Tuesday 6th October 2015

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:31 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34450882" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Parents of truants to have benefits docked

Of course,there are a variety reasons which may causes a child's lack of attendence,I don't know much about the operation of schools and/or safequards,but it seems to me-carers,bullydom,illness where penalisation may very well worsen the situation.

Morning.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 8:06 am

Morning

Didn't Corbyn talk about the need for improvements to mental health services for young people during his speech?

Children need to be helped. Mental health issues often start early in life and early intervention could help a lifetime of pain. Truancy can be the result of many reasons, not just naughtiness.

But the Tories prefer a punitive and simplistic approach to a complex problem, just so they can look tough.

(Sorry to mention the C word. We seemed to be bonding again here in the last few days as the real enemy, the Tories, became the focus, rather than our democratically elected leader )

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 8:15 am

Well done Michel Hussein, she's given Cameron a tougher interview than Sarah Montague would have.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 8:16 am

Heh, heh, she's used a quote from Thatcher against him !

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 8:36 am

Morning all.

I gave up when he'd used security about seven times in the first sentence and then said he was "passionate" about the NHS - got out of bed then.

"Passionate" might be the most irritating word from a politician right now.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 8:50 am

yahyah wrote:Morning

Didn't Corbyn talk about the need for improvements to mental health services for young people during his speech?

Children need to be helped. Mental health issues often start early in life and early intervention could help a lifetime of pain. Truancy can be the result of many reasons, not just naughtiness.

But the Tories prefer a punitive and simplistic approach to a complex problem, just so they can look tough.

(Sorry to mention the C word. We seemed to be bonding again here in the last few days as the real enemy, the Tories, became the focus, rather than our democratically elected leader )

Talking of C I loved this bit in the Indy.

The measures announced by the Labour leader would see the state retain its remaining 15 per cent stake in Royal Mail and put the rest of the organisation under public control through unspecified means.

So we are going to renationalise the Post Office somehow but not by purchasing shares (because doing so would be unaffordable). I feel no further comment is needed and wait to see what he comes up with on this one.

Shouting scum at the Tories, while emotionally satisfying and largely true, isn't the same as being able to credibly oppose them.

Although with Hunt telling everybody in the UK they are lazy, May complaining the last decades immigration is unacceptable (wasn't she Home Secretary for half of that) and Cameron talking about pushing the EU referendum back, it does make you wonder whether they might implode given any sort of opposition.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 8:52 am

Nicholas Watt ‏@nicholaswatt 21m21 minutes ago Manchester, England
You can tell how well @MishalHusainBBC did: microphone picked him up @David_Cameron saying afterwards that was very frank...

She's off the country supper - or even kitchen supper / drinks at no 10 - list then.

Morning.

(His slimy 'charm' is utterly repulsive, ain't it.)

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 9:02 am

HindleA wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34450882

Parents of truants to have benefits docked

Of course,there are a variety reasons which may causes a child's lack of attendence,I don't know much about the operation of schools and/or safequards,but it seems to me-carers,bullydom,illness where penalisation may very well worsen the situation.

Morning.

The article gives supporting statistics

The Press Association says it obtained figures earlier this year which showed 16,430 people in England were prosecuted last year for failing to ensure that a child went to school.
About three-quarters - 12,479 - of these were found guilty, and courts issued 9,214 parents with fines worth an average of £172.

Be interesting to know how many parents were fined multiple times, and whether this suggests fines don't work.

Other reason for missing school is parents taking kids out of school for holidays/other reasons (weddings, funerals etc)

An older guardian article on this used same press association statistics:-

http://www.theguardian.com/education/20 ... -of-school

.. He suggested that the increase in fines could be down to the new rules on parents taking children out of school for term-time holidays.
“If they do so without the school’s authorisation they are issued with a fixed penalty, but where the penalty is not paid it may result in court action,” he said.
Parents who take children out of school without permission can face a £60 fine per child, rising to £120 if it is not paid within 21 days. Those who fail to pay may be prosecuted, with a maximum fine of 2,500 or a jail sentence of up to three months.

Don't think Cameron gives a monkeys about effectiveness of policy, it's just another tub thumping, "look we're tough", and twist facts and figures to put the blame on the benefit claimants.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 9:11 am

Cameron was asked whether Thatcher would cut tax credits to low income working families, and a direct quote from her was used to show her support for them.

