Tuesday 7th June 2016

[refitman]

Morning all.

[yahyah]

Morning.

Latest polling in Wales shows Remain & Leave neck and neck at 41% each, with 18% don't knows.

Bad news is that the same poll shows Plaid up since May's elections by 5 points, to 23%. UKIP up from 12.5% to 15%. Depressing that diva Wood's cynical stunt after the election seems to have boosted the party.

Crumb of good news is Tories down 3.1 points to 18%, and Labour only down 0.7% on the constituency vote.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/polit ... l-11436219" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More detail on the results
http://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/electionsinw ... eter-poll/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PorFavor]

Good morfternoon.

Nicky Morgan has attacked a ‘misleading, underhand’ Vote Leave website. The advertised link, which appears above the official government site in a Google search, asks individuals to fill in personal information and click “register to vote”. However, this doesn’t sign people up to vote, but instead provides their details to the out campaign. (Politics Live, Guardian)

I will say this only once (and I never thought I'd say it at all):

Nicky Morgan is correct.

[yahyah]

Also from that poll....Neil Hamilton only scores 3.4 out of 10 amongst UKIPers polled.

http://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/electionsinwales/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[yahyah]

Good morfternoon.

Nicky Morgan has attacked a ‘misleading, underhand’ Vote Leave website. The advertised link, which appears above the official government site in a Google search, asks individuals to fill in personal information and click “register to vote”. However, this doesn’t sign people up to vote, but instead provides their details to the out campaign. (Politics Live, Guardian)

I will say this only once (and I never thought I'd say it at all):

Nicky Morgan is correct.

That's a stinker.

[PorFavor]

Good morfternoon.

Nicky Morgan has attacked a ‘misleading, underhand’ Vote Leave website. The advertised link, which appears above the official government site in a Google search, asks individuals to fill in personal information and click “register to vote”. However, this doesn’t sign people up to vote, but instead provides their details to the out campaign. (Politics Live, Guardian)

I will say this only once (and I never thought I'd say it at all):

Nicky Morgan is correct.

That's a stinker.

Yes. I'd make a lot of noise about that con if I were running the "In" campaign - especially since it's so close to the wire for voter registration. I wonder if the Electoral Commission has anything to say about it.

[yahyah]

Has British politics always been so dirty ? This 'do whatever is necessary even if it means cheating' is thoroughly depressing. And, dare I say it, not cricket.

[Eric_WLothian]

Has British politics always been so dirty ? This 'do whatever is necessary even if it means cheating' is thoroughly depressing. And, dare I say it, not cricket.

I would have thought this was 'phishing' and anybody caught out by it should report it to Action Fraud.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

We’re launching a new ‪#‎LabourIn‬ advert so everyone knows about the workers’ rights which could be ripped up if we vote leave on 23 June.
Labour has worked with our allies across Europe to secure rights including maternity and paternity rights, equal treatment for full-time, part-time and agency workers, and the right to paid leave.
Several Leave supporters have stated clearly that they want to leave Europe to water down workers’ rights – a Tory negotiated Brexit would lead to a bonfire of workers’ rights.

https://www.facebook.com/JeremyCorbynMP/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gilsey]

Voter registration figures.
https://www.gov.uk/performance/register-to-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

226k yesterday, 148k under 35.

[Willow904]

Has British politics always been so dirty ? This 'do whatever is necessary even if it means cheating' is thoroughly depressing. And, dare I say it, not cricket.

Certainly the "appearance" of fair play was more respected in the past, even if the substance wasn't. Which may be more important than people imagine. Somehow when politicians at least seemed to know what was expected, even if they were frequently getting caught out, was more reassuring than now when more and more MPs seem to be quite openly and unashamedly breaking as many rules as they think they can get away with. When it was first suggested the Tories may have overspent on some local constituency limits, one of the first responses I heard from a Tory MP was how low the local limits were and how ridiculous this was, rather than any concern about the need for politicians to be seen to adhere to the rules, however inconvenient they may feel them to be, for the sake of the integrity of the wider democratic process. I don't know if today's politicians are less honourable, but they are certainly less concerned to be seen to be so.

[StephenDolan]

Voter registration figures.
https://www.gov.uk/performance/register-to-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

226k yesterday, 148k under 35.

Interesting, is that undertaking the registration process or have completed?

[AnatolyKasparov]

Voter registration figures.
https://www.gov.uk/performance/register-to-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

226k yesterday, 148k under 35.

Interesting, is that undertaking the registration process or have completed?

Actual registrations.

Of course, *some* will already be registered (even if at another address) But overall it will be a significant increase, which is good in its own right.

[ohsocynical]

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readin ... d-11434438

A 19-year-old from Bracknell with autism teamed up with celebrity chef Raymond Blanc to cook at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Liam Pope, attends LVS Hassocks in West Sussex, which provides day and residential facilities for eight to 19-year-olds on the autism spectrum.

