Thursday 29th October 2015

Post by **refitman** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 7:10 am

Morning all.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 7:37 am

Morning all.

Enjoyed catching up with Evan Davis v Owen Patterson, a fine popcorn moment. Or in my case, 4 weetabix and milk.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 8:06 am

StephenDolan wrote:Morning all.

Enjoyed catching up with Evan Davis v Owen Patterson, a fine popcorn moment. Or in my case, 4 weetabix and milk.

It's got to be hot milk.

Ditto for Shredded Wheat which I can no longer eat since, long ago, that foodstuff fell foul of the Nestle global takeover. So many things that I can now no longer eat . . . .

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 8:06 am

Good morfternoon.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 8:16 am

Morning. Four weetabix ? Am in awe of you Stephen.
But I suspect they are on the long list of things that are shrinking in size.

Heard some PMQs this morning and Cameron's back to his old pink, shouty, bully self.
Was surprised to hear him smirking about Corbyn's communications chief's love of the Soviet Union.

<coughs> Andy Coulson.
Milne's never been ruled a serious bully by an Employment Tribunal, been involved with criminal activities, gone to prison for said crimes, and lied to a court and only avoided trial for perjury because his lies didn't directly affect the case.
So how does Cameron have the bare faced cheek to make a jibe about other peoples' communications chiefs ?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 8:22 am

Morning.

Corbyn critic Kate Godfrey in bid to stand for Oldham West and Royton
‘Disabled, working class woman’ challenges Labour to shortlist her for byelection
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... byelection" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Big sigh about this. It feels like a completely manufactured slant - should simply be one of several people putting their names forward for selection as a candidate (that same process is going on all over Wales for the Assembly elections right now). I don't see why any of the characteristics that she mentions would give Corbyn pause for thought ... and I don't see what he personally has to do with this anyway.

She says she has been approached by the CLP and encouraged to stand. BTL a professed member of the Exec of said CLP says it's news to them. Hope Labour get this by-election up and running and over as quickly as possible. I fear it's going to be a very tedious and frustrating topic in the media.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 8:32 am

Owen Smith ‏@OwenSmith_MP 2m2 minutes ago
On @LBC in a minute talking about the extraordinary news that DWP are putting advisers in foodbanks. IMG_7448.JPG.jpeg

Karl Turner MP Retweeted
Nessie ‏@wildcandytuft 8h8 hours ago
NHS hospital to offer food parcels to patients at risk of malnutrition http://gu.com/p/4dy53/stw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Hospitals are opening foodbanks in UK 2015!

Karen Buck ‏@KarenPBuckMP 10h10 hours ago
Karen Buck Retweeted Paul johnson
Job Centre staff to be put in to food banks. Food banks to be put in hospitals. There's something not right here..

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 8:54 am

Government keeps fox hunting e-mails secret because releasing officials’ names ‘could put them in danger’
http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/10/2 ... in-danger/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[League Against Cruel Sports director Tom Quinn said:] “Of course people’s safety is important. But the government seems either to be buying into – or perpetrating – the pro-hunt lobby’s ludicrous claims that anyone opposing hunting is a violent thug.
“This is a tactic which those involved in hunting use to make it sound as if the only people who don’t like seeing animals ripped apart are violent animal rights extremists.”

They've been doing this with badger cull correspondence and evidence all the while. Branding all opposition as extremists gives them carte blanche ...

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:03 am

It's a very short leap now from kind-hearted people feeding our poorest on a charitable basis to government interference in the food supply.

How quickly the narrative has changed - food from food banks was a "free good" not so very long ago; the ubiquitous DWP spokesbot has spent 5 years informing us that the safety net is there and nobody needs food banks; DWP stopped "referrals" and "signposts" instead; IDS and his acolytes have been denying to anyone who'll listen that there is any hunger in the UK; and now we have a well-meaning but idiotic nun, so concerned that the hungry people who come to her are there due to benefit issues, that she invites IDS to supply DWP staff to advise them on their rights - which, had they got them right in the first place, the claimants would not need the food bank.

There are already LAs, having to cover what used to be crisis loan provision administered centrally, using smart cards and supermarket-specific loaded cards (for food only) to control what our poor spend their pittance on; Mastercard and others are already in talks with DWP to offer "products" for Universal Credit claimants to manage their dwindling awards of benefit; and there has been much talk of "benefits-in-kind" (eg. free school meals etc) which may be deducted in cash terms from eventual Universal Credit payments.

I wonder how long it will be before DWP insist that all food charity recipients have to book in with them before they can access the food? There are some independent food banks which already refuse to give food to people who are sanctioned or who have what they judge to be a "chaotic lifestyle". As for hospitals running food banks, words fail me altogether.

This is sick.

This government will not intervene in the food industry to legislate on packaging, alcohol, sugar, fat - but it will happily interfere with food, donated by the public to help those in crisis, and how it is given to those who desperately need it.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:07 am

David Hanson ‏@DavidHansonMP 4m4 minutes ago
early xmas cheer for you all _ santa to wear blue next ?Tories reckon city's Christmas baubles are Labour propaganda http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/ ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:10 am

Thanks ephie. I wonder too how long it will be before people at food banks are sanctioned further with reductions in food supplies because they didn't apply for three jobs a week.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:11 am

ephemerid wrote:It's a very short leap now from kind-hearted people feeding our poorest on a charitable basis to government interference in the food supply.

How quickly the narrative has changed - food from food banks was a "free good" not so very long ago; the ubiquitous DWP spokesbot has spent 5 years informing us that the safety net is there and nobody needs food banks; DWP stopped "referrals" and "signposts" instead; IDS and his acolytes have been denying to anyone who'll listen that there is any hunger in the UK; and now we have a well-meaning but idiotic nun, so concerned that the hungry people who come to her are there due to benefit issues, that she invites IDS to supply DWP staff to advise them on their rights - which, had they got them right in the first place, the claimants would not need the food bank.

There are already LAs, having to cover what used to be crisis loan provision administered centrally, using smart cards and supermarket-specific loaded cards (for food only) to control what our poor spend their pittance on; Mastercard and others are already in talks with DWP to offer "products" for Universal Credit claimants to manage their dwindling awards of benefit; and there has been much talk of "benefits-in-kind" (eg. free school meals etc) which may be deducted in cash terms from eventual Universal Credit payments.

I wonder how long it will be before DWP insist that all food charity recipients have to book in with them before they can access the food? There are some independent food banks which already refuse to give food to people who are sanctioned or who have what they judge to be a "chaotic lifestyle". As for hospitals running food banks, words fail me altogether.

This is sick.

This government will not intervene in the food industry to legislate on packaging, alcohol, sugar, fat - but it will happily interfere with food, donated by the public to help those in crisis, and how it is given to those who desperately need it.

I'm going to think twice or three times about giving to a food bank that I know is allowing DWP staff to access and influence its services and people using them. There needs to be a very clear separation IMO.

Will have to find another way of donating / supporting if our local food bank goes along with the IDS version of this.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:12 am

From the Independent ; Sixteen of the most senseless benefit sanction decisions known to man

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/s ... x1dmkd2_Me" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

nickyinnorfolk · Post by **nickyinnorfolk** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:13 am

There's quite a bit of stuff on Facebook this morning about the way Cameron avoided a straight answer about tax credits six times at PMQs. It was in reaction to a video of the Cameron/Corbyn exchange.

It was quite heartening to see people who aren't that politically engaged quite aghast at Cameron's behaviour and also asking why this isn't on the telly (and getting the answer from others that the mainstream media is not to be relied on).

Lot of positive comments about how they're surprised to be impressed with Corbyn, and also much disgust with Cameron (plus many references to pig fornication).

There's also pro Tory comments, although very much in a minority and getting forcibly challenged.

Social media is really coming into its own as a means of presenting political reality, as opposed to the generally biased mainstream media (which sadly includes the BBC with the likes of Lansdale, Kuenssberg, Pienaar et al).

nickyinnorfolk · Post by **nickyinnorfolk** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:29 am

ephemerid wrote:..... and now we have a well-meaning but idiotic nun, so concerned that the hungry people who come to her are there due to benefit issues, that she invites IDS to supply DWP staff to advise them on their rights - which, had they got them right in the first place, the claimants would not need the food.

I hadn't heard about this nun and wondered if you were being a bit harsh on an unworldly lady of the cloth, ephemerid. Then I read this:

Sister Rita Lee, a nun at the Lalley welcome centre in Collyhurst, north-east Manchester, said it was her idea to invite advisers from the DWP to help the food bank clients. The project is run in conjunction with the Catholic church’s Caritas initiative.

She said: “I wrote to the minister and the prime minister and received very nice letters from them both, but it was Iain Duncan Smith who said we could have a meeting with him in London.”

Asked whether she met Duncan Smith or one of his associates, the nun said: “We saw the minister. I wouldn’t settle for anything less!”

She said the meeting happened about three months ago and the DWP advisers started coming in about three weeks ago. They are able to help clients who are having benefits problems, for example, if they have been sanctioned, she said. “I think it’s a brilliant, brilliant thing that the government’s doing [this].”

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... ncan-smith" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No, you're right, unfortunately she is an idiot.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:44 am

Varoufakis mocks Murdoch media’s ‘troika-loyal’ expenses hit-piece

https://www.rt.com/uk/319984-varoufakis ... legations/

Rock star politician and ex-Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has brushed off accusations by the Times of London that he is raking in cash for speaking engagements by publishing his expenses.

...
On Wednesday, however, the motor-bike riding economics professor published his expenses on his blog and announced he had done so on Twitter with a Varoufakis-esque flourish.

Dear Times of London. Time for a retraction. Your report (https://t.co/I4nOaH2XBg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) was false. Here is why: https://t.co/pHE9dkhkC8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
— Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) October 28, 2015

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 9:47 am

Estonia and Finland's leaders say they haven't seen Cameron's proposals

The BBC is reporting that Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila and Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas have seen no “concrete proposals” from Cameron on what exactly he wants from renegotiation. (Politics Live, Guardian)

Get in the queue. (It's a British thing, I understand.)

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 10:03 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Morning.

Corbyn critic Kate Godfrey in bid to stand for Oldham West and Royton
‘Disabled, working class woman’ challenges Labour to shortlist her for byelection
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... byelection" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Big sigh about this. It feels like a completely manufactured slant - should simply be one of several people putting their names forward for selection as a candidate (that same process is going on all over Wales for the Assembly elections right now). I don't see why any of the characteristics that she mentions would give Corbyn pause for thought ... and I don't see what he personally has to do with this anyway.

She says she has been approached by the CLP and encouraged to stand. BTL a professed member of the Exec of said CLP says it's news to them. Hope Labour get this by-election up and running and over as quickly as possible. I fear it's going to be a very tedious and frustrating topic in the media.

Self-publicist first and foremost, who got a notably poor result in Stafford even by last May's standards.

If she is shortlisted I would expect a derisory vote.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 10:19 am

ephemerid wrote:It's a very short leap now from kind-hearted people feeding our poorest on a charitable basis to government interference in the food supply.

How quickly the narrative has changed - food from food banks was a "free good" not so very long ago; the ubiquitous DWP spokesbot has spent 5 years informing us that the safety net is there and nobody needs food banks; DWP stopped "referrals" and "signposts" instead; IDS and his acolytes have been denying to anyone who'll listen that there is any hunger in the UK; and now we have a well-meaning but idiotic nun, so concerned that the hungry people who come to her are there due to benefit issues, that she invites IDS to supply DWP staff to advise them on their rights - which, had they got them right in the first place, the claimants would not need the food bank.

There are already LAs, having to cover what used to be crisis loan provision administered centrally, using smart cards and supermarket-specific loaded cards (for food only) to control what our poor spend their pittance on; Mastercard and others are already in talks with DWP to offer "products" for Universal Credit claimants to manage their dwindling awards of benefit; and there has been much talk of "benefits-in-kind" (eg. free school meals etc) which may be deducted in cash terms from eventual Universal Credit payments.

I wonder how long it will be before DWP insist that all food charity recipients have to book in with them before they can access the food? There are some independent food banks which already refuse to give food to people who are sanctioned or who have what they judge to be a "chaotic lifestyle". As for hospitals running food banks, words fail me altogether.

This is sick.

This government will not intervene in the food industry to legislate on packaging, alcohol, sugar, fat - but it will happily interfere with food, donated by the public to help those in crisis, and how it is given to those who desperately need it.

Immediate gut reaction on my part is to say if government steps into food banks I step away from donating. And I don't think I'll be changing my mind. I don't like to think of the consequences of those dependent on them for food, but so far it's the only way I can think of that would nip the governments plans [and believe me they've got it all worked out] in the bud....

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 10:30 am

Minority of junior doctors will see pay cut, Jeremy Hunt admits

http://gu.com/p/4dm2x" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No extra pay for extra hours? Good luck with the shortfall if junior doctors don't work their existing extra hours.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 10:30 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
David Hanson ‏@DavidHansonMP 4m4 minutes ago
early xmas cheer for you all _ santa to wear blue next ?Tories reckon city's Christmas baubles are Labour propaganda http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/ ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Thanks, liked this one:

Former Labour councillor turned stand-up comedian Ben Powell quipped: “I’ve heard they’ve put red lights on traffic lights around the city!” He later posted: “Apparently the Father Christmas will be instructed to have a BEARD as a tribute to Jeremy Corbyn and Karl Marx.”

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 10:47 am

tinybgoat wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
David Hanson ‏@DavidHansonMP 4m4 minutes ago
early xmas cheer for you all _ santa to wear blue next ?Tories reckon city's Christmas baubles are Labour propaganda http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/ ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
Thanks, liked this one:

Former Labour councillor turned stand-up comedian Ben Powell quipped: “I’ve heard they’ve put red lights on traffic lights around the city!” He later posted: “Apparently the Father Christmas will be instructed to have a BEARD as a tribute to Jeremy Corbyn and Karl Marx.”

You've obviously never seen the numerous Bitters who refuse to wear a red Santa suit for the annual Liverpool Santa Dash. Blue only. And very sad too.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 12:07 pm

nickyinnorfolk wrote:
ephemerid wrote:..... and now we have a well-meaning but idiotic nun, so concerned that the hungry people who come to her are there due to benefit issues, that she invites IDS to supply DWP staff to advise them on their rights - which, had they got them right in the first place, the claimants would not need the food.
I hadn't heard about this nun and wondered if you were being a bit harsh on an unworldly lady of the cloth, ephemerid. Then I read this:

Sister Rita Lee, a nun at the Lalley welcome centre in Collyhurst, north-east Manchester, said it was her idea to invite advisers from the DWP to help the food bank clients. The project is run in conjunction with the Catholic church’s Caritas initiative.

She said: “I wrote to the minister and the prime minister and received very nice letters from them both, but it was Iain Duncan Smith who said we could have a meeting with him in London.”

Asked whether she met Duncan Smith or one of his associates, the nun said: “We saw the minister. I wouldn’t settle for anything less!”

She said the meeting happened about three months ago and the DWP advisers started coming in about three weeks ago. They are able to help clients who are having benefits problems, for example, if they have been sanctioned, she said. “I think it’s a brilliant, brilliant thing that the government’s doing [this].”
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... ncan-smith" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No, you're right, unfortunately she is an idiot.

And not much doubt about the way she votes...And even though she's a nun, they can be

too.

GetYou · Post by **GetYou** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 12:18 pm

This list shows just how dodgy Orr's "deal" was for Right to Buy for HAs:

http://www.24dash.com/news/housing/2015 ... -questions" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[edit: bloomin' rogue apostrophe!]

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 12:39 pm

Didn't know nuns could play darts!

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 12:43 pm

Didn't know nuns could play darts!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 1:00 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Owen Smith ‏@OwenSmith_MP 2m2 minutes ago
On @LBC in a minute talking about the extraordinary news that DWP are putting advisers in foodbanks. IMG_7448.JPG.jpeg

(my bold)

What the hell are government doing imposing themselves on private organisations made necessary by their failures?

Good-afternoon, everyone.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 2:00 pm

citizenJA wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Owen Smith ‏@OwenSmith_MP 2m2 minutes ago
On @LBC in a minute talking about the extraordinary news that DWP are putting advisers in foodbanks. IMG_7448.JPG.jpeg
(my bold)

What the hell are government doing imposing themselves on private organisations made necessary by their failures?

Good-afternoon, everyone.

Could it be away of getting round criticism for human rights abuse? Food bank usage is necessary because of failure to provide necessities in first place,
by taking some control, would gvt be able to claim that they are ensuring basic human needs are met?

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 2:02 pm

tinybgoat wrote:
citizenJA wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
(my bold)

What the hell are government doing imposing themselves on private organisations made necessary by their failures?

Good-afternoon, everyone.
Could it be away of getting round criticism for human rights abuse? Food bank usage is necessary because of failure to provide necessities in first place,
by taking some control, would gvt be able to claim that they are ensuring basic human needs are met?

Not out of my pocket. They're not going to hide behind me....I'll find another way of getting food to the needy....

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 2:12 pm

Many thanks, GetYou, for flagging up the website linked in your post.
Found another major something we need to know about.
This was published yesterday.
The entire article is a must read, in my opinion.

Labour’s shadow housing minister has called for advice to ministers on the independence of housing associations to be made public. The Office of National Statistics is reviewing whether housing associations should be included in the national public accounts for borrowing and debt.

John Healey has written directly to the Office of National Statistics calling for them to make public their assessment on the finances and the impact of the housing and planning bill to end uncertainty for the sector. The NHF has raised concern that if its members’ accounts are included in national audit data, they would effectively cease to be charities and would be nationalised by the government.

http://www.24dash.com/news/housing/2015 ... HAs-advice

This is huge - you all know this already.
Current government extending compel-to-sell discounted property onto housing associations punitively forces private entities into giving up their businesses. I'm not being hyperbolic stating this is something fascist states engineer. The only 'tape cutting' current Tory government does is doing away with necessary regulatory function ensuring safety of people and country. Government is simultaneously prohibiting affordable housing providers from providing affordable housing.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 2:38 pm

Natalie Rowe ‏@RealNatalieRowe 3 mins3 minutes ago

I will be on the @RichieAllenShow tonight ! Tune in to hear what MSM won't tell you. 9 O'clock tonight !

Ooohhh.........

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 2:45 pm

UN to investigate impact of welfare cuts on vulnerable UK groups
Government will be questioned on whether austerity measures have adversely affected marginalised people as part of routine checkup

It will also investigate:

Whether the national minimum wage provides families with a decent living
Whether the government’s proposals for further welfare reform, including changes to tax credits, give people on benefits enough to live on
Whether childcare is safe, accessible and affordable
What steps are being taken to reduce reliance on emergency food aid from food banks
Whether welfare reform is contributing to the lack of affordable housing
The extent of homelessness, and measures to reduce the numbers sleeping rough
How mental health services have been affected by cuts
Whether there is fair access to higher education because of university fees

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -uk-groups

(my emphasis)

Reported today, this afternoon.
I'm relieved to read institutionalised charities providing food for people in 2015 UK isn't acceptable long-term by the UN.
I'm uncertain what sanctions the UN can levy against current government but I appreciate the exposure of this intentionally humiliating and inappropriate way to treat people.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 2:48 pm

Afternoon. He's a lying tosser. Not in the mood for mincing my words today. He said no one would be paid less on Wednesday ... come Thursday and he's saying something different.

Minority of junior doctors will see pay cut, Jeremy Hunt admits
Health secretary accused of making things up after saying payment for doctors working extra hours is known as ‘danger money’
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... unt-admits" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hunt’s letter to the BMA said no junior doctor would be required to work more than 48 hours a week, with a new weekly maximum of 72 hours. He said current contracts allow a maximum of more than 90 hours a week.

Eh, eh and eh? Can anyone explain that to me?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 2:57 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Afternoon. He's a lying tosser. Not in the mood for mincing my words today. He said no one would be paid less on Wednesday ... come Thursday and he's saying something different.

Minority of junior doctors will see pay cut, Jeremy Hunt admits
Health secretary accused of making things up after saying payment for doctors working extra hours is known as ‘danger money’
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... unt-admits" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hunt’s letter to the BMA said no junior doctor would be required to work more than 48 hours a week, with a new weekly maximum of 72 hours. He said current contracts allow a maximum of more than 90 hours a week.
Eh, eh and eh? Can anyone explain that to me?

Requirement to work 48 hours per week with an "option" to work up to 72 hours per week (down from an "option" to work up to 90 hours per week)? Anything over 48 hours per week (up to the new ceiling of 72 hours per week) no longer attracting what is, apparently, known as "danger money"? I don't really know - it's not very clear is it? And how truly "optional" will the extra hours be?

Edited to add -

It might be "optional" in terms of who elects to work extra hours - but I'm guessing that the extra hours are needed to be worked regardless of who ends up doing them. And if the additional pay goes - who's going to be willing to volunteer for extras?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:02 pm

From today's Waugh Zone email:

4) CHALLENGE TO 'CORBYNISTAS'

The former aide worker who claimed Jeremy Corbyn appointed a “fascism-apologist” to a top Labour communications job is applying to be the party’s candidate in the Oldham West by-election. In an interview with my colleague Owen Bennett, Kate Godfrey sets out her fears that Ukip could capture the seat from Labour, despite the party’s near 15,000 majority.

"The Corbynista politics do not appeal to the core vote in Oldham. He might have an appeal in certain parts of the world but that seat isn’t made up of students and Hampstead socialists," she says.

Sheesh, this woman who I had never heard of before is putting herself about some ... How unhelpful is that kind of doomy prediction re Ukip ... and the sweeping generalisation about so called 'Corbynista politics', the core vote in Oldham (who returned Michael Meacher many times surely) and her assumptions about who make up Corbyn supporters.

Get yourself down here love ... we don't have many, if any, students in the CLP that I know of ... and we certainly ain't Hampstead socialists - but our CLP nominated Corbyn and we've had the biggest influx of new members since he was elected leader.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:04 pm

PorFavor wrote:
Requirement to work 48 hours per week with an "option" to work up to 72 hours per week (down from an "option" to work up to 90 hours per week)? Anything over 48 hours per week (up to the new ceiling of 72 hours per week) no longer attracting what is, apparently, known as "danger money"? I don't really know - it's not very clear is it? And how truly "optional" will the extra hours be?

Edited to add -

It might be "optional" in terms of who elects to work extra hours - but I'm guessing that the extra hours are needed to be worked regardless of who ends up doing them. And if the additional pay goes - who's going to be willing to volunteer for extras?

Thank you PF. Why can't Hunt write it out like that? Don't bother to answer - I already know.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:07 pm

Phil Cole ‏@PhilColeLabour 37m37 minutes ago
Osborne's tax credit £1bn up to £30bn claim rubbished as bogus by @CarolineFlintMP #taxcredits #TaxCreditsDebate

Phil Cole ‏@PhilColeLabour 38m38 minutes ago
DWP figures show 1.1million children lifted out of poverty after 10 yrs of tax credits @CarolineFlintMP #taxcredits

Good on Caroline Flint. Someone has to rubbish those ridiculous claims.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:09 pm

Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick 10m10 minutes ago
At least 7 local Lab cllrs going for Oldham W: Shoab Akhtar, Kaiser Rehman, A Jabbar, Zahid Chuhan, Fida Hussain, A Chadderton & Jim McMahon

Is Kate Godfrey local to Oldham?

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:13 pm

She has no known connections to it whatsoever. Maybe she passed through there once?

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:30 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:She has no known connections to it whatsoever. Maybe she passed through there once?

Who do you think will be the top contenders AK?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:32 pm

Back to tax credits, Labour MP Graham Allen has commented on the unusual nature of today’s tax credits debate – which has featured a disproportionate number of Conservative critics of the plans.

Madame deputy speaker, this has been a very strange debate. It is as if we’ve managed to collect within the chamber of the House of Commons all the sensible people from the other parties and have a serious debate about some of the issues (Politics Live, Guardian - my emphasis)

Ha!

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:39 pm

Regarding job advisers posted in a food bank as a trial set to roll out across the UK...

Duncan Smith said:

“They are to provide support to people who come in and that can include people saying, ‘I haven’t had my payment’”, giving the example of a claimant whose money was delayed because officials had not seen the right documents. I asked how often is this happening, and they said: ‘Well, a bit.’ But what’s happening much more now is not people coming in with questions about their benefits, but they are actually interested in where [they] can find work.”

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... ncan-smith

thatchersorphan · Post by **thatchersorphan** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:46 pm

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... s-10348427" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mental health service in Manchester plunged into crisis as NHS trust axed and vital services cut

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... e-10145037" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Reminder of the nhs devo manc deal agreed between osborne and Leese

https://twitter.com/JenWilliamsMEN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is live tweeting on it including :
Jennifer Williams ‏@JenWilliamsMEN Cllr Paul Andrews just told councillors that millions of pounds worth of public health cuts can't be scrutinised by public committee ..because of short time frames. But they will be discussed 'within Labour group' so 'not behind closed doors'. Erm....

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 3:50 pm

citizenJA wrote:Regarding job advisers posted in a food bank as a trial set to roll out across the UK...
Duncan Smith said:

“They are to provide support to people who come in and that can include people saying, ‘I haven’t had my payment’”, giving the example of a claimant whose money was delayed because officials had not seen the right documents. I asked how often is this happening, and they said: ‘Well, a bit.’ But what’s happening much more now is not people coming in with questions about their benefits, but they are actually interested in where [they] can find work.”

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... ncan-smith

And operating out of a foodbank rather than DWP offices with all the backup, systems etc that would presumably be to hand there, makes the DWP better at providing the service (that one must assume they have hitherto failed to deliver) how, exactly?

Iain Smith just talks bollocks and this doesn't stand up to scrutiny for one second. This annexing of foodbanks is an exercise the intimidation of the users, so far as I can see.

Edited

"for" for "in"

Edited again to change it back! Addled . . . .

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 4:02 pm

Bumboils. Put an "in" in wherever you like.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 4:09 pm

ephemerid wrote:It's a very short leap now from kind-hearted people feeding our poorest on a charitable basis to government interference in the food supply.

How quickly the narrative has changed - food from food banks was a "free good" not so very long ago; the ubiquitous DWP spokesbot has spent 5 years informing us that the safety net is there and nobody needs food banks; DWP stopped "referrals" and "signposts" instead; IDS and his acolytes have been denying to anyone who'll listen that there is any hunger in the UK; and now we have a well-meaning but idiotic nun, so concerned that the hungry people who come to her are there due to benefit issues, that she invites IDS to supply DWP staff to advise them on their rights - which, had they got them right in the first place, the claimants would not need the food bank.

There are already LAs, having to cover what used to be crisis loan provision administered centrally, using smart cards and supermarket-specific loaded cards (for food only) to control what our poor spend their pittance on; Mastercard and others are already in talks with DWP to offer "products" for Universal Credit claimants to manage their dwindling awards of benefit; and there has been much talk of "benefits-in-kind" (eg. free school meals etc) which may be deducted in cash terms from eventual Universal Credit payments.

I wonder how long it will be before DWP insist that all food charity recipients have to book in with them before they can access the food? There are some independent food banks which already refuse to give food to people who are sanctioned or who have what they judge to be a "chaotic lifestyle". As for hospitals running food banks, words fail me altogether.

This is sick.

This government will not intervene in the food industry to legislate on packaging, alcohol, sugar, fat - but it will happily interfere with food, donated by the public to help those in crisis, and how it is given to those who desperately need it.

Many, many thanks, Ephemerid.

IDS and his Tory government pretended foodbanks didn't exist for years. He refused acknowledgement and ignored pleas from foodbank charities for his assistance. Then Tory government said foodbanks were Labour's creation and Labour's fault. Then Tory government said the proliferation of foodbanks was caused by people choosing to get free food. An ugly lie, hard-pressed people require an authority granting a referral enabling only limited amounts of non-perishable, often inadequately nutritious food. Tory government lied about UK foodbanks during their nearly six years of leadership.

The UK is not at war, there's plenty of food and necessary work requiring employment and national infrastructure is still functional enough for everyone to choose their own food in their community. Foodbanks exist largely because Tory government have shrunk the UK's economy, reduced peoples' access to work and earnings and taken legally entitled social security provisions belonging to people away from them. Dump the Tory government policies enacted making the proliferation of foodbanks in the UK necessary.

Foodbanks will no longer be necessary when people who used to earn a living are properly employed again and social security provision is again appropriately distributed as it has successfully done for decades.

I will not accept the poverty you Tory bastards are intentionally inflicting onto people you couldn't care less about. What the devil are you Tories doing in government? You hate the country, the people, the institutions making the UK one of the finest countries in the world.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 4:27 pm

Guto Bebb MP suggested the Chancellor dump planned further rises to the personal allowance to help off set the £4.4bn cuts.

Not like him to talk good sense like this.

Post by **refitman** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 4:38 pm

Are the Tories (that are in the chamber) feeling okay?

[Jeremy] Lefroy talks about “the fallacy of trickle down economics”, and says the UK needs “surge up” economics. He stresses that people spend their money locally and that money from VAT will come straight into the treasury. The government must recognise the loss to the economy that will come from reducing people’s spending power by cutting tax credits, he says.

Disowning trickle-down???

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 4:48 pm

refitman wrote:Are the Tories (that are in the chamber) feeling okay?
[Jeremy] Lefroy talks about “the fallacy of trickle down economics”, and says the UK needs “surge up” economics. He stresses that people spend their money locally and that money from VAT will come straight into the treasury. The government must recognise the loss to the economy that will come from reducing people’s spending power by cutting tax credits, he says.
Disowning trickle-down???

I looked him up on Wikipedia where he is, in the entry, variously called Lefroy, Leroy, and Lloyd. Perhaps he's having an identity (as distinct from a constitutional) crisis as a result.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 29 Oct, 2015 5:06 pm

: What A Difference A Day Makes.jpg (69.31 KiB) Viewed 8863 times

Follow

Κωνσταντίνος Κανάρης
‏@DrKanaris
Pick a lane already @Jeremy_Hunt @Jeremy_Hunt @jeremyhuntdiary, @TheBMA & @johannmalawana not the ones misleading us

I'm wondering what Jhunt's definition of a 'a very small minority' might be? I'm suspecting it won't be the same as mine ... or many junior doctors'.