Thursday 17th December 2015

Post by **refitman** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 7:09 am

Morning all.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 7:43 am

Morning.

Yvette Cooper's been on Today, presenting a piece about internet abuse & misogyny.

One of the people featured as a victim was Jess Phillips.
Interesting that no mention was made about the use of behaviour/language involved by someone gloating about 'knifing' Corbyn. Funny that.

Cooper's going to be interviewed later on.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 8:25 am

Panto season, that time of year when Baron Not-so-Hardup makes an appearance. He's behind you ! On no he isn't, etc

Neil Kinnock And Peter Mandelson Warn Jeremy Corbyn Over Future Direction Of Labour Party

Lord Mandelson told the meeting: "30,000 long term members have left the Labour party, real members, tens of thousands. There are now two Labour parties..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12 ... mg00000067" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

: ScreenShot01300.jpg (110.52 KiB) Viewed 11513 times

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 8:48 am

TobyLatimer wrote:Panto season, that time of year when Baron Not-so-Hardup makes an appearance. He's behind you ! On no he isn't, etc

Neil Kinnock And Peter Mandelson Warn Jeremy Corbyn Over Future Direction Of Labour Party

Lord Mandelson told the meeting: "30,000 long term members have left the Labour party, real members, tens of thousands. There are now two Labour parties..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12 ... mg00000067" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScreenShot01300.jpg

Mandy, in all seriousness, what does he want to achieve saying this type of thing?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:17 am

Morning. (Can't say good as it's dire here ... torrential rain ... as per usual. Mr Riots will be muttering about wanting to move to Greece again).

Barry Gardiner ‏@BarryGardiner 16m16 minutes ago
Gov U Turn in just 5 days
1. Announce historic Paris Agreement @COP21
2. Announce Fracking in National Parks
3. Announce 64% cut to solar

So - my question is - the one I have been mulling over as I lay in bed not wanting to get up and face the rain - does anyone think Labour could get anywhere with a push for proportional representation? Proper PR - no the miserable little compromise AV that Clegg pretended was a big deal? I would go for PR now because I just can't bear the way the Tories are basically fixing everything so that they are advantaged and could remain in power ad infinitum. I would rather we had messy government than completely fixed, one party, opaque government.

This government already shows it believes and is able to get away with virtually anything. Announce new funding for Social Care in the review and then within a few days we find out it's nothing like what they announced and projects they fanfared are being cancelled. The green government is just a hypocritical shambles - a two fingers up to the country and the world. We can't have these people in power - in charge - for as far as we are able to see.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:18 am

Muzzling the Lords, shackling the right to strike, electoral boundary and registration changes, slashing of opposition parties short money funding, deliberately conflating the lobbying problem.

How are MSM political commentators and dare I say it, MSM political journalists not constantly shouting from the rooftops over this tyrannical behaviour?

Morning all btw!

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:22 am

StephenDolan wrote:Muzzling the Lords, shackling the right to strike, electoral boundary and registration changes, slashing of opposition parties short money funding, deliberately conflating the lobbying problem.

How are MSM political commentators and dare I say it, MSM political journalists not constantly shouting from the rooftops over this tyrannical behaviour?

Morning all btw!

Well exactly. And we could go on ...

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:23 am

StephenDolan wrote:
TobyLatimer wrote:Panto season, that time of year when Baron Not-so-Hardup makes an appearance. He's behind you ! On no he isn't, etc

Neil Kinnock And Peter Mandelson Warn Jeremy Corbyn Over Future Direction Of Labour Party

Lord Mandelson told the meeting: "30,000 long term members have left the Labour party, real members, tens of thousands. There are now two Labour parties..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12 ... mg00000067" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScreenShot01300.jpg
Mandy, in all seriousness, what does he want to achieve saying this type of thing?

Only things he can achieve is to remind us he is still here, something I have personally tried so hard to forget.

Mandelson is yesterday's man, an irrelevance even more so that Blair. But I guess it suits the Fourth Estate's agenda to keep digging him up for the odd quote.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:26 am

The government has scrapped plans to stop funding apprenticeship frameworks after 2017/18.
The cut-off, that would ensure providers were only delivering new Trailblazer standards come 2018/19, was first announced in October 2013, but speculation has been mounting in recent months as to whether ministers were looking to step back from the date.

Fuelling such speculation has been frustration in the sector at the supply of new standards, while there has also been a low take-up for those already available. But it was revealed in the government’s 2020 vision document (pictured), published on December 7, that the 2017/18 end of frameworks has now been dropped.

http://feweek.co.uk/2015/12/14/apprenti ... ign=buffer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't know enough about this to make a sensible comment - but I'm willing to bet it's another row back from requiring improved standards and delivery for apprentices. Should we be waiting for a quiet U turn on the levy on business to fund apprenticeship schemes - as a result of lobbying by business reps? I saw a comment yesterday which said we should expect the government to renege on the introduction of the higher minimum wage because the CBI had been lobbying so hard about it ... hmmm.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:28 am

StephenDolan wrote:
TobyLatimer wrote:Panto season, that time of year when Baron Not-so-Hardup makes an appearance. He's behind you ! On no he isn't, etc

Neil Kinnock And Peter Mandelson Warn Jeremy Corbyn Over Future Direction Of Labour Party

Lord Mandelson told the meeting: "30,000 long term members have left the Labour party, real members, tens of thousands. There are now two Labour parties..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12 ... mg00000067" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScreenShot01300.jpg
Mandy, in all seriousness, what does he want to achieve saying this type of thing?

George Eaton tweeted yesterday that 100,000 have joined in the same time frame .... not to report / state that is very unbalanced. But they know that.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:29 am

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
StephenDolan wrote:
TobyLatimer wrote:Panto season, that time of year when Baron Not-so-Hardup makes an appearance. He's behind you ! On no he isn't, etc

Neil Kinnock And Peter Mandelson Warn Jeremy Corbyn Over Future Direction Of Labour Party

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12 ... mg00000067" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScreenShot01300.jpg
Mandy, in all seriousness, what does he want to achieve saying this type of thing?
Only things he can achieve is to remind us he is still here, something I have personally tried so hard to forget.

Mandelson is yesterday's man, an irrelevance even more so that Blair. But I guess it suits the Fourth Estate's agenda to keep digging him up for the odd quote.

Not dig him up, he's happy to put himself forward.
As for his two parties line (no broad church, big tent anymore?) what does he imagine the funding model would be like for Labour A and Labour B? Ditto the split of MPs.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:32 am

Does anyone know if Willow is OK? I'm aware she hasn't been around for a bit.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:33 am

I've been trying to find some official figures regarding the actual number of Labour members. Difficult to find unless I'm probably looking in the wrong places. I've not seen that '30,000 have left' which Mandy claims anywhere else though.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:36 am

TobyLatimer wrote:I've been trying to find some official figures regarding the actual number of Labour members. Difficult to find unless I'm probably looking in the wrong places. I've not seen that '30,000 have left' which Mandy claims anywhere else though.

Context would be useful. What is the typical annual churn rate for example?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:38 am

Morning all. I might stick another word in my thesis today - if anyone' even remotely interested that is...

I see the government put forward the equivalent of poor Chloe Smith to admit that they'd be breaking the benefit cap last night. Here's the link to Hansard.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 1632000002" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ian Lavery: The Chancellor stood up and said that he was proud to have these targets set in stone. He tried to set a trap for the Labour party on this issue, but he wanted the benefits cap set in stone. The Minister is now explaining that, for the next two or three years, there is no chance of meeting those targets. Please tell us that you are slightly embarrassed or concerned.

Madam Deputy Speaker (Natascha Engel): Order. I am not embarrassed or concerned. The Minister might be, but I am not.

Mr Vara: If we are talking about embarrassment, perhaps it is the hon. Member for Wansbeck (Ian Lavery), along with those on the Opposition Front Bench, who ought to be embarrassed. They ought to be embarrassed about the millions of people who lived in misery because they were forced to become unemployed. They ought to be embarrassed because, under Labour, the welfare cap was out of control. They ought to be pleased that this Government have the guts to take the difficult decisions to bring the welfare cap back under control.

First I've heard of a benefit cap under Labour - I rather thought that was the whole point of this political guff by the Tories.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:42 am

TobyLatimer wrote:I've been trying to find some official figures regarding the actual number of Labour members. Difficult to find unless I'm probably looking in the wrong places. I've not seen that '30,000 have left' which Mandy claims anywhere else though.

From that HuffPo piece "Although upto date figures have not been released recently, Labour has around 200,000 more members now than it had at the time of the May general election. And around 60,000 are thought to have joined since Mr Corbyn's victory in September."
How many of these were previously affiliated via unions? 140,000 difference May to September (without including churn) is a heck of a lot.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:43 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Does anyone know if Willow is OK? I'm aware she hasn't been around for a bit.

Just Xmas stuff! First morning to myself in yonks. I've been reading comments here and there, but haven't logged in so I'm not tempted to reply when I should be doing something else!

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:54 am

... The special affection that Labour colleagues hold for Simon Danczuk, the MP for Tory Press Central, may be gauged from the positive responses to an email request for sponsorship for a charity fun run. “He would raise a fortune,” a Labour shadow minister messaged me, “if Simon simply promised to keep on running and never come back.” At five miles a day, he would be 35 miles from Westminster after the first week alone...

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk ... -all-about" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 9:55 am

And today's entry in "that school autonomy is going so well then" is...Tabor Academy in Braintree.

It was rated Inadequate in March 2011, improved slightly to Requires Improvement in May 2012 but still allowed to convert to academy status in Jan 2013.

And then guess what....inspected in November 2014 and rated Inadequate and placed in special measures.

Up steps the RSC and Loxford Trust takes it over earlier this year.

Latest report reveals that the Trust seems to be improving matters but there's this comment at the bottom of the s.8 inspection letter.

External support
The Loxford Trust continues to provide support for academy teachers and leaders. This support has been more sharply focused on areas of most need since the last inspection report. For example, the directors of science and of special educational needs work with academy colleagues to improve practice. Lead teachers from other academies in the Loxford Trust continue to carry out effective work in the academy, both where there is weakness in teaching and where there is an absence of a teacher.

The local authority provides appropriate challenge to the academy through regular visits and membership of the local governing body.

Oh. That the same local authority that the school didn't want any part of before?

No small irony in the fact that the RSC who is allowed to intervene in the school in Braintree is the very same director of education of the authority under which it was maintained before.

You can imagine the conversation when he walked through the door..."Oh...it's you...again"

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:01 am

StephenDolan wrote:
TobyLatimer wrote:I've been trying to find some official figures regarding the actual number of Labour members. Difficult to find unless I'm probably looking in the wrong places. I've not seen that '30,000 have left' which Mandy claims anywhere else though.
From that HuffPo piece "Although upto date figures have not been released recently, Labour has around 200,000 more members now than it had at the time of the May general election. And around 60,000 are thought to have joined since Mr Corbyn's victory in September."
How many of these were previously affiliated via unions? 140,000 difference May to September (without including churn) is a heck of a lot.

Indeed, support for Corbyn may now be higher than at the time of his election in September. More than 100,000 members have joined the party since then, while around 30,000 others have departed in protest, with the net result that Labour’s activist base has moved further leftwards. Under the party’s new electoral system, it is the grass roots that are sovereign.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk ... -one-again" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:02 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35117990" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Baroness Smith of Basildon, Labour's leader in the Lords, said her party would examine Lord Strathclyde's report but said she was "still not convinced there was a problem there in the first place".

She added: "As most people at Parliament know, the government lost a vote on tax credits and in a massive over-reaction have decided to try and change the rules of the game.

"That looked churlish at the time and it feels no different now."

I'd say it's an over-reaction. Although the Lords has its issues and should be more democratic, it remains the only second chamber we have. In scrutinising legislation and holding the government to account it's merely doing its job. Any change that restricts the role and powers of the upper chamber has a fundamental impact on the structure of our democracy. In other words, what is being proposed is rather more significant than recent reforms such as the reduction of hereditary peers, which is change of personnel rather than a change of function. As far as I'm concerned, only an electoral mandate would give the government of the day the democratic right to change our democratic system. Slowly chipping away at the powers of the second chamber is not the way to go about such a significant change. If the Tories want a unicameral parliament they should put it in their manifesto and let voters decide if they want one, not sneak one in by the back door. I share others' frustration with the lack of journalistic uproar over this. Would they be so quiet if it was Tony Blair fiddling with our democracy to bludgeon through policies no one voted for?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:05 am

Why the hell are Womans Hour giving space to Katie Hopkins to spout her horrible views?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:25 am

Andrew Sparrow has posted this:

This is the last day I will be writing the blog this year.

Next week I will put up a readers’ edition blog on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But then I am proposing to leave it until Monday 4 January, when I will be back writing my normal blog, on the grounds that all sensible people need a break from politics between Christmas and the New Year. But if there is very, very strong demand for a readers’ edition that week, I could reconsider. Let me know what you think BTL. For anyone desperate for a politics fix, I presume my friends at flythenest will be in action.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... itics-blog" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:35 am

I think that must make several of us here not sensible ...

Oh dear - guilty as charged but then in my defence FTN goes beyond politics (especially Toby's photoshops).

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:40 am

Good morfternoon.

This - from Andrew Sparrow (Guardian):

This is the last day I will be writing the blog this year.

Next week I will put up a readers’ edition blog on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But then I am proposing to leave it until Monday 4 January, when I will be back writing my normal blog, on the grounds that all sensible people need a break from politics between Christmas and the New Year. But if there is very, very strong demand for a readers’ edition that week, I could reconsider. Let me know what you think BTL. For anyone desperate for a politics fix, I presume my friends at flythenest will be in action. (my emphasis)

I'll probably pop over and wish him a Merry Christmas (if I'm still registered or whatever).

Edited to add -

In fact, I just have (in an individual capacity).

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:43 am

I think this Spiked article on Jess Phillips has been posted before, but one line caught my eye:

Julie Burchill, who tips Phillips as a future Labour leader, has described the 34-year-old MP as an ‘overgrown schoolgirl’ and a ‘Mrs Pankhurst meets Tigger in Topshop’.

http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/ar ... nKPi5FFDIU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The support from Burchill suggests she is going to be the new media darling, this season's Jack Monroe, reliable rentagob ....

Post by **refitman** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:46 am

Re: Sparrow's plug. I see he noticed we moved. Nice touch from him.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:46 am

That's a nice touch from AS, to be fair to him. I suspect not everybody at Graun towers will be totally approving

So we have moaned about Mandy at length (quite rightly) but what's the Kinnock reference in the above headline about?

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:48 am

Milburn, you're giving cover a la Field. You do realise this?

" Other recommendations include a fund to test new ways of improving parenting skills, a zero-tolerance approach to schools and further education colleges that fail to meet minimum standards by requiring them to become parts of academy chains, and better employment incentives in universal credit. "

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:51 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:...but what's the Kinnock reference in the above headline about?

artistic licence

Good-morning, everyone.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 10:53 am

@rebeccariots2

Whoops (or bumboils - whichever you prefer, although I know which one I'd opt for)!

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:05 am

Ruth Hayhurst ‏@ruthhayhurst 3 hrs3 hours ago

How MPs voted in yesterday’s #fracking ballot - full list now out http://wp.me/p3OyVh-3dt

Dr. Chris Jones ‏@dr_chris_jones 5 mins5 minutes ago

.@ruthhayhurst How come 39 Labour and Labour Co-op MPs didn't vote? That's more than government majority.

Just went there to see how my MP voted, although it was a waste of time...

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:15 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Why the hell are Womans Hour giving space to Katie Hopkins to spout her horrible views?

That's nowt! She was on the Moral Maze last week or the week before. BBC has jumped the shark.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:37 am

She was on the Daily Politics last week too, Andrew Neil didn't take any of her bigoted nonsense http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12 ... 81782.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:40 am

StephenDolan wrote:Milburn, you're giving cover a la Field. You do realise this?

" Other recommendations include a fund to test new ways of improving parenting skills, a zero-tolerance approach to schools and further education colleges that fail to meet minimum standards by requiring them to become parts of academy chains, and better employment incentives in universal credit. "

Osborne suggested that FE colleges become part of academy chains in order to avoid the VAT that they currently have to suffer. The trade-off is the loss of autonomy with an academy trust telling you what to do...

Incidentally, a thought that came to mind when I read Osborne's proposal...won't that mean that FE colleges will transfer back into the public sector so far as their employees are concerned?

If you recall, the FE sector was transferred from public to private a few years ago - about 200,000 people. If they join academy chains, this will mean that they will end up going back again...

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:53 am

Good morning.

I am a bit out of the loop, and can't find a reference anywhere - are there to be 'Groan Awards' for 2015?

If so, can I nominate this? For some sort of all-time award.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... lfare-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:57 am

The Government Is Trying To 'Bury' A Lot Of 'Bad News' On Parliament's Last Day Before Christmas

A raft of written ministerial statements were this morning tabled on a series of controversial areas, including the Muslim Brotherhood, police spending, badger culling, and cuts to green energy funding.

Among the most embarrassing revelations is likely to be how much chauffeur-driven ministerial cars are costing the taxpayer - detail the Department has failed to publish in the last three years.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12 ... 1450352821

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:57 am

I think the government may be a little less keen on this bit of Strathclyde's recommendations:

Finally, in order to mitigate against excessive use of the new process which I have proposed under option 3, I believe it would be appropriate for the government to take steps to ensure that bills contain an appropriate level of detail and that too much is not left for implementation by statutory instrument.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blo ... itics-blog" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is it likely the government would have got the tax credit cuts through the Commons a second time, if the Lords had sent it back as now proposed? Or is it just the focus on the issue that the unusual Lord's rejection created that prevented the government from pushing it through some way or another? Anyhow, nice to see a rebuke to current government for passing too much legislation only half-finished and then tagging stuff on later, undebated in either chamber.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:59 am

NonOxCol wrote:Good morning.

I am a bit out of the loop, and can't find a reference anywhere - are there to be 'Groan Awards' for 2015?

If so, can I nominate this? For some sort of all-time award.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... lfare-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ha! Which leads me to conclude - Jeremy Corbyn must be a woman. Which helps to bolster their number in top shadow jobs, I suppose.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 12:49 pm

Man sanctioned by Job Centre for not looking for a job while waiting to start work... at DWP

http://www.welfareweekly.com/universal- ... -work-dwp/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

: ScreenShot01306.jpg (85.52 KiB) Viewed 11088 times

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 1:05 pm

NonOxCol wrote:Good morning.

I am a bit out of the loop, and can't find a reference anywhere - are there to be 'Groan Awards' for 2015?

If so, can I nominate this? For some sort of all-time award.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... lfare-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The downright cynical use of identity politics by certain people (as if Corbyn, whatever else you say about him, doesn't have a pretty much unimpeachable record on these things) has been one of a few depressing things that has come to the fore since the GE.

Having more women (and minorities, and gays) in public life is a thoroughly good thing and should be encouraged by all means possible. Thinking that people should get posts JUST BECAUSE they belong to these groups - regardless of their actual, you know, politics - is certainly not.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 1:06 pm

Tories rocked by new 'bullying' storm as MP Lucy Allan accused of 'vicious' abuse of sick staff member

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 39526.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A new bullying row hit the Conservative Party today after one of its MPs was accused of “vicious” verbal abuse against members of her own staff.

In phone calls heard by the Standard, Lucy Allan rants at a female staffer on sick leave — describing her absence as “pathetic”, telling her she “pissed around on my life” and accusing her of having an “alcohol problem”.

The MP for Telford threatens to sack the young woman if she takes four weeks off, as advised by her doctor.

She tells her: “I’m not paying you for that then. It’s ridiculous.”

: ScreenShot01307.jpg (75.06 KiB) Viewed 11067 times

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 1:07 pm

A new bullying row hit the Conservative Party today after one of its MPs was accused of “vicious” verbal abuse against members of her own staff.

In phone calls heard by the Standard, Lucy Allan rants at a female staffer on sick leave — describing her absence as “pathetic”, telling her she “pissed around on my life” and accusing her of having an “alcohol problem”.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... 39526.html

Deary me.

In character? Sounds like it.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 1:08 pm

Toby --- Snap

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 1:18 pm

Bless 'er, she is a shining example of compassionate conservatism at its best.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 1:37 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:Bless 'er, she is a shining example of compassionate conservatism at its best.

She is the sort of person you'd want as a next door neighbour ---NOT.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 1:41 pm

Britain Elects
‏@britainelects
Westminster voting intention:

CON: 37% (-3)
LAB: 33% (+4)
UKIP: 11% (-)
LDEM: 7% (-1)
GRN: 5% (+2)
(via ComRes phone / 11 - 13 Dec)

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 2:23 pm

David Cameron has arrived in Brussels for the EU summit. (Politics Live, Guardian)

The eejit has landed.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 2:24 pm

Sell out Shirl to retire. Mission accomplished.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Thu 17 Dec, 2015 2:27 pm

StephenDolan wrote:Sell out Shirl to retire. Mission accomplished.

Still, at least she can't do any more harm.