I'll try and find the quote.
Thatcher's grip on the Conservatives was a severe shift to the right, even called the New Right in older political books I've read recently, to distinguish them from One Nation Tories and the post war consensus politics.

Cameron/Osborne are to the right of the Iron Lady on cutting tax credits yet our media tell us they are occupying the centre ground.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 9:25 am

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
yahyah wrote:Morning

Didn't Corbyn talk about the need for improvements to mental health services for young people during his speech?

Children need to be helped. Mental health issues often start early in life and early intervention could help a lifetime of pain. Truancy can be the result of many reasons, not just naughtiness.

But the Tories prefer a punitive and simplistic approach to a complex problem, just so they can look tough.

(Sorry to mention the C word. We seemed to be bonding again here in the last few days as the real enemy, the Tories, became the focus, rather than our democratically elected leader )
Talking of C I loved this bit in the Indy.

The measures announced by the Labour leader would see the state retain its remaining 15 per cent stake in Royal Mail and put the rest of the organisation under public control through unspecified means.
So we are going to renationalise the Post Office somehow but not by purchasing shares (because doing so would be unaffordable). I feel no further comment is needed and wait to see what he comes up with on this one.

Shouting scum at the Tories, while emotionally satisfying and largely true, isn't the same as being able to credibly oppose them.

Although with Hunt telling everybody in the UK they are lazy, May complaining the last decades immigration is unacceptable (wasn't she Home Secretary for half of that) and Cameron talking about pushing the EU referendum back, it does make you wonder whether they might implode given any sort of opposition.

One idea, as alternative to Nationalisation: changing company law, so workers have more control, don't see how this would help with post office, but could use legislation to more closely control how post office operates.

http://www.greatbritishpolitics.co.uk/m ... tion2.html

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 9:40 am

steve richards ‏@steverichards14 3m3 minutes ago
I look forward to discussing on @theJeremyVine show why terms such as 'centre ground' are misused and why G.Osborne is rooted on the right.

As you were saying yahyah.

nickyinnorfolk · Post by **nickyinnorfolk** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 9:42 am

I didn't hear the Today interview, but that's really good that Mishal Husain was doing her job and asking Cameron difficult and probing questions. Sarah Montague would have been hopeless (she went to Samantha Cameron's birthday party incidentally - how very cosy).

From what I hear, no Kuenssberg straight on afterwards to give her interpretation of what Cameron just said. Read what you will into that. The contrast between now and her sneer-athon last week during Labour's conference is quite marked.

nickyinnorfolk · Post by **nickyinnorfolk** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 9:55 am

RobertSnozers wrote:I think I know where George Osborne has been getting coaching in looking like a man of greatness

He also looks uncannily like the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, particularly since he went on a diet.
https://thecinematicpackrat.files.wordp ... cher-4.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:06 am

HindleA wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34450882

Parents of truants to have benefits docked

Of course,there are a variety reasons which may causes a child's lack of attendence,I don't know much about the operation of schools and/or safequards,but it seems to me-carers,bullydom,illness where penalisation may very well worsen the situation.

Morning.

What if the parents aren't 'on benefits'? Seems to me that the existing penalties are at least treating all parents equally.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:20 am

Good morfternoon.

Cameron claimed that Jeremy Hunt had been “widely misquoted” yesterday in relation to his comments saying the tax credit cuts would help to teach the British to work as hard as the Chinese.

As for what Jeremy Hunt said, I think he is being widely misquoted. And that’s why he himself went out again said, ‘Let me be clear, what we are talking about is making sure Britain is one of the success stories in our world and making sure that we help people to get work and provide for themselves and their families’. (Politics Live, Guardian)

I don't see that Jeremy Hunt's "clarification" goes any way to denying, or changing, what he was "mis-quoted" as saying previously. It's more a justification of it, if anything.

Stagger Lee · Post by **Stagger Lee** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:22 am

I had the misfortune to have the 5 Live phone in on my car radio this morning. So guess what the topic was?

Osborne's speech that didn't mention the economy?
Jeremy Hunt wanting us to become more like China?

Nope, it was What it's like to be blind in the UK.

Not that that isn't a genuinely worthy subject to be discussed but perhaps today could have been something related to the tory conference.

