Monday 12th October 2015

Post by **refitman** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 7:10 am

Morning all.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 7:24 am

Morning all.

Good on them, I don't think I'll be reading any of the comments BTL at the newspaper websites reporting this.
Migrant crisis: UK response criticised by senior former judges - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34502419" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 8:12 am

Good morning.

I'm sorry because I don't recall who provided the link but regarding Recommendations to the European Commission on the negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP): http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popu ... 53316&l=en, I noticed the following clause, but nothing on Britain's role in such activities.

Lastly, the report stressed that it should be kept in mind that the consent of the European Parliament to the final TTIP agreement could be endangered as long as the US blanket mass surveillance activities are not completely abandoned and an adequate solution is found for the data privacy rights of EU citizens, including administrative and judicial redress.

Anyway, it just got me to pondering about words I've previously directed toward Cameron and May when they've spoken of surveillance and/or in Cameron's case potential for growth in digital technology or any other markets for that matter. I'll no doubt say it and think it time and again, but he must really be thick or something because he displays such complete lack of nouse.

Edit: fixed mangled quote

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 8:23 am

Mornin' all

Rowson on EU Referendum, after Rowlandson:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/pic ... t-61237464

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 8:40 am

Morning.

Someone really needs to explain to me why Helen Goodman's tweet was "racist", as opposed to ill-advised, and why it's so much more offensive than what *unt said in the first place, which he *never* apologised for.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 8:49 am

NonOxCol wrote:Morning.

Someone really needs to explain to me why Helen Goodman's tweet was "racist", as opposed to ill-advised, and why it's so much more offensive than what *unt said in the first place, which he *never* apologised for.

Well quite.

The usual suspects who were climbing all over this like a rash last night seem to have forgotten Cameron's "Twitter isn't Britain" in their rush to froth.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 8:53 am

Even the Radio 4 10pm news programme last night, usually clear of such twollop, had Carolyn Quinn [always has to be her] breathily talking up the Twitter storm and trying to make much of the need for an apology.

Funny how selective the BBC is about what it reports from the Twittersphere,

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 8:57 am

Morning all.

The reality of life in the NHS.

Wife goes in for a short day 8-5 - not in her usual department with meetings and suchlike.

Phone goes while I was in the bathroom. And then again...rush down and it stops before I get there. Take it back up and carry on washing.

Phone goes again. Is she there? She's at work. Not in the birth centre. No but she's at the hospital somewhere. OK, thanks.

Go downstairs and get breakfast before I head off to school.

Phone goes again. Wife this time. And yes, as I suspected they're short-staffed so asked her to work a long day so won't be home until 9pm. As I'm out tonight it's see you tomorrow morning then?

OK, back later.

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 9:04 am

RogerOThornhill wrote:
NonOxCol wrote:Morning.

Someone really needs to explain to me why Helen Goodman's tweet was "racist", as opposed to ill-advised, and why it's so much more offensive than what *unt said in the first place, which he *never* apologised for.
Well quite.

The usual suspects who were climbing all over this like a rash last night seem to have forgotten Cameron's "Twitter isn't Britain" in their rush to froth.

I'm deeply, deeply cynical about the media (as you may have noticed). Nevertheless, something new flabbergasts me every week.

Theresa May's nasty speech was being celebrated by, among others, Priti Patel (descendant of immigrants). Now the same sort of people want to label *Goodman* as a racist on the basis of a tweet whose target is patently *unt, not his wife.

I am in absolute despair. Even a well-led and well-organised Labour party wouldn't stand a chance in this Britain. They've had about seven years now of the most one-sided press and broadcast coverage possible outside a dictatorship.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 9:05 am

Dan HodgesVerified account ‏@DPJHodges 11h11 hours ago
Just seen Helen Goodman's tweet. What the hell is going on in the Labour party. Seriously. What is happening.

He must be delighted to be outraged, something to earn Tory dosh for writing about.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 9:11 am

We've been hearing a lot recently about the comments, back in the past, from Denis Healey and others.
Yet Goodman's fairly innocuous tweet is given turbo charged media attention.