At the flower show Liam took part in creating dishes for celebrities like Ainsley Harriott and Piers Morgan, with a £500-a-head set menu being served to up to 1,500 people each day.

There is something dreadfully wrong with this country.

[citizenJA]

Good-morning, everyone.

[citizenJA]

Special good morning to TobyLatimer, Ephemerid, PorFavor and seeingclearly...I hope to read you soon

[citizenJA]

Voter registration figures.
https://www.gov.uk/performance/register-to-vote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

226k yesterday, 148k under 35.

Interesting, is that undertaking the registration process or have completed?

Actual registrations.

Of course, *some* will already be registered (even if at another address) But overall it will be a significant increase, which is good in its own right.

I don't see a section indicating the number of successfully registered voters. Have I missed it?

[PorFavor]

David Cameron in his press conference (shown on BBC TV news) sounding very shifty. It highlighted how much he really is seriously handicapped by the divisions within the Conservative Party.

[StephenDolan]

If Blairites want a future they must divorce themselves from Blair

http://gu.com/p/4ktk3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Owen Jones.

I wonder how Labour would do post report if they had David Miliband as leader?

[StephenDolan]

David Cameron in his press conference (shown on BBC TV news) sounding very shifty. It highlighted how much he really is seriously handicapped by the divisions within the Conservative Party.

Faisal Islam nailed him again.

Untruths. Ha!

[citizenJA]

If Blairites want a future they must divorce themselves from Blair

http://gu.com/p/4ktk3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Owen Jones.

I wonder how Labour would do post report if they had David Miliband as leader?

Given the commentary I read below the line elsewhere, you'd think Tony Blair was still Labour party leader and current government
too. Astroturfers malign the Labour party this way. It's reprehensible.

[AnatolyKasparov]

The latest referendum polls are not great, but maybe the BBC debate yesterday (chaired by Victoria Derbyshire) offers a straw in the wind?

Of the audience members undecided at the start, a clear majority had moved to "remain" afterwards.

Cue the usual screams of "BBC bias" from kippers

[citizenJA]

Later this week the European parliament is set to give the green light to an investigation into the Panama Papers as well as a tough
new package of measures to present to the EU finance ministers’ meeting on 19 June. Labour MEPs will be supporting both.

Across Europe, and in the European Union itself, action is being taken against the social scourge of tax avoidance and tax evasion.
Persistent campaigning and well-timed whistleblowing has helped push what was once an obscure, technical issue up the political
agenda. In the UK campaigners have fought for well over a decade to drag the activities of the tax dodgers into the spotlight,
and I’ve supported them every step of the way, as a backbench MP and now on the front bench.

Labour’s Tax Transparency and Enforcement Programme, launched earlier this year, would stop the UK functioning as a hub of
international avoidance and evasion.

- John McDonnell
Labour shadow chancellor
Now’s the time for this government to act on tax avoidance

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

Hell no, can't do that - current government want EU referendum distractions for as long as possible.
Of course, McDonnell knows this too. It's part of the reason why he wrote the article.
Look at what Tory government refuse to do.

[citizenJA]

An estimated 7.5 million people or 15% of electorate had failed to register at the start of the campaign.
Since then 1.5 million people have applied to vote, after a registration drive...

- Surge in voter registrations expected before EU referendum deadline
Tuesday 7 June 2016

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

15% of the UK electorate not registered to vote

[Willow904]

The latest referendum polls are not great, but maybe the BBC debate yesterday (chaired by Victoria Derbyshire) offers a straw in the wind?

Of the audience members undecided at the start, a clear majority had moved to "remain" afterwards.

Cue the usual screams of "BBC bias" from kippers

There's a fundamental caution about being undecided that lends itself more readily to the safety of the status quo, though. Kippers must surely realise they are asking people to take the bigger risk and that they are less likely to convince those still dithering as a result. There will be casualities in the polling booth too, I suspect, with last minute changes to remain. Turnout is still the main hurdle for "remain" and, cynically, just as with the Scottish Indyref, I can't help feeling the recent "leave" poll leads are rather convenient for a "remain" camp whose main difficulty is motivating people to turn out on the day.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Anyway, some truly gruesome revelations about working conditions at Sports Direct today.

Would that me the same Sports Direct that was praised to the skies by one DPJ Hodges as a way of extending his vendetta against Ed Miliband??

Yes, yes it would

[citizenJA]

Anyway, some truly gruesome revelations about working conditions at Sports Direct today.

Would that me the same Sports Direct that was praised to the skies by one DPJ Hodges as a way of extending his vendetta against Ed Miliband??

Yes, yes it would

I read the interview between Ashley and the MPs and needed to come away from the transcript. The only thing more depressing than Ashley's illegal employment practices are the lies getting told on the voter registration thread below the line. A couple commentators are posting lies in an attempt to frighten people into not registering to vote.

[ohsocynical]

The latest referendum polls are not great, but maybe the BBC debate yesterday (chaired by Victoria Derbyshire) offers a straw in the wind?

Of the audience members undecided at the start, a clear majority had moved to "remain" afterwards.

Cue the usual screams of "BBC bias" from kippers

There's a fundamental caution about being undecided that lends itself more readily to the safety of the status quo, though. Kippers must surely realise they are asking people to take the bigger risk and that they are less likely to convince those still dithering as a result. There will be casualities in the polling booth too, I suspect, with last minute changes to remain. Turnout is still the main hurdle for "remain" and, cynically, just as with the Scottish Indyref, I can't help feeling the recent "leave" poll leads are rather convenient for a "remain" camp whose main difficulty is motivating people to turn out on the day.

There must be a lot of voters like me, who are sick to death of the lies and are not happy with either option, let alone the politicians who will be carrying out the reforms - or not.

I keep hoping something will happen that gives me a good excuse not to bother.

[Willow904]

Thought this was a good line from Sparrow's blog. Made me chuckle, anyway:

If he [Cameron] wants to persuade people that his campaign is more honest than Leave, he’s going to have to find someone else to make the case. Someone of impeccable integrity. Perhaps the archbishop of Canterbury is free one morning over the next fortnight?

[citizenJA]

What happens if you don’t register

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, eg you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country.

If you’re asked to register and don’t do so, your local Electoral Registration Office could fine you £80.

You won’t be fined if you have a valid reason for not registering, eg a long stay in hospital, or you have severe learning difficulties.

Last updated: 27 March 2015

https://www.gov.uk/electoral-register/overview

(my emphasis)

Say what?

[ohsocynical]

What happens if you don’t register

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, eg you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country.

If you’re asked to register and don’t do so, your local Electoral Registration Office could fine you £80.

You won’t be fined if you have a valid reason for not registering, eg a long stay in hospital, or you have severe learning difficulties.

Last updated: 27 March 2015

https://www.gov.uk/electoral-register/overview

(my emphasis)

Say what?

Never heard of that before. Blimey !

[AnatolyKasparov]

If Blairites want a future they must divorce themselves from Blair

http://gu.com/p/4ktk3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Owen Jones.

I wonder how Labour would do post report if they had David Miliband as leader?

They won't though. Lots of whining from them about the BBC for showing the Reg Keys drama documentary last night, for example......

[citizenJA]

What happens if you don’t register

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, eg you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country.

If you’re asked to register and don’t do so, your local Electoral Registration Office could fine you £80.

You won’t be fined if you have a valid reason for not registering, eg a long stay in hospital, or you have severe learning difficulties.

Last updated: 27 March 2015

https://www.gov.uk/electoral-register/overview

(my emphasis)

Say what?

Never heard of that before. Blimey !

Who put that there, please? Anyone?

[gilsey]

Free Lunch: An affordable utopia
Martin Sandbu
Cost is not an argument against universal basic income
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3/2b6f1ca6-2bfd ... 519fc.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
no paywall as far as I can see.

The share of the government’s tax take and redistributive spending in the economy does not include tax exemptions and allowances, where the state selectively refrains from imposing normal taxes. If such “tax expenditures” — a technical term for the money not raised — were included in tax revenue and spending, all rich countries would look like they had much bigger states already.

Take the UK’s income tax allowance, under which the first £11,000 is exempt from income tax. This gives up on almost £100bn in tax revenue annually. If instead of an allowance, income tax had been imposed from the first penny earned, then returned in the same amount as the current allowance, would the state have been any bigger? Surely not — though it would be more transparent and reveal that the policy mostly benefits those in the top fifth of the income distribution (the allowance is worth most for those earning between about £40,000 and £100,000). The non-imposition of national insurance on some earners costs another £50bn. Together these exceptions amount to close on 10 per cent of GDP, which is currently being redistributed (by not being levied) in a highly regressive manner.

The government generously informs us of plenty of other such hidden expenditures, many of which a UBI would remove the rationale for. And the same situation can be found in most other countries; Alexander Holt discusses the US numbers in a Quartz column.
The point is that a state paying UBI may look bigger than what we are used to, but it would not in fact be bigger. Conversely, a UBI can be designed (like tax expenditures) to make the state look smaller. Design UBI as a tax credit people get even if they pay zero taxes, then levy the net amount of tax — which means only the lowest earners get an actual payout from the public treasury. For the richer, the UBI is then accounted for as a tax expenditure.

What is true is that UBI requires higher tax rates on higher earners than most countries levy today. UBI being redistributive, that is part of the point.

A must-read for McDonnell.

[gilsey]

What happens if you don’t register

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, eg you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country.

If you’re asked to register and don’t do so, your local Electoral Registration Office could fine you £80.

You won’t be fined if you have a valid reason for not registering, eg a long stay in hospital, or you have severe learning difficulties.

Last updated: 27 March 2015

https://www.gov.uk/electoral-register/overview

(my emphasis)

Say what?

i think the crucial bit is if you're asked to register.
Can't imagine what circumstances would cause the council to ask you, specifically, to register.

[citizenJA]

What happens if you don’t register

You must register to vote if you’re asked to do so and you meet the conditions for registering, eg you’re 16 or over and you’re British or a national of an EU or Commonwealth country.

If you’re asked to register and don’t do so, your local Electoral Registration Office could fine you £80.

You won’t be fined if you have a valid reason for not registering, eg a long stay in hospital, or you have severe learning difficulties.

Last updated: 27 March 2015

https://www.gov.uk/electoral-register/overview

(my emphasis)

Say what?

i think the crucial bit is if you're asked to register.
Can't imagine what circumstances would cause the council to ask you, specifically, to register.

Threatening an £80 fine failing registration to vote upon request is entirely in keeping with what I've come to expect from current Tory government. I want everyone to register and vote. I wouldn't threaten anyone with a fine if they don't register. This is outlandish.

[ohsocynical]

Owen Jones @OwenJones84
Tony Blair is toxic - and if Labour's right wants a political future, they must free themselves from his shadow. Me:

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

Jo Maugham QC Retweeted Owen Jones
I'm on the right of the Labour Party and I agree with substantially all of this. Jo Maugham QC added,
More

[PorFavor]

(my emphasis)

Say what?

i think the crucial bit is if you're asked to register.
Can't imagine what circumstances would cause the council to ask you, specifically, to register.

Threatening an £80 fine failing registration to vote upon request is entirely in keeping with what I've come to expect from current Tory government. I want everyone to register and vote. I wouldn't threaten anyone with a fine if they don't register. This is outlandish.

Fining people for non-registration is a thing that's been around for as long as I can remember - although I'm not sure that it's a threat that's often acted upon.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Yes, its been around since at least the late 1980s - though I agree it only appears to be enforced rarely.

[citizenJA]

i think the crucial bit is if you're asked to register.
Can't imagine what circumstances would cause the council to ask you, specifically, to register.

Threatening an £80 fine failing registration to vote upon request is entirely in keeping with what I've come to expect from current Tory government. I want everyone to register and vote. I wouldn't threaten anyone with a fine if they don't register. This is outlandish.

Fining people for non-registration is a thing that's been around for as long as I can remember - although I'm not sure that it's a threat that's often acted upon.

The worst of both worlds then - government can fine members of the electorate for failing to register after getting tossed off it without notice.

[PorFavor]

Yes, its been around since at least the late 1980s - though I agree it only appears to be enforced rarely.

I've tried to find out when the threat of being fined was introduced but have, so far, had no success. I thought it was earlier than the late eighties but that's not based on anything other than a vague feeling.

[ohsocynical]

Clare Hepworth OBE ‏@Hepworthclare 2h2 hours ago
@Thegiest Visit Open Europe site - for top 100 regs quoted by Gove & BoJo as "red tape"to be buried, Long list of "rights" will chill you

I'm making bread and cooking a curry so I haven't had time to have a look at the suggested site.

[HindleA]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/camb ... 503771.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

woman who twice registered her cows as voters has been fined.

[citizenJA]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/camb ... 503771.stm

woman who twice registered her cows as voters has been fined.

For failing to register her entire herd I presume?

[citizenJA]

Were these Tory cows?

[citizenJA]

#communistcowsforcorbyn

[ohsocynical]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/camb ... 503771.stm

woman who twice registered her cows as voters has been fined.

Her cows probably have more intelligence than many voters...

[citizenJA]

The film about Ken Loach, Versus, I saw it in Liverpool on Sunday.
We left the theatre after it was over realising it's not over, the work isn't over.

"Bastards"

Ken Loach on Tory government

[citizenJA]

Ken Loach is 79 years old.
His latest film, I, Daniel Blake, won the Palme d'Or 2016.
That's the highest honour given a film at the Cannes Film Festival.
Kes taught me every human being is extraordinary in some way.
The world suffers whenever anyone is allowed to sink, kept from living their potential.
I've never felt diminished by another's success.
If I have a single talent, recognising talent in others, learning from them, I'll be okay with that. That's enough.

[rebeccariots2]

James Landale ‏@BBCJLandale 8m8 minutes ago
James Landale Retweeted Michael Savage
I fear a muddle. Parliament could not realistically stop Brexit but it could keep the UK in the single market

Michael Savage
‏@michaelsavage
Lord Astor, Cameron's father-in-law and Tory peer, goes on record to say parliament could conspire to block Brexit: http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/06/th ... ng-remain/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …