Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
What exactly is wrong with being a "party hopper"? Especially if your views are centrist, they could be represented by any one of the main parties, and as even a party member will not agree with anything like 100% of the party programme, then the party which best represents your views may fluctuate. And in any case I think he has taken on what is supposed to be an apolitical job.
And all Government ministers are unelected, with the possible exception of the Prime Minister. They are elected as MPs, as legislators and to represent their constituencies' interests, not as members of the government.
Being a party hopper is fine unless your name is Carswell or Reckless.
If you say so. Personally I am happy with MPs crossing the floor if either their views change or their party changes so that they no longer feels it represents them, or is no longer the right vehicle for them to get their views across. I have never felt that a political party is something to which you owe much loyalty.
That's fair enough, I was referring to the opprobrium from 1 or 2 on here when Reckless and Carswell did the decent thing last year. I suspect they're now welcoming Adonis with open arms into the broad/big church/tent.
The opprobrium heaped on Reckless wasn't that he defected, because defections happen in politics it was because he timed his defection to cause maximum damage to the Tory conference and the Tory party.
That's why you had so many Tory MPs and activists cheering the Rochester result more than any other in May, even more so than Ed Balls' loss.
He timed his defection to coincide with the Ukip conference in Doncaster.
Your post sums up my point entirely, defections are good or bad depending on the party. I'm happy with defections, its the way unelected careerists are foist on the electorate I object to.
You forget UKIP were trailing another defection on the day of Dave's big speech.
It was part of a coordinated plan to derail the Tory conference and the last major opportunity before the election for the Tories to get their message out.
Mr. Eagles, I occasionally toy with the idea of an Unnecessarily Epic (bottom free story here: http://thaddeuswhite.weebly.com/free-stories.html) approach to writing on politics, but I can't justify the time it would take (got a good workload now, finishing off two novels and writing a short story, with plenty of plans for more) and writing stuff of that nature for free could only ever be a very rare thing, alas.
Edited extra bit: Mr. Charles, an outrageous slur on my good name!
It's 'Nyoooooooooooooom!".
[The second Sir Edric story has been finished for over a year. It's a publication, not writing, delay. The third Sir Edric story [bigger than both previous combined] is 95% done. The next 'serious' fantasy is also largely complete but, being the first part of a trilogy, I've taken rather longer over that than I otherwise might].
iirc Iain Dale said Call Me Dave had already sold out its first print run, which given its official launch is today, presumably means its piled high in bookshops.
Lord Adonis is just doing what all self-respecting patriots should do. MPs remaining part of the Labour Party are showing they are comfortable sharing a platform with Islamist and IRA sympathisers.
Being in Berlin at the moment, and having seen a number of memorials to people who were shot for no reason other than they wanted to cross 100 metres of ground - and thought it was worth risking their lives to do so - reminds me that these people used to think the Soviet Union was somehow on the right side, and don't seem to have changed their views either. Many have even more bizarrely transferred their allegiance to Putin's autocracy.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Except that the raised minimum wage will be dwarfed by cuts in tax credits for many
Tax credit cuts is the poll tax in a brown envelope. I predict it will come back to seriously haunt the Tories.
I'm not sure what the point of this new quango is. Or to be more blunt, I don't think there is a point. If the Government haven't already had a serious think about infrastructure at this point, what on earth are we doing?
The point is that infrastructure has become a political football.
Like with the OBR this is an attempt to create institutions that constrain the desire of politicians to play games.
It may not work, but if it enables major infrastructure projects to be commissioned on their merits and built regards of a change of government that is a remarkable step forward
Perhaps we could do everything else like that and do. away wit the need for govt altogether
I missed this earlier but Mr SquareRoot makes the point perfectly. Why have elections, parties, the commons and lords, just let a few blokes appoint who they want, what could possibly go wrong?
You (and @Squareroot) are sensible people, so I'm going to assume that you are being deliberately silly.
Of course the NIC will be subject to democratic oversight, and ultimately any decisions will be the responsibility of the government of the time.
However, as you can see from the delays over Heathrow expansion (setting aside whether it is the right plan or not) the concerns of a minority of people in a handful of constituencies have delayed implementation of something which is of national importance.
If you had an independent body working on these kinds of ideas on a long-term basis then you would hopefully give the government of the day the ammunition to make the right decision for the nation, rather than be swayed by the political considerations. Of course, in an ideal world, this wouldn't be necessary, but I have a rather low opinion of politicians.
I share your view of politicians, this risible appointment by Osborne confirms it.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that there will be tories upset at being overlooked at the latest "jobs for the boys" appointment, this weakens Osborne imo.
Who are we looking at and is that all you get in first class: what looks like free coffee from the machine?
Depends on the airline. The first class lounge in Virgin is jaw dropping. The first class lounge in British Airways looks like a Mariott breakfast area.
The value of the lounge is peace, quiet and plugs to charge your phone.
@DMcCaffreySKY: Charlotte Church to write an open letter to @OwenJBennett and others on behalf of peaceful protesters to apologise for incidents yesterday.
Church, and yesterdays idiots are two cheeks of the same arse. Corbyn's useful idiots.
Will she be blaming their misbehaviour on climate change?
@DMcCaffreySKY: Charlotte Church to write an open letter to @OwenJBennett and others on behalf of peaceful protesters to apologise for incidents yesterday.
What an utterly pointless gesture.
It is rent-a-gobs like Church who stir up the situation that promotes incidents such as happened yesterday.
The threats and intimidation are part of the DNA of groups supported and encouraged by Church, Brand and Corbyn.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Which is why they have reversed their original free market thinking (which opposed the NMW) and done precisely that. Once the government has accepted that it is their duty to help those in work, not just those that are unemployed, they are no longer indifferent to the market rate but have a vested interest in making the employer pay.
The way that HB positively drove up rents prior to 2010 created the boom in BTL and created the perversity that the wildest free marketeers (like Ms Thomson) got rich on taxpayers money. The changes under the Coalition helped but this is still a major problem. How do we cut the state subsidy of rents without risking peoples' housing? Its really tricky.
iirc Iain Dale said Call Me Dave had already sold out its first print run, which given its official launch is today, presumably means its piled high in bookshops.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Except that the raised minimum wage will be dwarfed by cuts in tax credits for many
Indeed, but that is why the minimum or living wage should be raised further, and for good Conservative, pro-market and pro-family reasons: none of your socialist heart-on-your-sleeve client state nonsense.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Except that the raised minimum wage will be dwarfed by cuts in tax credits for many
Tax credit cuts is the poll tax in a brown envelope. I predict it will come back to seriously haunt the Tories.
Heard the same impending doom nonsense about child benefits cuts.
Nobody is going to get a envelope with an extra bill to pay - that is the huge difference between poll tax and any benefit cut.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Which is why they have reversed their original free market thinking (which opposed the NMW) and done precisely that. Once the government has accepted that it is their duty to help those in work, not just those that are unemployed, they are no longer indifferent to the market rate but have a vested interest in making the employer pay.
The way that HB positively drove up rents prior to 2010 created the boom in BTL and created the perversity that the wildest free marketeers (like Ms Thomson) got rich on taxpayers money. The changes under the Coalition helped but this is still a major problem. How do we cut the state subsidy of rents without risking peoples' housing? Its really tricky.
BTL is also said to be a favourite investment of the retired criminal class, though I'm not sure how you'd get accurate figures on that.
Who are we looking at and is that all you get in first class: what looks like free coffee from the machine?
Depends on the airline. The first class lounge in Virgin is jaw dropping. The first class lounge in British Airways looks like a Mariott breakfast area.
The value of the lounge is peace, quiet and plugs to charge your phone.
You can now charge your phone for free in the departure lounge at Gatwick South - and in many European airports. Also at Gatwick you can have your last pint of real ale at Wetherspoons, not sure they would serve that in the first class lounge, or if they do you wouldn't get a choice.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Except that the raised minimum wage will be dwarfed by cuts in tax credits for many
Indeed, but that is why the minimum or living wage should be raised further, and for good Conservative, pro-market and pro-family reasons: none of your socialist heart-on-your-sleeve client state nonsense.
You can only raise the minimum wage to the extent that it works as a clearing price for the supply and demand of labour. Otherwise unemployment will go up. The best way of avoiding this trade-off is to reduce the relative supply of low skill labour by limiting low skill immigration.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
iirc Iain Dale said Call Me Dave had already sold out its first print run, which given its official launch is today, presumably means its piled high in bookshops.
Is it no 1 in the fiction charts ?
Ashcroft's book is essentially an exercise in vanity publishing. Given the lack of real impact from the Mail extracts, who cares how many copies are sold?
Piled high? I doubt the print run exceeded more than a couple of thousand.
I'm not sure what the point of this new quango is. Or to be more blunt, I don't think there is a point. If the Government haven't already had a serious think about infrastructure at this point, what on earth are we doing?
The point is that infrastructure has become a political football.
Like with the OBR this is an attempt to create institutions that constrain the desire of politicians to play games.
It may not work, but if it enables major infrastructure projects to be commissioned on their merits and built regards of a change of government that is a remarkable step forward
Perhaps we could do everything else like that and do. away wit the need for govt altogether
I missed this earlier but Mr SquareRoot makes the point perfectly. Why have elections, parties, the commons and lords, just let a few blokes appoint who they want, what could possibly go wrong?
You (and @Squareroot) are sensible people, so I'm going to assume that you are being deliberately silly.
Of course the NIC will be subject to democratic oversight, and ultimately any decisions will be the responsibility of the government of the time.
However, as you can see from the delays over Heathrow expansion (setting aside whether it is the right plan or not) the concerns of a minority of people in a handful of constituencies have delayed implementation of something which is of national importance.
If you had an independent body working on these kinds of ideas on a long-term basis then you would hopefully give the government of the day the ammunition to make the right decision for the nation, rather than be swayed by the political considerations. Of course, in an ideal world, this wouldn't be necessary, but I have a rather low opinion of politicians.
Let's hope that Andrew Adonis and his new outfit quickly give the go ahead to Heathrow and provide the political cover for ministers. Interesting that Adonis was a strong backer of Tessa Jowell who was a supporter of the Heathrow expansion.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Except that the raised minimum wage will be dwarfed by cuts in tax credits for many
Indeed, but that is why the minimum or living wage should be raised further, and for good Conservative, pro-market and pro-family reasons: none of your socialist heart-on-your-sleeve client state nonsense.
Is the “Living Wage” compulsory, as is the case with the minimum wage? If not, what is the position of those on the minimum,or therweise below the LW whose credits have been cut? There aren’t, I understand, that many options for changing jobs. Not all retailw orkers can work at Aldi! (or whoever it is is paying the LW)
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
=.
Being a party hopper is fine unless your name is Carswell or Reckless.
If you say so. Personally I am happy with MPs crossing the floor if either their views change or their party changes so that they no longer feels it represents them, or is no longer the right vehicle for them to get their views across. I have never felt that a political party is something to which you owe much loyalty.
That's fair enough, I was referring to the opprobrium from 1 or 2 on here when Reckless and Carswell did the decent thing last year. I suspect they're now welcoming Adonis with open arms into the broad/big church/tent.
The opprobrium heaped on Reckless wasn't that he defected, because defections happen in politics it was because he timed his defection to cause maximum damage to the Tory conference and the Tory party.
That's why you had so many Tory MPs and activists cheering the Rochester result more than any other in May, even more so than Ed Balls' loss.
He timed his defection to coincide with the Ukip conference in Doncaster.
Your post sums up my point entirely, defections are good or bad depending on the party. I'm happy with defections, its the way unelected careerists are foist on the electorate I object to.
You forget UKIP were trailing another defection on the day of Dave's big speech.
It was part of a coordinated plan to derail the Tory conference and the last major opportunity before the election for the Tories to get their message out.
You don't hear so much about Con to Kipper defectors these days - any reason ?
@DMcCaffreySKY: Charlotte Church to write an open letter to @OwenJBennett and others on behalf of peaceful protesters to apologise for incidents yesterday.
I think she was a poor performer on Question Time, but she deserves credit for that. Let's hope she shames Corbyn into doing the same.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Mark Reckless' actions made an IN/OUT referendum less likely.
I'm quite glad they both defected, Reckless is a warning to any potential defectors, you'll eventually end up being exiled to Wales after losing your seats.
Carswell not defecting would have denied us the comedy of a party with only one MP having regular revolts, splits and backbench rebellions.
@DMcCaffreySKY: Charlotte Church to write an open letter to @OwenJBennett and others on behalf of peaceful protesters to apologise for incidents yesterday.
Church, and yesterdays idiots are two cheeks of the same arse. Corbyn's useful idiots.
Will she be blaming their misbehaviour on climate change?
Useful idiots perhaps but not Corbyn's. Ever wondered how the SWP got tens of thousands of its non-existent supporters on demos? It didn't -- but it did print and give away thousands of SWP-logo'd banners for protesters to carry.
Who are we looking at and is that all you get in first class: what looks like free coffee from the machine?
Depends on the airline. The first class lounge in Virgin is jaw dropping. The first class lounge in British Airways looks like a Mariott breakfast area.
The value of the lounge is peace, quiet and plugs to charge your phone.
You can now charge your phone for free in the departure lounge at Gatwick South - and in many European airports. Also at Gatwick you can have your last pint of real ale at Wetherspoons, not sure they would serve that in the first class lounge, or if they do you wouldn't get a choice.
Virgin Lounge has some quality craft beers including Brewdog.
The lounge is better than being out side - if you get it free as part of your ticket or air miles membership then you'd be daft not to use it.
This is a great move by Osborne. Gives him cover to push through stuff like the HR3 and other projects like crossrail 2 and any bleating from the likes of Boris will fall on deaf ears, not my decision guv, go and talk to Andrew.
Even better, they'll hopefully be able to form a coherent picture. Someone from London claims we don't need HS3 in the north? Just say that it's all part of, and a necessary part of, the same super-project as Crossrail 2. Someone wants an area revitalised? Those new homes, roads and business parks are all part of the same mega-rejuvenation scheme.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
=.
Being a party hopper is fine unless your name is Carswell or Reckless.
If you say so. Personally I am happy with MPs crossing the floor if either their views change or their party changes so that they no longer feels it represents them, or is no longer the right vehicle for them to get their views across. I have never felt that a political party is something to which you owe much loyalty.
That's fair enough, I was referring to the opprobrium from 1 or 2 on here when Reckless and Carswell did the decent thing last year. I suspect they're now welcoming Adonis with open arms into the broad/big church/tent.
The opprobrium heaped on Reckless wasn't that he defected, because defections happen in politics it was because he timed his defection to cause maximum damage to the Tory conference and the Tory party.
That's why you had so many Tory MPs and activists cheering the Rochester result more than any other in May, even more so than Ed Balls' loss.
He timed his defection to coincide with the Ukip conference in Doncaster.
Your post sums up my point entirely, defections are good or bad depending on the party. I'm happy with defections, its the way unelected careerists are foist on the electorate I object to.
You forget UKIP were trailing another defection on the day of Dave's big speech.
It was part of a coordinated plan to derail the Tory conference and the last major opportunity before the election for the Tories to get their message out.
You don't hear so much about Con to Kipper defectors these days - any reason ?
Kippers have gone quiet in general, remember when we repeatedly told by the Kippers that Dave would never give us an IN/OUT referendum.
The best thing about Adonis moving across to the Conservatives is that we are becoming the party for infrastructure and investment, but on a rational basis rather this "funded by printing money" nonsense. One of the few reasonable economic arguments modern Labour had is being taken away from them.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
=.
Being a party hopper is fine unless your name is Carswell or Reckless.
If you say so. Personally I am happy with MPs crossing the floor if either their views change or their party changes so that they no longer feels it represents them, or is no longer the right vehicle for them to get their views across. I have never felt that a political party is something to which you owe much loyalty.
That's fair enough, I was referring to the opprobrium from 1 or 2 on here when Reckless and Carswell did the decent thing last year. I suspect they're now welcoming Adonis with open arms into the broad/big church/tent.
The opprobrium heaped on Reckless wasn't that he defected, because defections happen in politics it was because he timed his defection to cause maximum damage to the Tory conference and the Tory party.
That's why you had so many Tory MPs and activists cheering the Rochester result more than any other in May, even more so than Ed Balls' loss.
He timed his defection to coincide with the Ukip conference in Doncaster.
Your post sums up my point entirely, defections are good or bad depending on the party. I'm happy with defections, its the way unelected careerists are foist on the electorate I object to.
You forget UKIP were trailing another defection on the day of Dave's big speech.
It was part of a coordinated plan to derail the Tory conference and the last major opportunity before the election for the Tories to get their message out.
You don't hear so much about Con to Kipper defectors these days - any reason ?
Kippers have gone quiet in general, remember when we repeatedly told by the Kippers that Dave would never give us an IN/OUT referendum.
No, when was that?
People did say he would try and frame it in a way favourable to staying in, luckily his plans have been thwarted so far (purdah and the wording of the question)
George, you really do need to stop saying 'By the way' in interviews. It's an annoying verbal tic you have, and a particularly bad one because it makes it abundantly clear that you are trying to change the subject.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Except that the raised minimum wage will be dwarfed by cuts in tax credits for many
Tax credit cuts is the poll tax in a brown envelope. I predict it will come back to seriously haunt the Tories.
No it won't. The Poll Tax was political kryptonite because it was (1) clearly unfair and (2) very visible. Everyone paid it and most paid the same.
Tax Credit reform is reworking a very complex benefits system. Some will lose out and will complain about it (though they'll complain now - what they do in four years time is another matter). It's hard to sell why it's unfair to people not affected, particularly when the minimum wage is rising. You might dispute that but once you start arguing details you've lost.
If you can't sum the problem up in a slogan that works for the average person who has only a passing interest in politics then it'll be a storm that passes.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
=.
Being a party hopper is fine unless your name is Carswell or Reckless.
If you say so. Personally I am happy with MPs crossing the floor if either their views change or their party changes so that they no longer feels it represents them, or is no longer the right vehicle for them to get their views across. I have never felt that a political party is something to which you owe much loyalty.
That's fair enough, I was referring to the opprobrium from 1 or 2 on here when Reckless and Carswell did the decent thing last year. I suspect they're now welcoming Adonis with open arms into the broad/big church/tent.
The opprobrium heaped on Reckless wasn't that he defected, because defections happen in politics it was because he timed his defection to cause maximum damage to the Tory conference and the Tory party.
That's why you had so many Tory MPs and activists cheering the Rochester result more than any other in May, even more so than Ed Balls' loss.
He timed his defection to coincide with the Ukip conference in Doncaster.
Your post sums up my point entirely, defections are good or bad depending on the party. I'm happy with defections, its the way unelected careerists are foist on the electorate I object to.
You forget UKIP were trailing another defection on the day of Dave's big speech.
It was part of a coordinated plan to derail the Tory conference and the last major opportunity before the election for the Tories to get their message out.
You don't hear so much about Con to Kipper defectors these days - any reason ?
Kippers have gone quiet in general, remember when we repeatedly told by the Kippers that Dave would never give us an IN/OUT referendum.
He hasn't yet. but watching him wriggle in the next 18 months will very entertaining.
I know Adonis a bit - as Mike implies, he's essentially in politics to do stuff rather than to campaign for a party. There's nothing wrong with that, any more than there was with the GOAT idea, and I'd probably have done the same in his position. But it's not a party political move.
Sensible piece in the Telegraph on the tax credit issue:
The Telegraph piece is spot on. Except in one way. Osborne can do what he likes because there is no credible opposition. Corbyn spent an hour last week studiously not talking to or about the people whose votes change governments. In talking about a living wage and promising everyone a pay rise Osborne has potentially dug himself a hole. But given where the Labour party is right now it does not matter.
Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling, back when Labour had some basic grounding in economics:
FN: So, tax credits designed to promote equality of outcome ended up promoting inequality of wages?
AD: I just think that whenever you introduce any policy on tax, on spend, on benefits, you need to look all the time as to what it’s actually doing – and what are the unintended consequences. One of the unintended consequences is that we are now subsidising lower wages in a way that was never intended.
Yes, as we've remarked on here before, housing benefit subsidises landlords (and helps support the house price bubble) and tax credits subsidise bad employers. So, tying this in with non-partisan cross-party policy transfer, a Conservative case for raising the minimum wage will include eliminating these market-distorting subsidies.
Except that the raised minimum wage will be dwarfed by cuts in tax credits for many
Indeed, but that is why the minimum or living wage should be raised further, and for good Conservative, pro-market and pro-family reasons: none of your socialist heart-on-your-sleeve client state nonsense.
Is the “Living Wage” compulsory, as is the case with the minimum wage? If not, what is the position of those on the minimum,or therweise below the LW whose credits have been cut? There aren’t, I understand, that many options for changing jobs. Not all retailw orkers can work at Aldi! (or whoever it is is paying the LW)
Yes it is compulsory but only for over 25s. This should hopefully make under 25s more attractive to employers and improve their work prospects.
Miss Cyclefree, it's tragic. Palmyra was the seat of the short-lived Palmyrene Empire, ruled over by Zenobia when the Roman Empire suffered two break-aways during the Crisis of the Third Century. Both were reclaimed by Aurelian, who (I think) allegedly led Zenobia back to Rome in golden chains.
On topic: I'm not at all surprised that Lord Adonis has accepted this role, which is exactly the kind of thing he's been in politics to do. I expect many other senior Labour figures will accept similar non-partisan or semi-government roles, since if you're in politics to improve things, why would you bother with Labour in its current state?
George, you really do need to stop saying 'By the way' in interviews. It's an annoying verbal tic you have, and a particularly bad one because it makes it abundantly clear that you are trying to change the subject.
Richard
PS Keep up the good work!
Gordon Brown's problem -- if you spend most of your career ducking interviews, you haven't got the experience under your belt when you do face the microphone.
George, you really do need to stop saying 'By the way' in interviews. It's an annoying verbal tic you have, and a particularly bad one because it makes it abundantly clear that you are trying to change the subject.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
I'd forgotten how much I HATE the Today prog - that hectoring, sneering manner that involves interrupting and assuming all political guests are something on the bottom of their shoes.
I've turned off the Osborne intv.
Helping hardworking families by cutting their tax credits and making them poorer deserves sneering at TBF
Good morning.
I have heard Tory Ministers make the general case for moving from tax credits to higher wages, which I generally support. I don't see why taxpayers should subsidise poverty wages paid for by supermarkets and the rest.
But I did want to hear what Osborne said in response to specific questions about those families who would/might (?) be worse off even after all the changes were brought in - because this is or could be a a problem - and Montagu's interruptions stopped me hearing his answers and forming my own opinion.
The interviewer's job is to elicit the answers and let the audience make their own mind up. I don't care two hoots for what Montagu or Humphreys think.
Montagu is never happier than when critiquing Tory policy from the Left.
FWIW the smart thing to do on tax credits IMHO is to phase the cuts in over the course of the parliament, just as the rises in the minimum wage kick-in. A £250 net loss in tax credits each year to 2020, as the minimum wage increases year-by-year, may actually make almost all workers affected better off.
The trouble is: that will be expensive. Osborne hasn't got much room for manoeuvre in trimming other budgets to meet his surplus target by 2020. Although, if it was me, I'd either suspend the pensions triple lock for 2-4 years, or trim it to just an inflation matching rise until the deficit is cleared.
Who are we looking at and is that all you get in first class: what looks like free coffee from the machine?
Depends on the airline. The first class lounge in Virgin is jaw dropping. The first class lounge in British Airways looks like a Mariott breakfast area.
The Virgin Upper Class lounge at Heathrow is wonderful - great food, bar & spa services - by contrast the Singapore Airlines lounge (a few years back) would have embarrassed Travel Inn.....in the nineties SQ were wonderful - then they started 'Bar opens at mid-day' nonsense.....(what if it wasn't your mid day - you think a long haul airline would understand this,...)
The BA first class lounges aren't really first class lounges. They are essentially for Gold Card holders. The one at Heathrow that you want to go to is the Concorde Lounge. That is for First Class travellers and invited guests only. I got upgraded to first class once on a flight to San Francisco so got in and it is another world.
I'm not sure what the point of this new quango is. Or to be more blunt, I don't think there is a point. If the Government haven't already had a serious think about infrastructure at this point, what on earth are we doing?
The point is that infrastructure has become a political football.
Like with the OBR this is an attempt to create institutions that constrain the desire of politicians to play games.
