Weekend Edition Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th March

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 7:58 am

Good morning, Nesters!

George Iain Perugia Nosferatu Smiff has departed from the front bench to join the malcontents at the back - rejoice!
But not for long - pundits are now speculating on a) what his resignation is really about and b) who will replace him.

It's my view that this has nothing to do with his alleged fondness for disabled people upon whom he claims he has no wish to impose more cuts.
Neither has it anything to do with Brexit and any vain hope he is said to have regarding leading his party should we vote to leave.

I think it's all about the judgement that he must release all information on the progress of his vanity project Universal Credit.
Obviously, he could appeal/counter-appeal/etc. and we all know he has form in that regard; but he is under immense pressure from many other institutions to 'fess up and tell all, including the IFS, the ONS, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, and his own party.
I suspect the truth is so embarrassing that he's doing a runner under the cover of Osborne's cuts to avoid explaining himself.

As to his replacement - Andrew Sparrow suggested a few candidates, all of whom are among the most useless politicians alive.
Priti Patel, a woman so dense that she puts Fester McVile in the shade and wants to restore the death penalty.
Liz Truss, whose default expression is simper and who once opined that toddlers have no sense of purpose.
Mark Harper, who AS thinks is "respected by the disability lobby" (whattttt?????) and who denied that DWP collects or analyses figures on deaths on the same day his own department admitted that it does and is investigating 60 cases of such deaths.
And finally - Boris. Boris, who cannot be a minister until he is no longer Mayor of London and who has a month to go in that role.

Cameron won't want another Brexiter in his cabinet. I think he has two options - first, a safe pair of hands type who will have a long hard look at UC, declare the whole thing useless, abandon the project, and ensure that IDS gets nowhere near power again; or second, some over-ambitious junior to keep the chaos going who can be disposed of when it all goes tits up. Either way, Cameron will try to limit the damage until after the referendum - and the cuts to PIP and ESA will go ahead one way or another.

IDS is a spiteful little man and he has an agenda here - I'm just not convinced it's what the media thinks it is.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 8:07 am

Morning. Radio 4 going to do a segment on the 'legacy' of IDS.

They should really include people such as David Clapson's sister and Stephanie Botterill's son in that. They could tell them something about the terrible legacy they have as a result of his policies.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 8:21 am

5 Benefit Changes Iain Duncan Smith Didn’t Resign Over
The Work and Pensions secretary has resigned over the latest cuts in the Chancellor’s budget, but many have been calling for him to go for years. Here’s why.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/5-ben ... qkV6zwqZlm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 8:31 am

Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 9h9 hours ago
Yesterday Osbo was a 23% chance on Betfair of being next CON leader. Now 14%

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 8:38 am

Isabel Oakeshott ‏@IsabelOakeshott 4m4 minutes ago
I'll be on @BBCr4today at 8.50am with @MatthewdAncona discussing IDS bombshell. I now know exactly what tipped him over edge yesterday

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 8:46 am

Sam Coates Times ‏@SamCoatesTimes 1m1 minute ago
After Michael Fallon interview, it seems government priority is to seek to protect claim "we are all in this together" after IDS attack

How stupid they must think the electorate are. Surely that was blown apart by the tax credit cuts debacle ... another Osborne tour de force.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 8:48 am

Tim Ross ‏@TimRossDT 4m4 minutes ago
Michael Fallon says a new Work and Pensions Secretary be announced later today.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 8:58 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
5 Benefit Changes Iain Duncan Smith Didn’t Resign Over
The Work and Pensions secretary has resigned over the latest cuts in the Chancellor’s budget, but many have been calling for him to go for years. Here’s why.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/5-ben ... qkV6zwqZlm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, yes.
IDS has not only not threatened to resign before, he dug his heels in when OGRPPFGTCC told him to move.
Why would he resign over the polices Alan White mentions? They were HIS policies, let's not forget.

The aids/appliances changes for PIP were in the planning for some time, so this spat has nothing to do with IDS' resignation.

The much-derided consultation on these changes began in December of last year; before that was announced, DWP had already conducted a review (which it would not publish), had already discussed the proposals and formulated how they'd work (in secret), and not only made the consultation period too short it didn't publicise it widely enough.
The Spartacus Network's report on this, "Crippling Choices", highlights all the above, plus the complex/repetitive/irrelevant nature of the questions asked. Respondents were in many cases unable to answer the questions due to the cross-referencing from one question to another, and most felt that there was insufficient time to answer meaningfully.

As the consultation was begun in mid-December, considering the work that had already been done prior to it, it is reasonable to assume that the changes were in the pipeline for several months already - ie. at least 6 months before the Budget.

To pretend that all this is Osborne's doing is risible. IDS had no problem introducing PIP in the first place - it was his idea, and it came with the built-in 20% reduction in spending. That reduction has not materialised because PIP is as badly thought-out as all of IDS' other reforms - none of which have made the savings advertised.
The aids/appliances changes furore is down to IDS and his rogue department - Osborne hasn't done anything that wasn't going to be done anyway, and if IDS thinks that people will fall for this he's even dafter than I thought. What Osborne has done, though, is use a policy that was gong to be implemented to find cash for tax breaks.

I love the smell of melting tory in the morning.......

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 9:44 am

Beware the IDS of March!
Not sure if this works,
but think that would make IDS Cassius,
(he does have a lean & hungry look)
OGRPPFGTCC Caeser & Boris Brutus.
So who's Mark Anthony?

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 9:59 am

This, I suspect, gets to the real nub of the matter, and potentially has real consequences for Cameron and Osborne:( from Bernard Jenkins)

I think people are getting a little impatient with the chancellor’s gyrations. The government is briefing against IDS now, that he was not able to stick to his own spending limits, but what about the chancellor’s own forecasts? They’ve gyrated around far larger figures. The high-handed and short-termist political approach the Chancellor has tended to take to the management of other departmental budgets has tested the patience of more than one minister.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/liv ... inted-live" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 10:39 am

Stephen Crabb

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 10:41 am

It'll all fizzle out but good to see IDS, Stroud and Field making point about pensioner benefits. They couldn't drop the triple lock, could they? Think the IFS said it might cost £6bn a year. That is much more than the cut to PIP saves.

IDS's core vote like pensioner benefits so he is going up in my estimation a bit. Cameron and Osborne are just populist PR men.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 10:42 am

tinybgoat wrote:Beware the IDS of March!
Not sure if this works,
but think that would make IDS Cassius,
(he does have a lean & hungry look)
OGRPPFGTCC Caeser & Boris Brutus.
So who's Mark Anthony?

Oh, it works, tbg.
I am liking this latter-day tale of political skullduggery re-imagined as Shakesperean tragedy. Or maybe tragi-comedy......

My Dramatis Personae would be different, though.

IDS is Caesar - "He doth bestride the world (er, DWP) like a colossus" but gets knifed by his best pals and supporters, having got carried away by his own myth. The real Caesar brought in all manner of reforms of which his supporters came to disapprove.

Gidiot is Cassius - not only is he "lean and hungry" (Diet Coke, maybe?) the real actual Cassius was elected "Tribune of the Plebs".
He was also regarded as a very slippery character but clever politically - he it was who hatched the assassination plot, after all.

Boris is Mark Antony - who in the play delivers a famous speech in which he sarcastically repeats "Brutus is an honourable man" as he demolishes Brutus' rationale for murdering Caesar. Mark Antony was a turncoat and adulterer, but popular with the masses.

OGRPPFGTCC is Brutus - who in real life enriched himself by usury, married a cousin, and used his relations to further his political career. In the play, he is charming and apparently moral - but he actually has no idea what he's doing and screws up spectacularly.

What happened in both the play and in history is that the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire and went from government by a sort of oligarchy to government led by an all-powerful emperor......and then it all collapsed......

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 10:49 am

Tubby Isaacs wrote:It'll all fizzle out but good to see IDS, Stroud and Field making point about pensioner benefits. They couldn't drop the triple lock, could they? Think the IFS said it might cost £6bn a year. That is much more than the cut to PIP saves.

IDS's core vote like pensioner benefits so he is going up in my estimation a bit. Cameron and Osborne are just populist PR men.

The "thanks" is for the info about the triple lock, not the IDS going up in your estimation bit. IDS opposed Osborne's cuts to DWP back in 2012, saying he couldn't find any more from working age benefits way back then, but then capitulated to hang on to his post when Cameron tried to move him. Ego before principle. The damage he has done to peoples lives with his ill-informed meddling us unforgivable. They are all as bad as each other.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:01 am

Tubby Isaacs wrote:It'll all fizzle out but good to see IDS, Stroud and Field making point about pensioner benefits. They couldn't drop the triple lock, could they? Think the IFS said it might cost £6bn a year. That is much more than the cut to PIP saves.

IDS's core vote like pensioner benefits so he is going up in my estimation a bit. Cameron and Osborne are just populist PR men.

Oh Tubby. I'm sorry, but I think this is a pretty daft comment.

Field, whose reputation as some sort of benefits guru is an utter mystery considering his ignorance, is claiming IDS thinks the cuts are unfair on youngsters. Field has evidently failed to notice what IDS has actually been doing for 6 years.

This is so stupid it beggars belief - IDS abolished housing support for young people, got rid of the disabled students grants, made workfare mandatory for all JSA claimants under 25, and has attacked younger people at every possible opportunity.
Field's comments are basically - "I think Iain thinks....(insert whatever....)" and are thus meaningless. He thinks it's not fair that one group gets shafted while another doesn't and he thinks Iain thinks so too on the basis of zero actual evidence.

Stroud is a nasty individual whose only claim to fame is being an acolyte of IDS. She has no business being anywhere near government and has views that are utterly repellent. Her lack of knowledge is only eclipsed by her lack of talent.

As for the notion that IDS actually gives a flying fuck about anyone - do me a favour. Everything he has done for the past 6 years demonstrates the exact opposite. He doesn't care about young people, he doesn't care about old people, he doesn't give a shit.

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:04 am

ephemerid wrote:
tinybgoat wrote:Beware the IDS of March!
Not sure if this works,
but think that would make IDS Cassius,
(he does have a lean & hungry look)
OGRPPFGTCC Caeser & Boris Brutus.
So who's Mark Anthony?
Oh, it works, tbg.
I am liking this latter-day tale of political skullduggery re-imagined as Shakesperean tragedy. Or maybe tragi-comedy......

My Dramatis Personae would be different, though.

IDS is Caesar - "He doth bestride the world (er, DWP) like a colossus" but gets knifed by his best pals and supporters, having got carried away by his own myth. The real Caesar brought in all manner of reforms of which his supporters came to disapprove.

Gidiot is Cassius - not only is he "lean and hungry" (Diet Coke, maybe?) the real actual Cassius was elected "Tribune of the Plebs".
He was also regarded as a very slippery character but clever politically - he it was who hatched the assassination plot, after all.

Boris is Mark Antony - who in the play delivers a famous speech in which he sarcastically repeats "Brutus is an honourable man" as he demolishes Brutus' rationale for murdering Caesar. Mark Antony was a turncoat and adulterer, but popular with the masses.

OGRPPFGTCC is Brutus - who in real life enriched himself by usury, married a cousin, and used his relations to further his political career. In the play, he is charming and apparently moral - but he actually has no idea what he's doing and screws up spectacularly.

What happened in both the play and in history is that the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire and went from government by a sort of oligarchy to government led by an all-powerful emperor......and then it all collapsed......

Thanks, quite brilliant especially Boris as adulterous,
Mark Anthony.
Just reminded me of a Steve Bell Guardian special Macbeth cartoon, with I think Thatcher as Magwitch.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:13 am

John McDonnell MP ‏@johnmcdonnellMP 4m4 minutes ago
The Prime Minister has replaced 'the quiet man' with a yes man. Instead he should replace the policy not just the salesman. #IDSresignation

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:21 am

Willow904 wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:It'll all fizzle out but good to see IDS, Stroud and Field making point about pensioner benefits. They couldn't drop the triple lock, could they? Think the IFS said it might cost £6bn a year. That is much more than the cut to PIP saves.

IDS's core vote like pensioner benefits so he is going up in my estimation a bit. Cameron and Osborne are just populist PR men.
The "thanks" is for the info about the triple lock, not the IDS going up in your estimation bit. IDS opposed Osborne's cuts to DWP back in 2012, saying he couldn't find any more from working age benefits way back then, but then capitulated to hang on to his post when Cameron tried to move him. Ego before principle. The damage he has done to peoples lives with his ill-informed meddling us unforgivable. They are all as bad as each other.

True, Willow.

Of course, the aids/appliances changes to PIP - which are the cuts we are talking about here - have actually been in the planning for a long time as I have said before.

Whatever Osborne may be up to, IDS was going to be imposing this anyway. Anyone who knows anything about PIP knows this - with the notable exception of IDS himself.

The ONLY thing that IDS could ever do to go up in my estimation is to leave politics, give all his acquired-through-marriage cash to the poor, and devote himself to good works.

Or just disappear entirely.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:26 am

ephemerid wrote: Stroud is a nasty individual whose only claim to fame is being an acolyte of IDS. She has no business being anywhere near government and has views that are utterly repellent. Her lack of knowledge is only eclipsed by her lack of talent.

As for the notion that IDS actually gives a flying fuck about anyone - do me a favour. Everything he has done for the past 6 years demonstrates the exact opposite. He doesn't care about young people, he doesn't care about old people, he doesn't give a shit.

Stroud on BBCNews24 just now described IDS as 'an extraordinary champion of the disadvantaged'.
Speechless.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:28 am

HindleA wrote:Stephen Crabb

At least its not Priti Vacant, then.......

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:29 am

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ ... week-esa-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

STEPHEN CRABB. RESIGN AS MENCAP PATRON PEMBS IMMEDIATELY. VOTED FOR DISABLED TO LOSE £30 A WEEK ESA.

This petition preceded his appointment. Not a good look for Cameron's government, which is in danger of being defined as much by its dispropotionate measures against the ill and disabled as it is by its ongoing schism over the EU.

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:29 am

Morning all,
As part of the ongoing clusterfuck at the heart of government, The Guardian has this, in one of the articles about the IDS resignation:

Senior figures inside the DWP said the PIP reforms were the “least worst” option handed to the department. The Guardian understands that one of the possibilities being discussed was a cut to benefits for disabled children that would have saved £0.5bn.

Jeez. Is there no depth to which these fuckers won't stoop? Surely Cameron more than most must know the challenges of bringing up a disabled child

Apologies for the language.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:33 am

Good morfternoon.

What I've gleaned so far about the resignation is that Iain Smith is pissed off, primarily, at having been used. He, apparently, discussed and agreed to these cuts, was intended as the front man for selling them as a Good Thing only to have the rug pulled out from under him. The attack of conscience seems to be an add-on.

Edited

Comma

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:33 am

I agree with Tubby, up to a point, about the triple lock, if we stay in this low growth, low inflation scenario for any length of time it will have to go.

However, the state pension was overdue a relative uplift so I'm comfortable with it up to now. And I don't accept that making pensioners worse off as well makes it any better at all for young people.

I see the only alternative to low growth as an almighty crash.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:35 am

Steerpike ‏@MrSteerpike 1h1 hour ago
Watch: Ukip candidate blames litter in Cardiff on migrants http://bit.ly/1pSltfr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Unbelievable interview. Said in a loud Richard Wilson bellow.

This man should not be representing anybody - disgraceful.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:36 am

Osborne's never been happy with UC has he, if he wants to pull the plug on it now I can't see why Crabb would oppose him?

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:38 am

So - the oleaginous lickspittling "I'm-the-only-beard-in-cabinet" crustacean creep Crabb is the new Work and Pensions Secretary.

OGRPPFGTCC has reshuffled his cabinet to include not one single Brexiter and has promoted a bunch of really rather stupid yes-men.

Yes, men.

Although to be fair, the likes of Priti Vacant and Simpering Hernia Appliance aren't blessed with a synapse between them.

I wonder what the Crustaceans' orders are? I have no doubt that his puppet-masters Slimy Dave and Snorty George have told him what to do.

My theories are -
1. Crusty has been told to pretend that, as a new broom, he will consider deeply for some time (ie. until after the Ref) how to proceed.
2. Crusty has been told to say he will increase spending on disabled people in real terms and he will reveal the details in the fullness of time.
3. Crusty has been told to implement all the planned cuts plus pensioner cuts on top because there are warning lights on the economy.
4. Crusty has been told to tell the media that he has discovered that Universal Credit is an absolute disaster and it's all IDS' fault.
5. Crusty has been told to rapidly review everything overnight and come to the conclusion that the whole shebang must be privatised.

Whatever.

One thing I am certain of - he has been put there to do Cameron and Osborne's bidding, and he is obviously dispensable.
Triumph or disaster, those two imposters will treat him just the same as anyone else (sorry Mr.Kipling) and whatever happens, if Crabb thinks he's on a winner here he is sorely mistaken. He'll stay as long as he toes the line. Whatever that turns out to be.....

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:45 am

gilsey wrote:I agree with Tubby, up to a point, about the triple lock, if we stay in this low growth, low inflation scenario for any length of time it will have to go.

However, the state pension was overdue a relative uplift so I'm comfortable with it up to now. And I don't accept that making pensioners worse off as well makes it any better at all for young people.

I see the only alternative to low growth as an almighty crash.

Oh agreed. Keep the triple lock and put up income tax. That way the extra money to wealthy pensioners comes back to the treasury along with money from everyone else who can afford to contribute more. I have the same outlook on other universal benefits, like child benefit. If you are taxing people on high incomes appropriately, what's the problem with them getting a bit back when they have children or retire? I'd rather see the pensioner bond scrapped. Like the help to buy ISA and new help to save ISA, its an expensive giveaway to the Tories core voters to compensate them for the negative consequences of Osborne's mishandling of the economy. Interest rates are low because our economy is in trouble. Middle income voters are being shielded at others expense.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:46 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Steerpike ‏@MrSteerpike 1h1 hour ago
Watch: Ukip candidate blames litter in Cardiff on migrants http://bit.ly/1pSltfr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Unbelievable interview. Said in a loud Richard Wilson bellow.

This man should not be representing anybody - disgraceful.

Rumours he may not be long for this world as a UKIP standard bearer - strange how often this happens innit?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:46 am

In case anyone has forgotten ...

Stephen Crabb MP tells public meeting in Haverfordwest he will repay stamp duty on Pembrokeshire property
http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/mi ... uty_claim/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:48 am

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
Steerpike ‏@MrSteerpike 1h1 hour ago
Watch: Ukip candidate blames litter in Cardiff on migrants http://bit.ly/1pSltfr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Unbelievable interview. Said in a loud Richard Wilson bellow.

This man should not be representing anybody - disgraceful.
Rumours he may not be long for this world as a UKIP standard bearer - strange how often this happens innit?

A combination of 'that' (sorry finding it hard to refer to him as 'him') and Neil Hamilton as standard bearers for Ukip in Wales. Utterly toxic - beyond disgraceful. I will be so embarrassed if either comes to pass.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:50 am

ephemerid wrote:...he's doing a runner under the cover of Osborne's cuts to avoid explaining himself.

Yep.
Good-morning, everyone.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:53 am

Willow904 wrote:This, I suspect, gets to the real nub of the matter, and potentially has real consequences for Cameron and Osborne:( from Bernard Jenkins)
I think people are getting a little impatient with the chancellor’s gyrations. The government is briefing against IDS now, that he was not able to stick to his own spending limits, but what about the chancellor’s own forecasts? They’ve gyrated around far larger figures. The high-handed and short-termist political approach the Chancellor has tended to take to the management of other departmental budgets has tested the patience of more than one minister.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/liv ... inted-live" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think the entire country is more than a little impatient with the gyrations of the entire set of Tory MPs.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:55 am

Owen Smith ‏@OwenSmith_MP 4m4 minutes ago
Congratulations to @scrabbmp on his appointment as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Seconds Out. Round Two!

Post by **refitman** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 11:59 am

Is this consitent with what we know of Stephen McPartland? (from his blog)

I was furious over tax credits and successfully fought to have it reversed. This was followed by the abolishment of ESA WRAG for new claimants in 2017, which I also voted against and fought. Then the PIP announcements were just shocking, but not simply for financial reasons, as spending is actually going up year on year in real terms. They were shocking because once again we were being asked to support a policy without any idea of what the reforms would be. What would be the additional support offered to disabled people. These reforms are contained in a Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) White Paper, which we have been unable to access. To pressure the DWP, I was going to publish my own green paper - a prequel if you like, alongside concerned colleagues.

The failure of the Back to Work programme for those on ESA WRAG, only 1 in 100 were able to get a job, was our failure not the failure of the disabled jobseekers on it. The changes announced to PIP are because we failed again. It is the proud duty of the Conservative party to help those who fall on hard times and protect the most vulnerable in society. I am sorry, but I will not be shedding any tears for the evangelical, aggressive and routinely failing welfare reforms that were the personal fiefdom of the Secretary of State for DWP.

I don’t always see eye to eye with the Treasury, but it is disingenuous to blame them, when the problem was always in my experience at the very heart of the DWP.

http://www.stephen-mcpartland.com/news/ ... orms-right" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **refitman** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:03 pm

I notice that none of the media are pointing out that IDS was happy to take from the poor and give to the rich in all the previous budgets.

Well done Chris Mason (BBC political editor) for parroting "the government are trying to make savings" line.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:13 pm

Willow904 wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:It'll all fizzle out but good to see IDS, Stroud and Field making point about pensioner benefits. They couldn't drop the triple lock, could they? Think the IFS said it might cost £6bn a year. That is much more than the cut to PIP saves.

IDS's core vote like pensioner benefits so he is going up in my estimation a bit. Cameron and Osborne are just populist PR men.
The "thanks" is for the info about the triple lock, not the IDS going up in your estimation bit. IDS opposed Osborne's cuts to DWP back in 2012, saying he couldn't find any more from working age benefits way back then, but then capitulated to hang on to his post when Cameron tried to move him. Ego before principle. The damage he has done to peoples lives with his ill-informed meddling us unforgivable. They are all as bad as each other.

(my bold)

Correct.

In my opinion, we're watching some Tory theatre, nothing more.
The latest Tory budget is an embarrassment without redemption.
They're all up against a wall created by their collective incompetence.

Post by **refitman** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:14 pm

Carolyn
‏@tweetycakes78

A handy pie chart depicting the reasons #IainDuncanSmith resigned

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

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:20 pm

IDS' resignation was done to distract from the devastation and documented failures he and his Tory government have created.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:22 pm

Thank you all for your continued patience with me.
I thank everyone because LadyCenturia made a point of thanking everyone.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:24 pm

refitman wrote:I notice that none of the media are pointing out that IDS was happy to take from the poor and give to the rich in all the previous budgets.

Well done Chris Mason (BBC political editor) for parroting "the government are trying to make savings" line.

Isn't that the one and only Laura K?

Mind you, Mason isn't much better - I have also noted him getting very tetchy on Twitter, when people attempt to take him to task.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:29 pm

citizenJA wrote:
ephemerid wrote:...he's doing a runner under the cover of Osborne's cuts to avoid explaining himself.
Yep.
Good-morning, everyone.

And more importantly, IDS' resignation is part of an attempt to take heat off Tory government as a whole.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:31 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ncan-smith" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Iain Duncan Smith
If we are not 'all in it together', this is largely due to Duncan Smith

utopiandreams · Post by **utopiandreams** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:36 pm

danesclose wrote:Morning all,
As part of the ongoing clusterfuck at the heart of government, The Guardian has this, in one of the articles about the IDS resignation:

Senior figures inside the DWP said the PIP reforms were the “least worst” option handed to the department. The Guardian understands that one of the possibilities being discussed was a cut to benefits for disabled children that would have saved £0.5bn.
Jeez. Is there no depth to which these fuckers won't stoop? Surely Cameron more than most must know the challenges of bringing up a disabled child

Apologies for the language.

No apology needed for the language, danesclose, you at least are speaking plainly and saying exactly what you mean as opposed to the gross misappropriation of language by this government. As for Cameron and knowledge of the challenges, yes he's undoubtedly faced many of the immediate personal and emotional issues and indeed negotiated many of the support systems in place... and, as ephe suggested, DLA was possibly a passport to others. Nevertheless there's a huge disconnect in his thinking, unable to join the dots between his policies and public service provision I can only surmise that DLA was pin money to the Camerons since he apparently lacks understanding of the lifeline and independence that financial assistance can offer.

Of course I am being kind suggesting that he is either ignorant or plain stupid, whereas he could just be a sociopath that simply doesn't care. Permit me to remind you of the grins and congratulatory slaps on the back he saved for George at the end of their budget. The malevolent little lady he left at Home was also a party to that; she may not have afflicted quite the same numbers but has no less impacted the lives of many.

As for the odious, In Deep Shit, I seriously doubt he's found his moral compass should he actually have one as suggested by the very odd supporter. He was already outside the central cabal with the odd shout to camera from the sidelines when George announced his policy.. and possibly moreso over Europe. Well no more patsy, his name is Iain and he ain't taking no more.

Sorry, I can't help the odd snigger.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:44 pm

Willow904 wrote:
gilsey wrote:I agree with Tubby, up to a point, about the triple lock, if we stay in this low growth, low inflation scenario for any length of time it will have to go.

However, the state pension was overdue a relative uplift so I'm comfortable with it up to now. And I don't accept that making pensioners worse off as well makes it any better at all for young people.

I see the only alternative to low growth as an almighty crash.
Oh agreed. Keep the triple lock and put up income tax. That way the extra money to wealthy pensioners comes back to the treasury along with money from everyone else who can afford to contribute more. I have the same outlook on other universal benefits, like child benefit. If you are taxing people on high incomes appropriately, what's the problem with them getting a bit back when they have children or retire? I'd rather see the pensioner bond scrapped. Like the help to buy ISA and new help to save ISA, its an expensive giveaway to the Tories core voters to compensate them for the negative consequences of Osborne's mishandling of the economy. Interest rates are low because our economy is in trouble. Middle income voters are being shielded at others expense.

re pensioners bonds, they are scrapped for all practical purposes, the rates for a 1yr bond now are no better than market. It was another gimmick.
Those who bought the longer terms are still benefiting, of course.

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:48 pm

The question every Nester is asking is "What does our favourite political guru, the man who 'writes about Labour with tribal loyalty and without reservation', think about the IDS resignation:"

The answer, essentially, is "Why IDS resigning is bad for Labour":

: 2016-03-19_124437.jpg (41.42 KiB) Viewed 5656 times

: 2016-03-19_124455.jpg (42.79 KiB) Viewed 5656 times

Mummy must be so proud of him

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 12:51 pm

I enjoyed this article (excerpt quoted below). Sorry if it's already been done.

The Staggers
18 March 2016
Think Iain Duncan Smith's resignation is a masterstroke? Sadly, he's not that clever

No, Iain Duncan Smith's resignation isn't part of a cunning plan.
By
Stephen Bush

Iain Duncan Smith spent five years in the Cabinet not resigning over cuts to disabled people's payments that did happen, before resigning over that one that won't happen. The proposed cuts to the Personal Independence Payment had already been called off following a public revolt by Conservative backbenchers, and news that the cut will be cancelled arrived in journalists' inboxes long before Duncan Smith's resignation did.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/we ... not-clever

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 1:00 pm

Dan Hodges is rattled.
This is good news for Labour.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 1:14 pm

'Tonight has reinforced a view I’ve had for a while now. It’s impossible to have a sensible discussion on welfare with anyone on the Left.'
- Dan Hodges tweet

It's called, 'social security provision'.
[He responds with an obscene finger gesture]
His idea of 'sensible discussion on welfare' is everyone agreeing with him.
He's impossible.
I'm always sorry for the mother.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 1:15 pm

Would I be wrong in having the expectation of a word (in public) from our Leader on the subject of such a major resignation at the heart of government?