The heady brew of social media, 24 hour news and news outlet websites desperate for hits does not help our politics, or democracy.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 9:22 am

LadyCentauria wrote:Mornin' all

Rowson on EU Referendum, after Rowlandson:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/pic ... t-61237464

Excellent! Really sums up how the EU referendum debate is dominated by really bad reasons to stay in against really bad reasons to leave.

My good reason to stay is the environment. The bigger the area that agrees to environmental protections, the more effective they're likely to be. There must be lots of other good reasons on both sides of the argument. I hope we hear some of them and not just an ever more hysterical spiral of jobs versus immigration.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 9:24 am

Just had a local CLP email.
Unfortunately they are still meeting on a week night we cannot attend.

The Chair says ''This meeting is open to all members of the CLP. I am aware that we have many new members. If you know any who have not received this notice please extend an invitation to them.''

I believe the whole constituency membership was only about 150.
Have emailed to ask how many new members have joined recently.
I suppose with such small numbers ten newbies would be a lot.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 9:29 am

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/o ... study-says" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Study into London property market discovers people can't afford to live there shocker.

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 9:31 am

Please may I be outraged too? I've no idea what you're all on about but after last week's diatribe from both May and Cameron I would still like a reply from our acting PM as to whether or not to change my name should I need reaccommodation. Sod whatever capacity my immigrant father or half immigrant mother have served this country or their parents for that matter in the war... even I have stuck my neck out for the country of my birth, you fat fuck Cameron.

I shall contact him again regarding this matter but keep it polite with less of my natural facetiousness this time because I seriously would like to see what advice he would offer me, because quite frankly I am outraged by his behaviour, his lies and his rhetoric. 'And that's just one issue, I dare not think of any others. Well not all at once, I must preserve some measure of sanity.

Stagger Lee · Post by **Stagger Lee** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 10:46 am

NonOxCol wrote:Morning.

Someone really needs to explain to me why Helen Goodman's tweet was "racist", as opposed to ill-advised, and why it's so much more offensive than what *unt said in the first place, which he *never* apologised for.

It was ill advised but nothing more than that. Common sense, social media and MPs are really not a good mix.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 10:55 am

Morning

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2015/10/ ... dult-care/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Council chiefs urge government to find additional billions to safeguard adult care

More legal challenges, lower quality, provider collapse and more rationing may follow without funding protection, say Adass and LGA

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 11:10 am

Good-morning, everyone.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 11:18 am

NonOxCol wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
NonOxCol wrote:Morning.

Someone really needs to explain to me why Helen Goodman's tweet was "racist", as opposed to ill-advised, and why it's so much more offensive than what *unt said in the first place, which he *never* apologised for.
Well quite.

The usual suspects who were climbing all over this like a rash last night seem to have forgotten Cameron's "Twitter isn't Britain" in their rush to froth.
I'm deeply, deeply cynical about the media (as you may have noticed). Nevertheless, something new flabbergasts me every week.

Theresa May's nasty speech was being celebrated by, among others, Priti Patel (descendant of immigrants). Now the same sort of people want to label *Goodman* as a racist on the basis of a tweet whose target is patently *unt, not his wife.

I am in absolute despair. Even a well-led and well-organised Labour party wouldn't stand a chance in this Britain. They've had about seven years now of the most one-sided press and broadcast coverage possible outside a dictatorship.

Much of our MSM would genuinely be at home in Putin's Russia.

Despite that, resistance and striving for genuine democracy continues there - and it has to here too. Giving up is what they are relying on.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 11:43 am

Reading Buses riding high as bus journeys increase

With bus use falling nationally Reading Buses are bucking the trend with an eight per cent increase in bus use over the last year

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/busine ... s-10239611

It's a pity more councils don't get control of their bus services back.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:10 pm

Stagger Lee wrote:
NonOxCol wrote:Morning.

Someone really needs to explain to me why Helen Goodman's tweet was "racist", as opposed to ill-advised, and why it's so much more offensive than what *unt said in the first place, which he *never* apologised for.
It was ill advised but nothing more than that. Common sense, social media and MPs are really not a good mix.

