dodgy - all of the cuts that he'd trumpeted in March for the next four years have been reversed...and more. 2019/20 looks about right now whereas in the budget it looked wrong.

................2014-15.....2015-16....2016-17....2017-18....2018-19.......2019-20
Autumn......671.7.........680.40......680.6.........684.1........695.3..........707.0
March....... 669.3.........674.3........670.9.........673.4........685.6...........720.1
July...........668.6.........675.2........685.7..........698.4.......711.4...........728.4

Once re-elected, did he get told by departmental heads that they were unachievable?

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 7:18 pm

Roger, did you see Perry Beeches III? Into special measures.

Weren't they the white knights sorting out the Islamist mess?

You'd think we could have just stuck a couple of secular governors in and solved the problems.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 7:19 pm

Conor D'Arcy of Resolution Foundation told Clive Myrie (on BBC News): "First of all we reject the suggestion that we are a 'left-of-centre' think-tank, we are independent... Whilst we're pleased that the Government have gone further than we recommended on the Minimum Wage, reductions to Tax Credits and other benefits more than outweigh the gains made."

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 7:31 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Roger, did you see Perry Beeches III? Into special measures.

Weren't they the white knights sorting out the Islamist mess?

You'd think we could have just stuck a couple of secular governors in and solved the problems.

Report hasn't gone up on Ofsted yet - I check every morning.

I notice Nolan is claiming that Ofsted are wrong. These days? I'd say that they check them far more thoroughly before publishing.

It'd be interesting to whether this was HMIs or outsourced that inspected.

Edit - Ah, just seen on twitter that it's out tomorrow.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 7:43 pm

Dear me, you do wonder whether the DfE have a bloody map of England to look at when allocating academies to sponsors.

Collaborative Academies Trust was set up in 2012 by EdisonLearning.

There are currently nine academies in the trust. The first three, all in Northamptonshire, joined in November 2012 having previously worked with the sponsor as part of a local improvement partnership. A further three academies joined in April 2013, followed by another in January 2014. These four are all in Somerset.

The remaining two academies joined at the beginning of this academic year. One is a new school in Somerset, the other is in Essex.

Who on earth thought this was a good idea?

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 7:57 pm

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 78998.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

government-retreats-over-english-votes-for-english-laws-plan-amid-fear-of-likely-defeat

Who'd have thought it eh?

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:03 pm

Ha ha ha.

The new national living wage (NLW) is likely to make the UK more attractive to EU migrants, according to a respected thinktank.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... u-migrants" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Government sound worried about this, of all the things they could worry about.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:38 pm

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/87b00b52-264e ... z3fQOyOdOc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Higher wage won't compensate for loss of tax credits says IFS

In the FT

Going well isn't it?

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:43 pm

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/87b00b52-264e ... z3fQOyOdOc

Higher wage won't compensate for loss of tax credits says IFS

In the FT

Going well isn't it?

Sadly, it's going very well, I should think.

There's a "common sense" position that tax credits are bad, were invented by incompetent fool, Brown.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:54 pm

I often wonder whether Osborne though he could neuter the IFS by taking Chote away.

Sadly for him, Chote seems to have been replaced by someone at least as good and now probably more respected.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 8:56 pm

citizenJA wrote:
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?

Have started from the top of page one so I don't know if anyone has answered this. If you're watching a programme on Parliament TV at the time it is being broadcast live (ie, whilst the debate or committee is in progress) then, yes, you need a TV licence. If you wait until the session has finished and then watch the programme/session, you wo'n't need a licence as that counts as 'catch-up'. I'm not sure how things stand if whilst the session/debate/committee is in progress, but you come in late, you then hit the 'watch from the beginning' button which the BBC iPlayer Live offers and which Parliament TV Live certainly did before its latest update and redesign.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:09 pm

Unfortunately there seems to be a counterintuitive response.The more incompetent and nasty ,the more popular they become.How you combat that,I have no idea.

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:11 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
citizenJA wrote:
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?
Have started from the top of page one so I don't know if anyone has answered this. If you're watching a programme on Parliament TV at the time it is being broadcast live (ie, whilst the debate or committee is in progress) then, yes, you need a TV licence. If you wait until the session has finished and then watch the programme/session, you wo'n't need a licence as that counts as 'catch-up'. I'm not sure how things stand if whilst the session/debate/committee is in progress, but you come in late, you then hit the 'watch from the beginning' button which the BBC iPlayer Live offers and which Parliament TV Live certainly did before its latest update and redesign.

