Saturday, July 25th - Sunday, July 26th 2015

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 8:18 am

Morning.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 8:27 am

We've actually got a bit of sunshine this morning. This is the day to get things done outside ... back to rain and more tomorrow.

Now - a bit of politics. The Mail seems to have woken up and realised their readers have been done over regarding the care fees cap retraction ... and that it nullifies the inheritance tax promise for most people (except the very rich of course.)

john spellar ‏@spellar 59m59 minutes ago
another Tory Election Deception slammed by Mail , this time over care fees http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... tance.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 8:55 am

Liz Kendall coming over very poorly on Radio 4.
She sounds like a female Nick Clegg, tetchy and short tempered.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 9:01 am

yahyah wrote:Liz Kendall coming over very poorly on Radio 4.
She sounds like a female Nick Clegg, tetchy and short tempered.

Why have none of her advisers advised her to stop trying to talk over people? She does it every time. I haven't heard yet what her policies are that represent a real change to a move forwards rather than 'backwards'. I can however almost finish off her sentences for her now because I've got so used to the message repetitions ... if we carry on with the politics of the last 5 to 8 years we will get the same results and be out of power for a generation. Got that folks?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 9:05 am

But having said what I've just said about some of Liz Kendall's irritating interview habits ... the BBC shouldn't be asking her why she doesn't stand down and support either Burnham or Cooper to make sure Corbyn doesn't get elected. They really shouldn't be pushing that.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 9:14 am

I see our candidate at the general election is one of those who have come out as backing Burnham - as per story in the Independent. I didn't know which candidate he might support but glad it's not Kendall. Our Preseli Pembs branch voted to support Corbyn last night.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 10:02 am

Twitter's swearing mapped: Which UK country is the most foul-mouthed on social media?
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 13091.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

... Evidently, the UK is no exception when it comes to Twitter and bad language, with our research showing the Welsh are the worst offenders. In a week where people have taken their social media to show anger over the handling of the Welfare Bill, the Welsh have been the most foul-mouthed on social media, swearing more than twice as much as England...

Hard not to feel like wearing that first place as a bit of a badge of honour ...

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 11:10 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:But having said what I've just said about some of Liz Kendall's irritating interview habits ... the BBC shouldn't be asking her why she doesn't stand down and support either Burnham or Cooper to make sure Corbyn doesn't get elected. They really shouldn't be pushing that.

It also shows they don't understand the electoral system being used. There's a surprise

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 11:17 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:I see our candidate at the general election is one of those who have come out as backing Burnham - as per story in the Independent. I didn't know which candidate he might support but glad it's not Kendall. Our Preseli Pembs branch voted to support Corbyn last night.

My local Labour group (NE Somerset) voted last night too. Got an e-mail today offering a chance to vote online, so I guess it will be a few days before we find out who we picked.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 11:31 am

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... tte-cooper" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The storm has been caused by the inaccurate headline.

The Times itself has acknowledged in emails that the headline was “stupid”, “misleading” and “sexist”. It has changed the headline over the story, though not over the index page.

Lord Falconer setting things straight in a non-subscription newspaper. Probobably wise. Most of the article is dedicated to specific reasons why he thinks Andy Burnham would make the best leader of the Labour party. He makes his case well.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 11:40 am

Good morfternoon.

Have we had this already? If so - usual apologies.

Government pressured to clarify when it knew rail upgrades would be shelved

Department for Transport refuses FOI request from BBC to release document commissioned before election showing scale of delays and cost overruns

The government has come under renewed pressure to clarify exactly when it knew major rail upgrades promised in its election manifesto would be shelved, after Network Rail confirmed it had told the Department for Transport in March that schemes might have to be deferred.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has refused a freedom of information request from the BBC to release a document commissioned before the election to show ministers the scale of delays and cost overruns. (Guardian)

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015 ... rt-foi-bbc

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 11:58 am

Morning all. Gutted about the swearing thing; as a Rams fan we get lots of practice and assumed we were world class. Oh well...
AQ was an instructive listen last night. I suggest all Labour's leadership candidates have a listen. On the panel were Frank 'elder statesman' Field, Robert 'tory twat' Halfon and Claire 'two planks' Fox. And then there was Michael Morpurgo. He didn't reel off lists of stats or try to develop difficult concepts like pre-distribution. He kept it simple with ideas like fairness and decency and wiped the floor with the other three. Audience eating out of his hand.
The other noticeable thing was the audience, in Exeter. If only the politically committed and informed were allowed to vote, I would contend that Labour would probably have won the election. Morpurgo I reckon was so good at getting through to the Sun/Mail reader types who believe what it says in their papers. Listen and learn Labour lads and lasses.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 12:06 pm

I'll tell you somebody else who the "mainstream" Labour leadership candidates could learn from - Bill de Blasio.