It is very bad form. Jeremy Hunts wife should not be brought into politics, especially not on the basis of her nationality.

Just being married to the tosser is surely bad enough.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:13 pm

Good morfternoon.

Patrick Kidd
✔
@patrick_kidd

I feel I'd be more persuaded about voting to stay in Europe if I spent half an hour listening to John Redwood froth
11:48 AM - 12 Oct 2015 (Politics Live, Guardian)

I was thinking along those lines, too. Dreadful launch, dreadful line-up and all the worst reasons given for staying in the EU.

(I gather Patrick Kidd is a sports writer for the Times.)

Kevin Maguire's "Tweets" are also about right, too.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:14 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
NonOxCol wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote: Well quite.

The usual suspects who were climbing all over this like a rash last night seem to have forgotten Cameron's "Twitter isn't Britain" in their rush to froth.
I'm deeply, deeply cynical about the media (as you may have noticed). Nevertheless, something new flabbergasts me every week.

Theresa May's nasty speech was being celebrated by, among others, Priti Patel (descendant of immigrants). Now the same sort of people want to label *Goodman* as a racist on the basis of a tweet whose target is patently *unt, not his wife.

I am in absolute despair. Even a well-led and well-organised Labour party wouldn't stand a chance in this Britain. They've had about seven years now of the most one-sided press and broadcast coverage possible outside a dictatorship.
Much of our MSM would genuinely be at home in Putin's Russia.

Despite that, resistance and striving for genuine democracy continues there - and it has to here too. Giving up is what they are relying on.

While it is true the media are largely hostile, the current Labour media handling machine is clearly a shambles. Unfortunately this is in part because the leader keeps handing them hospital passes.

See the latest snafu around the Privy Council.

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:14 pm

More fun and games:

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:19 pm

You mean the latest made up bit of nonsense from the Torygraph, TE?

I am certainly not going to claim Corbyn's media operation is flawless, but the fact remains they would monster him for simply existing.

(and how he can be held responsible for one MPs silly tweet escapes me too - no more true than EM being at fault for Thornberry)

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:22 pm

New fast-track eviction powers could breach human rights, warns watchdog

...the EHRC’s most detailed concerns were over the new fast-track powers for landlords to evict illegal migrants from private rented accommodation without needing a court possession order.

The commission also warned MPs that the new powers will allow all the tenants in a house or flat to be evicted whether they are lawful or not, if at least one occupant of the property is disqualified from renting because of their immigration status. In the commission’s analysis, this will put lawful tenants and occupants of the same property at risk of eviction because the court will order possession of the entire property rather than the eviction of the unlawful tenant or occupant,” the EHRC said.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015 ... s-watchdog

No court order required.
No one is safe when stuff like that gets made into law.

The Residential Landlords Association strongly opposed the introduction... arguing that immigration status checks should be the responsibility of the UK Border Agency...

(my emphasis)
I agree with them here.
Over 40% of private sector landlords candidly admitted if the prospective tenant didn't have a British passport, they'd likely not rent to them, according to the article.
Passports currently cost £72.50 standard and that price doesn't include any charges incurred for documentation required to obtain one from the HM Passport Office.
According to the supplementary information linked below, government are supposedly going to lower to the cost of passports by 35%.
The run-around wording of the document doesn't encourage me.

IMMIGRATION BILL
EXPLANATORY NOTES
These Explanatory Notes relate to the Immigration Bill as introduced in the House of Commons on 17 September 2015 (Bill74).

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 5074en.pdf

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:35 pm

The proportion of workers not being paid the living wage is rising

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 90451.html

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:47 pm

The Commons Library has produced a briefing paper reviewing the provisions of the Immigration Bill which is due to have its second reading in the Commons on 13 October 2015.
The Bill sets out proposed changes relating to access to services, facilities, licences and work.

- Landlords: adult disqualified from renting
An offence will be committed by landlords of a residential tenancy where they know or have reasonable grounds to believe that the premises are occupied by an adult disqualified from renting as a result of their immigration status.