It may not work, but if it enables major infrastructure projects to be commissioned on their merits and built regards of a change of government that is a remarkable step forward
Perhaps we could do everything else like that and do. away wit the need for govt altogether
I missed this earlier but Mr SquareRoot makes the point perfectly. Why have elections, parties, the commons and lords, just let a few blokes appoint who they want, what could possibly go wrong?
You (and @Squareroot) are sensible people, so I'm going to assume that you are being deliberately silly.
Of course the NIC will be subject to democratic oversight, and ultimately any decisions will be the responsibility of the government of the time.
However, as you can see from the delays over Heathrow expansion (setting aside whether it is the right plan or not) the concerns of a minority of people in a handful of constituencies have delayed implementation of something which is of national importance.
If you had an independent body working on these kinds of ideas on a long-term basis then you would hopefully give the government of the day the ammunition to make the right decision for the nation, rather than be swayed by the political considerations. Of course, in an ideal world, this wouldn't be necessary, but I have a rather low opinion of politicians.
Let's hope that Andrew Adonis and his new outfit quickly give the go ahead to Heathrow and provide the political cover for ministers. Interesting that Adonis was a strong backer of Tessa Jowell who was a supporter of the Heathrow expansion.
I was just stating the alternative viewpoint. The OBR was a brilliant idea and one of George's best. Top marks for it
Don't think for a second that i have gone over to the dark side!!
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
I know 99% of the posts on here are partisan point scoring, but do you honestly believe that members of party that has campaigned for us to leave the EU getting a referendum is not a meaningful achievement in politics? Especially if the referendum were won (30% chance at the mo)
I'm not sure what the point of this new quango is. Or to be more blunt, I don't think there is a point. If the Government haven't already had a serious think about infrastructure at this point, what on earth are we doing?
The point is that infrastructure has become a political football.
Like with the OBR this is an attempt to create institutions that constrain the desire of politicians to play games.
It may not work, but if it enables major infrastructure projects to be commissioned on their merits and built regards of a change of government that is a remarkable step forward
Perhaps we could do everything else like that and do. away wit the need for govt altogether
I missed this earlier but Mr SquareRoot makes the point perfectly. Why have elections, parties, the commons and lords, just let a few blokes appoint who they want, what could possibly go wrong?
You (and @Squareroot) are sensible people, so I'm going to assume that you are being deliberately silly.
Of course the NIC will be subject to democratic oversight, and ultimately any decisions will be the responsibility of the government of the time.
However, as you can see from the delays over Heathrow expansion (setting aside whether it is the right plan or not) the concerns of a minority of people in a handful of constituencies have delayed implementation of something which is of national importance.
If you had an independent body working on these kinds of ideas on a long-term basis then you would hopefully give the government of the day the ammunition to make the right decision for the nation, rather than be swayed by the political considerations. Of course, in an ideal world, this wouldn't be necessary, but I have a rather low opinion of politicians.
Let's hope that Andrew Adonis and his new outfit quickly give the go ahead to Heathrow and provide the political cover for ministers. Interesting that Adonis was a strong backer of Tessa Jowell who was a supporter of the Heathrow expansion.
I agree. I probably waster 1 - 1.5 hours a week circling over Heathrow.
Sometimes decisions just need to be made, and this is a case where a small number of marginals have delayed a decision that should have been taken years ago.
The best thing about Adonis moving across to the Conservatives is that we are becoming the party for infrastructure and investment, but on a rational basis rather this "funded by printing money" nonsense. One of the few reasonable economic arguments modern Labour had is being taken away from them.
One of the things that has saved HS2 - so far at least - is that it had cross-party support. If the commission can get support from all the major parties (and this a big 'if' given Corbyn's Londoncentric and lack of common sense) then it can only be good for the country.
I'd expect Adonis to try to get suitably-qualified commission members from all the parties, hopefully including the SNP and PC. He should try to make it as politically neutral as possible whilst still being able to do its job.
If he's reading, I'd love to be part of the commission. My qualifications... urrm, not much really. But I'd do it just for the price of childcare for the relevant days and transport to wherever the commission is meeting.
That's another point: if I was him, I would centre the commission outside London - say Birmingham - and have regular meetings throughout the country.
On the cuts to tax credits: much of the criticism is based on the IFS figures, but those were based on a static analysis. Osborne is right to ride this one out - as he pointed out in the Today interview this morning, we are already seeing large employers responding by raising wages in advance of and in excess of the new 'national living wage'. We'll also see changes to individual behaviour as people adjust. Both of these factors will change the basis of the assumptions the IFS made.
I'm not sure what the point of this new quango is. Or to be more blunt, I don't think there is a point. If the Government haven't already had a serious think about infrastructure at this point, what on earth are we doing?
The point is that infrastructure has become a political football.
Like with the OBR this is an attempt to create institutions that constrain the desire of politicians to play games.
It may not work, but if it enables major infrastructure projects to be commissioned on their merits and built regards of a change of government that is a remarkable step forward
Perhaps we could do everything else like that and do. away wit the need for govt altogether
I missed this earlier but Mr SquareRoot makes the point perfectly. Why have elections, parties, the commons and lords, just let a few blokes appoint who they want, what could possibly go wrong?
You (and @Squareroot) are sensible people, so I'm going to assume that you are being deliberately silly.
Of course the NIC will be subject to democratic oversight, and ultimately any decisions will be the responsibility of the government of the time.
However, as you can see from the delays over Heathrow expansion (setting aside whether it is the right plan or not) the concerns of a minority of people in a handful of constituencies have delayed implementation of something which is of national importance.
If you had an independent body working on these kinds of ideas on a long-term basis then you would hopefully give the government of the day the ammunition to make the right decision for the nation, rather than be swayed by the political considerations. Of course, in an ideal world, this wouldn't be necessary, but I have a rather low opinion of politicians.
Let's hope that Andrew Adonis and his new outfit quickly give the go ahead to Heathrow and provide the political cover for ministers. Interesting that Adonis was a strong backer of Tessa Jowell who was a supporter of the Heathrow expansion.
I agree. I probably waster 1 - 1.5 hours a week circling over Heathrow.
Sometimes decisions just need to be made, and this is a case where a small number of marginals have delayed a decision that should have been taken years ago.
My views on this are well known. But I'm starting to think that BI might be able to be built quicker than any Heathrow expansion ...
I'm not sure what the point of this new quango is. Or to be more blunt, I don't think there is a point. If the Government haven't already had a serious think about infrastructure at this point, what on earth are we doing?
The point is that infrastructure has become a political football.
Like with the OBR this is an attempt to create institutions that constrain the desire of politicians to play games.
It may not work, but if it enables major infrastructure projects to be commissioned on their merits and built regards of a change of government that is a remarkable step forward
Perhaps we could do everything else like that and do. away wit the need for govt altogether
I missed this earlier but Mr SquareRoot makes the point perfectly. Why have elections, parties, the commons and lords, just let a few blokes appoint who they want, what could possibly go wrong?
You (and @Squareroot) are sensible people, so I'm going to assume that you are being deliberately silly.
Of course the NIC will be subject to democratic oversight, and ultimately any decisions will be the responsibility of the government of the time.
However, as you can see from the delays over Heathrow expansion (setting aside whether it is the right plan or not) the concerns of a minority of people in a handful of constituencies have delayed implementation of something which is of national importance.
If you had an independent body working on these kinds of ideas on a long-term basis then you would hopefully give the government of the day the ammunition to make the right decision for the nation, rather than be swayed by the political considerations. Of course, in an ideal world, this wouldn't be necessary, but I have a rather low opinion of politicians.
Let's hope that Andrew Adonis and his new outfit quickly give the go ahead to Heathrow and provide the political cover for ministers. Interesting that Adonis was a strong backer of Tessa Jowell who was a supporter of the Heathrow expansion.
O'ho! So if, under the auspices if Adonis, Heathrow expansion goes through, will Zac Goldsmith and others like him, resign the whip?
Who are we looking at and is that all you get in first class: what looks like free coffee from the machine?
Depends on the airline. The first class lounge in Virgin is jaw dropping. The first class lounge in British Airways looks like a Mariott breakfast area.
The Virgin Upper Class lounge at Heathrow is wonderful - great food, bar & spa services - by contrast the Singapore Airlines lounge (a few years back) would have embarrassed Travel Inn.....in the nineties SQ were wonderful - then they started 'Bar opens at mid-day' nonsense.....(what if it wasn't your mid day - you think a long haul airline would understand this,...)
The BA first class lounges aren't really first class lounges. They are essentially for Gold Card holders. The one at Heathrow that you want to go to is the Concorde Lounge. That is for First Class travellers and invited guests only. I got upgraded to first class once on a flight to San Francisco so got in and it is another world.
Many moons ago, when Concorde (tiny thing!) was still flying I got into the (then T4) Concorde lounge - altogether rather nice.....watched the suits board - then i sloped off for my DC10......
Who are we looking at and is that all you get in first class: what looks like free coffee from the machine?
Depends on the airline. The first class lounge in Virgin is jaw dropping. The first class lounge in British Airways looks like a Mariott breakfast area.
The value of the lounge is peace, quiet and plugs to charge your phone.
You can now charge your phone for free in the departure lounge at Gatwick South - and in many European airports. Also at Gatwick you can have your last pint of real ale at Wetherspoons, not sure they would serve that in the first class lounge, or if they do you wouldn't get a choice.
Virgin Lounge has some quality craft beers including Brewdog.
The lounge is better than being out side - if you get it free as part of your ticket or air miles membership then you'd be daft not to use it.
That's kind of my view.
At T5 I get to use the Concorde room thanks to my membership (bloody hard to earn that flying economy, I can tell you!).
The main advantage over the first class lounge? That I can go straight there from security rather than having to walk 200 yards through a shopping centre.
#306 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2 in Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Government & Politics > Political Science & Ideology > Political Science #2 in Books > History > Political History > Politicians #3 in Books > Biography > Historical > Britain > Military
I know Adonis a bit - as Mike implies, he's essentially in politics to do stuff rather than to campaign for a party. There's nothing wrong with that, any more than there was with the GOAT idea, and I'd probably have done the same in his position. But it's not a party political move.
Sensible piece in the Telegraph on the tax credit issue:
The Telegraph piece is spot on. Except in one way. Osborne can do what he likes because there is no credible opposition. Corbyn spent an hour last week studiously not talking to or about the people whose votes change governments. In talking about a living wage and promising everyone a pay rise Osborne has potentially dug himself a hole. But given where the Labour party is right now it does not matter.
Good to see Labour's "lull them into a false sense of security" strategy going according to plan.
I don't think the Adonis quango is going to be involved in the third runway decision. The idea is that the commission makes recommendations, which ministers decide on. In the case of the third runway we've already had the Davies commission recommendations; there's no need for the new infrastructure commission to get involved in that, it will be looking further ahead.
...something like HS2 is essentially a choice between alternative short/long-term costs and benefits, on which people from either party can reasonably come to different views. What's needed is sober analysis, and I don't begrudge him the chance to do it, nor would I prefer that we had directly-elected heads of commissions to investigate infrastructure - it's a predominantly technical job. There is some political spin in the announcement, of course, but that's not a big deal in the longer run.
It is also a bet on the infrastructure required for the late 2020s/30s and 40s. Just as we enter the age of driverless cars when for point to point transport (what we need), for distances under 100 or 120 miles, a driverless car will be for most people (outside a few city centres) the optimum way to travel.
In telecoms it is the last mile problem, for transport it is the 20-50 mile problem getting to the few hubs that the HS2 infrastructure will have.
Ministers should waste no time to make unpopular cuts to pensioner benefits, a think tank director has said. Many of those hit by a cut to the winter fuel allowance might "not be around" at the next election, said Alex Wild of the Taxpayers' Alliance. And others would forget which party had done it, he added. At the group's meeting at the Conservative conference in Manchester, former defence secretary Liam Fox said spending cuts must be "for keeps".'
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
What a load of bollocks. Even the ultra loyalist TSE recognises that Carswell defected in a reasonable way on points of principle. If he helps get us out of the EU then his career will have had far more meaning than any number of back bench Tory cannon fodder.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
I know 99% of the posts on here are partisan point scoring, but do you honestly believe that members of party that has campaigned for us to leave the EU getting a referendum is not a meaningful achievement in politics? Especially if the referendum were won (30% chance at the mo)
There's only one party that REALLY wants the referendum - and it ain't UKIP. And how exactly do you claim any credit for delivering it - with one MP? Risible.
The voters knew the only the way to have a referendum on the EU was to vote Tory.
On topic: I'm not at all surprised that Lord Adonis has accepted this role, which is exactly the kind of thing he's been in politics to do. I expect many other senior Labour figures will accept similar non-partisan or semi-government roles, since if you're in politics to improve things, why would you bother with Labour in its current state?
Spot on. And especially when it is a role in the kind of organisation that the Labour party itself has been arguing for. The more such appointments the merrier.
I don't think the Adonis quango is going to be involved in the third runway decision. The idea is that the commission makes recommendations, which ministers decide on. In the case of the third runway we've already had the Davies commission recommendations; there's no need for the new infrastructure commission to get involved in that, it will be looking further ahead.
They are probably wise not to get involved. The Davies commission said LHR 3 could go ahead as air pollution was going to be ok as car engines were getting lovlier all the time - but that was before VW gate.
The best thing about Adonis moving across to the Conservatives is that we are becoming the party for infrastructure and investment, but on a rational basis rather this "funded by printing money" nonsense. One of the few reasonable economic arguments modern Labour had is being taken away from them.
Only if the new Commission is backed up with cash on a reliable basis. We don't spend enough on infrastructure, mainly because governments spend too much on current spending, like tax credits. A Commission might improve efficiency marginally but it is another rebalancing of government spending that is required.
People did say he would try and frame it in a way favourable to staying in, luckily his plans have been thwarted so far (purdah and the wording of the question)
Yes, as a Tory, I was surprised to see UKIP supporters had more of a point here than I expected. I think before the election Richard_Tyndall was arguing Cameron would not allow a fair referendum, and I wrote this off as being nonsense (although I was sympathetic on the unfair question). However, the attempt to remove purdah and the possibility of no free vote (as there was last time round) really show they had valid complaints. Thankfully the Conservative backbench stopped him. It just goes to show eurosceptics can have more influence inside the party than out.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
I know 99% of the posts on here are partisan point scoring, but do you honestly believe that members of party that has campaigned for us to leave the EU getting a referendum is not a meaningful achievement in politics? Especially if the referendum were won (30% chance at the mo)
There's only one party that REALLY wants the referendum - and it ain't UKIP. And how exactly do you claim any credit for delivering it - with one MP? Risible.
The voters knew the only the way to have a referendum on the EU was to vote Tory.
It wouldn't have been on offer it wasn't for UKIP... Or do you think David 'cuff links' Cameron really wanted to risk us leaving?
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
What a load of bollocks. Even the ultra loyalist TSE recognises that Carswell defected in a reasonable way on points of principle. If he helps get us out of the EU then his career will have had far more meaning than any number of back bench Tory cannon fodder.
Wonder if Reckless blames Ashcroft and his zany "Kippers winning here" polls for his defection ?
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
I know 99% of the posts on here are partisan point scoring, but do you honestly believe that members of party that has campaigned for us to leave the EU getting a referendum is not a meaningful achievement in politics? Especially if the referendum were won (30% chance at the mo)
There's only one party that REALLY wants the referendum - and it ain't UKIP. And how exactly do you claim any credit for delivering it - with one MP? Risible.
The voters knew the only the way to have a referendum on the EU was to vote Tory.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
I know 99% of the posts on here are partisan point scoring, but do you honestly believe that members of party that has campaigned for us to leave the EU getting a referendum is not a meaningful achievement in politics? Especially if the referendum were won (30% chance at the mo)
There's only one party that REALLY wants the referendum - and it ain't UKIP. And how exactly do you claim any credit for delivering it - with one MP? Risible.
The voters knew the only the way to have a referendum on the EU was to vote Tory.
And we all know that Cameron would never have promised a referendum were it not for his fear of UKIP taking votes away. As it was the idiocy of Labour and the fear of the SNP meant that he didn't need those 3.8 million votes but we only know that with hindsight but that doesn't change the fact that UKIP threat pushed the staunchly Europhile Cameron into promising a referendum that he never wanted.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
What a load of bollocks. Even the ultra loyalist TSE recognises that Carswell defected in a reasonable way on points of principle. If he helps get us out of the EU then his career will have had far more meaning than any number of back bench Tory cannon fodder.
Carswell was a loss to the Tory party.
In hindsight, which is a wonderful thing, he probably should have taken a leaf from the equally radical and frustrated Steve Hilton's book: stay a party member, and taken an extended sabbatical.
He could have written his own book or set up his own think-tank to advance his views, and now might be in a pole position to lead/co-lead the Conservative "no" campaign.
The chief exec of the local council is not a politician, he's an appointed administrator. I know the leader of the council very well, he is 100% partisan. I know a dozen or so councillors very well, they're probably 99% partisan.
It varies hugely from Council to Council and is dependent on the political make-up of the ruling Group and the relationship between the Council Leader and the CEX.
I've worked with highly political (rather than partisan) Councils and virtually non-political ones. In broad brush terms, Councils where power changes more frequently tend to be more political than those where the same Party is always in power (in those the factions within the ruling Group need to be understood).
Let’s be clear: this is a mad one. You won’t have heard it anywhere else, but you can take it from me. At the age of 35, this is my first Party conference, and I’ve never been to one quite like this.
It’s in the nature of collective hysteria that no single act can be adduced to prove its existence. But there is a fin de siecle, self-destructive, decadent craziness about Conference 2015. Somewhere in the wads of twenty somethings and thirtywouldbes jamming the chintzy Manchester bars long after they’re normally silent lurks the jitterbugging desperation of the Twenties before the Crash, Berlin between the wars, London as Imperial Glory died with its queen. The collective psyche of this group of individuals who’ve never had it so good has rarely been so uncertain.
This is not a columnar conceit. I do not really have a thesis; no point to prove. I can only tentatively explain this atmosphere. But nor am I wrong. This mood is as real as the grief in the church. I am simply reporting what is here.
The best thing about Adonis moving across to the Conservatives is that we are becoming the party for infrastructure and investment, but on a rational basis rather this "funded by printing money" nonsense. One of the few reasonable economic arguments modern Labour had is being taken away from them.
Only if the new Commission is backed up with cash on a reliable basis. We don't spend enough on infrastructure, mainly because governments spend too much on current spending, like tax credits. A Commission might improve efficiency marginally but it is another rebalancing of government spending that is required.
It would be nice if the government committed to a target for current spending to be under X% of spending, to leave the rest open for capital spending.
...something like HS2 is essentially a choice between alternative short/long-term costs and benefits, on which people from either party can reasonably come to different views. What's needed is sober analysis, and I don't begrudge him the chance to do it, nor would I prefer that we had directly-elected heads of commissions to investigate infrastructure - it's a predominantly technical job. There is some political spin in the announcement, of course, but that's not a big deal in the longer run.
It is also a bet on the infrastructure required for the late 2020s/30s and 40s. Just as we enter the age of driverless cars when for point to point transport (what we need), for distances under 100 or 120 miles, a driverless car will be for most people (outside a few city centres) the optimum way to travel.
In telecoms it is the last mile problem, for transport it is the 20-50 mile problem getting to the few hubs that the HS2 infrastructure will have.
Relatively few people think through the implications of driverless cars (*), and they might not be the cure to all problems that some proponents make them out to be.
Will we own or rent them? Will they be driverless in cities or just on motorways and dual carriageways? How will they be used to increase traffic capacity rather than further denude capacity? How safe will they be? What about concerns of hacking and privacy? How will they interact with non-driverless cars and other road users? How will they behave in bad weather conditions?
In addition, we have to plan for what is likely at the moment, not what might come along in the future. Because otherwise we would not have built the motorway network as flying cars were just around the corner in the 1960s ...
(*) Even if they come in in a big-bank as fully automated, or as a slow increment of technology, as is happening at the moment and I think likely.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
What a load of bollocks. Even the ultra loyalist TSE recognises that Carswell defected in a reasonable way on points of principle. If he helps get us out of the EU then his career will have had far more meaning than any number of back bench Tory cannon fodder.
Wonder if Reckless blames Ashcroft and his zany "Kippers winning here" polls for his defection ?
I never did understand the Reckless defection and still don't. Unlike Carswell he doesn't appear to have been a man interested in principles and real reform. So I suspect you are probably right about his motives - although I thought the Ashcroft polls always showed his seat as Tory both before and after the defection.
Let’s be clear: this is a mad one. You won’t have heard it anywhere else, but you can take it from me. At the age of 35, this is my first Party conference, and I’ve never been to one quite like this.
It’s in the nature of collective hysteria that no single act can be adduced to prove its existence. But there is a fin de siecle, self-destructive, decadent craziness about Conference 2015. Somewhere in the wads of twenty somethings and thirtywouldbes jamming the chintzy Manchester bars long after they’re normally silent lurks the jitterbugging desperation of the Twenties before the Crash, Berlin between the wars, London as Imperial Glory died with its queen. The collective psyche of this group of individuals who’ve never had it so good has rarely been so uncertain.
This is not a columnar conceit. I do not really have a thesis; no point to prove. I can only tentatively explain this atmosphere. But nor am I wrong. This mood is as real as the grief in the church. I am simply reporting what is here.
@DMcCaffreySKY: Charlotte Church to write an open letter to @OwenJBennett and others on behalf of peaceful protesters to apologise for incidents yesterday.
This is the most interesting bit from that Asian American article:
When the researchers asked the children about their attitudes to work, two differences emerged between Asian and white children. The Asians were likelier to believe that mathematical ability is learned, not innate; and Asian parents expected more of their children than white ones did. The notion that A- is an “Asian F” is widespread. Another study, by Zurishaddai Garcia of the University of Utah, shows that Asian-American parents are a lot likelier to spend at least 20 minutes a day helping their children with their homework than any other ethnic group.
In “The Asian American Achievement Paradox”, a study based on interviews with young Chinese and Vietnamese in Los Angeles, as well as Mexicans, whites and blacks, Jennifer Lee and Min Zhou argue that it is not just what happens at home that matters. They point to “ethnic capital”—the fact that these groups belong to communities that support education—as part of the explanation.
Let’s be clear: this is a mad one. You won’t have heard it anywhere else, but you can take it from me. At the age of 35, this is my first Party conference, and I’ve never been to one quite like this.
It’s in the nature of collective hysteria that no single act can be adduced to prove its existence. But there is a fin de siecle, self-destructive, decadent craziness about Conference 2015. Somewhere in the wads of twenty somethings and thirtywouldbes jamming the chintzy Manchester bars long after they’re normally silent lurks the jitterbugging desperation of the Twenties before the Crash, Berlin between the wars, London as Imperial Glory died with its queen. The collective psyche of this group of individuals who’ve never had it so good has rarely been so uncertain.
This is not a columnar conceit. I do not really have a thesis; no point to prove. I can only tentatively explain this atmosphere. But nor am I wrong. This mood is as real as the grief in the church. I am simply reporting what is here.
"this is my first Party conference, and I’ve never been to one quite like this." Err?
There's only one party that REALLY wants the referendum - and it ain't UKIP. And how exactly do you claim any credit for delivering it - with one MP? Risible.
The voters knew the only the way to have a referendum on the EU was to vote Tory.
Oh come on, Mark, that really is taking the partisan line too far. Cameron needs the EU Referendum like a hole in the head and had UKIP not appeared to be an existential threat to the Conservatives in 2011-12, I doubt we'd be talking about a referendum at all.
The Conservatives have preserved their internal cohesion for thirty years by NOT having to make a decision on EU membership. Yes, Cameron won the election and must deliver on the Referendum but he also has to keep the Conservative Party together and he will have to take a view on LEAVE or REMAIN and argue that while members of his own party appear on both platforms.
The 1975 Referendum was a big step on the road to Labour's schism in 1981.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
I know 99% of the posts on here are partisan point scoring, but do you honestly believe that members of party that has campaigned for us to leave the EU getting a referendum is not a meaningful achievement in politics? Especially if the referendum were won (30% chance at the mo)
There's only one party that REALLY wants the referendum - and it ain't UKIP. And how exactly do you claim any credit for delivering it - with one MP? Risible.
The voters knew the only the way to have a referendum on the EU was to vote Tory.
It wouldn't have been on offer it wasn't for UKIP... Or do you think David 'cuff links' Cameron really wanted to risk us leaving?
I think the strategy was quite clear: offer a referendum to get Kippers back on board and hold the Tory BOO'ers together, stage a couple of fights - preferably with France, obtain a token gesture or two on powers from the EU, hold a referendum with a landslide result for 'IN', tell the BOO'ers to shut up, and kill the subject stone dead for 20 years.
That now looks like it might backfire. Cameron won't commit to a date for the referendum yet because he knows he will never recommmend Out, but at the moment hasn't got anything tangible to sell for In.
I'm not sure he knows how he's going to dig himself out of this.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
Adonis is a party hopper, he's another unelected crony appointed at great expense to run the country, this stinks as an affront to democracy. Osborne is point scoring and empire building at our expense.
=.
Being a party hopper is fine unless your name is Carswell or Reckless.
If you say so. Personally I am happy with MPs crossing the floor if either their views change or their party changes s...
That's fair enough, I was referring to the opprobrium from 1 or 2 on here when Reckless and Carswell did the decent thing last year...
The opprobrium heaped on Reckless wasn't that he defected, because defections happen in politics it was because he timed his defection to cause maximum damage to the Tory conference and the Tory party.
That's why you had so many Tory MPs and activists cheering the Rochester result more than any other in May, even more so than Ed Balls' loss.
He timed his defection to coincide with the Ukip conference in Doncaster.
Your post sums up my point entirely, defections are good or bad depending on the party. I'm happy with defections, its the way unelected careerists are foist on the electorate I object to.
You forget UKIP were trailing another defection on the day of Dave's big speech.
It was part of a coordinated plan to derail the Tory conference and the last major opportunity before the election for the Tories to get their message out.
You don't hear so much about Con to Kipper defectors these days - any reason ?
Kippers have gone quiet in general, remember when we repeatedly told by the Kippers that Dave would never give us an IN/OUT referendum.
No, when was that?
People did say he would try and frame it in a way favourable to staying in, luckily his plans have been thwarted so far (purdah and the wording of the question)
Sam it used to be a fequent comment on here by Kippers but maybe before your time? The truth is that it was Cameron's back benchers who forced him to do it.
Only if the new Commission is backed up with cash on a reliable basis. We don't spend enough on infrastructure, mainly because governments spend too much on current spending, like tax credits.
I'm a big fan of Gov't capital expenditure, as rates are so bloody low for the Gov't to borrow on. I'd take a chainsaw to current expenditure though !
had UKIP not appeared to be an existential threat to the Conservatives in 2011-12, I doubt we'd be talking about a referendum at all.
That may be so, but the fact still remains that once the referendum became Conservative policy, the Kippers (a) tried to argue that Cameron couldn't be trusted on it, and (b) spent the next two years trying to sabotage the Conservative majority needed to deliver it. If they were serious about wanting a referendum and an eventual exit, they would have advised people to vote Conservative and spent the time preparing the Brexit case. Their actions and strategy demonstrate that they didn't want the referendum to happen.
I'm going to do something I pledged I would never do on this site and be abusive: that is utter bollox.
Politics is 99% partisan, as is this site.
Well, that's not very abusive by the standards of PB - must try harder :-).
My perspective is partly based on the 1997 experience of policies that we'd opposed tooth and nail in opposition suddenly seeming more reasonable to Labour Ministers, and Conservative ex-Ministers suddenly finding reasons to oppose them. One can see both of those as examples of the cynicism of politics, but they also reflect the fact the making speeches is one thing, but in practice the margin of sensible variation is narrower than one pretends or perhaps thinks.
We see politics through the spectrum of media reporting, which is mainly interested in clashes, controversies and embarrassments. But day-to-day Westminster work is all about legislation, and really I'd say at least 70% is essentially a set of technical issues on which cross-party committees have sensible discussions out of the limelight. People like Adonis see things like PMQs as a tedious waste of time, and they're not altogether wrong, certainly with something like infrastructure planning.
That said, this is a bit like those stats showing that most legislation is now European. It's true that there is a mass of stuff now decided at European level, most of it utterly uncontroversial (e.g. I spent Saturday translating new regulations for standardised computerised reporting of long-distance transport). But the political bits do tend to be more important, and something like the tax credits debate is unmistakably political, intermeshing questions of the role of government, the ability of low-income people to improve their situation and the level of solidarity that we think society should provide to them. The question of how far people are losing out is a technical one (bafflingly the Government has dug in over an indefensible technical calculation sop as to claim there isn't a problem anyway) but what to do about it is fundamentally political.
I swung the other way: when Miliband was seen skulking into Brand's gaff at night, I saw it as a sign that Labour believed that they were in trouble (and I think I said so at the time). A sane leader wouldn't go anywhere near Brand unless they were in trouble - Brand'll only get involved to improve his own brand, not the party.
It was a sign of desperation. If Brand had got involved a year or eighteen months before the election it would have been better, as it would have shown that he had some commitment, and he could have been used better by the Labour campaign. But a few days?
Did you see her press conf? She could barely string two sentences together - all cliches and non sequitur - I honestly had no idea what she was trying to say bar Evil Tories blah blah.
@DMcCaffreySKY: Charlotte Church to write an open letter to @OwenJBennett and others on behalf of peaceful protesters to apologise for incidents yesterday.
Mr Eagles: I don't forget it at all. You have to wonder WHY Reckless did what he did, regardless of subsequent events.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Reckless and Carswell tried to do as much damage as they could to the Tory Party - and readily chugged the Kool-AId dished out by Farage in pint glasses. How was that supposed to raise the "faith in politics"? They both bought a shiny new product that turned out to be a dud. Boo hoo.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
Are you suggesting that Adonis has had a meaningful career in politics?
The best thing about Adonis moving across to the Conservatives is that we are becoming the party for infrastructure and investment, but on a rational basis rather this "funded by printing money" nonsense. One of the few reasonable economic arguments modern Labour had is being taken away from them.
Only if the new Commission is backed up with cash on a reliable basis. We don't spend enough on infrastructure, mainly because governments spend too much on current spending, like tax credits. A Commission might improve efficiency marginally but it is another rebalancing of government spending that is required.
It would be nice if the government committed to a target for current spending to be under X% of spending, to leave the rest open for capital spending.
The problem is the deficit which is proving to be almost entirely structural. The economy and government spending were so profoundly unbalanced and distorted by 2008 it is going to take decades before governments of any stripe can take rational decisions outwith the shadow of it and the consequential debt.
Comments
It was part of a coordinated plan to derail the Tory conference and the last major opportunity before the election for the Tories to get their message out.
Edited extra bit: Mr. Charles, an outrageous slur on my good name!
It's 'Nyoooooooooooooom!".
[The second Sir Edric story has been finished for over a year. It's a publication, not writing, delay. The third Sir Edric story [bigger than both previous combined] is 95% done. The next 'serious' fantasy is also largely complete but, being the first part of a trilogy, I've taken rather longer over that than I otherwise might].
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that there will be tories upset at being overlooked at the latest "jobs for the boys" appointment, this weakens Osborne imo.
Will she be blaming their misbehaviour on climate change?
It is rent-a-gobs like Church who stir up the situation that promotes incidents such as happened yesterday.
The threats and intimidation are part of the DNA of groups supported and encouraged by Church, Brand and Corbyn.
The way that HB positively drove up rents prior to 2010 created the boom in BTL and created the perversity that the wildest free marketeers (like Ms Thomson) got rich on taxpayers money. The changes under the Coalition helped but this is still a major problem. How do we cut the state subsidy of rents without risking peoples' housing? Its really tricky.
Nobody is going to get a envelope with an extra bill to pay - that is the huge difference between poll tax and any benefit cut.
Reckless and Carswell took principled stances that could have ruined their careers, you could argue that is what has happened. Adonis has done something completely different, encouraged by Osborne and applauded by tribalists.
It really is no wonder why faith in politics in general is at an all time low.
Piled high? I doubt the print run exceeded more than a couple of thousand.
I'm quite glad they both defected, Reckless is a warning to any potential defectors, you'll eventually end up being exiled to Wales after losing your seats.
Carswell not defecting would have denied us the comedy of a party with only one MP having regular revolts, splits and backbench rebellions.
The lounge is better than being out side - if you get it free as part of your ticket or air miles membership then you'd be daft not to use it.
Palmyra slowly being destroyed.......