Not far short of the truth to say his speech to last autumn's Labour conference was more compelling and interesting than any front bencher's (Ed, sadly, included)

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 12:17 pm

Good-afternoon.
Vote for the Labour party candidate.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 12:21 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:I'll tell you somebody else who the "mainstream" Labour leadership candidates could learn from - Bill de Blasio.

Not far short of the truth to say his speech to last autumn's Labour conference was more compelling and interesting than any front bencher's (Ed, sadly, included)

Yes. He was inspiring. Left, even, by British standards let alone American ones.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 12:28 pm

frightful_oik wrote:Morning all. Gutted about the swearing thing; as a Rams fan we get lots of practice and assumed we were world class. Oh well...
AQ was an instructive listen last night. I suggest all Labour's leadership candidates have a listen. On the panel were Frank 'elder statesman' Field, Robert 'tory twat' Halfon and Claire 'two planks' Fox. And then there was Michael Morpurgo. He didn't reel off lists of stats or try to develop difficult concepts like pre-distribution. He kept it simple with ideas like fairness and decency and wiped the floor with the other three. Audience eating out of his hand.
The other noticeable thing was the audience, in Exeter. If only the politically committed and informed were allowed to vote, I would contend that Labour would probably have won the election. Morpurgo I reckon was so good at getting through to the Sun/Mail reader types who believe what it says in their papers. Listen and learn Labour lads and lasses.

I've not read Morpurgo's books. Writing good fiction for young people takes a gifted, imaginative & persevering author. I've no doubt practising this craft entertains audiences. It's impossible to fake it - sincerity, joy, anger, fear. He's for real & people know that even if they've no words for it.

edited to add
I mean no disrespect toward the author - it occurs to me after re-reading my post it could be read as though I'm belittling Mr. Morpurgo's accomplishments - nothing could be further from the truth. My favourite genre is children's' fiction - Railway Children, View From Saturday, Secret Garden, Hatchet, A Long Way From Chicago, A Wrinkle In Time, Many Waters, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Cricket In Times Square...

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 1:26 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:I'll tell you somebody else who the "mainstream" Labour leadership candidates could learn from - Bill de Blasio.

Not far short of the truth to say his speech to last autumn's Labour conference was more compelling and interesting than any front bencher's (Ed, sadly, included)

More Mayor of London than Labour leader, surely?

Republicans are unelectable in New York now. Bloomberg had to walk out to get re-elected.

Mayors of New York in general look good full of ideas and get lots of crossparty support, but they go nowhere in politics afterwards. Even Koch and Guliani. And they always get re-elected, unless they're black like David Dinkins.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 1:31 pm

My point is that he was saying the things "mainstream" Labour politicians ought be be comfortable with saying.

Liz Kendall, almost certainly, regards him as a dangerous unelectable lefty. Which sums up why she about to experience an electoral drubbing of historic proportions.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 1:33 pm

If you're interested in (relatively) recent New York politics, couple of recommendations.

And

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 1:37 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:My point is that he was saying the things "mainstream" Labour politicians ought be be comfortable with saying.

Liz Kendall, almost certainly, regards him as a dangerous unelectable lefty. Which sums up why she about to experience an electoral drubbing of historic proportions.