- Landlords: leave to remain expires
An offence will be committed where a tenant’s leave to remain in the UK expires during the course of the tenancy; the tenant continues to occupy the property; and the landlord is aware of this, or has reasonable cause to believe this has happened and fails to notify the Secretary of State...

- Landlords obtaining possession of their properties
A landlord may discover that a tenant no longer has a right to rent but the immigration status of a tenant is not a basis on which the landlord can currently seek repossession of the property.
The Bill will enable landlords to obtain possession of their properties where tenants no longer have the right to rent.

- Driving and bank accounts
There are new powers to search for and seize driving licences held by irregular migrants and a new offence of driving a vehicle when unlawfully in the UK.
The Bill also introduces obligations on banks to carry out immigration status checks on current account holders. - Why? How? What use the information? What will happen?

- Illegal working a criminal offence
The Bill will make illegal working a criminal offence in its own right...
This will allow wages paid to all illegal workers to be recoverable...
The Bill will also make it an offence for an employer to employ someone whom they ‘know or have reasonable cause to believe’ is an illegal worker.
The maximum custodial sentence on indictment for an offence of employing an illegal worker will also be increased from two years to five years.
Currently,...the imposition of a civil penalty where a person employs an illegal worker.

http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and- ... bill-2015/

How can it be right that government force private persons or businesses to do the work of appropriately trained immigration enforcement personnel?
I've not included all the information found on the page.
The whole lot is frightful.
No one is protected by these measures, in my opinion.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 12:53 pm

Two Urgent Questions granted,today one on NHS funding and the other on the ~~destruction~~,selling off of housing assocation properties.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 1:23 pm

NonOxCol wrote:More fun and games:

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More balanced view(?), From "Russia Today":

https://www.rt.com/uk/318357-corbyn-tit ... y-council/

Unlike most MPs, who took an extended summer break for weeks, Corbyn has been working without a break since being nominated for the Labour leadership in June.
In that time, he was involved in an intensive election campaign involving 100 public meetings, and has since then faced a tough first Labour Party conference and an unprecedented blitz of media attacks since becoming leader on Sept. 12.
Corbyn said he could not attend the Privy Council meeting due to longstanding personal commitments – apparently a family vacation. He has said he would accept a place on the Council, but has not specified whether he would take part in the traditional swearing-in ceremony, which involves kneeling in front of the monarch.
The Daily Telegraph claimed on Monday that the “Right Honourable ” title, which Prime Minister David Cameron used to address Corbyn when they first faced off in parliament, had been removed by the order of the Privy Council.
It is not entirely clear, however, that Corbyn ever held the title at all.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 1:32 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
Reading Buses riding high as bus journeys increase

With bus use falling nationally Reading Buses are bucking the trend with an eight per cent increase in bus use over the last year

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/busine ... s-10239611
It's a pity more councils don't get control of their bus services back.

Was a central part of Michael Dugher's transport brief in the GE manifesto (re-regulation of buses to allow local authorities more welly) along with back door renationalization of the railways; despite the trumpeting Corbyn's policy on railways differs by next to nothing imo.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 1:50 pm

UQ on NHS at 15.30,Housing at about 16.15

http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/ ... f-the-nhs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/ ... ociations/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 1:53 pm

I'm in my early 40s, but have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of popular culture up to the mid-2000s, and a pretty sound awareness of what passes for it now.

In this context, may I ask: who the hell appointed June Sarpong with the apparently genuine impression that she is someone who might appeal to the youth vote? Makes me wonder what they had against Jayne Middlemiss and Jenny Powell.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 1:56 pm

Peter Jukes ‏@peterjukes 4m4 minutes ago
What a difference a Labour election makes: back in July Dail Mail were saying Brittan should be quizzed per procedure http://dailym.ai/1r2CVcO" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 1:59 pm

NonOxCol wrote:I'm in my early 40s, but have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of popular culture up to the mid-2000s, and a pretty sound awareness of what passes for it now.

In this context, may I ask: who the hell appointed June Sarpong with the apparently genuine impression that she is someone who might appeal to the youth vote? Makes me wonder what they had against Jayne Middlemiss and Jenny Powell.