They've got that covered:

As a general rule, if you’re watching a programme on a computer or other device at the same time as it’s being shown on TV, then the programme is “live” so you need a TV licence. If you use the live rewind function to restart a live programme or rewind a live stream for up to 2 hours, you also need a TV licence. This is because you’re still accessing the live simulcasts. Most UK households will already be covered by an existing TV licence for their main TV set.

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/tv/tvlicence

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:11 pm

HindleA wrote:Unfortunately there seems to be a counterintuitive response.The more incompetent and nasty ,the more popular they become.How you combat that,I have no idea.

Yes good point A

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:20 pm

Tube strike: The Underground driver's letter that may change your mind on today's walkout
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 78637.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:31 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:Tube strike: The Underground driver's letter that may change your mind on today's walkout
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 78637.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When I read it earlier - BTL seemed not just to have unchanged minds but be positively nasty with it.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:34 pm

Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam 2h2 hours ago
IDS tells @adamboultonSKY ... "IFS forecasts fail to recognise dynamic change"

Sheesh.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:36 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Evening all.

We're back home - looked like a very thin blood vessel so the other half had a bit of cauterizing done.

Public spending numbers look very dodgy - all of the cuts that he'd trumpeted in March for the next four years have been reversed...and more. 2019/20 looks about right now whereas in the budget it looked wrong.

................2014-15.....2015-16....2016-17....2017-18....2018-19.......2019-20
Autumn......671.7.........680.40......680.6.........684.1........695.3..........707.0
March....... 669.3.........674.3........670.9.........673.4........685.6...........720.1
July...........668.6.........675.2........685.7..........698.4.......711.4...........728.4

Once re-elected, did he get told by departmental heads that they were unachievable?

Glad your wife is okay...

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:39 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:Evening all.

We're back home - looked like a very thin blood vessel so the other half had a bit of cauterizing done.

Public spending numbers look very dodgy - all of the cuts that he'd trumpeted in March for the next four years have been reversed...and more. 2019/20 looks about right now whereas in the budget it looked wrong.

................2014-15.....2015-16....2016-17....2017-18....2018-19.......2019-20
Autumn......671.7.........680.40......680.6.........684.1........695.3..........707.0
March....... 669.3.........674.3........670.9.........673.4........685.6...........720.1
July...........668.6.........675.2........685.7..........698.4.......711.4...........728.4

Once re-elected, did he get told by departmental heads that they were unachievable?
Glad your wife is okay...

Same here!

And, Ohso, I do hope the sleep apnoea device proves helpful for Mr. Ohso. xxx

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:46 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam 2h2 hours ago
IDS tells @adamboultonSKY ... "IFS forecasts fail to recognise dynamic change"
Sheesh.

Call me pedantic, but isn't all change dynamic? Static change would be... no change.
If the IFS don't take into account 'dynamic change' either they will get their forecasts right every time (because nothing's changed), or, alternatively, IDS is talking from the wrong orifice.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:55 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:Evening all.

We're back home - looked like a very thin blood vessel so the other half had a bit of cauterizing done.

Public spending numbers look very dodgy - all of the cuts that he'd trumpeted in March for the next four years have been reversed...and more. 2019/20 looks about right now whereas in the budget it looked wrong.

................2014-15.....2015-16....2016-17....2017-18....2018-19.......2019-20
Autumn......671.7.........680.40......680.6.........684.1........695.3..........707.0
March....... 669.3.........674.3........670.9.........673.4........685.6...........720.1
July...........668.6.........675.2........685.7..........698.4.......711.4...........728.4

Once re-elected, did he get told by departmental heads that they were unachievable?
Glad your wife is okay...
Same here!

And, Ohso, I do hope the sleep apnoea device proves helpful for Mr. Ohso. xxx

They're not taking any chances due to his op. They've given him a machine that also records what's happening. We have to return it next Thursday so the info is there for the anesthetist. They've also discovered he has a heart problem, but said they'll sort that out afterwards. He's getting a bit low with all the extra things that are wrong.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 9:57 pm

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... am-9623780" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nolan has now apologized to parents and vowed to turn Perry Beeches III around.

His defiance didn't last very long, did it?

sources close to the head claim he “took his eye off the ball” while he concentrated on “building his empire”.

Sounds plausible.

Is there any private business where, having run a unit competently, you just get told to open as many other units as quickly as possible, with no oversight?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:00 pm

Eric_WLothian wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam 2h2 hours ago
IDS tells @adamboultonSKY ... "IFS forecasts fail to recognise dynamic change"
Sheesh.
Call me pedantic, but isn't all change dynamic? Static change would be... no change.
If the IFS don't take into account 'dynamic change' either they will get their forecasts right every time (because nothing's changed), or, alternatively, IDS is talking from the wrong orifice.

