Thursday 16th July 2015

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 8:00 pm

Chris Bryant gave a really good speech about the BBC today. First time I've heard him talk and thought YES - that's really good. I later heard someone on Radio 4 saying the BBC does not belong to the government - it belongs to the public and they / we should have a say. I think it was actually a Conservative - possibly Chris Patten? Somehow I reckon Dave might not find it so easy to stifle debate on and opposition to their plans to shut the BBC up. Anyway ... as one of my clients said today after hearing Jeremy Hunt go unchallenged and allowed to spout nonsense non facts ... 'how anyone could think the BBC was a bastion of left wingers is beyond comprehension'.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 8:09 pm

utopiandreams wrote:I've just seen Jeremy tell Cathy Newman that and I quote, "We're actually putting £10bn extra into the NHS". Has there been an announcement of an additional £2bn then or is this another figure plucked from I don't know where?

There isn't even the £8bn yet.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 8:31 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Thanks for the good wishes everyone.

We were at the hospital today for the sleep aponaea [S?] clinic.
The Cancer nurses were a bit annoyed because last week the sleep clinic insisted Bill use the machine. They had said sorting out his other other problems could wait until after his op. That was the most important thing, so a breakdown of communication there.

It's been very stressful because although the pump is supposedly soundless, it isn't. It's been waking me up and then I've not been able to go back off, and Mr Ohso has only been managing a couple of hours a night with it. He looks like Darth Vadar with it on.
It turns out they had the air pressure turned up too high which caused it to be extra noisy. Mr Ohso's lungs couldn't keep up with it. It sounded rather like a repetitive bagpipe solo played by an amateur, or someone picking out a simple tune on a stylaphone.

I couldn't get any silicon ear plugs and cotton wool doesn't work very well... Have some foam ones but they're useless.
I have the mother and father of sinus infections so could do without disturbed sleep.

He's first on the list so we have to get him to the ward by 7am tomorrow morning. Our neighbour has kindly volunteered as it'll be an early start for us.
They are saying if he copes okay and it all goes to plan, he could well come home later the same day. He has to take it very easy for two weeks and it's three weeks for the next lot of chemo in his bladder.

Fingers and everything else crossed....

I do hope all goes well for Mr Ohso (and you).
Be thinking of you both with all fingers and toes crossed

to both xxxx

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 8:35 pm

Fraser Nelson ‏@FraserNelson 8m8 minutes ago
Strong Conservatism needs a strong Labour Party - and only Cameron can save it. My column in tomorrow’s @Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... do-it.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Eh? Dare I try to read it?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 8:42 pm

Government makes 'outrageous' U-turn over fracking in precious wildlife sites
Green MP Caroline Lucas says decision to backtrack on vow to ban fracking in sites of special scientific interest shows ministers cannot be trusted on issue
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... life-sites" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I hate the bastards. They are hell bent on destroying things. I just hope this comes back and bites them on the bum from all the proper conservatives - i.e. those that want to conserve what is good and essential - that don't want this to happen.

I know hating and calling them bastards is probably not productive and infantile ... but hey, sometimes you just have to say it as you see it.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 8:52 pm

Martin Rowson retweeted
Will Black ‏@WillBlackWriter Jul 15
So Boris' sadistic #watercannon has been rejected. Never mind @MayorofLondon - perhaps you can use it for colonic irrigation

Probably the best suggestion yet.

SpinningHugo · Post by **SpinningHugo** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 8:54 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Fraser Nelson ‏@FraserNelson 8m8 minutes ago
Strong Conservatism needs a strong Labour Party - and only Cameron can save it. My column in tomorrow’s @Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... do-it.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
Eh? Dare I try to read it?

not really. He is just saying Labour doesn't seem like it is in a good place. Which I agree with. Possibly inevitable after two election defeats.

Corbyn in to 4/1

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri ... our-leader" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watson 1/2

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri ... uty-leader" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 8:58 pm

SpinningHugo wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Fraser Nelson ‏@FraserNelson 8m8 minutes ago
Strong Conservatism needs a strong Labour Party - and only Cameron can save it. My column in tomorrow’s @Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... do-it.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
Eh? Dare I try to read it?

not really. He is just saying Labour doesn't seem like it is in a good place. Which I agree with. Possibly inevitable after two election defeats.

Corbyn in to 4/1

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri ... our-leader" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watson 1/2

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri ... uty-leader" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But what's Cameron got to do to save Labour ... mess up in spectacular fashion?

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:08 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote: But what's Cameron got to do to save Labour ... mess up in spectacular fashion?

