On the question of whether David Cameron has been arranging for Parliament to rise early to avoid PMQs, the following number of PMQs per year have been held over the past few years:
It is not apparent that there is any material difference
So far in 2013 there have been 11 PMQs which does not seem out of sync with previous years. In 2012, there had been 12 PMQs by 26 April but 30 by the end of the year
unless you provide evidence using your user name - I discount whatever assertions you make
You realise it was a joke, right?
No, Neil.
You make epic assertions on PB and never ever provide a link to them, I've been on here for years as you have and I can't recall a post of yours that did.
I ignore your assertions on pensions and everything else since you provide no evidence bar your opinions for any of them.
Another poison pill for rEd Ed champion of the broken home - will he cancel it as it is unfair to single mums ?
It's going to be added to the pile. Perhaps you don't yet realise what's going to happen in the last gasping year/months of the coaltion?
Cammie proposes something that he knows won't get through but appeals to his voters. Clegg responds by proposing something that he knows won't get through but appeals to his voters. Cameron responds back by proposing something that he knows won't get through but appeals to his voters. Etcetera. And the circle of life in westminster will dance on while nothing of consequence happens but both coalition parties get to look like they are distancing themselves from each other in time for the GE.
There might even be something in that lot that get's through but I doubt it.
Word has leaked out that the London-based firm ICAP, the world's largest broker of interest-rate swaps, is being investigated by American authorities for behavior that sounds eerily reminiscent of the Libor mess. Regulators are looking into whether or not a small group of brokers at ICAP may have worked with up to 15 of the world's largest banks to manipulate ISDAfix, a benchmark number used around the world to calculate the prices of interest-rate swaps.
The London banking sector really seems to be a cesspool of corruption. Why the hell do we always need to wait for the American regulators to act? What the hell is wrong with our ones? Why don't we have any journalists competent enough to unearth and report this stuff? I suppose our financial journalists get more clicks writing about who's on what bank note.
Any evidence that Labour working class voters are pro grammar school?
Given that even Tory councils such as Kent are trying to break the stranglehold gained through coaching of wealthier parents on Grammar Schools it seems unlikely
Well I know a few.. but I also know that doesnt count to you. I dont have an opinion poll to back it up.
Look at the applause Farage got for saying he would introduce them on QT last night
Which formula could be applied to UKIPs rise from nothing to 1/5 to come 2nd in South Shields
(and no lame jokes about fops etc)
When you explain what a Grammar school is to people who have never heard of them, lots of people cant understand why they were ever abolished.
The reason that there is such intense competition to get in them that private tuition is needed is because there are so few.
Is that true? I would have thought that in some counties they are entirely absent, but in the counties where they have remained there would be just as many.
There are 8 in Essex. My Parents went to two that no longer exist. Hornchurch Grammar School is now Emerson Park Comprehensive.
Ilford County High still is a Grammar. I left there 19 years ago (suddenly feels old....)
You should have saved that for me reminding everyone that you tipped Lansley to be PM, Seth O Logue.
Why do you feel the need to mention this several times every single day? Have you any idea how utterly dull it is?
I've no idea if it's true but, even if it is, (and assuming Lansley never does become PM), making one inaccurate prediction does not render every subsequent post the poster makes unworthy of consideration
In fairness to Mick, Schards, The Poster Formerly Known As Seth O'Logue was a pretty atrocious tipster.
Obviously we all have our bad days but Seth rarely had a good one. That wouldn't have mattered particularly if he had not given the persistent impression that the 'tips' were little more than Party propaganda in disguise. It was for this reason, and no other, that I was not sorry to see his name disappear. This is after all a betting Site. Some bet serious money, and a poster who wilfully leads others over a cliff is a bit of a menace.
However, if the said Seth now chooses to operate under a different name and wishes to remain anonymous, that wish should be respected. Outing ain't nice, and former lives should be forgotten unless the poster in question is happy to be so linked.
If Seth really is posting under a different name, he should just be left to do so, peaceably and anonymously. Unless of course he starts giving more f*cking terrible tips.....
@JamesKelly: "The issue just doesn't interest me. "
That seems an odd approach, if you don't mind me saying so. You were the one who made the implicit distinction between those whose poverty was their fault and those where it wasn't.
There are people who are poor because of their own fault e.g. gambling / drug addicts / ex-prisoners unable to get work etc but I don't think a civilised society should ignore them or let them starve. However it seems to me that most people do - and always have done - made a distinction between the deserving and the undeserving poor. "Deserving" is always a difficult concept of course; a lot of rich people don't "deserve" their riches.
I'd have thought it better to take the view that there should be a minimum level beyond which people cannot fall and take steps to ensure that those who are poor because of their own fault are helped to avoid those behaviours which result in their poverty e.g. reading / training schemes for prisoners.
"You were the one who made the implicit distinction between those whose poverty was their fault and those where it wasn't."
It certainly wasn't intended as a distinction. The point I was making is that the poor people who are being clobbered by this government are poor through no fault of their own.
Your own distinction between 'deserving' and 'undeserving' poor sounds positively Victorian.
It certainly wasn't intended as a distinction. The point I was making is that the poor people who are being clobbered by this government are poor through no fault of their own.
What about poor people who were clobbered by the previous government, or indeed any previous governments?
Any evidence that Labour working class voters are pro grammar school?
Given that even Tory councils such as Kent are trying to break the stranglehold gained through coaching of wealthier parents on Grammar Schools it seems unlikely
Well I know a few.. but I also know that doesnt count to you. I dont have an opinion poll to back it up.
Look at the applause Farage got for saying he would introduce them on QT last night
Which formula could be applied to UKIPs rise from nothing to 1/5 to come 2nd in South Shields
(and no lame jokes about fops etc)
When you explain what a Grammar school is to people who have never heard of them, lots of people cant understand why they were ever abolished.
The reason that there is such intense competition to get in them that private tuition is needed is because there are so few.
Is that true? I would have thought that in some counties they are entirely absent, but in the counties where they have remained there would be just as many.
There are 8 in Essex. My Parents went to two that no longer exist. Hornchurch Grammar School is now Emerson Park Comprehensive.
Ilford County High still is a Grammar. I left there 19 years ago (suddenly feels old....)
Oh I just looked on Wiki... maybe Ilford is classed as East London?
@JamesKelly: Aah - thanks: you did not make yourself clear or I misunderstood you.
However, you also appear to have misunderstood me since I explicitly stated that I thought that a civilised society should make provision for all those who were poor regardless of whether it was their fault or not and that the concept of "deserving/undeserving" was a difficult one to base any sort of policy on. So the complete opposite of how you characterised it.
I haven't seen Sahid Javid before but he looks terribly supine on QT - which party or org did he represent?
Osborne's placeman.
Sahid Javid spoke very intelligently on QT and gave measured and well argued responses to the questions. If we were to read a transcipt he would have been a clear winner in the debate.
But he tends to deliver in a monotone and hasn't yet worked out how to work an argument up to a climactic soundbite which gets the audience to applaud and cheer. He also lacks the best tv performers ability to empathise with the questioner and general audience regardless of political affiliation. The Heseltine, Ken Clarke. Vince Cable, Ken Livingstone ease with a studio audience is lacking,
Still I thought he put up a good show for a novice.
You seem to believe that great British houses were built solely by entrepenuers, of course there's a great deal of inheritance and gifting which went on having absolutely nothing to do with entrepeneurship.
I never said that - you are very good at misrepresenting arguments.
The discussion was about *Victorian* houses. Great houses are built by people with money, land and power. At various points that has been people with soldiers (Normans), people who were close to the royals (Tudor, Stuarts), financiers and politicans (Georgians) and industrialists and financiers (Victorians).
The Benyon house that you cite (which is quite pretty, but not really my taste) was acquired by his family through marriage.
It's also worth pointing out that houses of this ilk are, from a purely financial perspective, more of a liability than an asset. For emotional reasons it's hard to sell them but you have to run very very hard to keep the roof in good repair.
Word has leaked out that the London-based firm ICAP, the world's largest broker of interest-rate swaps, is being investigated by American authorities for behavior that sounds eerily reminiscent of the Libor mess. Regulators are looking into whether or not a small group of brokers at ICAP may have worked with up to 15 of the world's largest banks to manipulate ISDAfix, a benchmark number used around the world to calculate the prices of interest-rate swaps.
The London banking sector really seems to be a cesspool of corruption. Why the hell do we always need to wait for the American regulators to act? What the hell is wrong with our ones? Why don't we have any journalists competent enough to unearth and report this stuff? I suppose our financial journalists get more clicks writing about who's on what bank note.
are the Americans investigating their own bankers ? I haven't seen many of them fined or packed off to jail, but maybe that's just the reporting.
On the question of whether David Cameron has been arranging for Parliament to rise early to avoid PMQs, the following number of PMQs per year have been held over the past few years:
It is not apparent that there is any material difference
So far in 2013 there have been 11 PMQs which does not seem out of sync with previous years. In 2012, there had been 12 PMQs by 26 April but 30 by the end of the year
So yet another of tim's endless supply of mis-statements bites the dust. Won't stop its repetition having now acquired obsession status. We can laugh at him though, and some of us will.
I haven't seen Sahid Javid before but he looks terribly supine on QT - which party or org did he represent?
Osborne's placeman.
Sahid Javid spoke very intelligently on QT and gave measured and well argued responses to the questions. If we were to read a transcipt he would have been a clear winner in the debate.
But he tends to deliver in a monotone and hasn't yet worked out how to work an argument up to a climactic soundbite which gets the audience to applaud and cheer. He also lacks the best tv performers ability to empathise with the questioner and general audience regardless of political affiliation. The Heseltine, Ken Clarke. Vince Cable, Ken Livingstone ease with a studio audience is lacking,
Still I thought he put up a good show for a novice.
Sounded to me like he said 'd' when he should be saying 't' ie "liddle"instead of "little"
I don't see how he can be blind to the nature of his own decisions in government. Miliband went out of his way upon becoming leader to describe himself as a socialist and to explicitly distance himself from New Labour - Brown didn't do either.
Nah, we parted away on another point because of a term I used. But we don't need to come back there because your last comment makes an interesting point IMO.
"think his current affiliation is actually of surprisingly little consequence" and "almost regardless of the venue."
I don't know if I understand these lines correctly....for "current affiliation", do you mean Respect (with its mainly Muslim connection) as opposed to different kinds of party? and for "venues", do you mean Bradford West as opposed to other constituencies?
If so, I think in its current affiliation he can't appeal to Labour voters regardless of the venue. But I think he would be able to change his current mantra to appeal in other types of venues if he stood there rather than Bradford/Tower Hamlets.
I don't know if this was what you were arguing or I am saying the opposite.
You should have saved that for me reminding everyone that you tipped Lansley to be PM, Seth O Logue.
Why do you feel the need to mention this several times every single day? Have you any idea how utterly dull it is?
I've no idea if it's true but, even if it is, (and assuming Lansley never does become PM), making one inaccurate prediction does not render every subsequent post the poster makes unworthy of consideration
In fairness to Mick, Schards, The Poster Formerly Known As Seth O'Logue was a pretty atrocious tipster.
Obviously we all have our bad days but Seth rarely had a good one. That wouldn't have mattered particularly if he had not given the persistent impression that the 'tips' were little more than Party propaganda in disguise. It was for this reason, and no other, that I was not sorry to see his name disappear. This is after all a betting Site. Some bet serious money, and a poster who wilfully leads others over a cliff is a bit of a menace.
However, if the said Seth now chooses to operate under a different name and wishes to remain anonymous, that wish should be respected. Outing ain't nice, and former lives should be forgotten unless the poster in question is happy to be so linked.
If Seth really is posting under a different name, he should just be left to do so, peaceably and anonymously. Unless of course he starts giving more f*cking terrible tips.....
I am sorry to hear you lost so much money on my cousin's poor tips, Peter.
He was a bit of a black sheep in the family, old Seth, but he tells me he won't be returning due to a crisis in his family business which requires his full time attention.
I will understand fully if you decide not to follow my predictions on the basis of my blood relationship to Seth, but I am sure you will be wishing Seth the best of luck in his business endeavours.
OK, he wasn't flamboyant but he answered every question calmly and sensibly.
He also noted that he was the only person on the panel who hadn't gone to a private school - didn't make a big thing of it but still made the somewhat ironic point.
I think he would have made a pretty good impression.
Are food banks really an issue that greatly sways voter opinion? Even the BBC have revealed how the unscrupulous have abused the goodwill of the charities operating them. It's one thing to produce evidence of benefit entitlement but how carefully is the other side of the equation looked at? Who monitors whether the person taking away supplies for their family doesn't blow the benefit not spent on food on ciggies, alcohol, drugs or down the betting shop?
@JamesKelly: Well given that Brown was an architect of New Labour I can see why he might find it hard to distance himself from it. Milliband was a Minister in Brown's government and never, to my knowledge, publicly distanced himself from any of Brown's specific policy decisions e.g. the decision to abolish the 10p tax rate - which most affected the working poor - (though I know that was when Brown was still Chancellor) or any of his other decisions.
What Brown government decisions do you consider to be "centre right" ones?
Any evidence that Labour working class voters are pro grammar school?
Given that even Tory councils such as Kent are trying to break the stranglehold gained through coaching of wealthier parents on Grammar Schools it seems unlikely
Well I know a few.. but I also know that doesnt count to you. I dont have an opinion poll to back it up.
Look at the applause Farage got for saying he would introduce them on QT last night
Which formula could be applied to UKIPs rise from nothing to 1/5 to come 2nd in South Shields
(and no lame jokes about fops etc)
When you explain what a Grammar school is to people who have never heard of them, lots of people cant understand why they were ever abolished.
The reason that there is such intense competition to get in them that private tuition is needed is because there are so few.
Is that true? I would have thought that in some counties they are entirely absent, but in the counties where they have remained there would be just as many.
There are 8 in Essex. My Parents went to two that no longer exist. Hornchurch Grammar School is now Emerson Park Comprehensive.
Ilford County High still is a Grammar. I left there 19 years ago (suddenly feels old....)
Oh I just looked on Wiki... maybe Ilford is classed as East London?
If we are, then so is Hornchurch! Basically Newham*, Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking & Dagenham and Havering were all Essex pre-1965.
(* except for North Woolwich, which was in the County of London, and before that "parte of Kent" pre-1880s).
I don't know if I understandd these lines correctly....for "current affiliation", do you mean Respect (with its mainly Muslim connection) as opposed to different kinds of party? and for "venues", do you mean Bradford West as opposed to other constituencies?
If so, I think in its current affiliation he can't appeal to Labour voters regardless of the venue. But I think he would be able to change his current mantra to appeal in other types of venues if he stood there rather than Bradford/Tower Hamlets.
I don't know if this was what you were arguing or I am saying the opposite.
Pretty much but you do correctly link them. Were he not under the Respect banner then that would open up other places and opportunties. As you say his mantra would change his tactics would change and his appeal would be tailored to that particular area. That's what I mean by saying Galloway is his own brand. He just won't appeal everywhere under Respect and using his current tactics but they were admirably suited for winning Bradford West.
Any evidence that Labour working class voters are pro grammar school?
Given that even Tory councils such as Kent are trying to break the stranglehold gained through coaching of wealthier parents on Grammar Schools it seems unlikely
Well I know a few.. but I also know that doesnt count to you. I dont have an opinion poll to back it up.
Look at the applause Farage got for saying he would introduce them on QT last night
Which formula could be applied to UKIPs rise from nothing to 1/5 to come 2nd in South Shields
(and no lame jokes about fops etc)
When you explain what a Grammar school is to people who have never heard of them, lots of people cant understand why they were ever abolished.
The reason that there is such intense competition to get in them that private tuition is needed is because there are so few.
Is that true? I would have thought that in some counties they are entirely absent, but in the counties where they have remained there would be just as many.
There are 8 in Essex. My Parents went to two that no longer exist. Hornchurch Grammar School is now Emerson Park Comprehensive.
Ilford County High still is a Grammar. I left there 19 years ago (suddenly feels old....)
Oh I just looked on Wiki... maybe Ilford is classed as East London?
If we are, then so is Hornchurch! Basically Newham*, Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking & Dagenham and Havering were all Essex pre-1965.
(* except for North Woolwich, which was in the County of London, and before that "parte of Kent" pre-1880s).
Shhh...be quiet, Sunil, or the Cockney Plot to take over the world (via Essex) will be revealed....
Of course, following the recession, food banks will increase, and they are a sad necessity for some when waiting for benefits payments to come through etc. Luckily, unlike some Western nations, eg the US and Canada, Spain, Greece and Italy, we have not yet reached a situation where we have time limited benefits which, when exhausted, force you to rely on food banks and soup kitchens to survive. I am all for work for the dole, and higher benefits for those who have contributed more to the system, but I also believe everyone should be entitled to the basic necessities to survive from the state in a civilised society!
Bl**dy hell, another Birmingham-muslim terror plot ... this time there's 11 of the nutters. Really, Birmingham is outscoring other cities on this front. These chaps would've made those "peaceful" Britain stats a bit dated ...
We've had right-of-centre governments for 34 years now, so the problem isn't exactly a mystery.
What does that have to do with the point at hand, I didn't restrict the comment to the previous 34 years, but in any case why would right of centre governments hammer the poor, yet left of centre governments do not?
Right of centre governments (IMO) want to offer people the chance to look after themselves, and remove the barriers to them doing so. Left of centre governments want to cuddle people up and promise that someone else will do the hard work for them, until the whole system comes crashing down and the right of centre governments have to come in and clear up the mess, as usual.
"What Brown government decisions do you consider to be "centre right" ones?"
Abolishing the 10p tax rate. ID cards. 42 days detention. Iraq. DNA retention. Support for privatisation.
Etc, etc. The real question is where were the centre-left ones?"
OK : the 10p tax rate was abolished and resulted in those people paying a 20p tax rate. Raising taxes is not normally associated with the centre right. Agree that it was a bad decision though.
ID cards and 42-day detention: again am with you that a very bad policy indeed. But the only political party which proposed these policies was the Labour party and it was the Coalition which tore up the proposal on ID cards. Authoritarianism is not exclusive to the centre right. On the contrary, there are all too many examples of left wing authoritarianism. A very great pity that Labour abandoned all belief in civil liberties.
Iraq: this will always be Labour's shame I'm afraid.
DNA retention: See ID cards though I am very disappointed that the current government has not done more on this front.
Privatisation: will grant you this but there again it was Brown who - eventually - had to part nationalise the banks. Is EdM proposing to nationalise public utilities or telephone companies or steel or other privatised companies?
As for a centre left policy I give you tax credits and the significant increases in spending on the NHS, education and other parts of the state sector.
Labour were in power for 13 years with significant majorities. Just because you disagreed with their policies doesn't make them "centre right".
And a very amusing tale it is too. Cousin of Seth O Logue seems a bit long winded but if you seriously feel that strongly about it?
Well, PB has a long and distinguished history of respecting posters' wishes to remain anonymous....and sustaining whatever fictions those choose to disguise themselves.
Why, I've even heard it said that young JackW is NOT a 103 year old Jacobite, but if that's what he wants us to think....
"Right of centre governments (IMO) want to offer people the chance to look after themselves, and remove the barriers to them doing so."
Jesus, what planet are you living on?
I think most Christian religions believe Jesus currently resides in Heaven. Your theological interpretation may differ.
(Although I did like the opinion of an old friend of mine, who used to say that when he died he would go to Heaven - the one under Charing Cross Arches. I haven't been there for two decades, but I'd like to think his spirit is there, bopping away).
and the significant increases in spending on the NHS, education and other parts of the state sector.
PFI. PPP. The 'reforms'.
Blair and Brown are co-architects of New Labour remember. They really fell out and battled over just one thing. Power. Brown wanted it as soon as possible, Blair didn't want to give it up.
I thought Seth O Logue left when, after spending a year trying to understand and explain Lansleys health bill to the really stupid PB Tories, Lansley announced 1100 amendments in one go.
That is not what I have been told directly, tim.
Pressures of the family business is the real reason.
And a very amusing tale it is too. Cousin of Seth O Logue seems a bit long winded but if you seriously feel that strongly about it?
Well, PB has a long and distinguished history of respecting posters' wishes to remain anonymous....and sustaining whatever fictions those choose to disguise themselves.
Why, I've even heard it said that young JackW is NOT a 103 year old Jacobite, but if that's what he wants us to think....
Yes, we are all aware of that ribtickler.
Why, I've even heard that Seth O Logue might not actually be a real persons name so where this supposed threat to anonymity comes in I really do have no idea. I can point you to someone on here actually revealed a real persons details but perhaps we should drop that and agree to differ.
If Seth really was upset I doubt he would keep using it as a joke now would he?
@Mick_Pork: PFI is a disaster. Better to be upfront about state spending than have this sort of "off the books" type of shenanigans which has usually resulted in the taxpayer having to pay far more for the hospital / school or whatever than otherwise.
You're quite right about the psychodrama at the heart of New Labour and much damage did it do to the country.
New Labour combined the worst aspects of the right and the left with very few of the decent instincts of either.
Following Mike's post previous thread it now looks entirely possible that were Santorum to repeat his 2012 Iowa win in 2016 and Rand Paul to win in NH there would be a clash to the death between the libertarian and socially conservative wings of the GOP. Meantime Hillary, with virtually no real challenge for the Dem nomination if she runs, can go about measuring the drapes in the Oval Office!
And a very amusing tale it is too. Cousin of Seth O Logue seems a bit long winded but if you seriously feel that strongly about it?
Well, PB has a long and distinguished history of respecting posters' wishes to remain anonymous....and sustaining whatever fictions those choose to disguise themselves.
Why, I've even heard it said that young JackW is NOT a 103 year old Jacobite, but if that's what he wants us to think....
Thanks for knocking off several years from an old gals age - you old charmer you !!
Only a few dozen people are expected to claim benefits using the government's flagship new universal credit scheme when it is launched on Monday and the total number who will qualify will be limited to 300 a month, in a radical scaling back of the pilot.
The tiny scale and extremely soft nature of the launch has prompted concern from charities and opposition politicians over how useful the trial will be in exposing weaknesses in the complex new welfare scheme, ahead of its nationwide rollout, which is due to begin in October. Only the most straightforward benefit claims will be included in the trial, with any cases with a hint of complexity excluded. Tameside council, (which is the only place piloting the benefit after pilots in three other areas were postponed last month), expects just 300 people to start claiming the benefit in the first month.
Tameside told the Guardian that only single people with no children, newly claiming a benefit, will be told to claim universal credit, stipulating that they must also be fit for work, not be claiming disability benefits, not have any caring responsibilities, must not be homeless, living in temporary accommodation, and must have a valid bank account and national insurance number.
Tartan Tory James Kelly doesn't like right wing parties. What the hell is he doing in the SNP ?
Between capitalist and communist society there lies the period of the revolutionary transformation of the one into the other. Corresponding to this is also a political transition period in which the state can be nothing but the revolutionary dictatorship of the Scotariat.
Interesting article. I think it's pretty obvious that food banks are a sign of societal failure, but it's undesirable for any party to appear to cash in on that, in the same way as oppositions shouldn't dance with glee if a factory closes. Showing sympathy and letting voters draw thier own conclusions is probably best.
Spent the day in a more outlying, less politicised suburb than hitherto. Rather more switchers from the Tories than usual, both to us and to UKIP. There was more switching away from the Government over the economy than I've encountered before, which may seem perverse in view of the not-so-bad GDP figures. Some people are really struggling personally and moving into anyone-but-the-current-lot mode.
Interesting article. I think it's pretty obvious that food banks are a sign of societal failure, but it's undesirable for any party to appear to cash in on that, in the same way as oppositions shouldn't dance with glee if a factory closes. Showing sympathy and letting voters draw thier own conclusions is probably best.
Spent the day in a more outlying, less politicised suburb than hitherto. Rather more switchers from the Tories than usual, both to us and to UKIP. There was more switching away from the Government over the economy than I've encountered before, which may seem perverse in view of the not-so-bad GDP figures. Some people are really struggling personally and moving into anyone-but-the-current-lot mode.</blockqu
Hasn't your boss , EdM , already cashed in on this legacy of the thirteen year New Labour occupation ? Ed's got no class like his here today gone to the US tomorrow brother.
Word has leaked out that the London-based firm ICAP, the world's largest broker of interest-rate swaps, is being investigated by American authorities for behavior that sounds eerily reminiscent of the Libor mess. Regulators are looking into whether or not a small group of brokers at ICAP may have worked with up to 15 of the world's largest banks to manipulate ISDAfix, a benchmark number used around the world to calculate the prices of interest-rate swaps.
The London banking sector really seems to be a cesspool of corruption. Why the hell do we always need to wait for the American regulators to act? What the hell is wrong with our ones? Why don't we have any journalists competent enough to unearth and report this stuff? I suppose our financial journalists get more clicks writing about who's on what bank note.
are the Americans investigating their own bankers ? I haven't seen many of them fined or packed off to jail, but maybe that's just the reporting.
Just the reporting. There's been scores of court cases over bankster fraud in the states with no jail but billions in fines for all the big banks - not that it matters as it's just a percentage of the loot from all the frauds but at least they go through the motions. Here, not a sausage.
"In a blow to Cameron, who had hoped to hold an annual summit with the Chinese leadership, the French president François Hollande was on Friday feted in Shanghai on a full state visit a few weeks after the prime minister was due to visit China."
I'm al in favour of people giving their money to charity rather than destroying the incentives of the next generation an cluttering up society with a hapless class of trustafarians exporting wealth to the Colombian drug cartels.
Why capitalists should like estate taxes From Adam Smith to Thomas Jefferson, lovers of freedom have demanded that social privilege be earned -- not inherited.
I wonder how cloud borne Thomas Jefferson will be feeling about the prospects of Hillary Clinton inheriting the social privilege of the US Presidency. I guess he'll turn a blind eye on the basis that a bird by hand is worth more than two from the bush.
Yes, other than playing a leading role in her college's part in the civil rights movement; gaining degrees in Government at Wellesely and Law at Yale; working as a lawyer, a college professor, and a company director; founding a children's charity; serving two terms as a US Senator; and four years as US Secretary of State, what the hell has she ever done to earn the Presidency?
Married Bill Clinton?
So if your husband is successful, you should be barred from political office?
She is about to be handed her husband's former job on a plate.
Just caught a couple of minutes of Qt - for the first question, on whether Osborne's plan is working, did Farage actually manage to make his initial answer without tieing it all back to the waste of money going to Europe, or did I just blank off for a second? Much as a lot of people love to hear him bang on about Europe, has he in fact started being a bit cannier with it, by not crowbarring it in on every answer?
Interesting article. I think it's pretty obvious that food banks are a sign of societal failure, but it's undesirable for any party to appear to cash in on that, in the same way as oppositions shouldn't dance with glee if a factory closes. Showing sympathy and letting voters draw thier own conclusions is probably best..
Well, it'd be most unusual.
Being beaten around the head about how I should feel about things, good or ill, appears far more regular.
I know I'm late on the game on responding to QT, but my gods if people are going to criticise the government for borrowing a lot more than they planned, they should not act so surprised and give such crap answers to the question of whether, in that case, they'd borrow less.
It surely cannot be hard to come up with an appropriate line to what is a predictable response.
"Southampton City Council leader Richard Williams resigns" -Mr Williams’ resignation came after an independent report found he had misled the public about the reasons for Cabinet colleague Keith Morrell’s resignation-
Mr Morrell wanted to tell the truth about the finances and not make promises he couldn't keep - not acceptable in a Labour politician apparently... He was forced out but made to say for medical reasons.
O/t Apols if posted before NEW YORK (AP) — A piece of landing gear believed to be from one of the planes destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks has been discovered wedged between a New York City mosque site and another building.
Hmm, there's a 'They're moving it out of Birmingham then?' joke in there, but I cannot recall if I already made it lately. I'll just have to post modernly draw attention to the joke then.
Word has leaked out that the London-based firm ICAP, the world's largest broker of interest-rate swaps, is being investigated by American authorities for behavior that sounds eerily reminiscent of the Libor mess. Regulators are looking into whether or not a small group of brokers at ICAP may have worked with up to 15 of the world's largest banks to manipulate ISDAfix, a benchmark number used around the world to calculate the prices of interest-rate swaps.
The London banking sector really seems to be a cesspool of corruption. Why the hell do we always need to wait for the American regulators to act? What the hell is wrong with our ones? Why don't we have any journalists competent enough to unearth and report this stuff? I suppose our financial journalists get more clicks writing about who's on what bank note.
Totally agree on both points. Most of the best articles about corruption and plain criminality I have read since the crash have been in Rolling Stone. It is really remarkable. Their article about HSBC "Too big to Jail" was not just jaw dropping but also lively, entertaining and brilliantly researched.
Despite this being a British bank all we saw here was some pathetic moaning about the Yanks picking on British companies. Is it our libel laws or are our journalists too damn lazy?
Comments
One of the Limp Dim council candidates claims to be a 'caseworker' p/t for an MP.
2006 - 30 PMQs
2007 - 32 PMQs
2008 - 33 PMQs
2009 - 29 PMQs
2010 - 32 PMQs
2011 - 33 PMQs
2012 - 30 PMQs
It is not apparent that there is any material difference
So far in 2013 there have been 11 PMQs which does not seem out of sync with previous years. In 2012, there had been 12 PMQs by 26 April but 30 by the end of the year
You make epic assertions on PB and never ever provide a link to them, I've been on here for years as you have and I can't recall a post of yours that did.
I ignore your assertions on pensions and everything else since you provide no evidence bar your opinions for any of them.
Cammie proposes something that he knows won't get through but appeals to his voters. Clegg responds by proposing something that he knows won't get through but appeals to his voters. Cameron responds back by proposing something that he knows won't get through but appeals to his voters. Etcetera. And the circle of life in westminster will dance on while nothing of consequence happens but both coalition parties get to look like they are distancing themselves from each other in time for the GE.
There might even be something in that lot that get's through but I doubt it.
www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/everything-is-rigged-the-biggest-financial-scandal-yet-20130425
The London banking sector really seems to be a cesspool of corruption. Why the hell do we always need to wait for the American regulators to act? What the hell is wrong with our ones? Why don't we have any journalists competent enough to unearth and report this stuff? I suppose our financial journalists get more clicks writing about who's on what bank note.
Obviously we all have our bad days but Seth rarely had a good one. That wouldn't have mattered particularly if he had not given the persistent impression that the 'tips' were little more than Party propaganda in disguise. It was for this reason, and no other, that I was not sorry to see his name disappear. This is after all a betting Site. Some bet serious money, and a poster who wilfully leads others over a cliff is a bit of a menace.
However, if the said Seth now chooses to operate under a different name and wishes to remain anonymous, that wish should be respected. Outing ain't nice, and former lives should be forgotten unless the poster in question is happy to be so linked.
If Seth really is posting under a different name, he should just be left to do so, peaceably and anonymously. Unless of course he starts giving more f*cking terrible tips.....
That seems an odd approach, if you don't mind me saying so. You were the one who made the implicit distinction between those whose poverty was their fault and those where it wasn't.
There are people who are poor because of their own fault e.g. gambling / drug addicts / ex-prisoners unable to get work etc but I don't think a civilised society should ignore them or let them starve. However it seems to me that most people do - and always have done - made a distinction between the deserving and the undeserving poor. "Deserving" is always a difficult concept of course; a lot of rich people don't "deserve" their riches.
I'd have thought it better to take the view that there should be a minimum level beyond which people cannot fall and take steps to ensure that those who are poor because of their own fault are helped to avoid those behaviours which result in their poverty e.g. reading / training schemes for prisoners.
Perhaps you could persuade Roger to do it, he's pretty well heeled. It would look great, rich socialist...
It certainly wasn't intended as a distinction. The point I was making is that the poor people who are being clobbered by this government are poor through no fault of their own.
Your own distinction between 'deserving' and 'undeserving' poor sounds positively Victorian.
We've had right-of-centre governments for 34 years now, so the problem isn't exactly a mystery.
However, you also appear to have misunderstood me since I explicitly stated that I thought that a civilised society should make provision for all those who were poor regardless of whether it was their fault or not and that the concept of "deserving/undeserving" was a difficult one to base any sort of policy on. So the complete opposite of how you characterised it.
Still glad to have cleared that up.
But he tends to deliver in a monotone and hasn't yet worked out how to work an argument up to a climactic soundbite which gets the audience to applaud and cheer. He also lacks the best tv performers ability to empathise with the questioner and general audience regardless of political affiliation. The Heseltine, Ken Clarke. Vince Cable, Ken Livingstone ease with a studio audience is lacking,
Still I thought he put up a good show for a novice.
The discussion was about *Victorian* houses. Great houses are built by people with money, land and power. At various points that has been people with soldiers (Normans), people who were close to the royals (Tudor, Stuarts), financiers and politicans (Georgians) and industrialists and financiers (Victorians).
The Benyon house that you cite (which is quite pretty, but not really my taste) was acquired by his family through marriage.
It's also worth pointing out that houses of this ilk are, from a purely financial perspective, more of a liability than an asset. For emotional reasons it's hard to sell them but you have to run very very hard to keep the roof in good repair.
That will come as news to Gordon Brown.
On the main BBC News homepage there is a link to last night's QT and in the description it only mentions one panellist. Guess who? Farage!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
and he looked like Morph
I don't see how he can be blind to the nature of his own decisions in government. Miliband went out of his way upon becoming leader to describe himself as a socialist and to explicitly distance himself from New Labour - Brown didn't do either.
Nah, we parted away on another point because of a term I used. But we don't need to come back there because your last comment makes an interesting point IMO.
"think his current affiliation is actually of surprisingly little consequence" and "almost regardless of the venue."
I don't know if I understand these lines correctly....for "current affiliation", do you mean Respect (with its mainly Muslim connection) as opposed to different kinds of party?
and for "venues", do you mean Bradford West as opposed to other constituencies?
If so, I think in its current affiliation he can't appeal to Labour voters regardless of the venue. But I think he would be able to change his current mantra to appeal in other types of venues if he stood there rather than Bradford/Tower Hamlets.
I don't know if this was what you were arguing or I am saying the opposite.
He was a bit of a black sheep in the family, old Seth, but he tells me he won't be returning due to a crisis in his family business which requires his full time attention.
I will understand fully if you decide not to follow my predictions on the basis of my blood relationship to Seth, but I am sure you will be wishing Seth the best of luck in his business endeavours.
As indeed will "British jobs for British workers".
OK, he wasn't flamboyant but he answered every question calmly and sensibly.
He also noted that he was the only person on the panel who hadn't gone to a private school - didn't make a big thing of it but still made the somewhat ironic point.
I think he would have made a pretty good impression.
Didn't lose a thing, Avery, because I pretty quickly figured out he couldn't tip the winner of a one-horse race.
Hope it doesn't run in the family.
What Brown government decisions do you consider to be "centre right" ones?
(* except for North Woolwich, which was in the County of London, and before that "parte of Kent" pre-1880s).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53117219@N05/8672565819/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22307221
Abolishing the 10p tax rate.
ID cards.
42 days detention.
Iraq.
DNA retention.
Support for privatisation.
Etc, etc. The real question is where were the centre-left policies.
I meant Michael Spencer, of course!
OK. Matter resolved now.
I was getting a bit " bellicose " last time ahaha
Right of centre governments (IMO) want to offer people the chance to look after themselves, and remove the barriers to them doing so. Left of centre governments want to cuddle people up and promise that someone else will do the hard work for them, until the whole system comes crashing down and the right of centre governments have to come in and clear up the mess, as usual.
Cousin of Seth O Logue seems a bit long winded but if you seriously feel that strongly about it?
Jesus, what planet are you living on?
Max Clifford charged with 11 indecent assaults
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22313286
"What Brown government decisions do you consider to be "centre right" ones?"
Abolishing the 10p tax rate.
ID cards.
42 days detention.
Iraq.
DNA retention.
Support for privatisation.
Etc, etc. The real question is where were the centre-left ones?"
OK : the 10p tax rate was abolished and resulted in those people paying a 20p tax rate. Raising taxes is not normally associated with the centre right. Agree that it was a bad decision though.
ID cards and 42-day detention: again am with you that a very bad policy indeed. But the only political party which proposed these policies was the Labour party and it was the Coalition which tore up the proposal on ID cards. Authoritarianism is not exclusive to the centre right. On the contrary, there are all too many examples of left wing authoritarianism. A very great pity that Labour abandoned all belief in civil liberties.
Iraq: this will always be Labour's shame I'm afraid.
DNA retention: See ID cards though I am very disappointed that the current government has not done more on this front.
Privatisation: will grant you this but there again it was Brown who - eventually - had to part nationalise the banks. Is EdM proposing to nationalise public utilities or telephone companies or steel or other privatised companies?
As for a centre left policy I give you tax credits and the significant increases in spending on the NHS, education and other parts of the state sector.
Labour were in power for 13 years with significant majorities. Just because you disagreed with their policies doesn't make them "centre right".
Why, I've even heard it said that young JackW is NOT a 103 year old Jacobite, but if that's what he wants us to think....
(Although I did like the opinion of an old friend of mine, who used to say that when he died he would go to Heaven - the one under Charing Cross Arches. I haven't been there for two decades, but I'd like to think his spirit is there, bopping away).
That is OK but NO COMMENTS on the story please
Who's he going t0 call? Ghostbusters?
Blair and Brown are co-architects of New Labour remember.
They really fell out and battled over just one thing. Power.
Brown wanted it as soon as possible, Blair didn't want to give it up.
Put in a comment earlier, can't see it now.
Regretting not having enough time for pb at the moment.
MODERATOR
NO. NO comments means NO comments, period.
Thank you
Pressures of the family business is the real reason.
Why, I've even heard that Seth O Logue might not actually be a real persons name so where this supposed threat to anonymity comes in I really do have no idea. I can point you to someone on here actually revealed a real persons details but perhaps we should drop that and agree to differ.
If Seth really was upset I doubt he would keep using it as a joke now would he?
You're quite right about the psychodrama at the heart of New Labour and much damage did it do to the country.
New Labour combined the worst aspects of the right and the left with very few of the decent instincts of either.
http://news.sky.com/story/1083538/max-clifford-charged-with-11-sex-assaults
•Hillary Clinton (D) 52%
•Rand Paul (R) 41%
•Not sure 8%
•Hillary Clinton (D) 52%
•Marco Rubio (R) 38%
•Not sure 10%
Could Rand Paul be the Goldwater of 2016 to Christie's Rockefeller?
Nothing much more in that article than a reiteration of well established opposition.
Spent the day in a more outlying, less politicised suburb than hitherto. Rather more switchers from the Tories than usual, both to us and to UKIP. There was more switching away from the Government over the economy than I've encountered before, which may seem perverse in view of the not-so-bad GDP figures. Some people are really struggling personally and moving into anyone-but-the-current-lot mode.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/26/blow-for-cameron-china-hollande?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
"In a blow to Cameron, who had hoped to hold an annual summit with the Chinese leadership, the French president François Hollande was on Friday feted in Shanghai on a full state visit a few weeks after the prime minister was due to visit China."
FW:
CDU/CSU: 40%
SPD: 28%
Green: 14%
Linke: 6%
FDP: 4%
AFD: 3%
Others: 5%
ID:
CDU/CSU: 40%
SPD: 27%
Green: 14%
Linke: 7%
FDP: 4%
AFD: 3%
Pirates: 2%
Others: 3%
http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/index.htm
"Gruaniad confuses Cameron with "Head of State"
Electorate 2015 - Ed Miliband head in a state.
Labour have got a nerve trying to score points on this.
See here
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2012/12/council-should-encourage-food-banks.html
and here
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2013/02/yvette-cooper-should-apologise-for-blocking-access-to-foodbanks.html
You may have forgotten in your own state of inebriation that you gave me your address.
Be careful what you wish for....! Oh, and I do love a full english breakfast but please don't overcook the bacon.
Being beaten around the head about how I should feel about things, good or ill, appears far more regular.
It surely cannot be hard to come up with an appropriate line to what is a predictable response.
Though possibly a sign of economic failure.
"Southampton City Council leader Richard Williams resigns"
-Mr Williams’ resignation came after an independent report found he had misled the public about the reasons for Cabinet colleague Keith Morrell’s resignation-
Mr Morrell wanted to tell the truth about the finances and not make promises he couldn't keep - not acceptable in a Labour politician apparently... He was forced out but made to say for medical reasons.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-22311215
NEW YORK (AP) — A piece of landing gear believed to be from one of the planes destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks has been discovered wedged between a New York City mosque site and another building.
http://news.yahoo.com/nypd-part-9-11-planes-landing-gear-discovered-204101483.html
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6339.aspx
Despite this being a British bank all we saw here was some pathetic moaning about the Yanks picking on British companies. Is it our libel laws or are our journalists too damn lazy?
Looking at Aberdeen SNP politicians....I noted
Joanna Strathdee: group leader on Aberdeenshire council, she stood in Aberdeen North in 2010 GE
Callum McCaig: council leader in 2011-12, one of the youngest in the country. He worked for Maureen Watt, now woks for Kevin Stewart MSP.
would any of these 2 passable/worthy as by-election candidate?
The time lapse video is something else - interesting exercise in redevelopment.
Wakefield Kirkgate seems to a Northern contender for worst station in England.
Weren't there comments about the new shopping centre in Birmingham being an inverted womb.