Tuesday 4th August 2015

[TechnicalEphemera]

And here's Alan Johnson wading in:

Labour must 'end the madness' over Jeremy Corbyn, says Alan Johnson
Former home secretary says party should back Yvette Cooper because she can unite the party to win power

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... an-johnson

This is the same Cooper who, just last year, tried to ditch Miliband but couldn't stop squabbling with Burnham about it, right? Remind me: what does "unite" mean again?

I've never seen wherein Alan Johnson's charm lies. Similarly, Kenneth Clarke's. (Nothing to do with the current allegations.) It seems that if people are told enough times that someone (despite appearances to the contrary) is a "good egg" then they swallow the fiction without further thought.

Ken Clarke, ignoring certain accusations, was both a very good chancellor and a very good justice secretary.

So compared to the current shower of shit (ignoring his BAT gig) he looks like a saint.

Nobody, other than two Guardian journos, gives a toss about Alan Johnson. At best anonymous in government (not always a bad thing), he was the worst shadow chancellor in history and has done nothing of note since.

He has zero influence, or charisma. The only newsworthy story being washed up Blairite has been ditches hopeless Blairite never will be, in favour of semi Blairite has been.

Cooper was good once (2010).

[RogerOThornhill]

In which Gove-ites have decided that schools are boring and that prisons are far more interesting pt 3

Exclusive: Charlie Taylor leaves National College for Teaching and Leadership

https://www.tes.co.uk/news/school-news/ ... aching-and

Charlie Taylor, chief executive of the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), has left the organisation to join the Ministry of Justice, TES has learned.

The move will reunite Mr Taylor with Michael Gove, the justice secretary. Mr Gove appointed the former headteacher as his behaviour expert in 2011 during his time running the Department for Education.

Mr Taylor's departure comes just weeks after the announcement that the NCTL would sell off its £28 million conference centre in Nottingham as part of wider cost-saving measures.

It is understood that Mr Taylor will oversee the youth justice brief and seek to inform policy on young offenders, drawing on his expertise as former headteacher of The Willows, a special school for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

He is treading a well-worn path, joining Sir Theodore Agnew, who moved to the MoJ as a non-executive board member in June after leaving the same role at the DfE, and Gabriel Milland, who left the DfE to become head of external communications at the MoJ.

Having made a complete bollox of his last job and left the school he ran in a mess, he's now moving swiftly on...

Love the Twitter exchange...

[ephemerid]

Totally of topic but many of us here may be taking one or other of these medications - I am

Products for which the marketing authorisations are recommended for suspension by the CHMP on 22 January 2015

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/doc ... 180894.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't panic, chaps!

All this means is that the manufacturers of the listed medications under their brand names may not get an authorisation to continue marketing their version of the drug.
The EMA has very specific guidelines about marketing drugs in the EEA - companies who market drugs have to renew their marketing authorisations annually.
This is partly to ensure that there are no misleading claims, etc. but is also to ensure that the way the drugs are promoted, advertised, and sold are correct.

All the drugs on that list are manufactured by other companies under other brand names - and they all have substitutions which are as good or better, plus generic versions.

Example - the first on the list - Esomeprazole. This is a proton-pump inhibitor which prevents excessive gastric/oesophageal reflux or inflammation in people who are prone to it or those who take NSAIDS for pain/arthritis/etc.
It's a similar thing to Omeprazole and Lansoprazole - I take the former, and it has 2 well-known UK brand names, but as it has been a generic for some time I get different brands every month depending on what the pharmacy buys.
Esomeprazole was manufactured by Pfizer under the brand name Nexium; AstraZenica bought the rights to sell it over-the-counter.
It was made as a generic in the States just over a year ago, and I suspect it will be so here too by now.

I can't see any drugs on that list which could be actually withdrawn - without a major panic in the NHS - and my suspicion is that the
recommendation that marketing authorisations should be withdrawn has been made either because the companies don't make the drugs any more, they don't use the same brand name any more, or the rise in the use of a generic has stopped those particular firms from producing/selling the drug but they've not bothered to inform the EMA.