Fun bit of trivia which you may or may not be aware of - Jayne Middlemiss was (along with Hayley from Corrie) one of the Socialist Alliance's "celebrity" supporters back in the day.

Stagger Lee · Post by **Stagger Lee** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 2:02 pm

NonOxCol wrote:I'm in my early 40s, but have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of popular culture up to the mid-2000s, and a pretty sound awareness of what passes for it now.

In this context, may I ask: who the hell appointed June Sarpong with the apparently genuine impression that she is someone who might appeal to the youth vote? Makes me wonder what they had against Jayne Middlemiss and Jenny Powell.

Why not get Ben Elton to bring back Nosin' Aroun'.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 2:21 pm

NonOxCol wrote:I'm in my early 40s, but have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of popular culture up to the mid-2000s, and a pretty sound awareness of what passes for it now.

In this context, may I ask: who the hell appointed June Sarpong with the apparently genuine impression that she is someone who might appeal to the youth vote? Makes me wonder what they had against Jayne Middlemiss and Jenny Powell.

I hear that Mike Read was approached first but he was too busy.

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 2:27 pm

PorFavor wrote:
NonOxCol wrote:I'm in my early 40s, but have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of popular culture up to the mid-2000s, and a pretty sound awareness of what passes for it now.

In this context, may I ask: who the hell appointed June Sarpong with the apparently genuine impression that she is someone who might appeal to the youth vote? Makes me wonder what they had against Jayne Middlemiss and Jenny Powell.
I hear that Mike Read was approached first but he was too busy.

I rather suspect that, after the "UKIP Calypso", Mike Read's involvement in the "Britain Stronger in Europe" campaign would not be especially feasible.

Even if he spoke to developers.

Stagger Lee · Post by **Stagger Lee** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 2:29 pm

In more Twitter fail news, our beloved chancellor has had this tweet up for a few hours.

George Osborne ‏@George_Osborne · 3 hrs3 hours ago
Great that on 100th anniversary of her death @RoyalMintUK release individual coin to honour WWII hero Edith Cavell

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 2:37 pm

Stagger Lee wrote:In more Twitter fail news, our beloved chancellor has had this tweet up for a few hours.

George Osborne ‏@George_Osborne · 3 hrs3 hours ago
Great that on 100th anniversary of her death @RoyalMintUK release individual coin to honour WWII hero Edith Cavell

Don't be cruel. The poor bloke's got a lot on his mind what with HS1 and all.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 2:55 pm

Stagger Lee wrote:In more Twitter fail news, our beloved chancellor has had this tweet up for a few hours.

George Osborne ‏@George_Osborne · 3 hrs3 hours ago
Great that on 100th anniversary of her death @RoyalMintUK release individual coin to honour WWII hero Edith Cavell

What, the man with the (poor second) History degree? Surely not.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 2:59 pm

Todays' news in the Twittopratosphere.........

Conservative Secretary of State - "Our cuts will make you work harder like foreigners do"
This is not rude.
This is no way whatsoever denigrates the hardness of the work you do.
So there.

Labour MP - "If Mrs.Jones/Davies/Evans likes Wales so much, what's she doing in England?"
This is very very rude indeed.
In fact, this is actually racist in a totally new unspecified kinda way.
This is now the truth because w say so.

I cannot think of a single reason why we should not accept this as we are being instructed to do.
Our free press and our unbiased mainstream media are there to educate us. Obviously.

Those among you who fail to work as hard as foreign people and lose all self-respect in the process, just because Big Brother has decided to remove your Spare Food Subsidy, are patently incapable of understanding simple instructions.
You will be required to report to the Department of Stealth and Total Obscurity for your re-education. While you are away, your accommodation will be sold to the highest bidder; your housing subsidy manager will have no choice in the matter.

