And the major reason for ruling out a currency union right now would appear to be to try to scare the voters.
What rational reason is there for a joint currency ? Salmond has moved from rubbishing Sterling to suddenly wanting it post Euro crisis because that was even scarier, Salmond can either issue his own currency or join the Euro since you tell me that's where Scotland is headed.
In the meantime what's the benefit for EWNI in a union ? We're top scapegoat every time there's an economic problem in Scotland, there's no thanks for when things go well, there's the need to manage somebody else's problem if oil goes silly and we'll always end up suboptimising our own best interests because we've got a back seat driver.
For scotland it's even worse, they have to ask permission to issue their own debt, they can't set interest rates for themselves, they're exposed to every idiot UK CoE ( and we've had crap ones continuously from 1997 to 2010) and if oil goes silly they have their hands tied behind their backs.
So if the consequences scare Scots it sodding well should,
A landslide election in 2011. Winning the scottish local elections in 2012. The last Holyrood VI easily beating scottish labour and pointing to another scottish parliament win. A great deal still to do to win the Independence referendum but then we are used to being told we can't win by scottish labour and their tory helpers from long, long before 2011.
While you have a coalition relying on the lib dems to keep you in power because Cammie couldn't even win a majority. You're behind little Ed in the polls with the kippers way above the sub 5% level Cameron needs. Not to mention Cammie's own MPs don't even trust him and continually humiliate him in commons votes.
Oh and there's a massive flood crisis that you and many of the other right-wingers on here don't appear very interested in so let's hope the public are as unconcerned as you lot seem or you're going to be in for quite a shock.
And the major reason for ruling out a currency union right now would appear to be to try to scare the voters.
What rational reason is there for a joint currency ? Salmond has moved from rubbishing Sterling to suddenly wanting it post Euro crisis because that was even scarier, Salmond can either issue his own currency or join the Euro since you tell me that's where Scotland is headed.
In the meantime what's the benefit for EWNI in a union ? We're top scapegoat every time there's an economic problem in Scotland, there's no thanks for when things go well, there's the need to manage somebody else's problem if oil goes silly and we'll always end up suboptimising our own best interests because we've got a back seat driver.
For scotland it's even worse, they have to ask permission to issue their own debt, they can't set interest rates for themselves, they're exposed to every idiot UK CoE ( and we've had crap ones continuously from 1997 to 2010) and if oil goes silly they have their hands tied behind their backs.
So if the consequences scare Scots it sodding well should,
What rational reason is there for a joint currency ?
Trade.
The UK trades with people across the world, in numerous currencies and doesn't skip a beat. All our major trading partners use a different currency to us and trade goes on quite successfully.
And the major reason for ruling out a currency union right now would appear to be to try to scare the voters.
What rational reason is there for a joint currency ? Salmond has moved from rubbishing Sterling to suddenly wanting it post Euro crisis because that was even scarier, Salmond can either issue his own currency or join the Euro since you tell me that's where Scotland is headed.
In the meantime what's the benefit for EWNI in a union ? We're top scapegoat every time there's an economic problem in Scotland, there's no thanks for when things go well, there's the need to manage somebody else's problem if oil goes silly and we'll always end up suboptimising our own best interests because we've got a back seat driver.
For scotland it's even worse, they have to ask permission to issue their own debt, they can't set interest rates for themselves, they're exposed to every idiot UK CoE ( and we've had crap ones continuously from 1997 to 2010) and if oil goes silly they have their hands tied behind their backs.
So if the consequences scare Scots it sodding well should,
And the major reason for ruling out a currency union right now would appear to be to try to scare the voters.
What rational reason is there for a joint currency ? Salmond has moved from rubbishing Sterling to suddenly wanting it post Euro crisis because that was even scarier, Salmond can either issue his own currency or join the Euro since you tell me that's where Scotland is headed.
In the meantime what's the benefit for EWNI in a union ? We're top scapegoat every time there's an economic problem in Scotland, there's no thanks for when things go well, there's the need to manage somebody else's problem if oil goes silly and we'll always end up suboptimising our own best interests because we've got a back seat driver.
For scotland it's even worse, they have to ask permission to issue their own debt, they can't set interest rates for themselves, they're exposed to every idiot UK CoE ( and we've had crap ones continuously from 1997 to 2010) and if oil goes silly they have their hands tied behind their backs.