He hasn't got a right orifice.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:06 pm

Since accepting the resignation of headteacher Darren Foreman, deputy head Vicky Haggart, assistant head Gurprite Lohia and chair of governors Peter Richardson, Mr Nolan has taken over the helm of the school - alongside Perry Beeches II headteacher Jackie Powell.

That sounds a bit drastic. Top 3 school managers and chair of governors?

But it's a family apparently

Had he noticed any signs of trouble?

“Not at all,” he insists. “Darren had been in the Perry Beeches family for eight years, he knew the Perry Beeches way inside out.”

And he claims a series of “independent” reports he commissioned ahead of Ofsted’s inspection had indicated the school was on track for an “outstanding” rating.

I'd ask for your money back on those reports if I were you.

Paying people to help you pass Ofsted. Is this really what education is about?

He actually is talking like he doesn't accept the Ofsted, now I look at it.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:07 pm

After George Osborne was asked rather bizarrely if IDS had taken Viagra before the Budget, Iain Dale put it to the man himself on LBC:

http://order-order.com/2015/07/09/ids-i ... oekeEqui0A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I agree - bizarre indeed...

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:08 pm

Emma Hill retweeted

rob kelsall ‏@rob_kelsall · 1m1 minute ago
Government Flagship sunk. When will they face-up to it? Their so-called academy & free school solution isn't working http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-33450881" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:10 pm

He might have been a good head, but he's got a bit of David Brent about him as a manager.

Extra Maths and literacy lessons have been added to the timetable, while all students’ work has been remarked.

“However, this is NOT about Ofsted, nor is it about the internal disagreements in the education world, nor is it about the Trust ‘burying its head’ and not taking its responsibility for sorting out this situation,” Mr Nolan added.

“This is about the very best education for children and young people in areas of our city that have not had high quality secondary provision for many, many, years.

“This is about children and their life chances. The changes we have made are sharp, focused and long-lasting.

“They are not because we see the school as ‘failing’.

I reckon it's pretty much about Ofsted myself.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:13 pm

Seems to be some sceptism as to the behaviorial change that will occur ,half a million people for instance ,now not perversely incentivised to be sick/disabled will no longer be so by the stroke of a pen.Cannot think why nobody thought of this before.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:17 pm

HindleA wrote:Far too many twunts like Latham about that infest Society,I blame the parents.

Today's House of Commons debates - Thursday 09 July 2015
Version: Uncorrected | Updated 19:26

Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) (Con):
I rise today to congratulate the Chancellor on his Budget. His amazing job yesterday is warmly welcomed by most of the country. I am disappointed to follow the right hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East (Mr Brown), who said that the Budget will make no difference—he probably said the same thing about previous Budgets brought in by the same Chancellor. Surely unemployment is down in his constituency; I cannot believe that it has gone up. What did his Government do, in all the years they were in power, to help people in the north-east? They did not do anything, which is why there have been problems. This Government, though, have made a difference.

I am also disappointed to follow the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Dr Whiteford). I found it astonishing that she should be advocating that people on benefits should be allowed to have—encouraged to have—more than two children. Completely responsible people who recognise that children are expensive to bring up and cannot afford to because they are not on benefits subsidise those who the hon. Lady would like to have three, four or five children. That is completely mad.

Dr Whiteford (SNP Banff & Buchan):
The hon. Lady completely misrepresents what I actually said and what the record will show I said. The point I was trying to make was that half of all families in Scotland receive tax credits, a huge majority of whom are in work. They are people who work extremely hard.

Pauline Latham:
I recognise that most people getting tax credits are in work, but I still do not believe that people who are in work, not receiving tax credits, acting responsibly and having the number of children they can afford should be subsidising those who want to have more children. That is completely topsy-turvy economics; perhaps it is how some Opposition Members from Scotland deal with economics there, but it is not what we want to do here in London. I am very disappointed by the hon. Lady’s attitude, and I feel that she completely misrepresents what the Government are doing.

I congratulate the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on doing a fantastic job in bringing the welfare budget under control. It was not under control for many, many years—it was completely out of control, which is one reason why this country got into such difficulty with the deficit.

Ian Blackford (Ross, Skye and Lochaber) (SNP):
One of the things that we hear about in the Budget is the importance given to increasing productivity, but if we are to increase productivity, we need incentives for investment in the economy. The Government are incentivising those who have financial assets by changing the inheritance tax rules to benefit the type of people who sit on the Government Front Bench. That is the reality of what they are doing. If we want to make sure that work pays, we need to drive investment in the economy, and we need incentives for business to do so. [Interruption.]

Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle [Labour - Chorley]):
Order. I certainly think that we have got the message. Can we have short interventions? I have a lot of speeches to get in, and someone cannot intervene on a Member who is intervening.

Pauline Latham:
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.

I will ignore what the hon. Gentleman said because, again, it is topsy-turvy economics.We are trying to increase investment in business to provide more jobs. We have created 2 million more jobs in the past five years, and that is carrying on. Apprenticeships are increasing, which will help people into work. In my constituency of Mid Derbyshire, which started off with 1,267 claimants in 2010, the figure went down to 340 this May. That is a huge reduction. I would still like those 340 people to be in work.

Some hon. Members have talked about youth unemployment. I started off in Mid Derbyshire with 350 such claimants; the figure is now down to 80. That is a huge increase in the number of young people who have jobs, thanks to our brilliant local industries. Young people are better off in work—everyone is better off in work than on benefits. We want to stop the culture of people relying on benefits.

As the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said, when the Labour party was in government, it put up benefits before an election, flatlined them and then put them up again before the next election. Labour Members should not be playing politics with benefit claimants, who need honest, clear benefits. Those who need benefits will get them under this Government, but we want to get more people into work because that is better for their self-esteem and health; it is also better for their children to have as a role model someone who is in work.

Mr Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East):
The hon. Lady rightly talks about the need for honesty in politics. Obviously, she believes profoundly in what the Chancellor has proposed in his Budget. Why, then, was that not set out for the electorate to take a view on before the election? Why was it hidden away until after people voted?

Pauline Latham:
As the hon. Gentleman knows, we did not know what the result of the election would be. We did not even know that we would be in government; we thought that we might be in a coalition. It might have been the Labour party in a coalition. We have now had a Budget that sets out extremely clearly for the electorate exactly what we will do over the next five years. We want to invest in business. We want to help businesses, so that they can employ more people. That has certainly happened in my constituency, as it will have done in his constituency and those of every hon. Member, because business has created so many jobs. The climate is right for business. Britain is open for business, and we need to get more people working hard.

Bob Stewart (Beckenham) (Con):
We have created 2 million more jobs in the past five years, and we intend to create 1 million more. That is a target. It is how we will increase the productivity of this country and the wealth of the individuals in it.

Pauline Latham:
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the ways in which we will do that, hardly mentioned by Opposition Members, is by changing inheritance tax. People have paid taxes on their money. They have bought their houses, and it is good to allow them to leave their houses to their children, so that they can benefit as well. The housing market is difficult for younger people. If parents can leave their houses to their children, that will benefit society.

Something that has not been mentioned at all is the 2% commitment on defence. I would have thought that everyone in the Chamber would welcome that; it was certainly welcomed by Government Members yesterday. I cannot believe that no one wants to mention it at all. Surely the Opposition believe that that is a very good thing for the country, to secure our safety and security here.

Labour Members should welcome the fact that the success of our long-term economic plan has created jobs and is encouraging growth, which has meant that spending on welfare as a percentage of GDP has been falling since 2012.

I should like to finish because time is short—I apologise, Mr Deputy Speaker. This is a good Budget for jobs, for employment and for this country. I commend the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on their sterling work and on how they have put this country on a much better footing.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... /368/#c368" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh my god.
I've not been able to find news reports of Latham's outrageous contributions today in the House of Commons.
The link will be updated tomorrow - the temporary one is above.
9 July 2015 - Pauline Latham Tory MP for Mid-Derbyshire
I can't believe no one reported this in the news.
Is it just my search engine? Can anyone else find a news outlet with Latham's work today?

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:28 pm

@CJA

It is what I term the "Kidney machines causes renal failure" school of non thought,ever present but becoming the basis of policy.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:29 pm

This is bonkers - but I can't help but laugh at the title of the 90 document

"Fixing the Foundations"

I really hope they do that before they build extra storeys on their (in many cases old) properties!

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... s-on-homes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:42 pm

Bob Stewart (Beckenham) (Con):
We have created 2 million more jobs in the past five years, and we intend to create 1 million more. That is a target. It is how we will increase the productivity of this country and the wealth of the individuals in it.

Does he actually know what productivity is?

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 09 Jul, 2015 10:44 pm

Pauline Latham:
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the ways in which we will do that, hardly mentioned by Opposition Members, is by changing inheritance tax. People have paid taxes on their money.

Jesus fuck.