A note from yesterday. The nasty Twitter troll who abused Harry Smith (among others) locked his profile shortly after it was mentioned here. Before he did that I did see that he was defending himself in his exceedingly unpleasant way.

Stagger Lee · Post by **Stagger Lee** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:23 am

PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Cameron claimed that Jeremy Hunt had been “widely misquoted” yesterday in relation to his comments saying the tax credit cuts would help to teach the British to work as hard as the Chinese.

As for what Jeremy Hunt said, I think he is being widely misquoted. And that’s why he himself went out again said, ‘Let me be clear, what we are talking about is making sure Britain is one of the success stories in our world and making sure that we help people to get work and provide for themselves and their families’. (Politics Live, Guardian)

I don't see that Jeremy Hunt's "clarification" goes any way to denying, or changing, what he was "mis-quoted" as saying previously. It's more a justification of it, if anything.

Misquoted??? :lol!:

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:23 am

Eric_WLothian wrote:
HindleA wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34450882

Parents of truants to have benefits docked

Of course,there are a variety reasons which may causes a child's lack of attendence,I don't know much about the operation of schools and/or safequards,but it seems to me-carers,bullydom,illness where penalisation may very well worsen the situation.

Morning.
What if the parents aren't 'on benefits'? Seems to me that the existing penalties are at least treating all parents equally.

Surely courts already have the power to deduct unpaid fines from benefits? Of course, they're not allowed to leave people unable to live, so it's up to £5 a week - I just checked and it's up to £25 a week for those on universal credit, which seems a very steep rise to me, or is that because it's household rather than individual income? - anyway, why is Cameron announcing as a new policy something that is already established as a norm? Or is he giving new powers to councils to deduct this money, in which case, how big a piece of legislation would be required to give councils powers that are currently reserved for the courts and does this have any knock on implications for access to justice and a fair trial etc?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:28 am

Stagger Lee wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Cameron claimed that Jeremy Hunt had been “widely misquoted” yesterday in relation to his comments saying the tax credit cuts would help to teach the British to work as hard as the Chinese.

As for what Jeremy Hunt said, I think he is being widely misquoted. And that’s why he himself went out again said, ‘Let me be clear, what we are talking about is making sure Britain is one of the success stories in our world and making sure that we help people to get work and provide for themselves and their families’. (Politics Live, Guardian)

I don't see that Jeremy Hunt's "clarification" goes any way to denying, or changing, what he was "mis-quoted" as saying previously. It's more a justification of it, if anything.
Misquoted???

It's the usual practice.

"I was misquoted!"
"No you weren't - we have your exact words"
"Er...I was misinterpreted then!
"Still your fault"
"Er...crikey!"

Stagger Lee · Post by **Stagger Lee** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:33 am

RogerOThornhill wrote:[

It's the usual practice.

"I was misquoted!"
"No you weren't - we have your exact words"
"Er...I was misinterpreted then!
"Still your fault"
"Er...crikey!"

Look, A Squirrel

/runs away

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:46 am

Stagger Lee wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Cameron claimed that Jeremy Hunt had been “widely misquoted” yesterday in relation to his comments saying the tax credit cuts would help to teach the British to work as hard as the Chinese.

As for what Jeremy Hunt said, I think he is being widely misquoted. And that’s why he himself went out again said, ‘Let me be clear, what we are talking about is making sure Britain is one of the success stories in our world and making sure that we help people to get work and provide for themselves and their families’. (Politics Live, Guardian)

I don't see that Jeremy Hunt's "clarification" goes any way to denying, or changing, what he was "mis-quoted" as saying previously. It's more a justification of it, if anything.
Misquoted???

Louise Cooper was on News24 The Papers complaining at the 'left-wing press', ie the G (!) and the Mirror, twisting *unt's words. Clive Myrie was quite taken aback.
He asked if she hadn't noticed the press twisting Corbyn's words.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:54 am

Willow904 wrote:
Eric_WLothian wrote:
HindleA wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34450882

Parents of truants to have benefits docked

Of course,there are a variety reasons which may causes a child's lack of attendence,I don't know much about the operation of schools and/or safequards,but it seems to me-carers,bullydom,illness where penalisation may very well worsen the situation.