Ah, see what you mean. But a national Democrat wouldn't say what Di Blasio does, because it would play badly in the rest of New York State, let alone in the south. Koch wasn't a lefty (he styled himself as a "liberal with sanity") but he couldn't even get himself elected as Senator for New York State.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:18 pm

frightful_oik wrote:Morning all. Gutted about the swearing thing; as a Rams fan we get lots of practice and assumed we were world class. Oh well...
AQ was an instructive listen last night. I suggest all Labour's leadership candidates have a listen. On the panel were Frank 'elder statesman' Field, Robert 'tory twat' Halfon and Claire 'two planks' Fox. And then there was Michael Morpurgo. He didn't reel off lists of stats or try to develop difficult concepts like pre-distribution. He kept it simple with ideas like fairness and decency and wiped the floor with the other three. Audience eating out of his hand.
The other noticeable thing was the audience, in Exeter. If only the politically committed and informed were allowed to vote, I would contend that Labour would probably have won the election. Morpurgo I reckon was so good at getting through to the Sun/Mail reader types who believe what it says in their papers. Listen and learn Labour lads and lasses.

Just listened to it. You are very right that Michael Morpurgo was the stand out person with the ability to argue and communicate clearly and with empathy.

The most surprising thing for me was how poor Halfon was in communicating ... he's always come across as a straightforward man of the people with a good heart and a lot of common sense. Several times he seemed to be reduced to a Tory message repeating machine with lists and phrases that bore no relation to the question asked. Depressing.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:37 pm

Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:41 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.

I have to admit I am pretty shocked how poor and tone deaf her campaign has been.

And whilst Ferguson came in for a fair bit of stick - sometimes justified - during his time running LL (not least on here) he usually came across as somebody who at least understood what made the Labour "mainstream" tick. I think it could be very interesting if we get an honest post-mortem from him once Liz is put out of her misery......

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:46 pm

PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Have we had this already? If so - usual apologies.

Government pressured to clarify when it knew rail upgrades would be shelved

Department for Transport refuses FOI request from BBC to release document commissioned before election showing scale of delays and cost overruns

The government has come under renewed pressure to clarify exactly when it knew major rail upgrades promised in its election manifesto would be shelved, after Network Rail confirmed it had told the Department for Transport in March that schemes might have to be deferred.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has refused a freedom of information request from the BBC to release a document commissioned before the election to show ministers the scale of delays and cost overruns. (Guardian)
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015 ... rt-foi-bbc

Private Eye spotted this before the election.

Cameron's having a few chickens come home to roost, after promising all sorts that he thought he could negotiate away in a Coalition.

Predictably, the brains trust below the line think it's all HS2's fault.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:47 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.

Hello there. Been missing you. Although I did think of you when I saw that Wales had come first in twitter swearing about the Tories' Welfare Bill and wondered if you'd been occupied elsewhere on social media.

Hope you're OK and not completely knackered by long work shifts anyway.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:49 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.
I have to admit I am pretty shocked how poor and tone deaf her campaign has been.

And whilst Ferguson came in for a fair bit of stick - sometimes justified - during his time running LL (not least on here) he usually came across as somebody who at least understood what made the Labour "mainstream" tick. I think it could be very interesting if we get an honest post-mortem from him once Liz is put out of her misery......

Ferguson, for all his faults, and God knows I moaned enough about him was reasonably respected, LL did his profile no harm whatsoever, I struggle to see how he can come back from this?

Possibly as a moaner on the sidelines, hasn't done Hodges any harm.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:50 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.

Hi Skippy!

If constituency party nominations are anything to go by, Kendall could do as badly as Tony Benn in 1988.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:53 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.
I have to admit I am pretty shocked how poor and tone deaf her campaign has been.

And whilst Ferguson came in for a fair bit of stick - sometimes justified - during his time running LL (not least on here) he usually came across as somebody who at least understood what made the Labour "mainstream" tick. I think it could be very interesting if we get an honest post-mortem from him once Liz is put out of her misery......

The message that seems to be coming across from her camp, and the Frank Fields of this world, are that Labour now has the wrong kind of members. How distressing for them. Still at least it's not the wrong kind of voters this time ... oh hang on.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:53 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.
Hello there. Been missing you. Although I did think of you when I saw that Wales had come first in twitter swearing about the Tories' Welfare Bill and wondered if you'd been occupied elsewhere on social media. Hope you're OK and not completely knackered by long work shifts anyway.

Hah, no, been giving social media a wide berth, since that unmentionable night, I have been reading and feel a tad guilty others have been keeping this site going, but a break is good and I am starting to feel I can dip my toes again.