So if the consequences scare Scots it sodding well should,
[Edited]
I assume that post has left you speechless ;-)
*chuckles*
Look closely, Mr. Brooke.
"Oil goes silly". Genius. Couldn't you have put that in a little yellow box, Seth O Logue?
So the first minister, frequently written up as a master tactician, ended up boxing himself into an unsustainable position, and one that has culminated in the Osborne gambit in Edinburgh.
In many ways, Salmond has modelled himself on Harold Wilson: media savvy and tactically shrewd, but also opportunistic and ideologically indistinct. This only takes a freedom fighter so far; the "pound in your pocket" is one aspect of the independence debate that voters intuitively understand to be important, and it's territory on which the Scottish government has always been weak.
As Keynes put it: "He who controls the currency controls the country." It now falls to the SNP leader to prove that adage wrong.
Only 5% out! I suppose that's close enough for a Labour MP.
He wasn't too busy to type a long anti-UKIP rant, however you have already proved he was exaggerating, if he has any credibility he will answer the questions raised.
Amazing how terrified Labour are of UKIP, the reality of how they have wilfully ignored the needs and wishes of their core vote is finally beginning to dawn on them.
and one that has culminated in the Osborne gambit in Edinburgh.
Gambit also means 'master strategy' and you're betting everything on the twit who couldn't tax a pasty, caused the omnishambles which drove so many tories over to Farage, and is utterly toxic to scottish public opinion.
I'm more than content to have Osborne as the face of No from now until September 18th.
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Tell me do you believe that the streets of London are paved with gold as well?
Of course none of the people affected by the floods are unemployed or disabled or live in sheltered accommodation or use foodbanks because as every Labour supporter knows everyone in the south are filthy rich Tory voting toffs.
Why is it Labour supporters are such narrow minded bigots?
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Tell me do you believe that the streets of London are paved with gold as well?
Of course none of the people affected by the floods are unemployed or disabled or live in sheltered accommodation or use foodbanks because as every Labour supporter knows everyone in the south are filthy rich Tory voting toffs.
Why is it Labour supporters are such narrow minded bigots?
Careful, the sensitive soul will report you to the mods.
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Tell me do you believe that the streets of London are paved with gold as well?
Of course none of the people affected by the floods are unemployed or disabled or live in sheltered accommodation or use foodbanks because as every Labour supporter knows everyone in the south are filthy rich Tory voting toffs.
Why is it Labour supporters are such narrow minded bigots?
Careful, the sensitive soul will report you to the mods.
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Tell me do you believe that the streets of London are paved with gold as well?
Of course none of the people affected by the floods are unemployed or disabled or live in sheltered accommodation or use foodbanks because as every Labour supporter knows everyone in the south are filthy rich Tory voting toffs.
Why is it Labour supporters are such narrow minded bigots?
Careful, the sensitive soul will report you to the mods.
He can do what he likes. It won't change his ignorance.
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Tell me do you believe that the streets of London are paved with gold as well?
Of course none of the people affected by the floods are unemployed or disabled or live in sheltered accommodation or use foodbanks because as every Labour supporter knows everyone in the south are filthy rich Tory voting toffs.
Why is it Labour supporters are such narrow minded bigots?
Careful, the sensitive soul will report you to the mods.
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Tell me do you believe that the streets of London are paved with gold as well?
Of course none of the people affected by the floods are unemployed or disabled or live in sheltered accommodation or use foodbanks because as every Labour supporter knows everyone in the south are filthy rich Tory voting toffs.
Why is it Labour supporters are such narrow minded bigots?
Careful, the sensitive soul will report you to the mods.
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Tell me do you believe that the streets of London are paved with gold as well?
Of course none of the people affected by the floods are unemployed or disabled or live in sheltered accommodation or use foodbanks because as every Labour supporter knows everyone in the south are filthy rich Tory voting toffs.
Why is it Labour supporters are such narrow minded bigots?
Interesting. I wonder if opinion had shifted, or there is some subtle nuance between "disliking" and "disapproving", with the former being more common. I've always found the IPSOS wording peculiar - I don't "like" political parties any more than a lift or a train - useful ways to get from A to B, but not really objects of natural affection.
(BTW, I don't think Graham has a moral duty to take time off from the election to answer the mildly irascible Nigel. What were the other questions you wanted answered, Nigel?)
'Meanwhile the 'we won't pay our share of the debt' is raising an even bigger laugh ('but you'll still go on administering our pensions & we can borrow on the bond market, can't we?') than the EU 'legal advice'......
Interesting. I wonder if opinion had shifted, or there is some subtle nuance between "disliking" and "disapproving", with the former being more common. I've always found the IPSOS wording peculiar - I don't "like" political parties any more than a lift or a train - useful ways to get from A to B, but not really objects of natural affection.
(BTW, I don't think Graham has a moral duty to take time off from the election to answer the mildly irascible Nigel. What were the other questions you wanted answered, Nigel?)
Of course he doesn't but it is a PB courtesy to give a response even if it's just sod off.
'Meanwhile the 'we won't pay our share of the debt' is raising an even bigger laugh ('but you'll still go on administering our pensions & we can borrow on the bond market, can't we?') than the EU 'legal advice'......
What a shambles,time for plan B.
The best thing so far is the Twitter Nats who thought George Osborne was proposing to travel round Scotland collecting all the cash to stop them using it...
This is the calibre of voters for "Yes, We Can't!"
I think you have a point, but many of the people affected by the floods feel they are entitled because they are tax payers, and in some cases have been for many years.
I'm not sure if that's why people on benefits think they are entitled.
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Come on now Hugh, we can't have the poor dears facing inconveniences in their comfy middle-class lifestyles for a few days, oh no.
I think you'll find most of our leftie bloggers have a distinctively middle class lifestyle.
The problem is they get this false impression from all the wealthy southern socialists like Hodge, Miliband, Harman, McTaggart and so forth. They think everybody down south is as rich as their leaders are.
Of course the other thing is that according to the last Project Blueprint poll Labour are a predominatly upper class party now. If you looked at the cross breaks the split between ABC1 and C2DE in the Ashcroft polling for Labour was 54:46.
Tell me do you believe that the streets of London are paved with gold as well?
Does this mean that calling for the environment agency to do its job or asking the army to prevent looting is part of the 'entitlement culture?'.
Expecting your benefits for life and expecting relief from flooding aren't really that different.
Except the people asking for the latter are by and large financing both.
taffys
If you want to know what the Environment Agency has been up to take a peek at the ONS releases for 4 February 2014.
In celebration of World Wetlands Day ("celebrating the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in the Iranian city of Ramsar, 43 years ago"), the ONS, DEFRA and the EA have been co-operating to produce a set of "UK Environmental Accounts: World Wetlands Day 2014 Release".
The ONS aims to estimate the monetary value of wetlands, amongst a number of other habitats, under its programme of “Natural Capital”. Nature is sometimes lost to create economic growth. If monetary valuations for nature are available, we are able to estimate the value of this loss. This can be used to improve the development, implementation and evaluation of policies.
There is even a promotional video to accompany the release which can be seen here: http://bit.ly/1cx5fLa
The floods are the only political story that matters now. They will dominate ministerial activity for weeks. David Cameron spent the night in the south west and will be out and about to show that he is in charge. The Cabinet has been postposed to Thursday to allow him to visit the affected areas. And if you want a few lines to describe the politics of the floods, look no further than the final paragraph of Quentin Letts' sketch on "Ooncle Eric, desperate to make a big splash". His (unflattering) account of the Top Chum's appearance in the Commons yesterday concludes: "From what one hears, George Osborne and David Cameron would not grieve unduly if Mr Pickles floated away down the Bristol Channel, never again to be seen. Come back soon, Owen Paterson." That in a nutshell captures where we are.
@nicholaswatt Breaking: PM accused of using floods to 'drown embarrassing news' – 8 govt reports on UK + EU include @easyJet saying: no EU, no @easyJet
As someone who has flown easyjet, not really a bad thing ;-)
@nicholaswatt Breaking: PM accused of using floods to 'drown embarrassing news' – 8 govt reports on UK + EU include @easyJet saying: no EU, no @easyJet
Any Natagandaists want to admit how foolish they were to try and promote their cause by linking to the ladbrokes "bet" at 1/100 on the currency union a couple of weeks back? The one that was never a "currency union" bet, but was a "will scots be using the pound" bet? Only malcyg seems to think it's still a currency union bet, mcpiglet is being much quieter on it now... I did try to warn you.
Cameron convenes government emergency committee for 5.30pm...
