Friday 24th July 2015

Post by **refitman** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 7:11 am

Morning all.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 8:23 am

I'm sure if I spent even the tiniest amount of time thinking about it I could come up with something political, but you know me, top of ther head stuff. Anyway I suppose I should complain to the BBC themselves but expect plenty of others shall. On their Breakfast Show they covered the scourge of supermarket plastic bags, then showed a prospective use for them, namely to fill cushions. Personally I think it extremely foolhardy. Think of the consequences of fire!

I hope they retract such advice.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 9:08 am

Morning.

Have been trying to follow these links:

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

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... ed-9717102" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But strange that the two links don't work.
The Wales Online article that is unavailable is headed 'Bereaved mother & teenage daughter evicted after failing to keep up with bedroom tax payments'.

If anyone finds any workable links please can you post them ?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 9:28 am

Morning all.

‘Sponsorship is not a cure all for improving coasting schools’

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/sponsorship-is ... g-schools/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The good news is that 11 of the 34 academy chains we analysed outperformed the average for those in mainstream schools – all state-funded secondary schools including academies – in 2014. Across the sponsored academies in each of these best chains, the proportion of disadvantaged students achieving five good GCSEs is at least 15 percentage points higher than the average for disadvantaged students in mainstream schools.

However, the impact of other academies is patchy at best. The difference between the best and worst performing chains seems to be increasing too with some of those chains identified as having low results and no improvement in our 2014 report falling back further in the intervening period.

One way to explain the pattern is to say, rather than a typical pattern of reversion to the mean, academy chains seem to be showing increasing polarisation between the most effective academy chains (which continue to improve for disadvantaged students) and the least effective chains (which have got worse).

Government response (seen elsewhere) seems to be "We don't accept that"

The EduSelCom last year pointed out that the DfE didn't seem to know what made for a successful chain and what the successful ones were doing that others weren't.

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 9:38 am

Moreveternoon....

I really don't know what to say about this...I just find it very unsettling that the DWP need to employ someone (who, by the way he writes, has no experience of what he speaks other than what he's 'learnt' at yoo-nee) to 'make the team aware of who their users are'...

https://dwpdigital.blog.gov.uk/2015/07/ ... heir-life/

...and, even though I'm a grumpy old f*** (or 'grumpfuttock', if you will), this brought a small tear to my eye....don't be put off by the link title - the 'old man' wrote a poem...

http://kraabel.tumblr.com/post/27651955 ... -ward-of-a

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 9:48 am

yahyah wrote:Morning.

Have been trying to follow these links:

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

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... ed-9717102" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But strange that the two links don't work.
The Wales Online article that is unavailable is headed 'Bereaved mother & teenage daughter evicted after failing to keep up with bedroom tax payments'.

If anyone finds any workable links please can you post them ?

Nope - nothing doing as far as I can tell - found some of the text on another site, though - so the article did exist once

...payments. bedroom tax Angry scenes erupted outside their house in Cardiff as the baliffs moved on the property, with police handcuffing one protester. Amanda Williams only became liable for the so-called bedroom tax after her mum died at Christmas. She lost her cleaning job at the Welsh Government....

http://www.lastminutechristmas.com/last ... -home.html

...and then we get 'go to article'...which isn't there....

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 10:17 am

Good morfternoon.

This is the best I could do on the bedroom tax eviction story. I'll keep looking - but, so far, I keep coming across the same problems (ie deleted etc).

ITV Report 23 July 2015 at 12:18pm

Campaigner arrested in 'bedroom tax' eviction protest

http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2015-07-2 ... n-protest/

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 10:21 am

Good morfternoon!

mikems · Post by **mikems** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 10:38 am

The bedroom tax eviction story :

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-da ... r-daughter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 10:44 am

mikems wrote:The bedroom tax eviction story :

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-da ... r-daughter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I went there - but couldn't find it! Thanks for the link.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 10:53 am

Be prepared for more farm accidents and food scandals....

"Britain's farmers face less red tape to boost food exports - David Cameron
Red tape will be cut to help Britain's farmers export more produce, David Cameron has announced.
During a visit to the Royal Welsh Show in Powys, the Prime Minister said 20,000 fewer farm inspections will be carried out under a new system."

https://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/britai ... 3994031402" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

mikems · Post by **mikems** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 11:43 am

BSE has been all forgotten by now, then? And foot and mouth?

mikems · Post by **mikems** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 11:44 am

Perhaps he wants to provoke another Beef War with Europe, and repeat the triumphs of the Major government?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 12:33 pm

yahyah wrote:Morning.

Have been trying to follow these links:

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

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... ed-9717102" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But strange that the two links don't work.
The Wales Online article that is unavailable is headed 'Bereaved mother & teenage daughter evicted after failing to keep up with bedroom tax payments'.

If anyone finds any workable links please can you post them ?

Bed Tax Claims Woman And Her Daughter
JUL 2015 Friday 24TH posted by Joana Ramiro in Britain

Locals trying to resist eviction arrested
A VULNERABLE woman and her 17-year-old daughter were violently evicted from their council home in Cardiff yesterday after bedroom tax charges on her late mother’s room led to them falling £3,000 in arrears. One of a number of local residents taking part in an emergency eviction blockade was arrested at the scene after preventing bailiffs from accessing Mandy Williams’s home.
Plaid Cymru Cllr Neil McEvoy offered to cover Ms Williams’s costs but had his money rejected by a court and Labour-led Cardiff council. Speaking to the Star, Mr McEvoy said he put through the courts an emergency application to stop the eviction which was “opposed by the council.”

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-da ... r-daughter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 12:40 pm

mikems wrote:Perhaps he wants to provoke another Beef War with Europe, and repeat the triumphs of the Major government?

Ah yes, the Beef War.

Few things sum up the almost surreal absurdity of the dying mid 1990s Tory regime than that

Post by **refitman** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 12:46 pm

I see Kendall has got her knickers in a twist over a Times headline and decided it's Lord Falconer's fault:

Liz Kendall accuses Lord Falconer of dismissing women in leadership race
Falconer’s comments to the Times that she and Yvette Cooper are not tough enough have sexist undertones, says Kendall

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

The actual quote from Falconer is:

“Neither Yvette nor Liz can steer the Labour party through the challenging few years ahead when we need a leader who can reach out to all wings of our party and provide unity. As a result, both Liz and Yvette are unlikely to beat Jeremy [Corbyn, the fourth leadership candidate].”

Which doesn't seem all that unreasonable to me.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 1:12 pm

Good-afternoon, everyone.
I duplicated mikems' workable link without knowing he'd done so already.

@lonewolfie
The poem is wonderful, thank you.
I especially liked the chronicle, ages of his life - nothing maudlin in it - spare & moving - that's not easy to do, that writing.

lonewolfie posted:

Moreveternoon....

I really don't know what to say about this...I just find it very unsettling that the DWP need to employ someone (who, by the way he writes, has no experience of what he speaks other than what he's 'learnt' at yoo-nee) to 'make the team aware of who their users are'...

https://dwpdigital.blog.gov.uk/2015/07/ ... heir-life/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've followed a few links on the webpage & I'm still trying to get my head around it all. I detest fundamentally insincere or incompatible efforts to manage IDS & Co's department - I don't know the person in that link & mean no disrespect toward him. I've not read through it but once. "I really don't know what to say about this...", you wrote. Neither do I.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 1:25 pm

Kendall playing the "poor woman" card - pretty desperate stuff tbh.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 1:36 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Kendall playing the "poor woman" card - pretty desperate stuff tbh.

How has she said that based upon what is in the actual article? smh

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 1:41 pm

Falconer is basically right in what he says in that quote, too - Burnham needs to explicitly put himself forward as the "unity" candidate now.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 1:51 pm

refitman wrote:I see Kendall has got her knickers in a twist over a Times headline and decided it's Lord Falconer's fault:
Liz Kendall accuses Lord Falconer of dismissing women in leadership race
Falconer’s comments to the Times that she and Yvette Cooper are not tough enough have sexist undertones, says Kendall

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... rship-race" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The actual quote from Falconer is:
“Neither Yvette nor Liz can steer the Labour party through the challenging few years ahead when we need a leader who can reach out to all wings of our party and provide unity. As a result, both Liz and Yvette are unlikely to beat Jeremy [Corbyn, the fourth leadership candidate].”
Which doesn't seem all that unreasonable to me.

Agreed, Kendall's quoted comments are dismaying. Is this the best use of your time, Kendall? I ask that of all Labour representatives. Choose carefully when conflict requires addressing, please.

More generally, I know there's a lot I still don't know about how a contemporary, political party in the UK functions. I mention Toby Perkins, Labour MP for Chesterfield, here only to make a point I'll try to explain. Writing on his constituency website about the recent Welfare Bill & Labour's response to it, part of Perkins' message was educational, explaining parliamentary procedure. I'm politically involved though a thorough amateur. I still don't understand a lot about government, local & Westminster. Many people don't follow politics at all & know even less. It's difficult to know what's best to do when the information available is either missing, irrelevant or inaccurate.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 1:55 pm

StephenDolan wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Kendall playing the "poor woman" card - pretty desperate stuff tbh.
How has she said that based upon what is in the actual article? smh

“For Charlie to say that women somehow aren’t tough enough to lead the Labour party is a gross insult and, as for standing up to Jeremy Corbyn, I’m the only candidate who has been saying he would be a disaster for our party and that I wouldn’t serve in his shadow cabinet, unlike the candidate Charlie is supporting.”

Kendall added: “Charlie made a great contribution to the last Labour government and I would have thought he would have learned that one of the reasons we achieved so much was because there was a record number of women around the top table.

A spokesperson for Andy Burnham said: “The quotes attributed to Charlie Falconer in the headline of the Times are not something he said or believes. People should read Charlie’s article to see he doesn’t even raise the question of whether anyone is ‘tough enough’ or anyone’s gender.”

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

edited to add Burnham spokesperson quote.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 2:00 pm

Calcot IKEA: Swedish giant announces its own living wage for staff

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/busine ... es-9718023" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 2:10 pm

The council says it collects 97 per cent of the tax it should
The council is owned more than £3million in council tax

Joanna Elson, chief executive of National Debtline, said: “We are seeing more and more people seeking help with council tax arrears – but the fact that Bracknell Forest residents owe £3.2 million makes us concerned that many more people in the area are struggling alone.

http://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/134 ... x_arrears/

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 2:22 pm

The way forward for Labour is to elect Andy Burnham
Charles Falconer

Published at 12:01AM, July 24 2015
He is the only candidate to combine principle and electability

My party has become embroiled in one of the debates that it perennially loves to have – does it want to be principled or does it want to be electable. As has been the case every time in our past, the right answer to that question is to reject the false choice. It is now time for those who care about our party combining values with the ability to reach out to voters to come together behind Andy Burnham for Labour leader.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/c ... 506643.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lord Falconer wrote, in the context of endorsing Andy Burnham:

“Liz Kendall and Yvette Cooper are both very talented politicians. Both have a big future in our party. But neither Yvette nor Liz can steer the Labour party through the challenging few years ahead of us when we need a leader who can reach out to all wings of our party and provide unity.”

http://leftfootforward.org/2015/07/no-l ... ship-race/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not acquainted with Falconer.
Based upon his words here, I'd have let it ride but I'm not seeking the UK Labour party leadership position.
The Times & other media were nasty in their headlines - made Falconer's words all about being women not tough enough & didn't write with integrity, in my opinion.
Maybe it was necessary for either Kendall or Cooper to get a lob over the net in headlines too.
Just to keep the game going.
What the hell do I know.

edited to correct words - also, I don't know if I agree with the Falconer quote I was able to post first.
I don't have a Times subscription - apologies.

Post by **refitman** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 2:48 pm

StephenDolan wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Kendall playing the "poor woman" card - pretty desperate stuff tbh.
How has she said that based upon what is in the actual article? smh

Falconer said that Cooper and Kendall are polarising and least likely to unite the party, and that Burnham is the most likely to. Kendal has then said "sexist, it's because we're women".

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 2:53 pm

Will someone please wake me up when it is all over. It's getting unbearable.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 2:59 pm

Lonewolfie wrote:Moreveternoon....

I really don't know what to say about this...I just find it very unsettling that the DWP need to employ someone (who, by the way he writes, has no experience of what he speaks other than what he's 'learnt' at yoo-nee) to 'make the team aware of who their users are'...

https://dwpdigital.blog.gov.uk/2015/07/ ... heir-life/

...and, even though I'm a grumpy old f*** (or 'grumpfuttock', if you will), this brought a small tear to my eye....don't be put off by the link title - the 'old man' wrote a poem...

http://kraabel.tumblr.com/post/27651955 ... -ward-of-a

Good aftereve, Lonewolfie.

The eejit "advising" on that blog is a moron, and appears to think everyone else is too. His ideas are the very definition of specious.

The people who he describes as "users" are, like, actually real people?
People who are not using anything, but applying for state assistance at a very difficult point in their lives.
In some cases, the end of their lives.
Given that DWP staff are very quick to prevent anyone from claiming PIP if they can possibly avoid it, I suspect they are perfectly well aware that they "are not their user(sic)" and wouldn't want to be like "their user" in any way shape or form.

DWP SPADs "earn" annual salaries not unadjacent to £90,000.
"Consultants" and "consultancy work" are even more costly.

Example - large amounts of DWP spending are not subject to budgetary constraints or controls; from January to March 2015, just one of DWP's "exceptions to spending controls" was this single piece of "consultancy" - £490,000 for a "content-led digital campaign with a local focus, supported by partnerships with Local Authorities and other hyper-local voices (really)". The aim of this is to "drive claimants to an online hub to receive daily hints to improve their jobsearch" and more equally risible tosh about Universal Credit.
This is, apparently, only part of Tranche 1 of the Universal Credit hyper-local campaign.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is where your taxes are going. There are hundreds of exceptions in DWP alone to spending constraints.
These exceptions are filed, one by one and listed with only the latest open for scrutiny so you can't see what the running total is, under "transparency". You will not find any information at all on the gov.uk website.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 3:05 pm

"...I will not be voting although I could, of course, register to do so."

Richard Murphy
Tax Research
24 July 2015

http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2015 ... -guardian/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Murphy is making a terrible mistake by not voting. Not all governments are the same. That difference is enough to make voting a must for everyone having the right to vote. Murphy's made his position public therefore I'm responding to his position. He's making a terrible mistake by not voting. I don't know what he's thinking.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 3:17 pm

I lay my head on the block the other day when I suggested that Cooper sometimes brings up women issues too frequently then see Kendall's oversensitive reaction to criticism. But what do I know? Even when warranted I'm not comfortable if overdone. Perhaps having had attention directed toward our daughter with Downs Syndrome, all in the name of equality, has taken its toll. I understand there's a time and a place for attention or campaigning but not all the time. Sometimes you just want acceptance.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 3:18 pm

ephemerid wrote:
Lonewolfie wrote:Moreveternoon....

I really don't know what to say about this...I just find it very unsettling that the DWP need to employ someone (who, by the way he writes, has no experience of what he speaks other than what he's 'learnt' at yoo-nee) to 'make the team aware of who their users are'...

https://dwpdigital.blog.gov.uk/2015/07/ ... heir-life/

...and, even though I'm a grumpy old f*** (or 'grumpfuttock', if you will), this brought a small tear to my eye....don't be put off by the link title - the 'old man' wrote a poem...

http://kraabel.tumblr.com/post/27651955 ... -ward-of-a
Good aftereve, Lonewolfie.

The eejit "advising" on that blog is a moron, and appears to think everyone else is too. His ideas are the very definition of specious.

The people who he describes as "users" are, like, actually real people?
People who are not using anything, but applying for state assistance at a very difficult point in their lives.
In some cases, the end of their lives.
Given that DWP staff are very quick to prevent anyone from claiming PIP if they can possibly avoid it, I suspect they are perfectly well aware that they "are not their user(sic)" and wouldn't want to be like "their user" in any way shape or form.

DWP SPADs "earn" annual salaries not unadjacent to £90,000.
"Consultants" and "consultancy work" are even more costly.

Example - large amounts of DWP spending are not subject to budgetary constraints or controls; from January to March 2015, just one of DWP's "exceptions to spending controls" was this single piece of "consultancy" - £490,000 for a "content-led digital campaign with a local focus, supported by partnerships with Local Authorities and other hyper-local voices (really)". The aim of this is to "drive claimants to an online hub to receive daily hints to improve their jobsearch" and more equally risible tosh about Universal Credit.
This is, apparently, only part of Tranche 1 of the Universal Credit hyper-local campaign.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is where your taxes are going. There are hundreds of exceptions in DWP alone to spending constraints.
These exceptions are filed, one by one and listed with only the latest open for scrutiny so you can't see what the running total is, under "transparency". You will not find any information at all on the gov.uk website.

Thank you, Ephemerid.
A handsomely paid consultant or SPAD doing this gig for the DWP, having access to the best of the best (equipment, information, time, comfortable surroundings, lunch) - are these people able to understand the unique position they enjoy?

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 3:32 pm

ephemerid wrote:
Lonewolfie wrote:Moreveternoon....

I really don't know what to say about this...I just find it very unsettling that the DWP need to employ someone (who, by the way he writes, has no experience of what he speaks other than what he's 'learnt' at yoo-nee) to 'make the team aware of who their users are'...

https://dwpdigital.blog.gov.uk/2015/07/ ... heir-life/

...and, even though I'm a grumpy old f*** (or 'grumpfuttock', if you will), this brought a small tear to my eye....don't be put off by the link title - the 'old man' wrote a poem...

http://kraabel.tumblr.com/post/27651955 ... -ward-of-a

Good aftereve, Lonewolfie.

The eejit "advising" on that blog is a moron, and appears to think everyone else is too. His ideas are the very definition of specious.

The people who he describes as "users" are, like, actually real people?
People who are not using anything, but applying for state assistance at a very difficult point in their lives.
In some cases, the end of their lives.
Given that DWP staff are very quick to prevent anyone from claiming PIP if they can possibly avoid it, I suspect they are perfectly well aware that they "are not their user(sic)" and wouldn't want to be like "their user" in any way shape or form.

DWP SPADs "earn" annual salaries not unadjacent to £90,000.
"Consultants" and "consultancy work" are even more costly.

Example - large amounts of DWP spending are not subject to budgetary constraints or controls; from January to March 2015, just one of DWP's "exceptions to spending controls" was this single piece of "consultancy" - £490,000 for a "content-led digital campaign with a local focus, supported by partnerships with Local Authorities and other hyper-local voices (really)". The aim of this is to "drive claimants to an online hub to receive daily hints to improve their jobsearch" and more equally risible tosh about Universal Credit.
This is, apparently, only part of Tranche 1 of the Universal Credit hyper-local campaign.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is where your taxes are going. There are hundreds of exceptions in DWP alone to spending constraints.
These exceptions are filed, one by one and listed with only the latest open for scrutiny so you can't see what the running total is, under "transparency". You will not find any information at all on the gov.uk website.

This is an area that should be challenged vociferously by any opposition, both in the House and the media. Cameron, Osborne and IDS are always speaking of the 'welfare' savings', which as far as I can tell is that which has not been paid out in cash benefits. 'And that's just the nominal reductions, let alone delayed payments and sanctions. As you have stated, ephe, the nominal £22bn savings they boast of during the last government cost £20bn to deliver. I expect there are further knock-on costs yet to be realised too, not precluding any social impact.

Silly me, there is no social impact. Well their impact assessment of the bedroom tax, for example, categorically states there is none. Anyway the true costs should be shouted far and loud.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 3:49 pm

The cap on care costs has been a long time coming. Nearly 70 years in fact, as the social-care system has remained relatively unchanged since the post-World War Two welfare settlement.

But last Friday, in a written ministerial statement, the long-awaited changes were put on ice. Instead of the £72,000 cap starting in April 2016, the elderly, and younger adults with disabilities, will now have to wait until 2020.

Unsurprisingly, there is concern in some quarters the delay may actually spell the end for the changes. After all, if a week is a long time in politics - as the saying goes - four years must be an eternity.

Richard Humphries, an expert in social care from the King's Fund think tank, predicts the cap will not now be introduced. (BBC News website - my emphasis)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33624728

Oh, well. I think a lot of Conservative voters will find that they've joined the ranks of those who are "heir today gone tomorrow".

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 3:50 pm

The cap on care costs has been a long time coming. Nearly 70 years in fact, as the social-care system has remained relatively unchanged since the post-World War Two welfare settlement.

But last Friday, in a written ministerial statement, the long-awaited changes were put on ice. Instead of the £72,000 cap starting in April 2016, the elderly, and younger adults with disabilities, will now have to wait until 2020.

Unsurprisingly, there is concern in some quarters the delay may actually spell the end for the changes. After all, if a week is a long time in politics - as the saying goes - four years must be an eternity.

Richard Humphries, an expert in social care from the King's Fund think tank, predicts the cap will not now be introduced. (BBC News website - my emphasis)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33624728

Oh, well. I think a lot of Conservative voters will find that they've joined the ranks of those who are "heir today gone tomorrow".

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 3:51 pm

Bumboils.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 4:31 pm

MPs can no longer remain exempt from surveillance, lawyers concede

James Eadie QC tells investigatory powers tribunal the Wilson doctrine is unworkable in era of bulk interception by intelligence agencies

[Tom Watson, MP, said]“Either government policy has changed in the last year or Theresa May misled parliament,” Watson said. He added that prime minsters have for decades reassured MPs the Wilson doctrine stands. “It’s particularly interesting to read the lawyers argue the doctrine has no force in law. MPs have been treated like fools. Either Theresa May was telling the truth last year or the government lawyer was telling the truth today - and we need to find out.” (Guardian)

Should be interesting post hols.

Edited to add link

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015 ... elligence-

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 4:34 pm

The difference between the best and worst performing chains seems to be increasing too with some of those chains identified as having low results and no improvement in our 2014 report falling back further in the intervening period.

One way to explain the pattern is to say, rather than a typical pattern of reversion to the mean, academy chains seem to be showing increasing polarisation between the most effective academy chains (which continue to improve for disadvantaged students) and the least effective chains (which have got worse).

Few things- how many of those top chains are in London?

And have the "poor chains" just got stuck in a vicious circle, same as "failing LA" schools?

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 4:56 pm

One of my non-SNP pals.

I understand that mechanism by which the referendum was fixed is that right before the debates special agents snuck into SNP HQ, cracked the safe, and removed and burnt the one and only plan for a currency for iScotland. And then nobody could remember what it said, so Alex Salmond had to just wing it from there on out.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 5:16 pm

PorFavor wrote:
The cap on care costs has been a long time coming. Nearly 70 years in fact, as the social-care system has remained relatively unchanged since the post-World War Two welfare settlement.

But last Friday, in a written ministerial statement, the long-awaited changes were put on ice. Instead of the £72,000 cap starting in April 2016, the elderly, and younger adults with disabilities, will now have to wait until 2020.

Unsurprisingly, there is concern in some quarters the delay may actually spell the end for the changes. After all, if a week is a long time in politics - as the saying goes - four years must be an eternity.