Morning.
What if the parents aren't 'on benefits'? Seems to me that the existing penalties are at least treating all parents equally.
Surely courts already have the power to deduct unpaid fines from benefits? Of course, they're not allowed to leave people unable to live, so it's up to £5 a week - I just checked and it's up to £25 a week for those on universal credit, which seems a very steep rise to me, or is that because it's household rather than individual income? - anyway, why is Cameron announcing as a new policy something that is already established as a norm? Or is he giving new powers to councils to deduct this money, in which case, how big a piece of legislation would be required to give councils powers that are currently reserved for the courts and does this have any knock on implications for access to justice and a fair trial etc?

The child benefit plans, unveiled at the Conservative party conference in Manchester, are expected to cut councils’ legal costs by removing the need to take non-payers to court.
But local authorities will be put under a new duty to pursue penalties through the courts in cases where parents do not receive child benefit because they earn more than £50,000

Sounds like new powers,
love to know how many people earning £50,000 have been fined so far, would expect they'd just pay the £60.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 10:56 am

HindleA wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34450882

Parents of truants to have benefits docked

Of course,there are a variety reasons which may causes a child's lack of attendence,I don't know much about the operation of schools and/or safequards,but it seems to me-carers,bullydom,illness where penalisation may very well worsen the situation.

Morning.

Hasn't this one been announced a few times previously?

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 11:24 am

tinybgoat wrote:
Willow904 wrote:
Eric_WLothian wrote: What if the parents aren't 'on benefits'? Seems to me that the existing penalties are at least treating all parents equally.
Surely courts already have the power to deduct unpaid fines from benefits? Of course, they're not allowed to leave people unable to live, so it's up to £5 a week - I just checked and it's up to £25 a week for those on universal credit, which seems a very steep rise to me, or is that because it's household rather than individual income? - anyway, why is Cameron announcing as a new policy something that is already established as a norm? Or is he giving new powers to councils to deduct this money, in which case, how big a piece of legislation would be required to give councils powers that are currently reserved for the courts and does this have any knock on implications for access to justice and a fair trial etc?

The child benefit plans, unveiled at the Conservative party conference in Manchester, are expected to cut councils’ legal costs by removing the need to take non-payers to court.
But local authorities will be put under a new duty to pursue penalties through the courts in cases where parents do not receive child benefit because they earn more than £50,000
Sounds like new powers,
love to know how many people earning £50,000 have been fined so far, would expect they'd just pay the £60.

I would have thought the number of LA fixed penalties for truancy offences would be a tiny percentage of the penalties they issue (parking offences, environmental offences etc spring to mind). All other non-payers (for whatever reason) have, as far as I know, a right to a court hearing. The court can then order deductions from earnings or benefits. I'm sure every LA must have a well-defined process for pursuing FPs. By singling out one group of 'offenders' for different treatment, the government will likely increase the costs to LAs. (Do LAs even know of everybody who is on benefits)?

Isn't this idea a solution looking for a problem?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 11:28 am

RogerOThornhill wrote:
Stagger Lee wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.
I don't see that Jeremy Hunt's "clarification" goes any way to denying, or changing, what he was "mis-quoted" as saying previously. It's more a justification of it, if anything.
Misquoted???

It's the usual practice.

"I was misquoted!"
"No you weren't - we have your exact words"
"Er...I was misinterpreted then!
"Still your fault"
"Er...crikey!"

"I don't accept that."

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 11:30 am

Good-morning, everyone.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 11:49 am

Inadequate free school facing forced takeover

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/inadequate-fre ... -takeover/

It is understood to be the first time a free school has been made to go down this route by the Department for Education (DfE).

GHCS now says it is unhappy with the DfE’s choice of sponsor, Bright Tribe. The school is worried about that the sponsor is based in the north west, and GHCS in the north east, and exam results of schools it currently runs.

The school said it would prefer to have the option of a local group to run the school or to work in an already-established cluster.

It's actually worse than that.

Bright Tribe has 7 schools - 1 in Oldham, 1 in Copeland, Cumbria...4 in Suffolk and 1 in Essex.

They are based in Stockport which is 142 miles away from Grindon Hall.