Dave chairs COBRA! Grrrr............. he's so manly when he wants to be.
Full marks to Crosby on repackaging the effete public schoolboy image. Expect a Tory lead amongst women voters anytime soon.
David Cameron made the strategic mistake of projecting himself in the style of Hugh Grant, when he would have done better to project himself in the style of Colin Firth.
The last few days really show the ludicrous extent the Establishment pampers the South East, at the expense of everyone else. Apparently "money is no object" as soon as they have to face a bit of hardship and their luxurious middle-class lifestyles are slightly interrupted for a few days, but any other region faces devastating hardship and they're told to suck it up because the main priority is bringing down the deficit to satisfy "the markets".
No wonder the Scots are thinking about going independent. Hell, sometimes I find myself hoping wistfully about northern England breaking away, so that we're not trampled over by the will of middle-class darlings from the Home Counties.
London should declare independence. We're not appreciated by those that we subsidise and we could use our resources far more effectively to address the very real needs that London has.
You can keep the pound. I expect a separate London currency could just about survive.
Be a bit more difficult when you did not have the rest of the country to pay for your bloated infrastructure. London £2700 a year per head on public spending on infrastructure, North East England £5 per head. Tell me who is subsidised.
Not possible given the limited information you have provided.
@nicholaswatt Breaking: PM accused of using floods to 'drown embarrassing news' – 8 govt reports on UK + EU include @easyJet saying: no EU, no @easyJet
Oh dear, I suppose that means the Guardian have been dredging the bottom of the barrel again.
@Alanbrooke For scotland it's even worse, they have to ask permission to issue their own debt, they can't set interest rates for themselves, they're exposed to every idiot UK CoE ( and we've had crap ones continuously since 1997 ) and if oil goes silly they have their hands tied behind their backs.
Let's see... CoE's since 1997.
Gordon Brown (Scottish) Alastair Darling (Scottish) George Osborne (English)
So, 13 years of idiotic Scottish chancellors.
Perhaps it's best that Scotland gets independence so that England doesn't suffer any more idiotic Scottish CoE's or PM's?
"UKIP has learned that the Government is about to publish a whitewash document on Britain’s EU membership with its most crucial chapter missing altogether.
The ‘Balance of Competences’ review will be published tomorrow with one of its nine chapters – the one on the implications of free movement of people – withheld. Reports circulating within Whitehall say the proposed chapter has been the subject of a series of furious rows between Home Secretary Theresa May and other ministers."
@Alanbrooke For scotland it's even worse, they have to ask permission to issue their own debt, they can't set interest rates for themselves, they're exposed to every idiot UK CoE ( and we've had crap ones continuously since 1997 ) and if oil goes silly they have their hands tied behind their backs.
Let's see... CoE's since 1997.
Gordon Brown (Scottish) Alastair Darling (Scottish) George Osborne (English)
So, 13 years of idiotic Scottish chancellors.
Perhaps it's best that Scotland gets independence so that England doesn't suffer any more idiotic Scottish CoE's or PM's?
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Are you talking about the people queuing at food banks, the disabled people chucked out of their houses because of the bedroom tax?
Oh, you mean people in leafy Home Counties suburbs with damp carpets, I see.
Come on now Hugh, we can't have the poor dears facing inconveniences in their comfy middle-class lifestyles for a few days, oh no.
I think you'll find most of our leftie bloggers have a distinctively middle class lifestyle.
The problem is they get this false impression from all the wealthy southern socialists like Hodge, Miliband, Harman, McTaggart and so forth. They think everybody down south is as rich as their leaders are.
Of course the other thing is that according to the last Project Blueprint poll Labour are a predominatly upper class party now. If you looked at the cross breaks the split between ABC1 and C2DE in the Ashcroft polling for Labour was 54:46.
I think you are misreading the ABC stats: part of it is caused by the reclassification of certain civil service jobs to a "higher" grade and the massive expansion in the public secotr over the last 15 years.
and one that has culminated in the Osborne gambit in Edinburgh.
Gambit also means 'master strategy' and you're betting everything on the twit who couldn't tax a pasty, caused the omnishambles which drove so many tories over to Farage, and is utterly toxic to scottish public opinion.
I'm more than content to have Osborne as the face of No from now until September 18th.
Are you?
Maybe Osborne couldn't tax a pasty, or even that he screwed up with the Bedroom Tax, but he sure has forked Salmond on the political chess board. Unfortunately for the Yes team, they have to put up with Salmond's history and lack of reality.
but he sure has forked Salmond on the political chess board
Certain of that are you? Because there are definitely signs of backtracking already. If he "warns" about currency union tomorrow then this will be no different to when he did it in 2012 or 2013 and there's going to be some serious explaining to do from those who were so quick to believe the spin.
Er! Yes Mr Pork, we in Scotland, in case you may have missed it, have seen Salmond's spin on Free in '93 to the Rainbow Alliance, the Celtic Nations and Hearts for the Cup (Ok so HoM actually did win some silverware for a change).
As for being Forked, well let's see the non existent advice on EU membership that Sturgeon had to apologise to the Scottish Assembly about (The Scottish Parliament/Government, while an accepted term is not actually legal within the terms of the act that set up the devolved assembly).
And for a last follow up, who actually voted for Salmond to be allowed to negotiate Scottish Independence? He was elected to distribute the largesse of the Barnett formula, and to enact certain laws within the structure of the Scottish Assembly - but - he does not have the right to negotiate Scottish Independence with the UK Government without another election/referendum allowing him to do so.
Er! I helped with the SNPs a massive landslide win in 2011 so where the f**k you are I have no idea but you certainly don't have a clue about scottish public opinion and who voted for who.
The BBC have had to change and 'update' their Osborne story for the THIRD time now do we'll see who looks the biggest twit tomorrow, won't we?
Mr Pork, I won't be the one Oinking, I'll leave that to Eck, and to honest I don't really care one way or the other, if KP gives the order, I'm sure you will dutifully blog. ;^)
Well Edith, it's not as if you had anything to contribute other than some lunatic nonsense about the democratically elected First Minister of the scottish parliament somehow not being "allowed" (by you? LOL) to negotiate on behalf of the scottish public who voted for him. Compared to a tory party who have less MPs than pandas in scotland that's quite some brainfart on your part.
Stick to pretending Osborne is an asset for NO or that you "really don't care". Both are equally 'convincing'.
And as for not caring one way or another, I'm old enough and cynical enough to see all most of the tricks politicians and the media play and know that they mostly don't mean a damn thing in the course of history.
I believe you mentioned the Darien Scheme earlier, out of curiosity some years ago, I read up about it. William Patterson, a Scottish born London trader, in the 1690's managed to create a financial bubble in Scotland where he managed to persuade a lot of people in Scotland to put a lot of money into the scheme to set up a trading post in what is now Panama ( but then part of the Spanish Empire ) to eventually trade between the Atlantic and the Pacific over the isthmus.
In 1698 the first ships landed at New Edinburgh, with trade goods of Scottish wool and materials, all totally unsuited to the tropics plus many people, under religious and self imposed dress codes. Within a year hundreds had died from fever. Another lot of ships arrived in 1700, hoping to find a thriving settlement. They did not. The bubble collapsed as did the economy of Scotland.
The Spanish by this time were a little pissed off at his encroachment and had sent in forces to "end" it.
Of course certain Scots blamed the English for not protecting them ( er! deja vue!) Why should they have been involved in a foreign countries expedition, especially since they were mostly involved in protecting the English: East India Company from the French and Dutch East India Companies.
This inflationary Bubble destroyed the Scottish economy at the time and ultimately lead to the Union in 1707.
One man's dreams ended up destroying a nation, sound familiar?
And as for not caring one way or another, I'm old enough and cynical enough to see all most of the tricks politicians and the media play and know that they mostly don't mean a damn thing in the course of history.
Of course. There's no fooling you as the deranged lunacy about the democratically elected first minister of scotland not being "allowed" to negotiate for the scottish public so clearly proved. You're just way too sharp to let such things as landslide elections pass you by. LOL
You believe wrong as usual, but do feel free to manically and desperately extrapolate from a London trader's bubble to a democratic referendum as it doesn't make you sound like an obsessed crank at all.
Comments
A landslide election in 2011. Winning the scottish local elections in 2012. The last Holyrood VI easily beating scottish labour and pointing to another scottish parliament win.
A great deal still to do to win the Independence referendum but then we are used to being told we can't win by scottish labour and their tory helpers from long, long before 2011.
While you have a coalition relying on the lib dems to keep you in power because Cammie couldn't even win a majority. You're behind little Ed in the polls with the kippers way above the sub 5% level Cameron needs. Not to mention Cammie's own MPs don't even trust him and continually humiliate him in commons votes.
Oh and there's a massive flood crisis that you and many of the other right-wingers on here don't appear very interested in so let's hope the public are as unconcerned as you lot seem or you're going to be in for quite a shock.
Look closely, Mr. Brooke.
http://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2013/08/27/ipsos-mori-party-like-dislike-ratings-raise-doubts-about-the-partys-future-progress/
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Columnist/Columnists/2011/1/7/1294412889508/George-Osborneon-a-skiing-007.jpg
Robotwit! Eek.
*chuckles*
ComRes published a favourable/unfavourable poll in January with very different negative numbers for UKIP: +27/-38
http://www.comres.co.uk/poll/1076/sunday-mirror-independent-on-sunday-political-poll.htm
The cumulative undershoot on this year's budgeted current account already exceeds £3.2 bn.
If you fix the roof, even when it rains, the sun will soon shine brighter.
He wasn't too busy to type a long anti-UKIP rant, however you have already proved he was exaggerating, if he has any credibility he will answer the questions raised.
Amazing how terrified Labour are of UKIP, the reality of how they have wilfully ignored the needs and wishes of their core vote is finally beginning to dawn on them.
I'm more than content to have Osborne as the face of No from now until September 18th.
Are you?
You are not suggesting a British Government should desert some of its people in their time of greatest need are you?
Yes-but-no-but-yes-but-no-but-yes-but-no-yes-I-never-said-nothing-to-nobody-about-nothing-least-of-all-the-currency-and-anyone-what-says-otherwise-is-a-big-fat-liar-and-what-are-you-looking-at?
http://politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/216915/#Comment_216915
And around 7:20 this evening, I did back Fulham to beat Liverpool at 7/1
The Screaming Eagles @TSEofPB 27s
@Pulpstar Ahem pic.twitter.com/pUggYy4PQR
Unfortunately, we're having weather problems and power cuts so this means
1) No trading out
2) No nighthawks either.
Of course none of the people affected by the floods are unemployed or disabled or live in sheltered accommodation or use foodbanks because as every Labour supporter knows everyone in the south are filthy rich Tory voting toffs.
Why is it Labour supporters are such narrow minded bigots?
Does this mean that calling for the environment agency to do its job or asking the army to prevent looting is part of the 'entitlement culture?'.
Expecting your benefits for life and expecting relief from flooding aren't really that different.
Except the people asking for the latter are by and large financing both.
(BTW, I don't think Graham has a moral duty to take time off from the election to answer the mildly irascible Nigel. What were the other questions you wanted answered, Nigel?)
'Meanwhile the 'we won't pay our share of the debt' is raising an even bigger laugh ('but you'll still go on administering our pensions & we can borrow on the bond market, can't we?') than the EU 'legal advice'......
What a shambles,time for plan B.
The North gets the food banks.
The South gets the water cooler.
They should call their new currency a Scottie or a Kiltie: 4 Scotties = £1 sterling.
1 Scottie = 100 Drams.
I like it!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/26140960
This is the calibre of voters for "Yes, We Can't!"
Do you want a tissue?
I think you have a point, but many of the people affected by the floods feel they are entitled because they are tax payers, and in some cases have been for many years.
I'm not sure if that's why people on benefits think they are entitled.
Of course the other thing is that according to the last Project Blueprint poll Labour are a predominatly upper class party now. If you looked at the cross breaks the split between ABC1 and C2DE in the Ashcroft polling for Labour was 54:46.
What is the environment agency for if it doesn't help protect people from flooding?
What are the police and army for if not to preserve law and order?
If you want to know what the Environment Agency has been up to take a peek at the ONS releases for 4 February 2014.
In celebration of World Wetlands Day ("celebrating the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in the Iranian city of Ramsar, 43 years ago"), the ONS, DEFRA and the EA have been co-operating to produce a set of "UK Environmental Accounts: World Wetlands Day 2014 Release".
The ONS aims to estimate the monetary value of wetlands, amongst a number of other habitats, under its programme of “Natural Capital”. Nature is sometimes lost to create economic growth. If monetary valuations for nature are available, we are able to estimate the value of this loss. This can be used to improve the development, implementation and evaluation of policies.
There is even a promotional video to accompany the release which can be seen here: http://bit.ly/1cx5fLa
Perfect timing!
Telegraph Politics @TelePolitics
Blog: UK floods: Eric Pickles gets it in the neck from David Cameron http://tgr.ph/1m0L6XJ by @benedictbrogan
The floods are the only political story that matters now. They will dominate ministerial activity for weeks. David Cameron spent the night in the south west and will be out and about to show that he is in charge. The Cabinet has been postposed to Thursday to allow him to visit the affected areas. And if you want a few lines to describe the politics of the floods, look no further than the final paragraph of Quentin Letts' sketch on "Ooncle Eric, desperate to make a big splash". His (unflattering) account of the Top Chum's appearance in the Commons yesterday concludes: "From what one hears, George Osborne and David Cameron would not grieve unduly if Mr Pickles floated away down the Bristol Channel, never again to be seen. Come back soon, Owen Paterson." That in a nutshell captures where we are.
http://bit.ly/1lEi7pb
[Worth a second outing, thanks to MM for the original 'headsup']
LOL
Gordon Brown (Scottish)
Alastair Darling (Scottish)
George Osborne (English)
So, 13 years of idiotic Scottish chancellors.
Perhaps it's best that Scotland gets independence so that England doesn't suffer any more idiotic Scottish CoE's or PM's?
Barclays is a UK bank, with a scottish subsidiary.
And I am sure the new management at RBS would love to hightail it back to London.
The ‘Balance of Competences’ review will be published tomorrow with one of its nine chapters – the one on the implications of free movement of people – withheld. Reports circulating within Whitehall say the proposed chapter has been the subject of a series of furious rows between Home Secretary Theresa May and other ministers."
http://www.ukip.org/newsroom/news/1158-ukip-blows-the-whistle-on
LOL
Of course it won't be explicitly taking sides.
It will be a fair and balanced review of the situation, allowing people to draw their own conclusions from the facts presented
If he "warns" about currency union tomorrow then this will be no different to when he did it in 2012 or 2013 and there's going to be some serious explaining to do from those who were so quick to believe the spin.
As for being Forked, well let's see the non existent advice on EU membership that Sturgeon had to apologise to the Scottish Assembly about (The Scottish Parliament/Government, while an accepted term is not actually legal within the terms of the act that set up the devolved assembly).
And for a last follow up, who actually voted for Salmond to be allowed to negotiate Scottish Independence? He was elected to distribute the largesse of the Barnett formula, and to enact certain laws within the structure of the Scottish Assembly - but - he does not have the right to negotiate Scottish Independence with the UK Government without another election/referendum allowing him to do so.
The BBC have had to change and 'update' their Osborne story for the THIRD time now do we'll see who looks the biggest twit tomorrow, won't we?
Stick to pretending Osborne is an asset for NO or that you "really don't care". Both are equally 'convincing'.
I believe you mentioned the Darien Scheme earlier, out of curiosity some years ago, I read up about it. William Patterson, a Scottish born London trader, in the 1690's managed to create a financial bubble in Scotland where he managed to persuade a lot of people in Scotland to put a lot of money into the scheme to set up a trading post in what is now Panama ( but then part of the Spanish Empire ) to eventually trade between the Atlantic and the Pacific over the isthmus.
In 1698 the first ships landed at New Edinburgh, with trade goods of Scottish wool and materials, all totally unsuited to the tropics plus many people, under religious and self imposed dress codes. Within a year hundreds had died from fever. Another lot of ships arrived in 1700, hoping to find a thriving settlement. They did not. The bubble collapsed as did the economy of Scotland.
The Spanish by this time were a little pissed off at his encroachment and had sent in forces to "end" it.
Of course certain Scots blamed the English for not protecting them ( er! deja vue!) Why should they have been involved in a foreign countries expedition, especially since they were mostly involved in protecting the English: East India Company from the French and Dutch East India Companies.
This inflationary Bubble destroyed the Scottish economy at the time and ultimately lead to the Union in 1707.
One man's dreams ended up destroying a nation, sound familiar?
You believe wrong as usual, but do feel free to manically and desperately extrapolate from a London trader's bubble to a democratic referendum as it doesn't make you sound like an obsessed crank at all.
Not even a little bit Edith. ;^)