Often seems the more spectacular the mess, the more easily he gets away with it.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:11 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Rob Merrick ‏@Rob_Merrick 52m52 minutes ago
Harman amendment to Welfare Bill gives Labour backing to turning mortgage interest help for sick, disabled and unemployed into loans
What the hell is she on?

And pensioners.

Thoroughly expected I am afraid,they have been mooting this,themselves for some time.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:20 pm

It is already timelimited for JSA to two years,not for others.Original proposition consulted on duri g the last Gov.was timelimit for all,then loan option.

SpinningHugo · Post by **SpinningHugo** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:24 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
SpinningHugo wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: Eh? Dare I try to read it?

not really. He is just saying Labour doesn't seem like it is in a good place. Which I agree with. Possibly inevitable after two election defeats.

Corbyn in to 4/1

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri ... our-leader" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watson 1/2

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri ... uty-leader" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
But what's Cameron got to do to save Labour ... mess up in spectacular fashion?

Break the union link.

The point he doesn't make (but should) is how different the unions are from the 70s/early 80s. back then some at least of the big unions were on the right, and helped to hold off the entryist tactics of the Bennites. Now Unite and the GMB have nominated Corbyn. The unions are not the stabilising force of 30 years ago.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:28 pm

Rather missing out that it's been one member one vote for 20 years there.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:29 pm

"Collusive deception of perverse incentives of being sick/disabled/caring responsibilities through choice must be paid for plus interest"

Move and the cost is far more,but it is "only a few"

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:36 pm

Catastrophe Corbyn
Steven Fielding
A party that only shouts about inequality is guaranteed to fail

http://leftfootforward.org/2015/07/catastrophe-corbyn/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

An interesting read and comparisons to Labour history, but a bit too condensed on facts, like the effect the SDP had.
I'm not a JC fan, but I do hope the left wing press don't attack him hard as such attacks will only reinforce his standing amongst the left'er wing.
It will be interesting to see him on Andrew Neil's Sunday Politics, he got cross with Krishan Guru-Murphy - AN could really wobble him badly (which I hope does not happen).

I'm still wavering between YC & AB...
Off to a hustings next week and hoping seeing them all "live" will make my mind up one way or the other.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:40 pm

55DegreesNorth wrote:So, as predicted, Cramlington Learning Village, a secondary school in Northumberland has gone into special measures 4 years after becoming an academy and after four 'outstanding' Ofsteds. The report comes out tomorrow, but as the the Local Authority say,
Daljit Lally, executive director of wellbeing and community health at Northumberland County Council, said: “When the school was under local authority control is was judged to be outstanding therefore we are extremely surprised and disappointed by the Ofsted judgement of inadequate standards and the outcome of ‘special measures’ across the board.
It will be an interesting read tomorrow.

Here's the school's letter to parents in response

http://t.co/rQFZDpaJGQ

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:44 pm

Part of the conditions for a DFG was that you had to stay for five years.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:46 pm

Trying to preempt the report there.

Intelligent bit of PR, but we won't know till tomorrow whether the report has more damning stuff in it.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:48 pm

Equalise ever downwards,what level will we reach.

The irony of Tories doing what they always claim Labour do,with Labour cheering them on.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 9:52 pm

Oh dear...

The story so far on assessment of the national curriculum. Vitally important to schools esp. primaries who are judged on progress (2 levels between KS1 and KS2)

1. Levels? Gone.
2. Performance descriptors? Er...they're like levels. OK. Gone
3. Task force set up to look after Assessment without Levels. Supposed to report before end of term

And this afternoon...oh, won't be until September now.

Result - one (amongst many probably) very irate deputy head blogger.

https://michaelt1979.wordpress.com/2015 ... dare-they/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If this post appears irate, forgive me. I feel cheated personally. I have repeatedly told people over recent months to be reassured about their direction of travel. Over and again I have advised good leaders to take comfort from the forthcoming report, reassured that a good band of professionals would offer much-needed clarity and confidence at this time of massive upheaval. To all of them I apologise. It turns out that the repeated denigrations of the department which I have attempted to quell were well-founded. It really does appear that ministers care not a jot for the workload implications, the professional implications, or even the educational implications for hundreds of thousands of school pupils. The whole process feels like sticking two fingers up at the profession, and it stinks.

How dare they?

Us - we're still using Levels...until someone tells us not to anyway. Stick to what you know just in case Ofsted come a -calling...

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:03 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
55DegreesNorth wrote:So, as predicted, Cramlington Learning Village, a secondary school in Northumberland has gone into special measures 4 years after becoming an academy and after four 'outstanding' Ofsteds. The report comes out tomorrow, but as the the Local Authority say,
Daljit Lally, executive director of wellbeing and community health at Northumberland County Council, said: “When the school was under local authority control is was judged to be outstanding therefore we are extremely surprised and disappointed by the Ofsted judgement of inadequate standards and the outcome of ‘special measures’ across the board.
It will be an interesting read tomorrow.
Here's the school's letter to parents in response

http://t.co/rQFZDpaJGQ

I don't know what to make of this. I have good friends who's children go to this school, one couple are delighted with their child's progress, the other's have been complaining over 18 months that the school do not stretch the children in any way and simply teach to a minimum "C pass" rather than push for excellence. Their girl is bright and when finishing class work early, rather than being set extra work is told go and help one of the kids who are struggling.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:10 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
55DegreesNorth wrote:So, as predicted, Cramlington Learning Village, a secondary school in Northumberland has gone into special measures 4 years after becoming an academy and after four 'outstanding' Ofsteds. The report comes out tomorrow, but as the the Local Authority say, It will be an interesting read tomorrow.
Here's the school's letter to parents in response

http://t.co/rQFZDpaJGQ
I don't know what to make of this. I have good friends who's children go to this school, one couple are delighted with their child's progress, the other's have been complaining over 18 months that the school do not stretch the children in any way and simply teach to a minimum "C pass" rather than push for excellence. Their girl is bright and when finishing class work early, rather than being set extra work is told go and help one of the kids who are struggling.

Could well be that this is the first example of a 'coasting school'...

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:15 pm

I'm really glad the main stream media is picking this up. A tragic incident I posted from the local press a day or two ago.

Health and safety is no laughing matter when teenagers are being killed in the workplace.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/he ... er-6082623" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not mentioned in this account is the fact he was paid £3 per hour and the owners had removed the safety covers so the blade could be sharpened without stopping the machines.
It makes me so very angry.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:18 pm

Interesting background, AAW.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:21 pm

Have we had this?

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... life-sites" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Amber Rudd, the energy secretary, told MPs in January: “We have agreed an outright ban on fracking in national parks [and] sites of special scientific interest”.

But the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc), which laid draft regulations in parliament on Thursday covering which areas fracking would be excluded from, has confirmed that exploration for shale gas will no longer be prevented in SSSIs.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:23 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote: Could well be that this is the first example of a 'coasting school'...

Except that it's an academy already.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:27 pm

SpinningHugo wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
SpinningHugo wrote:
not really. He is just saying Labour doesn't seem like it is in a good place. Which I agree with. Possibly inevitable after two election defeats.

Corbyn in to 4/1

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri ... our-leader" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watson 1/2

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri ... uty-leader" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
But what's Cameron got to do to save Labour ... mess up in spectacular fashion?
Break the union link.

The point he doesn't make (but should) is how different the unions are from the 70s/early 80s. back then some at least of the big unions were on the right, and helped to hold off the entryist tactics of the Bennites. Now Unite and the GMB have nominated Corbyn. The unions are not the stabilising force of 30 years ago.

The answer to that is for the moderates to organise effectively in unions again (as the likes of Luke Akehurst rightly advocate) It can be done.

It didn't help that Blair basically totally gave up on them within a few years of becoming Labour leader.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:37 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote: Could well be that this is the first example of a 'coasting school'...
Except that it's an academy already.

Well apparently they can coast too.

Quite happens when they do is anybody's guess.

SpinningHugo · Post by **SpinningHugo** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:39 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
SpinningHugo wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote: But what's Cameron got to do to save Labour ... mess up in spectacular fashion?
Break the union link.

The point he doesn't make (but should) is how different the unions are from the 70s/early 80s. back then some at least of the big unions were on the right, and helped to hold off the entryist tactics of the Bennites. Now Unite and the GMB have nominated Corbyn. The unions are not the stabilising force of 30 years ago.
The answer to that is for the moderates to organise effectively in unions again (as the likes of Luke Akehurst rightly advocate) It can be done.

It didn't help that Blair basically totally gave up on them within a few years of becoming Labour leader.

I doubt it can be done. Union membership has changed. The 70s are over and not coming back.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:43 pm

Union membership is increasing, albeit slowly. That is one of the reasons why the Tories are determined to put yet more curbs on them.

And formally breaking the party-union link would be a dreadful idea. It has been modernised massively compared with 25 years ago, quite rightly.

But without them, the Labour party would become still more rootless and prone to the erratic whims of the increasingly disconnected political "bubble".

SpinningHugo · Post by **SpinningHugo** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:51 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Union membership is increasing, albeit slowly. That is one of the reasons why the Tories are determined to put yet more curbs on them.

And formally breaking the party-union link would be a dreadful idea. It has been modernised massively compared with 25 years ago, quite rightly.

But without them, the Labour party would become still more rootless and prone to the erratic whims of the increasingly disconnected political "bubble".

Is there? What is the evidence for that? the decline in public sector work has led to lower numbers hasn't it, and that looks like continuing?

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... s_2014.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Around half of the peak

(table at p 20).

(I don't think the Union link should be broken either).

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:52 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote: Could well be that this is the first example of a 'coasting school'...
Except that it's an academy already.
Well apparently they can coast too.

Quite happens when they do is anybody's guess.

Northumberland isn't exactly academy chain territory.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 10:57 pm

I may well hibernate for the next 4 an a half years as I'm now in despair, how the hell do they think this will go down in Iran (who we are supposed to be getting closer to)

Government lifts remaining restrictions on arms sales to Israel after year-long review

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 94143.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 11:00 pm

When people like me are clinging on by sheer hope,disappating by the day,hard to think Labour is not done,to all intents and purposes.Unrepresentated at best,disdained in equal measure by collusive bi-party imaginary simplistic outlining of "type"and "motive" in direct contradiction to the reality,like many.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 11:05 pm

HindleA wrote:When people like me are clinging on by sheer hope,disappating by the day,hard to think Labour is not done,to all intents and purposes.Unrepresentated at best,disdained in equal measure by collusive bi-party imaginary simplistic outlining of "type"and "motive" in direct contradiction to the reality,like many.

There are many good people in the Labour Party, who will revive and refresh it - keep a hold on that thought

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 11:18 pm

Goodnight, everyone
love
cJA

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 11:29 pm

Cramlington's Ofsted dashboard has them not looking less than outstanding in 2014.

http://dashboard.ofsted.gov.uk/dash.php?urn=137457" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lots of 3rd and 4th quartile. Looks like they might have had the very positive Ofsted after the good 2012 results. They've not had sucjh good results in the next 2 years. Maybe Ofsted hit them because they didn't spot signs of decline before?

Doesn't look like an Inadequate school either, to be fair.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 16 Jul, 2015 11:50 pm

AAW

Probably in a low mood and not best time to waffle,we are OK it is those to come subject to new restrictions that make it harder if not impossible to account for changes in circumstances(rather than perversely incentivised)in the most humane and economic manner,on simplistic (non)reasoning.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 17 Jul, 2015 3:12 am

AngryAsWell wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
55DegreesNorth wrote:So, as predicted, Cramlington Learning Village, a secondary school in Northumberland has gone into special measures 4 years after becoming an academy and after four 'outstanding' Ofsteds. The report comes out tomorrow, but as the the Local Authority say, It will be an interesting read tomorrow.
Here's the school's letter to parents in response

http://t.co/rQFZDpaJGQ
I don't know what to make of this. I have good friends who's children go to this school, one couple are delighted with their child's progress, the other's have been complaining over 18 months that the school do not stretch the children in any way and simply teach to a minimum "C pass" rather than push for excellence. Their girl is bright and when finishing class work early, rather than being set extra work is told go and help one of the kids who are struggling.

Fulfilling their obligation to train the teachers of tomorrow? But starting a bit young... Sorry for my dark humour. My own experience at school was of (usually) completing the set work much earlier than others. Sometimes I'd be given more work or told to read ahead into the next chapter, other times I might be asked to help someone along – but I was always asked rather than told. I didn't mind – and people reciprocated, helping me where I needed it. Couldn't have survived maths lessons without Tigs! But if your friends want their daughter to be set extra work (or to read ahead) rather than helping someone, they should talk to the school, because it doesn't suit every chid nor every parent. And it's possible that the other set of parents might have underestimated their child's capabilities.

The full report will certainly make an interesting read. Their letter keeps referring back to results from previous years but things can change – and rapidly, at that.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Fri 17 Jul, 2015 4:36 am

AngryAsWell wrote:
HindleA wrote:When people like me are clinging on by sheer hope,disappating by the day,hard to think Labour is not done,to all intents and purposes.Unrepresentated at best,disdained in equal measure by collusive bi-party imaginary simplistic outlining of "type"and "motive" in direct contradiction to the reality,like many.
There are many good people in the Labour Party, who will revive and refresh it - keep a hold on that thought

That's exactly the spirit we need to hold onto, guys. I could wish that there was a GE we could win a bit more quickly than the next one's planned for but we'll get there.