Those among you who do not understand why Big Brother thinks Mrs.Jones/Davies/Evans is a racist bigot must be re-educated also. You require correction, and must be made to understand that Big Brother has your best interests at heart.
To that end, you will be sent to the Ministry of Injustice for re-programming. There you will discover the joys of singing from the same hymnsheet as Our Glorious Ronsealed Fishpointing Pig-poking Big Brother himself.
Wearing a Mickey Mouse towel, you will intone - "Tory Good, Labour Bad" for 20 hours a day; once re-programmed, you will be allowed to wear striped pyjamas and attend that nice Mr.Duncan-Schmidt's camp for working for free.

Having had a little break from posting (anywhere!) for a few days, I would like you all to know that I am well and happy - this is because I know that all Labour communications are racist/sizeist/terrorist etc. and I have no money but self-respect up to the wazoo.

So there.

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 3:52 pm

I am rather surprised by Nicholas Soames and Cameron's attacks on Watson. I wonder if something big is about to explode uder the tory party.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 4:22 pm

Temulkar wrote:I am rather surprised by Nicholas Soames and Cameron's attacks on Watson. I wonder if something big is about to explode uder the tory party.

I've discussed elsewhere my reservations about Tom Watson, and why it somewhat soured the Corbyn election win for me; the problem is that Tom is a consummate self publicist, and I always get the itchy feeling that he is more concerned with his own advancement than that of the party - his briefings against Miliband (he was Rentagob #2, not far behind Mr Selfie himself) made me take his recent calls for loyalty with a pinch of salt. It makes him a target and, I would argue, a downright liability.

With regard to his work in trying to expose the historic child abuse allegations that swirl around the Houses of Parliament, he was right to pass the information he had to the Met and to make clear that he had done that and some of the substance of those allegations; the problem was he used parliamentary privilege to point a finger, and that is why it is now open season. I'm not saying he was wrong to do so (although it does suggest a certain amount of prejudging on his part) and I'm not saying Brittan is squeaky clean (others have mentioned the selectiveness of the Panorama report); but I do wonder if this was another instance of Tom putting Tom first, and the party now paying the price. Feel free to flame me for holding this opinion!!

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 4:25 pm

No, you summarise well why some of us have never really warmed to him.

The suspicion of people protesting too much is still strong in this one, however.......

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 4:33 pm

As ex LPYS I personally have little time for Watson for obvious reasons, but with regard to the CSA revelations, like hacking, he is on the money.

LB was not cleared of the rape charge, he died before the CPS gave a decision on whether it was prosecutable, which Alison Saunders refuused to give after LB's death, so the investigation stopped. With regard to the many other questions about his involvement with children, they are still being invstigated and there are according to the Police, 'credible witnesses'.

This seems to be an attack on Watson that will gain very little and may spectacularly blow up in Daves face.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 4:34 pm

Labour to vote against Fiscal Charter.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 4:42 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:No, you summarise well why some of us have never really warmed to him.

The suspicion of people protesting too much is still strong in this one, however.......

(my bold)

Yes, this.
I've never met Watson, never looked him in the eyes and I've only the publications from and about him to judge him on.
Thank you your both, TheGrimSqueaker and AnatolyKasparov, for your opinions, I'm happy to know them.
Watson's work is likely the truth and I'm grateful for it.

edited to emphasise my appreciation for Watson

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 5:03 pm

http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/ ... ty-car-eac" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PIP assessments: 150 to 200 lose Motability car each week

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Mon 12 Oct, 2015 5:09 pm

Oops.

Financial irregularity concerns raised at academy trust praised by David Cameron

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/financial-irre ... y-beeches/

The government is investigating an allegation of financial irregularity at an academy trust previously praised by Prime Minister David Cameron.

Department for Education officials are looking into the concerns raised about Perry Beeches Academy Trust, which runs five schools in Birmingham.

It is headed by Liam Nolan who received plaudits from former education secretary Michael Gove.

Both Mr Gove and Mr Cameron attended the opening of the Perry Beeches III free school in 2013, describing it as the future of British education.

But it was placed into special measures by Ofsted earlier this year, sparking four resignations.

A DfE spokesman said today: “We have received allegations about possible financial irregularity at Perry Beeches Academy Trust.

“It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”

Perry Beeches Academy Trust has been contacted for comment.

When will they realise that plaudits from politicians really are the kiss of death?