People did say he would try and frame it in a way favourable to staying in, luckily his plans have been thwarted so far (purdah and the wording of the question)
George, you really do need to stop saying 'By the way' in interviews. It's an annoying verbal tic you have, and a particularly bad one because it makes it abundantly clear that you are trying to change the subject.
Richard
PS Keep up the good work!
Tax Credit reform is reworking a very complex benefits system. Some will lose out and will complain about it (though they'll complain now - what they do in four years time is another matter). It's hard to sell why it's unfair to people not affected, particularly when the minimum wage is rising. You might dispute that but once you start arguing details you've lost.
If you can't sum the problem up in a slogan that works for the average person who has only a passing interest in politics then it'll be a storm that passes.
Yes it is compulsory but only for over 25s. This should hopefully make under 25s more attractive to employers and improve their work prospects.
"By the way" Keep up the good work?
Dale is pretty much a busted flush these days - he needs to make noise otherwise we would forget he was ever something.
Perhaps Carswell can "do an Adonis" if he ever wants to have a meaningful career in politics.
FWIW the smart thing to do on tax credits IMHO is to phase the cuts in over the course of the parliament, just as the rises in the minimum wage kick-in. A £250 net loss in tax credits each year to 2020, as the minimum wage increases year-by-year, may actually make almost all workers affected better off.
The trouble is: that will be expensive. Osborne hasn't got much room for manoeuvre in trimming other budgets to meet his surplus target by 2020. Although, if it was me, I'd either suspend the pensions triple lock for 2-4 years, or trim it to just an inflation matching rise until the deficit is cleared.
Don't think for a second that i have gone over to the dark side!!
Sometimes decisions just need to be made, and this is a case where a small number of marginals have delayed a decision that should have been taken years ago.
I'd expect Adonis to try to get suitably-qualified commission members from all the parties, hopefully including the SNP and PC. He should try to make it as politically neutral as possible whilst still being able to do its job.
If he's reading, I'd love to be part of the commission. My qualifications... urrm, not much really. But I'd do it just for the price of childcare for the relevant days and transport to wherever the commission is meeting.
That's another point: if I was him, I would centre the commission outside London - say Birmingham - and have regular meetings throughout the country.
At T5 I get to use the Concorde room thanks to my membership (bloody hard to earn that flying economy, I can tell you!).
The main advantage over the first class lounge? That I can go straight there from security rather than having to walk 200 yards through a shopping centre.
#306 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Just as we enter the age of driverless cars when for point to point transport (what we need), for distances under 100 or 120 miles, a driverless car will be for most people (outside a few city centres) the optimum way to travel.
In telecoms it is the last mile problem, for transport it is the 20-50 mile problem getting to the few hubs that the HS2 infrastructure will have.
'Taxpayers' Alliance: Cut pensioner benefits 'immediately'
Ministers should waste no time to make unpopular cuts to pensioner benefits, a think tank director has said.
Many of those hit by a cut to the winter fuel allowance might "not be around" at the next election, said Alex Wild of the Taxpayers' Alliance.
And others would forget which party had done it, he added.
At the group's meeting at the Conservative conference in Manchester, former defence secretary Liam Fox said spending cuts must be "for keeps".'
http://tinyurl.com/o349frn
The voters knew the only the way to have a referendum on the EU was to vote Tory.
I must admit I though Russell Brand could swing it for Labour... Must have more faith in the public!
https://twitter.com/wikiguido/status/650684128057270272
https://twitter.com/danhannanmep/status/650607635146797056
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21669595-asian-americans-are-united-states-most-successful-minority-they-are-complaining-ever
In hindsight, which is a wonderful thing, he probably should have taken a leaf from the equally radical and frustrated Steve Hilton's book: stay a party member, and taken an extended sabbatical.
He could have written his own book or set up his own think-tank to advance his views, and now might be in a pole position to lead/co-lead the Conservative "no" campaign.
I've worked with highly political (rather than partisan) Councils and virtually non-political ones. In broad brush terms, Councils where power changes more frequently tend to be more political than those where the same Party is always in power (in those the factions within the ruling Group need to be understood).
It’s in the nature of collective hysteria that no single act can be adduced to prove its existence. But there is a fin de siecle, self-destructive, decadent craziness about Conference 2015. Somewhere in the wads of twenty somethings and thirtywouldbes jamming the chintzy Manchester bars long after they’re normally silent lurks the jitterbugging desperation of the Twenties before the Crash, Berlin between the wars, London as Imperial Glory died with its queen. The collective psyche of this group of individuals who’ve never had it so good has rarely been so uncertain.
This is not a columnar conceit. I do not really have a thesis; no point to prove. I can only tentatively explain this atmosphere. But nor am I wrong. This mood is as real as the grief in the church. I am simply reporting what is here.
Will we own or rent them? Will they be driverless in cities or just on motorways and dual carriageways? How will they be used to increase traffic capacity rather than further denude capacity? How safe will they be? What about concerns of hacking and privacy? How will they interact with non-driverless cars and other road users? How will they behave in bad weather conditions?
In addition, we have to plan for what is likely at the moment, not what might come along in the future. Because otherwise we would not have built the motorway network as flying cars were just around the corner in the 1960s ...
(*) Even if they come in in a big-bank as fully automated, or as a slow increment of technology, as is happening at the moment and I think likely.
When the researchers asked the children about their attitudes to work, two differences emerged between Asian and white children. The Asians were likelier to believe that mathematical ability is learned, not innate; and Asian parents expected more of their children than white ones did. The notion that A- is an “Asian F” is widespread. Another study, by Zurishaddai Garcia of the University of Utah, shows that Asian-American parents are a lot likelier to spend at least 20 minutes a day helping their children with their homework than any other ethnic group.
In “The Asian American Achievement Paradox”, a study based on interviews with young Chinese and Vietnamese in Los Angeles, as well as Mexicans, whites and blacks, Jennifer Lee and Min Zhou argue that it is not just what happens at home that matters. They point to “ethnic capital”—the fact that these groups belong to communities that support education—as part of the explanation.
Err?
The Conservatives have preserved their internal cohesion for thirty years by NOT having to make a decision on EU membership. Yes, Cameron won the election and must deliver on the Referendum but he also has to keep the Conservative Party together and he will have to take a view on LEAVE or REMAIN and argue that while members of his own party appear on both platforms.
The 1975 Referendum was a big step on the road to Labour's schism in 1981.
That now looks like it might backfire. Cameron won't commit to a date for the referendum yet because he knows he will never recommmend Out, but at the moment hasn't got anything tangible to sell for In.
I'm not sure he knows how he's going to dig himself out of this.
The truth is that it was Cameron's back benchers who forced him to do it.
https://agenda.weforum.org/2015/09/which-countries-have-accumulated-the-most-private-debt-since-2008/
Well done George!
My perspective is partly based on the 1997 experience of policies that we'd opposed tooth and nail in opposition suddenly seeming more reasonable to Labour Ministers, and Conservative ex-Ministers suddenly finding reasons to oppose them. One can see both of those as examples of the cynicism of politics, but they also reflect the fact the making speeches is one thing, but in practice the margin of sensible variation is narrower than one pretends or perhaps thinks.
We see politics through the spectrum of media reporting, which is mainly interested in clashes, controversies and embarrassments. But day-to-day Westminster work is all about legislation, and really I'd say at least 70% is essentially a set of technical issues on which cross-party committees have sensible discussions out of the limelight. People like Adonis see things like PMQs as a tedious waste of time, and they're not altogether wrong, certainly with something like infrastructure planning.
That said, this is a bit like those stats showing that most legislation is now European. It's true that there is a mass of stuff now decided at European level, most of it utterly uncontroversial (e.g. I spent Saturday translating new regulations for standardised computerised reporting of long-distance transport). But the political bits do tend to be more important, and something like the tax credits debate is unmistakably political, intermeshing questions of the role of government, the ability of low-income people to improve their situation and the level of solidarity that we think society should provide to them. The question of how far people are losing out is a technical one (bafflingly the Government has dug in over an indefensible technical calculation sop as to claim there isn't a problem anyway) but what to do about it is fundamentally political.
It was a sign of desperation. If Brand had got involved a year or eighteen months before the election it would have been better, as it would have shown that he had some commitment, and he could have been used better by the Labour campaign. But a few days?