Nothing to worry about, AAW. If they stopped prescribing Metformin (on that list) about a million people with type 2 diabetes would be booking a GP appointment as we speak.....

[RogerOThornhill]

Wasn't that nice Mr Cameron urging other countries to push back against corruption the other day out East?

Lord Nash’s former investment firm closes in on £18.4m takeover of teacher recruitment agency Synarbor

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/lord-nashs-for ... -takeover/

The headline isn't the reason I highlight it which is bad enough- it's the bit at the end...

Synarbor was also reportedly used by academy chain AET to recruit staff. The chain’s former chief executive, David Triggs, was also a director of Synarbor.

He later stepped down from the roles after retiring in 2013.

Physician heal thyself...

[Willow904]

Re social care.

I don't think this is about state funded care homes or protecting inheritances. That was already taken care of by the care cap the Tories u-turned on. This is about two completely separate and differently run systems often needed at the same time but often acting against each other's interests.

So my dad has treatment for Crohns on the NHS and he has dementia diagnosed at a memory clinic by the NHS. After a spell in hospital he is medically ready for discharge but his care needs have changed. The hospital wants his care needs assessed before he is sent home. This is the responsibility of the local council via social services which assess his finances and say he can pay for his own care. They are still required by law to assess his needs but put him to the bottom of the queue. It could take months. Meanwhile he is stuck in hospital blocking a bed. My mum understands and accepts she needs to pay, but doesn't know what to pay for! In the end a hospital nurse suggested she could get a carer in to help with showers. With this informal suggestion my father was eventually discharged. And my mum coped....just.

The point is, when she needed help with social care "diagnosis" and " treatment" there wasn't any. Our seamless universal healthcare just falls off a cliff. For me, how its paid for is not the point. The point is that people who have both medical and social care needs, require the systems that deal with the two elements to work together. And hospitals could really do without looking after people for weeks on end while an underfunded social services dithers around deciding what help is and isn't available and who's going to pay for it.

[SpinningHugo]

Nonetheless, all the contenders for Labour leadership other than Mr. Corbyn have chosen to accept the austerian ideology in full, including accepting false claims that Labour was fiscally irresponsible and that this irresponsibility caused the crisis. .

Glad you quoted that as it shows how poorly Krugman (who I like) follows UK politics.

In fact all the candidates strenuously reject this (because it is untrue). Cooper indeed endorses in terms Wren-Lewis' analysis that Krugman quotes approvingly.

However, I suspect that Krugman's glancing view is what many ill informed people may think the other three candidates do think. that is a failure of communication on their part,

[onebuttonmonkey]

Nonetheless, all the contenders for Labour leadership other than Mr. Corbyn have chosen to accept the austerian ideology in full, including accepting false claims that Labour was fiscally irresponsible and that this irresponsibility caused the crisis. .

Glad you quoted that as it shows how poorly Krugman (who I like) follows UK politics.

In fact all the candidates strenuously reject this (because it is untrue). Cooper indeed endorses in terms Wren-Lewis' analysis that Krugman quotes approvingly.

However, I suspect that Krugman's glancing view is what many ill informed people may think the other three candidates do think. that is a failure of communication on their part,

They may strenuously deny this, but they have all vocally supported the need for austerity - all they dispute is its severity. But regardless, what use is a would-be leader who can't communicate? Or one who say they agree with Wren-Lewis but doesn't actually do anything with the agreement?

His reading is sharper than you give credit for - I suspect it's more because you disagree with him this time than his comment itself. But, all the same, at least we both actually agree on something: we both like Krugman. Might we achieve consensus one day, Hugo?

[ohsocynical]

Aiming to embarrass Mr Cameron into a visit to the Channel Tunnel terminal, a Labour Party spokesman said: "No UK Government minister has visited the Eurotunnel railhead to see first-hand the problems faced by the rail operator because of the failure to get to grips with migrants in northern France."