Still knackered though, nights tonight.. Few days off then..

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:54 pm

Mhairi Black's still flying.

She added that making MPs vote in person, rather than electronically, was outdated and wasted time. “Are we genuinely saying that the underground can log millions of travellers, day in, day out, without a problem, and 650 of us can’t hit a button? It’s just stupid. A couple of Mondays ago, I didn’t get home until half past midnight because we were voting. How is anybody with a family supposed to work those hours?”

Nobody's saying electronic voting is technically too difficult, Mhairi.

Black said that parliamentary rules and conventions were stupid and senseless. “So you’re not allowed to clap like an ordinary person, but you’re allowed to bray like a donkey? I mean, see PMQs, especially the Conservative side, they’ve got this weird noise they do. It actually sounds like a drunken mob.”

I don't like braying like a donkey, but I don't think we need clapping "like an ordinary person" either.

She also claimed that young people will always struggle to be fairly represented in parliament: “No matter what they vote, they would be outvoted anyway. You still end up with middle-class, middle-aged guys who make your decisions for you, and there’s not a lot of difference between either side of the chamber.”

And when they do get elected, it's with a party that bans criticism of what Salmond, Neil, Swinney, Sturgeon and all cook up, eh?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 2:56 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.
I have to admit I am pretty shocked how poor and tone deaf her campaign has been.

And whilst Ferguson came in for a fair bit of stick - sometimes justified - during his time running LL (not least on here) he usually came across as somebody who at least understood what made the Labour "mainstream" tick. I think it could be very interesting if we get an honest post-mortem from him once Liz is put out of her misery......
Ferguson, for all his faults, and God knows I moaned enough about him was reasonably respected, LL did his profile no harm whatsoever, I struggle to see how he can come back from this?

Possibly as a moaner on the sidelines, hasn't done Hodges any harm.

I read that and immediately went to Acker Bilk's 'Stranger On The Shore' in my head.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 3:02 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.
Hi Skippy!

If constituency party nominations are anything to go by, Kendall could do as badly as Tony Benn in 1988.

Almost poetic justice that. Anyways I am still veering towards Cooper, partly, though only a bit to enhance Dave's woman problem, I doubt he could hide his disdain, or resist making jibes at the expense of her husband.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 3:06 pm

Shame Mhairi Black, as a "young person" wasn't more concerned about cuts to Scotland's FE budget, not everyone can go to Uni, almost everyone tho can go and learn something in a FE college.

SNP make me puke, preach left wing politics while handing out universal freebies to the comfortable middle classes.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 3:18 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Shame Mhairi Black, as a "young person" wasn't more concerned about cuts to Scotland's FE budget, not everyone can go to Uni, almost everyone tho can go and learn something in a FE college.

SNP make me puke, preach left wing politics while handing out universal freebies to the comfortable middle classes.

Black didn't speak to many university students on grants, by the sound of it. Her pals cut those by 40%. Or maybe there weren't many students from poor backgrounds there at all- Scotland has a much worse record than England. To be fair that predates the SNP governments, but they've not made progess at all, despite England being run by the Tories for nearly all that time.

There's an SNP bloke on the Guardian at the moment. Telling us that Scotland could borrow a load of money for reserves and start its own currency.
You'd think the whole point of reserves were that they weren't borrowed, wouldn't you?

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 3:26 pm

From a while back. Scotland, showing how it's much more long term than silly England.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/un ... llion.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Universities Scotland, which represents the country’s higher education institutions, argued that its members have become “victims of their own success” after their main research grants for next year cut by £12.9 million.

The decision to cut the funding came only days after Nicola Sturgeon published her new economic strategy, which stated that supporting world-class research was “at the heart of the Scottish Government’s ambitions for Scotland.”

Scots have always had this image in England of being tough and shrewd. I don't know if they have that image of themselves. Maybe they do and the SNP are drawing on that.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 4:04 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Mark Ferguson seems to be putting in a sterling effort for LeicesterLiz?

Strategic communications doesn't seem to be his strong point, there again he hasn't that much to work with.
I have to admit I am pretty shocked how poor and tone deaf her campaign has been.

And whilst Ferguson came in for a fair bit of stick - sometimes justified - during his time running LL (not least on here) he usually came across as somebody who at least understood what made the Labour "mainstream" tick. I think it could be very interesting if we get an honest post-mortem from him once Liz is put out of her misery......
The message that seems to be coming across from her camp, and the Frank Fields of this world, are that Labour now has the wrong kind of members. How distressing for them. Still at least it's not the wrong kind of voters this time ... oh hang on.

Yes - the Nick Clegg offensive. Worked a charm for the LibDems.

mbc1955 · Post by **mbc1955** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 4:25 pm

citizenJA wrote:
frightful_oik wrote:Morning all. Gutted about the swearing thing; as a Rams fan we get lots of practice and assumed we were world class. Oh well...
AQ was an instructive listen last night. I suggest all Labour's leadership candidates have a listen. On the panel were Frank 'elder statesman' Field, Robert 'tory twat' Halfon and Claire 'two planks' Fox. And then there was Michael Morpurgo. He didn't reel off lists of stats or try to develop difficult concepts like pre-distribution. He kept it simple with ideas like fairness and decency and wiped the floor with the other three. Audience eating out of his hand.
The other noticeable thing was the audience, in Exeter. If only the politically committed and informed were allowed to vote, I would contend that Labour would probably have won the election. Morpurgo I reckon was so good at getting through to the Sun/Mail reader types who believe what it says in their papers. Listen and learn Labour lads and lasses.
I've not read Morpurgo's books. Writing good fiction for young people takes a gifted, imaginative & persevering author. I've no doubt practising this craft entertains audiences. It's impossible to fake it - sincerity, joy, anger, fear. He's for real & people know that even if they've no words for it.

edited to add
I mean no disrespect toward the author - it occurs to me after re-reading my post it could be read as though I'm belittling Mr. Morpurgo's accomplishments - nothing could be further from the truth. My favourite genre is children's' fiction - Railway Children, View From Saturday, Secret Garden, Hatchet, A Long Way From Chicago, A Wrinkle In Time, Many Waters, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Cricket In Times Square...

Wot? I hope the absence of any Alan Garner titles from your list doesn't mean you are blind to our greatest folklorist and myth-melder?

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 5:05 pm

A Billion-Dollar Bank Fraud in Moldova, and 20,000 Opaque British Corporations

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/06/ ... tions.html

We live in a different world don't we.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 5:08 pm

Luke Cresswell @LukemCresswell

If Corbyn wins leadership, labour could regain 40 seats in Scotland in one swoop. #Corbyn4leader

I wonder what Anatoly thinks of this?

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 5:12 pm

That is.............just so slightly optimistic

To credit them, though, Corbyn and Burnham both seem to have accepted Scotland matters to Labour's future ability to win elections.

Whilst the Kendall approach basically seems to be "HERE BE DRAGONS"

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 5:17 pm

I don't think Scotland matters much at all to Labour.

They have nearly 5 years to point out the SNP aren't hard leftists and can't push their weight around as a minority coalition partner.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 5:53 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:I don't think Scotland matters much at all to Labour.

They have nearly 5 years to point out the SNP aren't hard leftists and can't push their weight around as a minority coalition partner.

Unless Scotland starts electing Tories again, you're probably right, but Labour came second in a lot of constituencies, at the very least they should acknowledge that support and not give up. Scotland as a whole voted "no" in the referendum too, which means the current nationalist clean sweep isn't representative. Again I feel Labour needs to show it won't just roll over but will at least keep trying to effectively represent those in Scotland that support the union.
The London mayoral election is more important for Labour to win than the Scottish assembly, but a strong showing would make the Tories uncomfortable. As would reversing the rightward trend in Wales. Every gain, in every part of the country sends out a message that Labour are electable, that Labour are relevant. The tendency of certain voters to 'back a winner' over ideological considerations is always worth bearing in mind.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 6:50 pm

What about the Barnett Formula?

Cameron won't give up on all of that because he wants SNP MPs back in 2020, but if he nicks some of it, he's got some nice money to buy votes with in rGB. Labour defending it to the hilt just made them look like they're too worried about Scotland, and cost them votes in England.