Wasn't Nash supposed to be trying to localise trusts? It doesn't say much for the 11 trusts they have running schools in Sunderland that none of them are suitable to take over this one.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 12:35 pm

Theresa May's immigration speech is dangerous and factually wrong
The Home Secretary is fanning the flames of prejudice in a cynical attempt to become Conservative leader
James Kirkup
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... wrong.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If, as Mrs May argues, immigration makes British society less cohesive, leaves groups of people less unable to get along, isn't that at least partly the result of politicians pandering to ignorance and prejudice and wilfully distorting the evidence to persuade people to be angry and afraid?

The poll is currently 66% May is stoking prejudice v 34% immigration has to be controlled.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:09 pm

]Homeless London families re-homed in Berkshire, but local families moved away

Dozens of London families have been re-homed across Berkshire.
Two households from Hounslow have been found accommodation in Bracknell Forest , according to figures from a Freedom of Information Act in August.
Harrow also said it had re-homed 11 households in Berkshire.
However, councils in Berkshire are also housing their homeless people outside of their local areas.
The figures show there were 52 households homed outside Reading at the end of June this year, compared to none the year before, according to figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government show families from Wokingham and West Berkshire are sent to live in Reading, but families from Reading end up in Slough and Basingstoke

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readin ... d-10202647

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:11 pm

Theresa May once spoke about the Tories being seen as the "nasty party" as if it was a bad thing.......

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:26 pm

Rich Simcox ‏@richsimcox 28 mins28 minutes ago

Dear comrades obsessed with alleging BBC BIAS, you're missing a fantastic skewering of Theresa May by @afneil on #bbcdp

Did anyone see it?

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:27 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:... "Passionate" might be the most irritating word from a politician right now.

Especially from Cameron I would say, Roger. Had he used such language with me I'd find it difficult to resist politely suggesting he may wish to rephrase as we all know what arouses his passions, do we not? I may even lack sufficient control not to laugh directly at him; whether it be infectious is entirely another matter.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:28 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
Rich Simcox ‏@richsimcox 28 mins28 minutes ago

Dear comrades obsessed with alleging BBC BIAS, you're missing a fantastic skewering of Theresa May by @afneil on #bbcdp
Did anyone see it?

He did the same about that phony list of small-business owners before the election...but any criticism won't make the news. How many people watch Andrew Neil?

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:37 pm

People who are genuinely "passionate" about something, or anything, don't feel the need to announce it non-stop.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:41 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:People who are genuinely "passionate" about something, or anything, don't feel the need to announce it non-stop.

They do if they are on a reality show.
People are 'passionate' about the 'journey' they are on, even if it only involves baking cakes and icing them on a BBC programme.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:46 pm

''Daily Telegraph censured over Jeremy Corbyn 'antisemite' story
Press regulator Ipso orders paper to run prominent correction after it ‘distorted’ comments made by a prominent Labour MP in a front-page story''

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/o ... emite-ipso" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They've done the damage now, as intended. Smears about Corbyn all over the new stands and supermarket shelves.

Maybe fining papers in such cases would be more effective.
But you'd need to get a government prepared to do that elected.
A government the press would work hard to stop getting elected.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:53 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
Rich Simcox ‏@richsimcox 28 mins28 minutes ago

Dear comrades obsessed with alleging BBC BIAS, you're missing a fantastic skewering of Theresa May by @afneil on #bbcdp
Did anyone see it?

Yeah, ohso, she kept making claims about other EU leaders' views I think that Andrew Neil kept refuting, without batting an eyelid she just kept repeating her lies. Jo Coburn treated Priti Patel in similar fashion earlier over Tax Credits and Hunt's remarks. I look forward to presenters telling them to their faces that they are simply lying, not that it would ever happen but they deserve no better.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 1:55 pm

yahyah wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:People who are genuinely "passionate" about something, or anything, don't feel the need to announce it non-stop.

They do if they are on a reality show.
People are 'passionate' about the 'journey' they are on, even if it only involves baking cakes and icing them on a BBC programme.

Didn't realise he did that much drugs at Eton/Oxford!
At what point did he start believing he was in a reality show?

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:03 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:... Perhaps we can find the point at which he tearfully declared 'I want this more than ANYTHING I've EVER wanted in my WHOLE LIFE'.

Actually, that might have been around the time he declared he was 'pumped up' and going to 'let rip'.

Sometimes you're just grateful you were never brought up to be a hunter, Robert. Could you imagine being downwind of him at a time like that?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:06 pm

Three or four days ago the papers, from the Mirror to the Mail were full of stories about Ashcroft's book launch on Monday revealing something that Cam & Sam didn't want dragged up.

Well, Monday's come and gone. No revelations to upset fragrant Samantha that I've seen or heard.

Were the news stories just spin to boost sales of the Ashcroft book, after most of it had already been published ?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:10 pm

BBC presenter talking up Bozo as having aplomb.

His fake compassion for working folk is sickening. Just keeping an eye on the London vote.

Just like The Sun's sudden concern for people on tax credits, driven no doubt by fears their readers may have less dosh to waste on Sun rubbish.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:11 pm

Yesterday Oddborn announced policies which could/should lead to mass migration from less wealthy areas to anywhere with jobs.
Today Teresa May is stoking up fear of immigrants taking jobs, threatening infrastructure etc.

What's the difference?

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:30 pm

yahyah wrote:BBC presenter talking up Bozo as having aplomb.

His fake compassion for working folk is sickening. Just keeping an eye on the London vote.

Just like The Sun's sudden concern for people on tax credits, driven no doubt by fears their readers may have less dosh to waste on Sun rubbish.

I'm a little hesitant to speak up on his behalf, yahyah, because putting it frankly BoJo and I have no common ground when it comes to our politics. However as much as it pains me to say I'm actually inclined to believe him on this score, not because of any particular concern on his part for the plight of others but merely for the reasons he gives, namely who would do the low paid jobs do if they couldn't afford to live in London. Hasn't he said similar of the benefit cap too?

As ignorant as you'd like to think them, can they really be as stupid as they appear? Which only goes to demonstrate how low is my opinion of Dave, George, IDS, Theresa and a few others to boot... A good kicking is more than they deserve.

Which reminds me, the more I see of Cameron speaking of the odd £20 he denies of those in dire need of social security, the more I am minded of millionaires claiming DLA for a child.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:36 pm

Jeremy Hunt in toilet blunder as he pulls emergency cord on train on the way to Tory conference
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/je ... ls-6582267

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:47 pm

Katharine Viner, Guardian editor-in-chief, interviewing George Osborne at Politics Live.

Has to be read to be believed.

What a servile little nation this is.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:56 pm

Some 2,380 people have died after being found fit for work and losing benefits, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures show.
Between December 2011 and February 2014 the equivalent of about 90 people a month died after their Employment and Support Allowance claim was ended.
Campaigners have called for the "tragic" figures to be investigated.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34074557

Finally. I wonder how much it hurt the BBC to print that.

Not much consolation for the 2,380 and their families though.

Post by **refitman** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:57 pm

yahyah wrote:BBC presenter talking up Bozo as having aplomb.

His fake compassion for working folk is sickening. Just keeping an eye on the London vote.

Just like The Sun's sudden concern for people on tax credits, driven no doubt by fears their readers may have less dosh to waste on Sun rubbish.

The only dissenting voice that Andrew Sparrow's reported is Julia H-B:

Julia Hartley-Brewer @JuliaHB1

Hacks at Tory conference saying Boris's speech is brilliant. Listening to it on the radio, it sounds like random incoherent nonsense.
12:37 PM - 6 Oct 2015

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 2:59 pm

yahyah wrote:Three or four days ago the papers, from the Mirror to the Mail were full of stories about Ashcroft's book launch on Monday revealing something that Cam & Sam didn't want dragged up.

Well, Monday's come and gone. No revelations to upset fragrant Samantha that I've seen or heard.

Were the news stories just spin to boost sales of the Ashcroft book, after most of it had already been published ?

Combine the subject of your post with subject of your next post & you've answered your own question.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 3:04 pm

Yikes.

I was going to say surely she'd have better taste, but we are talking about the woman who married Cameron.

Mind you, a woman scorned in favour of a dead pig might be desperate

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 06 Oct, 2015 3:08 pm

Nigel FarageVerified account
‏@Nigel_Farage

Nice to see Theresa May repeating so much of what I have said about uncontrolled migration. Let's hope she means it.

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/10 ... nd-asylum/

Easy to see the Tories need the UKIP vote. With their ageing membership and supporters, they need an influx of new blood.
I think UKIP is the only party they can poach from.