And the RHA's chief executive Richard Burnett called on the Prime Minister to see what British truckers were facing.

He said: "Without witnessing the mayhem at Calais first-hand, neither the Prime Minister nor his advisers can fully grasp the severity of the situation.

"I have therefore issued an invitation to David Cameron to travel with him across the Channel to see for himself the appalling conditions that drivers are facing."

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/595697 ... ng-holiday

[SpinningHugo]

Nonetheless, all the contenders for Labour leadership other than Mr. Corbyn have chosen to accept the austerian ideology in full, including accepting false claims that Labour was fiscally irresponsible and that this irresponsibility caused the crisis. .

Glad you quoted that as it shows how poorly Krugman (who I like) follows UK politics.

In fact all the candidates strenuously reject this (because it is untrue). Cooper indeed endorses in terms Wren-Lewis' analysis that Krugman quotes approvingly.

However, I suspect that Krugman's glancing view is what many ill informed people may think the other three candidates do think. that is a failure of communication on their part,

They may strenuously deny this, but they have all vocally supported the need for austerity - all they dispute is its severity. But regardless, what use is a would-be leader who can't communicate? Or one who say they agree with Wren-Lewis but doesn't actually do anything with the agreement?

His reading is sharper than you give credit for - I suspect it's more because you disagree with him this time than his comment itself. But, all the same, at least we both actually agree on something: we both like Krugman. Might we achieve consensus one day, Hugo?

No.

What all of them dispute is that Labour was fiscally irresponsible or caused the crash. have you not noticed? he is just wrong. Krugman is hopeless about the UK: because he just doesn't follow it.

As for austerity, unfortunately this is now a debate about what fiscal policy should have been in 2010-11. You will find a consensus that it was wrong to tighten fiscal policy at the zlb in 2010-11. Lots of economists like Krugman will sign up to that and ciriticise Osborne.

Unfortunately, we won't be at the zlb beyond this year. The case for looser fiscal policy (ie ending 'austerity') disappears as you leave it.

So, economists like Krugman won't be lending any support to Corbyn or his silly claims:

(i) that there is a 'tax gap' of £120bn that we can somehow get at. Corbyn gets this from Murphy. It is truly dumb.

or

(ii) "People's" QuantatitiveEasing (really helicopter money - again from Murphy). There was a case for this in 2008. None now.

I'll give you the links again if you want them.

Corbyn's policies are not credible. It is snake oil.

[TBF there is a stronger case for infrastructure investment while rates are low. I agree with Corbyn about that. But it would be hard for him to get everything wrong.]

[onebuttonmonkey]

Glad you quoted that as it shows how poorly Krugman (who I like) follows UK politics.

In fact all the candidates strenuously reject this (because it is untrue). Cooper indeed endorses in terms Wren-Lewis' analysis that Krugman quotes approvingly.

However, I suspect that Krugman's glancing view is what many ill informed people may think the other three candidates do think. that is a failure of communication on their part,

They may strenuously deny this, but they have all vocally supported the need for austerity - all they dispute is its severity. But regardless, what use is a would-be leader who can't communicate? Or one who say they agree with Wren-Lewis but doesn't actually do anything with the agreement?

His reading is sharper than you give credit for - I suspect it's more because you disagree with him this time than his comment itself. But, all the same, at least we both actually agree on something: we both like Krugman. Might we achieve consensus one day, Hugo?

No.

What all of them dispute is that Labour was fiscally irresponsible or caused the crash. have you not noticed? he is just wrong. Krugman is hopeless about the UK: because he just doesn't follow it.

As for austerity, unfortunately this is now a debate about what fiscal policy should have been in 2010-11. You will find a consensus that it was wrong to tighten fiscal policy at the zlb in 2010-11. Lots of economists like Krugman will sign up to that and ciriticise Osborne.

Unfortunately, we won't be at the zlb beyond this year. The case for looser fiscal policy (ie ending 'austerity') disappears as you leave it.

So, economists like Krugman won't be lending any support to Corbyn or his silly claims:

(i) that there is a 'tax gap' of £120bn that we can somehow get at. Corbyn gets this from Murphy. It is truly dumb.

or

(ii) "People's" QuantatitiveEasing (really helicopter money - again from Murphy). There was a case for this in 2008. None now.

I'll give you the links again if you want them.

Corbyn's policies are not credible. It is snake oil.

[TBF there is a stronger case for infrastructure investment while rates are low. I agree with Corbyn about that. But it would be hard for him to get everything wrong.]

I assume that's a No on consensus. For what it's worth: me neither. Ah well. I'm sure we'll both cope.

[ephemerid]

Hugo - bless you - you appear to be utterly determined to rubbish any claim made by Corbyn or any of the people who agree with what he says.

I won't be responding to your many "I-know-best" comments again, as it becomes tedious and ultimately too annoying to be worthwhile.

But I will say this - final time, I promise -
Corbyn is not, as claimed by you, currently a "Bennite" or "hard left". He is, now, left of centre; a centre which has moved rightwards for 40 years.
Corbyn is not, as claimed by you, returning us to the 1980's loony left insanity that some of us remember all too well; and as Marlowe put it "But that was in another country - and besides, that wench is dead" (see? we can all misquote when it suits....that one's about fornication....)
Corbyn has based his policies - and he has them, they are not just half-baked ideas - on advice he has been given and which he presumably thinks makes sense; your dislike of the people who agree with him by calling them "dumb" or whatever your insult-du-jour happens to be is getting very tedious. Some of the people who you so deride are actually world-renowned experts, even if you don't happen to agree with them.
Corbyn, unlike his fellow candidates, has not refused to serve with others, has not described his opponents' campaigns with contempt, has not allowed the personal attacks or idiotic accusations of lefty-lunacy, sexism, and dragged-up historical stuff he's not responsible for, to faze him.
Corbyn, unlike his opponents, has not changed his principles depending on who's asking, has not had the big guns of the Labour has-beens coming out to prop him up, and has answered every question with as much honesty as he can - if only the others could do the same.

I appreciate that you can't go back to the G under your many and various guises as they've put a stop to it, and I appreciate that you have to go somewhere so it might as well be here. At least everyone else here is pretty tolerant of your posting style, which at best is unfortunate and at worst downright rude. I've had enough of it Hugo. So feel free to have the last word. That's one thing you're really really good at.

I am voting for Corbyn, and my support for him has been strengthened the more I hear of him and how his campaign is developing. I've said many times here and elsewhere that if all he manages to do is get a real conversation going on Labour's future direction, he'll have done a good job. I am now really hoping he will win - then we'll see who it is who really wants to split the party.

No more from me to you on this, Hugo, as I'm bored with you - but should you choose to comment on something other, especially if it's one of my "chosen specialised subjects" (being a mastermind, you'll appreciate the reference) I might consider a conversation. Until then, adieu, Hugo.

[SpinningHugo]

-
Corbyn is not, as claimed by you, currently a "Bennite" or "hard left". He is, now, left of centre; a centre which has moved rightwards for 40 years.

He is, and has always been, a Bennite.

Lots for those who can see. Here is one of the nastiest examples

http://www.parliament.uk/edm/print/2004-05/392" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TechnicalEphemera]

The left may not like it, but here is the problem.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... byn-labour

I must admit I am unsure as to the answer but I suspect it isn't Corbyn. The SNP thing is a bugger.

It is probably worth noting you can't change the electorate.

[onebuttonmonkey]

Here's the ever-readable Ian Martin on the leadership election. Ignore the dull strapline. He's just more right than I have any words to describe. Painfully so:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ic-opinion

Oh, and I still think his piece on the Labour conference last year is one of the best things about the problems then that we still aren't dealing with now

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... hick-of-it

Still, never mind all that believing in things and making a change, eh? Oh I do hope all those stupid people who believe in things just get over themselves and serve the brand I mean the party. *sigh*

Goodnight, all.

[howsillyofme1]

The left may not like it, but here is the problem.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... byn-labour

I must admit I am unsure as to the answer but I suspect it isn't Corbyn. The SNP thing is a bugger.

It is probably worth noting you can't change the electorate.

It is not that I don't like it, it is just I think they are completely wrong!

If that is what the people think then let them, unfortunately good people as we see on here will be affected by their stupidity as we see the wholesale destruction of the public sector

I know who amongst my family and friends voted Tory and who parrot some of this asinine rubbish whilst complaining about the state of public services - I tell them it was what they voted for and to stop bloody moaning!

If this is what the Great British Public believe then so be it - what chance do us anti-austerians stand when all we have is UKIP (to a very very small extent), the Greens, the SNP (if you don't look too closely) and a sizeable part of the Labour Party against the rest of Labour, the Tories, the Lib Dems, the mass media, the BBC etc?

to paraphrase Bob Hoskins in the Long Good Friday -'Great British Public, shit 'em!'

[TobyLatimer]

And the public wants what the public gets
But I don't get what this society wants.

Or something.

[youtube]MKglWitqtF0[/youtube]

[rebeccariots2]

Jamie Reed ‏@jreedmp 6m6 minutes ago
I'd like to thank all of those who sent my birthday gifts again this year. Here's a handy guide for those sending underwear.
1/2

Jamie Reed ‏@jreedmp 4m4 minutes ago
2/2
New is always better.
If not,washed is preferable.
For those just shoved through the letterbox, I know where you live. Expect police.

What on earth is that about? Has someone just posted some shitty pants through his letterbox? Shades of Clegg.

[TechnicalEphemera]

And the public wants what the public gets
But I don't get what this society wants.

Or something.

[youtube]MKglWitqtF0[/youtube]

Yep, that sums it up. If I win Euromillions I am going to buy a (very) small Greek Island you are all welcome. Unfortunately less likely than a planet killing asteroid strike.

Question - will Cameron demand the asteroid conducts a ballot first?

[AngryAsWell]

The body of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Britain's most famous railway engineer, could be dug up...to make way for a new railway line.

His remains could be disturbed to make way for a new high-speed line between London and Birmingham, part of the referred route for the HS2.


Read more: http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Isambard ... z3hsZ6yv78" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Follow us: @BathChron on Twitter | BathChron on Facebook

[AngryAsWell]

My normally tory friends - who voted Ed this time - will either not vote or go green if Corbyn wins, so they tell me.
Meanwhile my orthodox Jewish friend (the one with her own football team of children) screamed at me (and I mean screamed!) you have got to get the Labour people to put a stop to the tax credit cuts! Tell them to stop the cuts! They can't let them do the cuts!
I smiled, and then explained how parliament works and what a majority government can do if they want.
She really thought Labour could prevent the tax credit cuts going ahead..... she is now fixated on how to "get them to do the election again..."

Yep, we've all been there.

[HindleA]

Warning ,may be upsetting.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/595832 ... -by-carers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


"It's a very complex care package and there were a number of different agencies involved in the package"

Basic care is not complex.

[AngryAsWell]

Dan JarvisVerified account
‏@DanJarvisMP Big ideas from @andyburnhammp with plans for radical reforms to the #NHS, transport & #housing http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 37312.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

[AngryAsWell]

Warning ,may be upsetting.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/595832 ... -by-carers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


"It's a very complex care package and there were a number of different agencies involved in the package"

Basic care is not complex.

That's more than upsetting - I hope they face criminal charges & the company(s) debarred from operating.
Private best eh? .....spit.

[AngryAsWell]

Gaping sinkhole opens up in Brooklyn, New York
A giant sinkhole has opened up a residential street in the New York neighbourhood of Brooklyn, in the United States.
New York's fire department said no injuries had been reported after a large section of tarmac disappeared into the gaping hole in the road.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33782636" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Are we seeing more of these? Or is it just better reporting ?

[AngryAsWell]

Seems Andy is on a roll

UK News ‏@UK__News · 2 mins2 minutes ago
Andy Burnham has pledged to renationalise the railways if he becomes Prime Minister.

Edit to add
Though I'm not sure this is the same a renationalise ?
Andy Burnham ‏@andyburnhammp · 5 mins5 minutes ago
I will adopt a plan from Shadow Transport Secretary @MichaelDugher for National Rail - a body bringing our fragmented railway back together.

[gilsey]

Quite. I'm sorry if anyone things it's about protecting inheritance - isn't it about the state providing the care that someone needs? We have said, collectively, as a country that we think people shouldn't have to pay if they are unwell and injured, yet we expect them to stump up for the care they need because of becoming infirm in old age? Care which the wealthy can afford, while the poorest get the bare minimum of and have to use up every asset they've ever accrued? We don't accept a two-tier level of care in health, yet saying we don't accept one in social care is 'not a left wing principle'? I'll admit I am disappointed at the attitude to this by some. The situation with social care in this country is a disgrace, and for me it's a big plus point in Burnham's favour that he is talking about it.

The amount a person is allowed to keep should be dramatically increased so the poorest don't use up all their assets. The care cap wouldn't prevent people's assets being wiped out by 'hotel' costs, if they need residential care, nor would AB's proposal as far as I can see. Why should it? We all have to pay for the roof over our heads and the food in our mouths, if we can afford to.

Taxpayers should pay more through general taxation to fund a better standard of care for those who can't afford to pay. I'm not arguing that the current system works well.

On the other hand, if AB would fund his policy through inheritance tax alone, I'd be all for it, makes good sense. Didn't GB propose something along those lines once? Went well, didn't it.

[HindleA]

Crawling around New York Marathon,after eating far too many free do(ugh)nuts,"Your now entering Brooklyn"#memories.

[HindleA]

http://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-n ... easy-steps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How to sell off the NHS – in nine easy steps
It won’t be easy, but with this handy step-by-step guide you too can privatise a health service

[AngryAsWell]

Poll: August Tube Strike Poll

Do you back the striking Tube workers?

64.5% Yes

35.5% No

Interesting...

http://www.lbc.co.uk/tube-strike-vote-d ... result-326" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pk1]

Anybody catch tonight's Corbyn news Newsnight ?

He speaks of having an open heart and an open mind and that he doesn't deal in personal abuse yet he declared that Tony Blair has stuff to confess regarding Iraq and should be tried for war crimes if he committed them !

FFS, as if we don't hear enough of that from others, including some so-called Labour supporters.

[rebeccariots2]

My normally tory friends - who voted Ed this time - will either not vote or go green if Corbyn wins, so they tell me.
Meanwhile my orthodox Jewish friend (the one with her own football team of children) screamed at me (and I mean screamed!) you have got to get the Labour people to put a stop to the tax credit cuts! Tell them to stop the cuts! They can't let them do the cuts!
I smiled, and then explained how parliament works and what a majority government can do if they want.
She really thought Labour could prevent the tax credit cuts going ahead..... she is now fixated on how to "get them to do the election again..."

Yep, we've all been there.

Don't really know why I'm thanking you for this AAW. It's really quite a disturbing post. I mean I can see that friend screaming at you ....

[rebeccariots2]

On a cheerier note ... Mr Riots and I have just pissed ourselves laughing as we watched the first episode of a series following a family as they go back in time and eat their way through 6 decades of changing food and associated culture and gadgetry. Tonight was the 50s ... blimey was the food brown and basic or what. A woman's lot was pretty horrible. And all the people on the clips talking about how to make a little go a long way ... had thin lips and clipped speech and reminded us of George Osborne.

We particularly liked the coronation jelly centrepiece - unset - with biscuit crown - burnt and in pieces.