If I were Labour, I'd be tempted to tell Scotland it's time to put its money where it's mouth is.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 7:02 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
letsskiptotheleft wrote:Shame Mhairi Black, as a "young person" wasn't more concerned about cuts to Scotland's FE budget, not everyone can go to Uni, almost everyone tho can go and learn something in a FE college.

SNP make me puke, preach left wing politics while handing out universal freebies to the comfortable middle classes.
Black didn't speak to many university students on grants, by the sound of it. Her pals cut those by 40%. Or maybe there weren't many students from poor backgrounds there at all- Scotland has a much worse record than England. To be fair that predates the SNP governments, but they've not made progess at all, despite England being run by the Tories for nearly all that time.

There's an SNP bloke on the Guardian at the moment. Telling us that Scotland could borrow a load of money for reserves and start its own currency.
You'd think the whole point of reserves were that they weren't borrowed, wouldn't you?

I'm wondering when - if - the Scottish LA debt mountain is going to be acknowledged by the SNP?

Why is local government debt so high in Scotland?
http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablo ... h-scotland" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Just when we’re told debt and borrowing are under control, a report by Scotland’s spending watchdog reveals the extent of local authority debt run up to get round the council tax freeze.
The figures, published yesterday, reveal that councils have a total debt of £14.8 billion, with 82 per cent of this total (£12.1 billion) as a result of borrowing."

http://scot-buzz.co.uk/scottish-council ... ebt-bulge/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 7:43 pm

"Toby Young Fails GCSE History"
"There were many raised eyebrows this week as the Mail suggested that, even in the brave new educational world ushered in by Michael “Oiky” Gove, GCSE exams were being “dumbed down”. The screaming headline, “Spot the difference! How new 'tougher' history GCSE exam will ask pupils to compare these two images of Parliament... with extra points for pointing out presence of women and ethnic minorities”, said it all."

http://zelo-street.blogspot.co.uk/2015/ ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 7:47 pm

I've just read a tweet where someone is saying they reckon that if Yvette Cooper is Labour leader in 2020 and up against either Osborne or May she'll win ....

My question to anyone out there is do we yet know when the Tories will elect a new leader? Will Cameron still be PM right up to the election - and then step aside afterwards - or will they have a new leader in place before the campaign starts?

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 7:52 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:I've just read a tweet where someone is saying they reckon that if Yvette Cooper is Labour leader in 2020 and up against either Osborne or May she'll win ....

My question to anyone out there is do we yet know when the Tories will elect a new leader? Will Cameron still be PM right up to the election - and then step aside afterwards - or will they have a new leader in place before the campaign starts?

He's not said, but I did read he want's his son to got to Eton (name down already obv) in 2018 but doesn't think that would go down well if he is still PM.

http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/26/david-cam ... 8-5121306/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 7:56 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:I've just read a tweet where someone is saying they reckon that if Yvette Cooper is Labour leader in 2020 and up against either Osborne or May she'll win ....

My question to anyone out there is do we yet know when the Tories will elect a new leader? Will Cameron still be PM right up to the election - and then step aside afterwards - or will they have a new leader in place before the campaign starts?
He's not said, but I did read he want's his son to got to Eton (name down already obv) in 2018 but doesn't think that would go down well if he is still PM.

http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/26/david-cam ... 8-5121306/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What a pathetic comment - his of course, not yours AAW. What difference would that make when most of the parents sending their kids there are probably hoping they will mix with future prime ministers and fat cats .... pillock. Self important pillock.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 7:58 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:"Toby Young Fails GCSE History"
"There were many raised eyebrows this week as the Mail suggested that, even in the brave new educational world ushered in by Michael “Oiky” Gove, GCSE exams were being “dumbed down”. The screaming headline, “Spot the difference! How new 'tougher' history GCSE exam will ask pupils to compare these two images of Parliament... with extra points for pointing out presence of women and ethnic minorities”, said it all."

http://zelo-street.blogspot.co.uk/2015/ ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting post from a history teacher whose stuff I've read before and just so happens to now teach at the West London Free School.

http://clioetcetera.com/2015/07/24/how- ... to-change/

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Sat 25 Jul, 2015 8:07 pm

Scott Nelson ‏@TheMockneyRebel · Jul 24
Watch the dramatic moment this angry crowd chased a Tory MP from a foodbank http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ou ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …