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Might be worth remembering at this point that when Murdoch put his titles behind a paywall, it was acclaimed by the usual media suspects as a "masterstroke" amidst claims that everybody would be following his lead within a few years. Not really how things turned out, is it?
In particular, the Times has undoubtedly suffered through its content not being readily accessible online - many have gravitated to the Graun/Indy sites by default as a response.
(my bold)
Exactly, AnatolyKasparov, my criticism of some of the Guardian's sloppy content is just but with confirmation data source checks from other non-payment sites I'm able to find out what's going on with that news outlet.
Terrible news about the steelworks. Still, all is not lost -
Osborne: government spending review to focus on infrastructure
Chancellor, who has overseen 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment, to launch national commission for major projects
Osborne – who has overseen a 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment since he took office in 2010 – will use the spending review to announce a suite of asset sales which the Treasury expects to raise billions of pounds to be ploughed back into projects. (Guardian)
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, George Osborne thinks that, as long as he can ponce around in a high-viz outfit and hard-hat, he's doing a grand job.
Good to see you! I thought, yesterday, that you'd not been around for a while and I was going to set up a search party today. Hope all's well, you skiver.
Have been bear-watching on Mars. V poor signal strength on the Red Planet I'm afraid.
PorFavor wrote:Terrible news about the steelworks. Still, all is not lost -
Osborne: government spending review to focus on infrastructure
Chancellor, who has overseen 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment, to launch national commission for major projects
Osborne – who has overseen a 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment since he took office in 2010 – will use the spending review to announce a suite of asset sales which the Treasury expects to raise billions of pounds to be ploughed back into projects. (Guardian)
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, George Osborne thinks that, as long as he can ponce around in a high-viz outfit and hard-hat, he's doing a grand job.
'suite of asset sales' - in other words he's having a car boot sale of things we, the public, own. Sheesh - that was quick wasn't it - no sooner has the ONS declared housing associations to be public corporations, Osborne is in there like a shot designing his for sale posters.
Labour Press
Decision from the ONS is a blow to the Chancellor - Healey
John Healey MP Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Housing and Planning, responding to the decision announced today that the ONS is reclassifying housing associations as public corporations, said:
“This decision from the ONS is a blow to the Chancellor and completely undermines the basis for so-called ‘voluntary' right-to-buy deal the Government struck with housing associations and the Prime Minister announced this month at the Conservative conference.
"That deal was done with the housing association sector on the basis that if they didn’t agree, they risked re-classification as public bodies which we all want to avoid. Today’s ONS decision calls into question the whole deal and the good faith of Ministers in reaching it.
"Ministers must have known this ONS decision was coming and so there are hard questions for Government ministers about when they knew and why they went ahead with the agreement.”
Not good news in the slightest, either for the Housing Associations or for the country.
You're mighty right. This is nothing but disaster.
What does Chancellor Jeff intend to do about the housing association's borrowing, please? I'm referring to debt housing associations have reasonably gone into sustainably in order to provide more affordable housing? What the hell are the Tories doing? How is this legal?
Thank you, RR2, I see my question about housing association debt has probably been answered.
Tory government are running enterprises they don't like out of existence.
Rees-Mogg, you Tory nutter, please explain how private charities having their assets seized by your Tory government are going to be justly compensated for the loss of their service provision capacity and the people depending upon their services.
PorFavor wrote:Terrible news about the steelworks. Still, all is not lost -
Osborne: government spending review to focus on infrastructure
Chancellor, who has overseen 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment, to launch national commission for major projects
Osborne – who has overseen a 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment since he took office in 2010 – will use the spending review to announce a suite of asset sales which the Treasury expects to raise billions of pounds to be ploughed back into projects. (Guardian)
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, George Osborne thinks that, as long as he can ponce around in a high-viz outfit and hard-hat, he's doing a grand job.
Where's the banner from the Guardian informing us all we're no longer living in a democracy but a fascist dictatorship and Tory government are our permanent overlords, kiss the ring, slaves?
Years ago the Tory wet, Sir Charles Morrison (brother of Peter), complained to the Chancellor that there were no clear figures for investment as opposed to current spending by the government.
Obviously, with the OBR, that's no longer true. But the OBR hasn't managed to get the figures to the heart of the political agenda. That's not all their fault by any means, because the media and BBC decide the agenda, but I wonder whether they could do more on this score?
Another thing they could do is get the figures for net government assets out there. As another Tory wet, Sir Ian Gilmour said yonks ago, asset sales reduces the value of assets. That's not, in itself, improving government finances.
Mapped: how new tax will add £73 to your annual car, household and medical costs
The new insurance premium tax takes effect on Sunday. Use our tool compiling geographical insurance data from the AA to find out exactly how much more you'll pay
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/per ... urn false;
This one's been kept quiet too....
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
His finger ever on the pulse of the bottom line...
Mr Rees-Mogg (Tory MP for North East Somerset):
"I wonder whether the Bill’s proponents have considered the human rights implications of taking a revenue source away from a private company without compensation.
The Bill makes no provision for compensation."
PorFavor wrote:Terrible news about the steelworks. Still, all is not lost -
Osborne: government spending review to focus on infrastructure
Chancellor, who has overseen 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment, to launch national commission for major projects
Osborne – who has overseen a 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment since he took office in 2010 – will use the spending review to announce a suite of asset sales which the Treasury expects to raise billions of pounds to be ploughed back into projects. (Guardian)
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, George Osborne thinks that, as long as he can ponce around in a high-viz outfit and hard-hat, he's doing a grand job.
'suite of asset sales' - in other words he's having a car boot sale of things we, the public, own. Sheesh - that was quick wasn't it - no sooner has the ONS declared housing associations to be public corporations, Osborne is in there like a shot designing his for sale posters.
I don't know if this makes it any easier to sell HA flats. I presume it just recognises that in effect the government stands behind HA debts, in the way they do with Network Rail.
Essar Oil fined £500k for Cheshire pollution
Firm pleads guilty to two separate incidents, including five tonnes of oil entering the Manchester ship canal, reports the Ends Report
Essar Oil (UK) Ltd, which is headquartered in India and operates Stanlow oil refinery in Ellesmere Port, pleading guilty to breaching the conditions of its environmental permit at Chester crown court.
On 27 October, it was fined £497,284 with £40,000 for three counts of breaching regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.
Hey, you know what though? No one can eat, drink or breathe money.
I'm angry and frightened when I feel as though my life is threatened.
My home, air, water and food need to be able to sustain me, my family, friends, community.
Money can't buy an unpolluted atmosphere.
PorFavor wrote:Terrible news about the steelworks. Still, all is not lost -
Osborne: government spending review to focus on infrastructure
Chancellor, who has overseen 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment, to launch national commission for major projects
Osborne – who has overseen a 5.4% fall in infrastructure investment since he took office in 2010 – will use the spending review to announce a suite of asset sales which the Treasury expects to raise billions of pounds to be ploughed back into projects. (Guardian)
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, George Osborne thinks that, as long as he can ponce around in a high-viz outfit and hard-hat, he's doing a grand job.
PorFavor wrote:Terrible news about the steelworks. Still, all is not lost -
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, George Osborne thinks that, as long as he can ponce around in a high-viz outfit and hard-hat, he's doing a grand job.
'suite of asset sales' - in other words he's having a car boot sale of things we, the public, own. Sheesh - that was quick wasn't it - no sooner has the ONS declared housing associations to be public corporations, Osborne is in there like a shot designing his for sale posters.
I don't know if this makes it any easier to sell HA flats. I presume it just recognises that in effect the government stands behind HA debts, in the way they do with Network Rail.
A commenter on CIF mentioned something about the reclassification of Housing Associations being a technical thing enanating from the EU, rather than a Tory ploy. I agree on its own it doesn't cause concern. It's the things like 'pay to stay', 'right to buy', 'bedroom tax' and lower rents that are pernicious. The reclassification just underlines the government is able to inflict all this on Housing Associations because they are so reliant on government grants for their survival in their current form.
"Fall seven times, get up eight" - Japanese proverb
I think housing is another area / policy that is about to blow up in the Tories face. They haven't thought through all the impacts, contradictions and perverse outcomes of the myriad of things they are bringing in.
Boris Johnson is in secret talks with ministers to avert a major Tory row over the Government’s new right-to-buy scheme.
The Mayor wants a guarantee that every council home sold in the capital to fund the flagship housing policy will be replaced by two more.
Mr Johnson and Tory mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith both fear money raised from the sale of London properties will instead flood out of the capital to pay for house- building elsewhere.
A source said Mr Johnson had met ministers to hammer out a deal that would “ringfence” the cash so it is mainly used to fund new London homes.His key objective is to secure the “two for one” deal, believing it will prevent the net loss of thousands of council properties during an already severe housing crisis. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/mayor/lo ... 03191.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Was chatting to someone we're doing some work for earlier today ... second home owner upper middle class well heeled and was surprised when she said she just didn't see how most people could afford to be in London these days and how that could continue - it was becoming a completely unsustainable city. She gave an example of someone who is working as an assistant on a TV production who probably earns about £200 a week net and needs to be in work at about 5am when there is no public transport option to get her there. She has to book a taxi. This means she is paying a large part of her low earnings simply to get to work. You can't carry on like that forever.
Willow904 wrote:
A commenter on CIF mentioned something about the reclassification of Housing Associations being a technical thing enanating from the EU, rather than a Tory ploy. I agree on its own it doesn't cause concern. It's the things like 'pay to stay', 'right to buy', 'bedroom tax' and lower rents that are pernicious. The reclassification just underlines the government is able to inflict all this on Housing Associations because they are so reliant on government grants for their survival in their current form.
And a nice irony for the government who like to think they're getting the state out of the way.
Was it this poster on the Guardian you were thinking of?
rebeccariots2 wrote:I think housing is another area / policy that is about to blow up in the Tories face. They haven't thought through all the impacts, contradictions and perverse outcomes of the myriad of things they are bringing in.
Boris Johnson is in secret talks with ministers to avert a major Tory row over the Government’s new right-to-buy scheme.
The Mayor wants a guarantee that every council home sold in the capital to fund the flagship housing policy will be replaced by two more.
Mr Johnson and Tory mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith both fear money raised from the sale of London properties will instead flood out of the capital to pay for house- building elsewhere.
A source said Mr Johnson had met ministers to hammer out a deal that would “ringfence” the cash so it is mainly used to fund new London homes.His key objective is to secure the “two for one” deal, believing it will prevent the net loss of thousands of council properties during an already severe housing crisis. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/mayor/lo ... 03191.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Was chatting to someone we're doing some work for earlier today ... second home owner upper middle class well heeled and was surprised when she said she just didn't see how most people could afford to be in London these days and how that could continue - it was becoming a completely unsustainable city. She gave an example of someone who is working as an assistant on a TV production who probably earns about £200 a week net and needs to be in work at about 5am when there is no public transport option to get her there. She has to book a taxi. This means she is paying a large part of her low earnings simply to get to work. You can't carry on like that forever.
Depends what you mean by unsustainable. Lots of stuff like that the TV company could probably get someone to do for free. It's an awful situation for all sorts of reasons.
Oh dear ... it's the kind of error that will have PF wincing and reaching for her red biro.
Quoting Ms Dugdale, the words on the video should read: “The test for everybody in Scottish politics is whether or not we secure a better future for the next generation.”
But "for the next genertaion” instead flashes up in huge white letters.
The gaffe was quickly picked up on Twitter, with many poking fun at the Scottish Labour Party.
David Officer tweeted: "Remember, the independence referendum was a once in a genertaion event."
Willow904 wrote:
A commenter on CIF mentioned something about the reclassification of Housing Associations being a technical thing enanating from the EU, rather than a Tory ploy. I agree on its own it doesn't cause concern. It's the things like 'pay to stay', 'right to buy', 'bedroom tax' and lower rents that are pernicious. The reclassification just underlines the government is able to inflict all this on Housing Associations because they are so reliant on government grants for their survival in their current form.
And a nice irony for the government who like to think they're getting the state out of the way.
Was it this poster on the Guardian you were thinking of?
Yes, it was their comment I read. I haven't had time to check if their info is correct, but it made sense to me. The real danger to social housing is not whether it's private or public but whether the government is willing to support and promote it. From the very start, Cameron's actions have made very clear he wishes to destroy the economic viability of social housing. I don't think this classification makes much difference. The sector was already being systematically undermined anyway.
"Fall seven times, get up eight" - Japanese proverb
rebeccariots2 wrote:I think housing is another area / policy that is about to blow up in the Tories face. They haven't thought through all the impacts, contradictions and perverse outcomes of the myriad of things they are bringing in.
Boris Johnson is in secret talks with ministers to avert a major Tory row over the Government’s new right-to-buy scheme.
The Mayor wants a guarantee that every council home sold in the capital to fund the flagship housing policy will be replaced by two more.
Mr Johnson and Tory mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith both fear money raised from the sale of London properties will instead flood out of the capital to pay for house- building elsewhere.
A source said Mr Johnson had met ministers to hammer out a deal that would “ringfence” the cash so it is mainly used to fund new London homes.His key objective is to secure the “two for one” deal, believing it will prevent the net loss of thousands of council properties during an already severe housing crisis. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/mayor/lo ... 03191.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Was chatting to someone we're doing some work for earlier today ... second home owner upper middle class well heeled and was surprised when she said she just didn't see how most people could afford to be in London these days and how that could continue - it was becoming a completely unsustainable city. She gave an example of someone who is working as an assistant on a TV production who probably earns about £200 a week net and needs to be in work at about 5am when there is no public transport option to get her there. She has to book a taxi. This means she is paying a large part of her low earnings simply to get to work. You can't carry on like that forever.
Depends what you mean by unsustainable. Lots of stuff like that the TV company could probably get someone to do for free. It's an awful situation for all sorts of reasons.
Substitue cleaner, or nurse then if you prefer Tubby. (Didn't want to give more specific companies etc but I don't think they'd get away with using free labour in this instance.) Point is most people can't do this for very long - they have to find a way of working / living that means they can actually live and develop. It's yet another reason why the tax credit cuts are so stupid and invidious.
Was tickled to see Neil Parrish MP's article re the need for Osborne to think again about his tax credit cuts and higher minimum wage in respect of the rural shires like his where it may seem well heeled on the surface but actually has many people working very very hard on low wages - and often in seasonal work. And I also heard the NFU arguing for the new 'living wage' to be delayed for agriculture and farming as they claim the producers just can't manage to pay their workers more ....... Sheesh am I glad the Welsh govt won the battle to retain the Agricultural Wages Board here.
Sorry for the source. Wonder why the Sun seems to have got it in for Grayling now? (He thoroughly deserves it though).
Harry ColeVerified account
@MrHarryCole
In 2009 more than 50 news articles "generated" by figures from FoIs appeared with Mr Grayling’s quotes slamming Lab: http://www.sunnation.co.uk/chris-grayli ... s-freedom/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
CHRIS GRAYLING’S ‘STAGGERING HYPOCRISY’ AFTER ATTACKING PRESS FREEDOM
The Leader of the Commons used FOI requests to get information while blasting journalists who did the same thing http://www.sunnation.co.uk/chris-grayli ... s-freedom/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Not sure which is the sincere part and which the sarcasm in this tweet ... cos it feels like it's got both going on. ?
Gavin Shuker @gavinshuker 1m1 minute ago
The hire of @KatySClark in the Leader's Office is inspired. She's fantastic. Remarkably, she even supports the Labour Party!
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Substitue cleaner, or nurse then if you prefer Tubby. (Didn't want to give more specific companies etc but I don't think they'd get away with using free labour in this instance.) Point is most people can't do this for very long - they have to find a way of working / living that means they can actually live and develop. It's yet another reason why the tax credit cuts are so stupid and invidious.
Yes, it very much limits the talent pool available for jobs. I defer to you on the TV job. It sounds seriously shitty that the employer won't pay for the taxi.
When I used to be out late on school nights, I used to see cleaners on the night buses. Johnson's racked up fares on buses and cut back a load of routes as soon as he became mayor- not to mention spending tons on his silly bus.
Another recession is coming - the only question is how bad
Governments must end today's destructive dependency on central banks, which will lead to financial bust http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/1196 ... w-bad.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Can anyone point me to some good news - real good news? And I don't mean 'rhubarb suppositories miracle cure for late onset political blindness' Express type stories.
From the BBC's report on the Caparo steel job losses -
Government has published new guidelines for buying steel for its major projects to help British suppliers compete on a level playing field with international suppliers. (BBC News website)
David Hencke @davidhencke 3m3 minutes ago
Closed today: The rehab hospital that should be at the cutting edge of NHS care https://davidhencke.wordpress.com/2015/ ... f-nhs-care" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
PorFavor wrote:From the BBC's report on the Caparo steel job losses -
Government has published new guidelines for buying steel for its major projects to help British suppliers compete on a level playing field with international suppliers. (BBC News website)
I don't know much about this but I've heard that Germany, France etc are better at commissioning infrastructure to fit in with the natural production cycles that their domestic suppliers have.
Another recession is coming - the only question is how bad
Governments must end today's destructive dependency on central banks, which will lead to financial bust http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/1196 ... w-bad.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Can anyone point me to some good news - real good news? And I don't mean 'rhubarb suppositories miracle cure for late onset political blindness' Express type stories.
I'm not sure what you had in mind but I caught a repeat of this programme recently (called 'Don't Panic'), featuring the absurdly upbeat Prof Hans Rosling and there is something infectious about his optimism, especially when talking about the era of 'peak child' and the transformative effect the humble bicycle is having on those living in rural Africa. I don't know if it's available on iPlayer, but there's a brief outline here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24835822" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Viewpoint: Five ways the world is doing better than you think
"Fall seven times, get up eight" - Japanese proverb
Like most people surveyed, I thought women in Bangladesh probably had about 4 kids. That it's 2.5 is a brilliant achievement for everyone who's worked on this problem.
National Infrastructure Commission - sad that it is not being properly funded - John McDonnell
“We welcome the setting up of the National Infrastructure Commission as it is a Labour policy...
Public sector investment has gone down since George Osborne became Chancellor, and is now only at 1.7 per cent of GDP coming down from 3.2 per cent of GDP when he first arrived in the Treasury in 2010.
We urgently need a focus on a strategic state which supports a more productive economy – that’s the way to growth, closing the deficit and improving working people’s standards of living. The Chancellor seems to be selling off national assets to fund this commission because he has decided to limit his options with his economically discredited austerity agenda.
When his failure on infrastructure investment is combined with the lack of support for the steel industry, and the cuts to tax credits, it means that George Osborne has pulled the plug on the Northern Powerhouse before he has been able to put it together.”
Excuse musings.
My better used a wooden banana/sliding board-non of your plastic yellowy things,for over a decade.A simple thing that allowed her to transfer -upstairs/bed/chair/car and thus further afield -the scene of four people- "happy" after a few pints of Guinness,one getting pushed in a wheelchair a zigzag fashion through the streets of Dublin comes to mind.We got it through an organisation that no longer exists,the one remaining (non fixed)aid to independence left.Battered and worn it did its job.
HindleA wrote:Excuse musings.
My better used a wooden banana/sliding board-non of your plastic yellowy things,for over a decade.A simple thing that allowed her to transfer -upstairs/bed/chair/car and thus further afield -the scene of four people- "happy" after a few pints of Guinness,one getting pushed in a wheelchair a zigzag fashion through the streets of Dublin comes to mind.We got it through an organisation that no longer exists,the one remaining (non fixed)aid to independence left.Battered and worn it did its job.
This is the best news I've read all day.
Thank you.
UK pension triple lock costs extra £6bn a year, says report
Well done to Liberal Democrat, Steve Webb there. Populist, expensive policy for a group that was never going to give the Lib Dems credit for it. Paid for by among other things raising tuition fees.
Apart from one hold with an increase %, that OhSo quoted earlier, I don't think it was a very good day.
Hugo, in his latest incarnation today, was gloating about Labour losing about 24% in one seat.
Think it was Barrow, that's Anatoly's neck of the woods so maybe he will have some insider insight on what/why it happened.
yahyah wrote:Apart from one hold with an increase %, that OhSo quoted earlier, I don't think it was a very good day.
Hugo, in his latest incarnation today, was gloating about Labour losing about 24% in one seat.
Think it was Barrow, that's Anatoly's neck of the woods so maybe he will have some insider insight on what/why it happened.
ohsocynical wrote:Off topic, but watching one of the earlier episodes of Steptoe and Son....
I must not say 'Gets on my tits'. any more. It should be 'Gets on my Bristols'.....
I have been worrying recently that Mr Riots could be - from a distance and in the gloom - mistaken for the old man - on the occasions when he shuffles back in to the kitchen in his boxer shorts and hat with flaps to get something he's forgotten to take to bed. I suppose that would make me 'Harold'.
Like most people surveyed, I thought women in Bangladesh probably had about 4 kids. That it's 2.5 is a brilliant achievement for everyone who's worked on this problem.
I was also surprised by that. I was closer on literacy rates ( I had 70% in my mind), but still on the pessimistic side. The bit I liked the most, though, was when he climbed up a ladder to illustrate how those who are well off tend to see all poor people the same. They can't see how just a small amount more can make a difference to those on the lowest incomes, that those living in poverty need just a few more dollars a day to transform their lives, not tens or hundreds. There were more than a few parallels with Tories in government who can't seem to grasp that just a hundred pounds a month cut in tax credits is enough to sink a family. I genuinely think they believe that someone who is already poor won't notice if they're a bit poorer, because they already have a crappy poor life, right? How will a few hundred here or there matter? It's only the equivalent of the odd meal out, after all.
"Fall seven times, get up eight" - Japanese proverb
