Weekend Edition - Saturday/Sunday 15th/16th August

[howsillyofme1]

We have Mr Riots' grand daughter and great grand daughter staying at the moment. Grand daughter - 28 years old and bringing up her 6 year old daughter on her own - works for a very well known insurance firm. Except she doesn't really - she now works for Capita - who work for this well known insurance firm. All the staff were outsourced some time back. She says they have had several rounds of redundancies over the past 3 years. Another mass redundancy letter came round a few weeks back - with several departments being told they were again being outsourced - or rather their jobs are - to India.

Mr Riots' grand daughter says she is not on the list as her department - complaints - is not included at the moment. She's very grateful for that.

Single parent working part time .... she just about manages now with some help from family re childcare and bigger purchases. She's bringing up a delightful little girl. I haven't the heart to broach the subject of Osborne's coming cuts to tax credits with her.

Quite, rebecca, which reminds me of that conversation with my daughter-out-law a few days ago, during which I brought up UC, something that may affect your granddaughter too (if rolled out in her area). My son's partner said she'd paid no attention whatsoever to UC, somewhat too frightened to look.

I still cannot fathom how we were lumbered with another five years of Tory governance or how Clegg et al thought they could support them, Orange Book or not. Something I could keep in mind, I guess, when putting the frighteners on that lad. I'd come across far scarier than I really am.

I think one of the problems is that there a lot of caring people who do realise what is happening and going to happen in the future but don't want to frighten or upset people close to them

There are lots of people out there, some of whom I know, who either voted Tory or took the 'all the same and not voting' line who are going to be badly hurt by another 5 years of the Tories - but who don't really know yet by how much!

The fault of this is very much down to the Tories and their media pals for lying and dissembling, ably helped by the LDs. An honorable mention must also go to all the right-wing Labour 'supporters' who continually carped at Miliband and stabbed him in the back wherever possible.

Those Labour supporters are now reaping what the sowed...instead of undermining Miliband with the resurrection of the politics of triangulation and focus groups, they have led to a resuurection of the left from the grass roots

Well done people!

[AnatolyKasparov]

In the hours and days after the GE, the Miliband-bashers in Labour genuinely thought they had "their" party back.

That godawful Progress rally in mid-May had an atmosphere little short of a lunatic asylum. Liz Kendall was treated like a rock star, Andy Burnham was booed for his "treachery" in supporting a publicly owned NHS. Dan Jarvis made a thoughtful, intelligent speech - which was heard largely in silence.

Fair to say that things haven't quite turned out as they planned.......

[rebeccariots2]

The only candidate I have received any literature from by post (rather than email) is Burnham. Perhaps there is a whole tranche waiting to be delivered. If not - I am left wondering whether they are only bothering to mail stuff out to areas they have visited. Burnham is the only one who has come this far west. Poor show if so.

I shall wait and see what next weeks post brings.

[howsillyofme1]

The only candidate I have received any literature from by post (rather than email) is Burnham. Perhaps there is a whole tranche waiting to be delivered. If not - I am left wondering whether they are only bothering to mail stuff out to areas they have visited. Burnham is the only one who has come this far west. Poor show if so.

I shall wait and see what next weeks post brings.

I hope Burnham stays positive and doesn't go too negative on Corbyn. If Corbyn wins I see Burnham having a very important role to play

If we see any defections to the Tories from the 'Progress' wing then it will show you how right-wing they actually are and how it would be bloody good riddance!

[PorFavor]

Good morfternoon.

Is there any word out there of what time Gordon Brown is due to "intervene"?

[SpinningHugo]

In the hours and days after the GE, the Miliband-bashers in Labour genuinely thought they had "their" party back.

That godawful Progress rally in mid-May had an atmosphere little short of a lunatic asylum. Liz Kendall was treated like a rock star, Andy Burnham was booed for his "treachery" in supporting a publicly owned NHS. Dan Jarvis made a thoughtful, intelligent speech - which was heard largely in silence.

Fair to say that things haven't quite turned out as they planned.......

Ignoring the silly hyperbole, some of this is just factually untrue.

Burnham was not booed. the only booing of Burnham occurred at the GMB hustings. One early sign of what was to come.

Jarvis' speech was received warmly.

It is true, as you gleefully remind us, that the callow Kendall is not going to win. How is your preferred candidate doing?

[howsillyofme1]

In the hours and days after the GE, the Miliband-bashers in Labour genuinely thought they had "their" party back.

That godawful Progress rally in mid-May had an atmosphere little short of a lunatic asylum. Liz Kendall was treated like a rock star, Andy Burnham was booed for his "treachery" in supporting a publicly owned NHS. Dan Jarvis made a thoughtful, intelligent speech - which was heard largely in silence.

Fair to say that things haven't quite turned out as they planned.......

Ignoring the silly hyperbole, some of this is just factually untrue.

Burnham was not booed. the only booing of Burnham occurred at the GMB hustings. One early sign of what was to come.

Jarvis' speech was received warmly.

It is true, as you gleefully remind us, that the callow Kendall is not going to win. How is your preferred candidate doing?

You are criticising someone else for 'hyperbole'?

Almost dropped my cuppa!

Perhaps a bit overblown but the reaction from the right after the defeat was almost gleeful.....pathetic and enjoying hearing them whining now!

[SpinningHugo]

Oh, and Burnham was a vice Chair of the evil Blairite Progress, and Jarvis currently is.

[PorFavor]

The only candidate I have received any literature from by post (rather than email) is Burnham. Perhaps there is a whole tranche waiting to be delivered. If not - I am left wondering whether they are only bothering to mail stuff out to areas they have visited. Burnham is the only one who has come this far west. Poor show if so.

I shall wait and see what next weeks post brings.

Postal-wise, I've had nothing from Liz Kendall and only heard from Tom Watson (via what I can only describe as a novella (in terms of size)) re Deputy. Given that I'm in the South of England, the Liz Kendall no-show surprises me. I suppose there's still time.

[AnatolyKasparov]

I watched the Jarvis speech online later - I stick by the view the reception was less than effusive.

But anyway Hugo, there's no denying this one is there - when news came through that Jim Murphy had won his SLab confidence vote there was whooping and cheering, another defeat for the forces of darkness, we are the masters now! Then news came through barely an hour later that he had resigned anyway

[howsillyofme1]

Oh, and Burnham was a vice Chair of the evil Blairite Progress, and Jarvis currently is.

So?

Who said it was evil? I am sure there is a wide diversity of opinion just like in any organisation

It is, however, an organisation that tries to influence the party as a whole in a particular direction which is not where the membership seem to want it to go

People like Burnham and Jarvis are intelligent enough to see this and also would look to influence the party in a positive sense......no-one here really thinks that an unadulterated Corbyn manifesto is the whole story and some sensible influence from another view is not only desirable it is necessary

That does not deny therefore there are a bunch of people on the wing of the party who were secretly pleased at the loss, who undermined Miliband and thought they were going to rule the future.

You cannot deny that this was the view coming out of that, as said earlier, pretty awful conference

And they don't seem to be very happy about it! That bloody democracy...

[AnatolyKasparov]

Oh, and Burnham was a vice Chair of the evil Blairite Progress, and Jarvis currently is.

I am well aware of that, you know - so is maybe my favourite prominent Labour MP Stella Creasy.

My own MP is in it too, by no means everybody involved with them is a bad 'un (I also opposed the nonsense about proscribing them, and still do)

But there is no doubt that immediately after the GE the nutters came to the fore. I recall the godawful Emma Reynolds saying at the same meeting "we have seen this defeat coming for five years!" (either she is uniquely prescient, or a complete fibber - I know which my likelier option is) and again there was hollering and cheering. She is one of those who has told Corbyn she won't serve under him, I'm sure he's gutted

[howsillyofme1]

Oh, and Burnham was a vice Chair of the evil Blairite Progress, and Jarvis currently is.

I am well aware of that, you know - so is maybe my favourite prominent Labour MP Stella Creasy.

My own MP is in it too, by no means everybody involved with them is a bad 'un (I also opposed the nonsense about prescribing them, and still do)

But there is no doubt that immediately after the GE the nutters came to the fore. I recall the godawful Emma Reynolds saying at the same meeting "we have seen this defeat coming for five years!" (either she is uniquely prescient, or a complete fibber - I know which my likelier option is) and again there was hollering and cheering. She is one of those who has told Corbyn she won't serve under him, I'm sure he's gutted

She represents Wolves NE...the constituency I grew up in. Bloody crap!

[SpinningHugo]

That does not deny therefore there are a bunch of people on the wing of the party who were secretly pleased at the loss, who undermined Miliband and thought they were going to rule the future.

I don't accept that no.

Nobody was more critical of Miliband than me. Nobody. I thought and think he was hopeless as leader. I thought and think that with a different leader we'd be in government (if not in majority government).

But I, along with everyone else of my views I know, was gutted by the result. The Tories are doing serious damage to our society. On social security, cuts to everything from infrastructure to law, immigration etc etc they are appalling.

The idea that people like me wanted Labour to lose because that vindicated an argument is rubbish. Indeed seriously offensive.

And no, I don't think the Blairites were disloyal. The party were remarkably loyal throughout. We did not get the kind of briefing we get at the height of the Blair/Brown wars. There was no coup against Miliband (although I wish to God there had been.)

I would accept that past history had misled people like me into thinking the Labour membership were more pragmatic than they are. That David Miliband won amongst the members in 2010 told me that we could win again. hands up, I was wrong.

But, I also think the party has changed. With 'Blairism' not an option, discredited seemingly forever as it is by Iraq, and AK's mainstream Labour defeated badly twice, the party has marched off in the direction of Tony Benn. We are going to have John McDonnell as shadow Chancellor. John McDonnell! The man too leftwing for Ken Livingstone.

It is not impossible we could win in 2020. Very unlikely, Leicester winning the league is more probably, but not impossible. I can't of course prove what will happen in 2020. but I can show that Corbynomics is, at very best, seriously flawed, and that he has shown terrible judgement in the past.

My judgement, and I only have one, is that we are seriously damaging the labour movement, perhaps irretrievably. If that is proved to be so, I promise you I won't be anymore pleased about being right than I was about Labour's defeat in 2015.

[ohsocynical]

One in four claiming disability benefits faces serious difficulties including delays, unfair dismissals and confusion over eligibility

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 57434.html

[ohsocynical]

Colonel's fury as defence cuts ‘threaten future of Britain’s Paras’

THE future of Britain’s Parachute Regiment was in doubt last night with a senior colonel criticising cuts.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/598671 ... in-s-Paras

[howsillyofme1]

That does not deny therefore there are a bunch of people on the wing of the party who were secretly pleased at the loss, who undermined Miliband and thought they were going to rule the future.

I don't accept that no.

Nobody was more critical of Miliband than me. Nobody. I thought and think he was hopeless as leader. I thought and think that with a different leader we'd be in government (if not in majority government).

But I, along with everyone else of my views I know, was gutted by the result. The Tories are doing serious damage to our society. On social security, cuts to everything from infrastructure to law, immigration etc etc they are appalling.

The idea that people like me wanted Labour to lose because that vindicated an argument is rubbish. Indeed seriously offensive.

And no, I don't think the Blairites were disloyal. The party were remarkably loyal throughout. We did not get the kind of briefing we get at the height of the Blair/Brown wars. There was no coup against Miliband (although I wish to God there had been.)

I would accept that past history had misled people like me into thinking the Labour membership were more pragmatic than they are. That David Miliband won amongst the members in 2010 told me that we could win again. hands up, I was wrong.

But, I also think the party has changed. With 'Blairism' not an option, discredited seemingly forever as it is by Iraq, and AK's mainstream Labour defeated badly twice, the party has marched off in the direction of Tony Benn. We are going to have John McDonnell as shadow Chancellor. John McDonnell! The man too leftwing for Ken Livingstone.

It is not impossible we could win in 2020. Very unlikely, Leicester winning the league is more probably, but not impossible. I can't of course prove what will happen in 2020. but I can show that Corbynomics is, at very best, seriously flawed, and that he has shown terrible judgement in the past.

My judgement, and I only have one, is that we are seriously damaging the labour movement, perhaps irretrievably. If that is proved to be so, I promise you I won't be anymore pleased about being right than I was about Labour's defeat in 2015.

Your entitled to your view

And to think you accused someone of 'hyperbole' before

Personally I am not really that bothered if you are 'seriously offended' - firstly I do not remember accusing you by name and secondly the way certain people were only too eager to undermine the leader and the election campaign suggests a loss was on their minds.

[LadyCentauria]

Update on earlier post: European Championship Individual Grand Prix Freestyle's is live on BBC Red Button. GB's Fiona Bigwood has withdrawn Atterupgaards Orthilia as the horse is showing symptoms of a skin infection, they finished 9th, in yesterday's Grand Prix Special; and Germany's Anna Kasparak has withdrawn because of the fractured ribs Domperignon gave her in his wild excitement shortly before she mounted him to ride yesterday, when they finished in 11th place.

[SpinningHugo]

the way certain people were only too eager to undermine the leader and the election campaign suggests a loss was on their minds.

Who? Names?

Are you going to claim (along with AK) that Kendall's interview in House magazine saying that she favours an NHS structure that works best was fatal to Labour's electoral chances?

What would you expect after a terrible electoral defeat? Nobody to be critical, and just slap Ed on the back for a job well done?

[AnatolyKasparov]

the way certain people were only too eager to undermine the leader and the election campaign suggests a loss was on their minds.

Who? Names?

Are you going to claim (along with AK) that Kendall's interview in House magazine saying that she favours an NHS structure that works best was fatal to Labour's electoral chances?

What would you expect after a terrible electoral defeat? Nobody to be critical, and just slap Ed on the back for a job well done?

Simon Danczuk. Charles Clarke. David Blunkett. Tony Blair.

Definitely unfair on Blunkett IMO - maybe slightly (*slightly*) so with Mr T.

Can I add the name of a certain J F Murphy to the list, though? Started whining to his mate Hodges about Ed literally within hours of him being elected leader

[PorFavor]

Who is the intended audience for Gordon Brown's speech if the timing and (so far as I'm aware) the venue are shrouded in secrecy? Someone must be "in the know". On what basis was the audience selected?

[HindleA]

Just been reminded it is the anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre today.

[howsillyofme1]

the way certain people were only too eager to undermine the leader and the election campaign suggests a loss was on their minds.

Who? Names?

Are you going to claim (along with AK) that Kendall's interview in House magazine saying that she favours an NHS structure that works best was fatal to Labour's electoral chances?

What would you expect after a terrible electoral defeat? Nobody to be critical, and just slap Ed on the back for a job well done?

Most of them weren't brave enough to speak on the record - going instead to their pals in the media and it was their undermining of the leadership that was one of the main areas of problem for Miliband

Labour had the best policies (in the main) and the best leader of the political parties....where they failed is in not having the courage to stand up for the record of the last Government and kill the lies about the financial crash - and who were the people who were repudiating that record the most, yes the right-wing some of whom had been in Government at the time

You can find plenty of ex-ministers only to happy to whine that Labour had overspent and using that fucking word 'aspiration' in such a ridiculous way

[yahyah]

''You can see Gordon Brown's intervention in the Labour Leadership battle live at 2 on BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcnews" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …''

[yahyah]

Brown now on that live link I just posted. You need a tv licence to watch it as it is live.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcnews" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

[RogerOThornhill]

Tsk!

Too late.

[yahyah]

I wish he'd stand still.

[yahyah]

He is a good speaker.
To me no one else can put across stuff like he does, even if you don't agree with him.

[howsillyofme1]

Picking up the tv in another room there was one of those appalling property programmes on

In it we have some one working in a fairly low paid with a daughter out of work who is moving from Surrey to Yorkshire and has a budget of £375000 for a property

This is what makes my blood boil a bit - you can work hard go to university get a good job at above average wage but if you have never owned a property or live in a less desirable area then you are massively wealth disadvantaged against those who come from certain areas and inherit either wealth like that from parents or from huge capital gains in property without any tax being paid......

Inheritance tax and, I know it is controversial, but a Capital Gains tax on house sales may need to be put in place to cover a lot more unearned gains such as these!

The usual argument against is jealousy (and yes I wish it was me but like the vast majority of the population it wasn't) and blocking aspiration (whatever this means!)

[yahyah]

Brown says we are grieving, our hearts are broken but one thing worse is powerlessness.

[AnatolyKasparov]

I see the cybernats lost no time in piling into Dugdale

No surprise there.

I like Kez and think she has it in her to do well, but she really didn't need to describe Iain Gray as her "mentor" in that acceptance speech

[tinyclanger2]

http://www.trusselltrust.org/stats" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
growth in foodbank use.
Not going to cheer us up but at least a different topic.

[yahyah]

Picking up the tv in another room there was one of those appalling property programmes on

In it we have some one working in a fairly low paid with a daughter out of work who is moving from Surrey to Yorkshire and has a budget of £375000 for a property

This is what makes my blood boil a bit - you can work hard go to university get a good job at above average wage but if you have never owned a property or live in a less desirable area then you are massively wealth disadvantaged against those who come from certain areas and inherit either wealth like that from parents or from huge capital gains in property without any tax being paid......

Inheritance tax and, I know it is controversial, but a Capital Gains tax on house sales may need to be put in place to cover a lot more unearned gains such as these!

The usual argument against is jealousy (and yes I wish it was me but like the vast majority of the population it wasn't) and blocking aspiration (whatever this means!)

I see where you are coming from, and I certainly support inheritance tax and would lower the threshold.

But some of the supposed massive gains when selling one's property can be not all they seem.

We sold up and downsized to pay off our mortgage etc.
But if you added up all the mortgage payments we'd made in the past [sometimes at double figure interest rates and certainly never at the all time low % now], money spent in repairs, maintenance, re-decorating etc. then the unearned gain isn't quite as rosy as it appears.

[yahyah]

It was disgusting the way the media [& now a lot of Cybernats] demonised Gordon Brown.

His intelligence, humanity and humour come through at times like this.

[ephemerid]

I hope Refitman doesn't ban me for this.

This used to be such a pleasant place to be. It isn't at the moment.

pk1 and AAW won't post here because they think this place is too pro-Corbyn. I hope they're popping in to see that opinion seems to be fairly evenly divided at the moment - between those who do support Corbyn, those who haven't yet decided who they're voting for, a few who are anti-Corbyn. mbc1955 left us on Tuesday, depressed at the insistence by some that they know all about everything that could possibly happen ever.

I've not been posting much this weekend, because I am so pissed off with one individual, who is doing here exactly what he does elsewhere - I can't decide if his behaviour qualifies as concern trolling or just trolling. Yes, Spinning Hugo, I am looking at you. You piss me right off.

I don't know who you are or what sort of work you do; I gather that you have some sort of legal training; I certainly know that your online oeuvre tends to be making magisterial pronouncements, using frequently flowery language (and on occasion, employing abbreviated Latin references which I am not convinced you understand), then arguing relentlessly with increasingly hyperbolic nonsense when anyone dares to argue.

In the past few days, you have linked to an article about Corbyn's alleged anti-semitism, which it might appear you don't approve of as such, but of which you say "establishes beyond peradventure that Corbyn should not be leader". You go on to say he focused on foreign affairs for 30 years (tell that to his constituents) and that even if antisemitism isn't the same as anti-zionism, he's got "woeful judgement" anyway. Says you.
This execrable nonsense was followed up by a piece of whataboutery on what we'd say if Cameron got a donation from an anti-semite. D'oh.

You have opined that nobody would serve under Corbyn in a shadow cabinet and you think it's "amusing" that John McDonnell will (in your totally unconsidered and inconsiderable opinion) be shadow chancellor. Ha, ha, ha. You insist that Burnham can't serve under Corbyn despite the fact that the man himself has said he will. Just because that piece of vapidity in human form Umunna has got the sulks, it does not follow that the entire PLP will necessarily follow his disloyal example.

Over the past week, we've had all manner of pejoratives from you on both Corbyn and Miliband. "Comrade Corbyn", blah blah blah. He's the chair of the "Stop The War Coalition" (sic) - no sic erat scriptum about it, literally or in common usage. Check your Fowlers' before you try to be clever.

And now here you are, accusing others of hyperbole whilst claiming that "Corbynomics" is seriously flawed, the man himself has "terrible" judgement, and "we are seriously damaging the labour movement".

And now you're seriously offended. Tough. You seriously - and serially - offend me.

OK, Refitman - do your worst. I'd rather stay, but I'll keep away if that would keep the peace. I know I promised not to respond to SH on this, but his posts are becoming so specious now that I can't let them go.

[rebeccariots2]

Stephen Bush ‏@stephenkb 11m11 minutes ago
"We have to look at the lessons of our history," says Brown. Says Corbynites the "one group" who don't believe their own man can win.

I'm not convinced any of the current candidates can win ... so that really doesn't cut through much as an argument for me. We are where we are.

[yahyah]

Stay Ephie. Please.

[yahyah]

Peter Jukes ‏@peterjukes 2m2 minutes ago
"Protest will not be enough" says Brown then quotes Aneurin Bevan: "where is the power, and how can working people get hold of it"

[PorFavor]

@yahyah

Thank you.

[yahyah]

Stephen Bush ‏@stephenkb 11m11 minutes ago
"We have to look at the lessons of our history," says Brown. Says Corbynites the "one group" who don't believe their own man can win.

I'm not convinced any of the current candidates can win ... so that really doesn't cut through much as an argument for me. We are where we are.

That's one of the reasons the YahYahs are plumping for Corbyn.
I'll be honest, if there were an attractive, [in the all round sense, not looks] media friendly Blairite who could get the party to work together and gain votes from the middle ground I would probably vote from them.

There isn't. I think 2020 is lost.
Pulling back the centre ground from its rightward lurch would be something to aim for, or else those coming after us will think things like the NHS & public services were just anachronisms of a bygone age.

But in the background I hear, coming from another webpage tab, the dulcet tones of Gordon.
Feeling twitchy I may let his oratory skills influence me.

[ohsocynical]

Brown says we are grieving, our hearts are broken but one thing worse is powerlessness.

I'm not grieving. I still have the emotions of the time. Angry and disgusted.

[ohsocynical]

Peter Jukes ‏@peterjukes 2m2 minutes ago
"Protest will not be enough" says Brown then quotes Aneurin Bevan: "where is the power, and how can working people get hold of it"

I'm damn sure the working class won't get power from a right leaning Labour party.

[AnatolyKasparov]

I don't think 2020 is lost, but the old ways of doing things are not going to help us avoid that. They have, far too often, become part of the problem.

And I partly disagree with what Brown has seemingly said - many JC supporters *do* think their man can win. Genuinely, fervently so.

[yahyah]

Brown says we are grieving, our hearts are broken but one thing worse is powerlessness.

I'm not grieving. I still have the emotions of the time. Angry and disgusted.

Anger's said to be one of the stages of grieving.
Kubler-Ross' model has: denial & isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

There isn't an order one feels them in apparently.
But I would suggest many of us here have displayed all of them in the last few months.

[rebeccariots2]

George Eaton ‏@georgeeaton 6m6 minutes ago
Remarkably wide-ranging, historically learned speech by Brown. But some in Labour want a more explicit attack on Corbyn.

I'm sure some do. But it's a measure of the man that he isn't doing that - and seems to have grasped what many of the others making 'interventions' haven't - that it's counter-productive and not a wise thing to do. Mr Riots has blown most of his available gaskets in rage at hearing so many attacks on Corbyn which go into all this stuff about must show economic credibility and why Labour lost in 2015 etc etc. He thinks it's just playing into the Tories' hand as these things will get quoted back ad infinitum in the future when they think they will create maximum further distrust and lack of credibility for Labour.

[refitman]

I think we all need to be mindful of other people's feelings when posting. Please be aware that it is harder to get across meaning in the written word than spoken. As much as possible we should avoid pejorative language, including using "mad bastards" to describe sets of supporters.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Of course "some in Labour" want a harsher attack on Jezza, they are the ones who have proved so successful in stopping his bandwagon so far - NOT

Jesus wept

[howsillyofme1]

Brown says we are grieving, our hearts are broken but one thing worse is powerlessness.

I'm not grieving. I still have the emotions of the time. Angry and disgusted.

Anger's said to be one of the stages of grieving.
Kubler-Ross' model has: denial & isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

There isn't an order one feels them in apparently.
But I would suggest many of us here have displayed all of them in the last few months.

I like the phase called 'shouting abuse at the tv when Cameron is on' phase - that one seems to be lasting a while though!

[yahyah]

Brown is a great speaker, brings tears to my eyes.

But it shows that belief and compassion may butter no parsnips when the electorate goes to the polls.
Sadly.

[ephemerid]

http://www.trusselltrust.org/stats
growth in foodbank use.
Not going to cheer us up but at least a different topic.

So - more than a million.

Trussell Trust make it clear that the figures are not unique users, but the amount of 3-day food parcels given out last year.
It's still a staggering amount. That's 3,252,012 days' worth of basic foodstuffs.
Some of those parcels will be for more than one person; some of the recipients will be "hardworkingfamilies"(TM).

TT supplies, according to the last figures I could find from last year, 29% of all emergency food aid in the UK.

The rest is made up of - other food banks; independent food banks; LA vouchers or supermarket cards issued in place of hardship payments; cooked meals supplied by hostels, charities, churches, temples, mosques, gurdwaras, others; food parcels from Oxfam, Save The Children, and the Red Cross.

On top of that, there is an unknown number of people reliant on family and/or friends to keep them fed.

How has it come to this? The UK is one of the richest countries in the world. This is a national disgrace.