Richard Humphries, an expert in social care from the King's Fund think tank, predicts the cap will not now be introduced. (BBC News website - my emphasis)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33624728

Oh, well. I think a lot of Conservative voters will find that they've joined the ranks of those who are "heir today gone tomorrow".

I think they'll get it in just before the election. What does it cost? Billion a year?
Not worth leaving your opponents and easy gain.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 5:36 pm

IDS responds to open letter from Catholics on Welfare Reform

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/21931" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Original letter
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/21853" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Response to IDS letter
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/21932" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 5:43 pm

It's not about whether anybody's had a bung already. It's about getting out the base. Something new will help.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 5:50 pm

HindleA wrote:IDS responds to open letter from Catholics on Welfare Reform

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/21931" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Original letter
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/21853" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Response to IDS letter
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/21932" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:06 pm

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

The nine green policies killed off by the Tory government

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:24 pm

Mirror Politics ‏@MirrorPolitics 4h4 hours ago
Massive leaked NHS privatisation plan could shut 29 centres across the country http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ma ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

These are NHS Primary Care Centres which look set to be hived off to Capita - who are apparently proposing keeping just 3 centres. The article says the centres handle patient data and records.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:29 pm

It's been raining steadily all day, but suddenly it's gone very dark and the wind has got up....Nasty!!!!

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:30 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Mirror Politics ‏@MirrorPolitics 4h4 hours ago
Massive leaked NHS privatisation plan could shut 29 centres across the country http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ma ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
These are NHS Primary Care Centres which look set to be hived off to Capita - who are apparently proposing keeping just 3 centres. The article says the centres handle patient data and records.

Not sure whether to laugh or cry at the name of one of the listed centres in Liverpool:
Bevan House.

Those who spent the run up to the general election spouting 'there's no difference between Labour & the Tories' must be feeling a little foolish after the slew of headlines we've had in the last few weeks.

edited to add: not sure if slew is the right word, it certainly feels like it should be.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:36 pm

ohsocynical wrote:It's been raining steadily all day, but suddenly it's gone very dark and the wind has got up....Nasty!!!!

Same here, weather's been shocking recently.
Temperature recorded by the car when we went shopping earlier was only 12c.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:38 pm

ohsocynical wrote:It's been raining steadily all day, but suddenly it's gone very dark and the wind has got up....Nasty!!!!

Do you suspect the Tories are behind it? A huffing and a puffing to blow our houses down ...

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:47 pm

Tom Newton Dunn ‏@tnewtondunn 15m15 minutes ago
Every Little Hurts: Supermarkets refuse fresh demand to pay the Living Wage - despite making £1bn in profit; http://www.sunnation.co.uk/every-little ... ving-wage/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Are we surprised? Of course not.

And from that piece:

But the high street giants all confirmed they will have to be dragged kicking and screaming into paying the higher basic salary.

Between them, the five chains made £1.19bn in profit for their shareholders last year.

Their armies of shelf stackers are the biggest group of low earners in the country.

Why pay anything like a decent wage when you can get fresh supplies of shelf stacking fodder for free courtesy of IDS's work programmes?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 24 Jul, 2015 6:47 pm

HindleA wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... are_btn_tw

The nine green policies killed off by the Tory government

I'm beside myself.
One lousy piece of news after another.
I live in a polluted part of the country (not London).
There are forty-three areas of the UK regularly exceeding air quality safety limits & our town is one of them.
The NO2 nitrogen oxides continue exceeding emissions targets from road traffic.
The information recently published by Parliament has worse news.

Air Quality and Health in the UK
Published 22 July 2015
http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ ... -2015-0024" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And my husband suffering from asthma & other repository problems.
It's been god awful for him recently.
We're both physically active, walk, cycles or public transportation.
The exposure to NO2 is greater inside a vehicle than outside it.
Unfortunately, a walk or bike ride can extend the exposure time we're breathing in our urban area.
I'm so angry.
It doesn't have to be this way.
A government not beholden to their fossil fuel portfolios & with any sense of decency would steer the UK away from a dead end like continued fossil fuel subsidies.