I don't know a great deal about the NHS, apart from the fact that the ambulance service is at absolute breaking point. We regularly have to wait an hour or so for an ambulance, and more and more we are told that there are no ambulances available to transport casualties to hospital. On the subject of emergency service cuts in general, I think we're close to the edge in Leicestershire. There really is a serious lack of police during peak times. If we request a police presence for traffic management or because we believe a crime has been committed- say a car fire appears deliberate, or that some onlookers at an incident are getting a bit rowdy, we struggle to get to get one, because there just aren't enough police available. LFRS are going through a consultation of cuts at the moment, and even the senior management are admitting that the public will notice a difference in our response to them. It's an old cliché, but cuts will cost lives. The people of Leicestershire have been badly served over many years by local government and by senior management in their emergency services, and now they will be paying the price.
Richard Spencer wrote in June this year about how Al-Qaeda has unveiled a new British “frontman” who appears to model himself on Islamic State’s Jihadi John in a video in which he questions two Western hostages in the Sahara desert.
The masked interrogator uses fluent English with a clear British accent as the footage, posted online, shows him talking with the captives. In the attack today on the hotel in Bamako, one hostage described that they heard a gunman speaking English.
The use of an English-speaker in the video is a new move from jihadists in the mainly French and Arabic-speaking countries of the western Sahara.
Re Oldham, if what we hear is correct the WWC are leaving labour for Ukip, leaving the ethnic vote to labour, I don't know to what extent this is true. If it is it leaves the labour party struggling with a message.
A tweet of relevance to those betting on Oldham West & Royton:
Jim Pickard @PickardJE · 1m1 minute ago Labour MPs reporting even more negative feedback than usual from white working class voters in Oldham West - especially this week.
Why would Labour MPs report that publicly? In order to gee up their supporters?
I don't know a great deal about the NHS, apart from the fact that the ambulance service is at absolute breaking point. We regularly have to wait an hour or so for an ambulance, and more and more we are told that there are no ambulances available to transport casualties to hospital. On the subject of emergency service cuts in general, I think we're close to the edge in Leicestershire. There really is a serious lack of police during peak times. If we request a police presence for traffic management or because we believe a crime has been committed- say a car fire appears deliberate, or that some onlookers at an incident are getting a bit rowdy, we struggle to get to get one, because there just aren't enough police available. LFRS are going through a consultation of cuts at the moment, and even the senior management are admitting that the public will notice a difference in our response to them. It's an old cliché, but cuts will cost lives. The people of Leicestershire have been badly served over many years by local government and by senior management in their emergency services, and now they will be paying the price.
Andy Burnham thinks that the police could stand another 10% cut in funding. If he thinks another 10% funding cut would be acceptable then presumably (although with today's Labour Party who knows) he thinks cuts to-date are fine and dandy.
Apologies if it's already been linked to, but I hadn't seen it - Matt Singh's analysis of where the polls went wrong is definitely worth a read if you've not already done so.
Re Oldham, if what we hear is correct the WWC are leaving labour for Ukip, leaving the ethnic vote to labour, I don't know to what extent this is true. If it is it leaves the labour party struggling with a message.
Whereas the message to Labour from the WWC is crystal clear, albeit in a northern accent.
I don't know a great deal about the NHS, apart from the fact that the ambulance service is at absolute breaking point. We regularly have to wait an hour or so for an ambulance, and more and more we are told that there are no ambulances available to transport casualties to hospital. On the subject of emergency service cuts in general, I think we're close to the edge in Leicestershire. There really is a serious lack of police during peak times. If we request a police presence for traffic management or because we believe a crime has been committed- say a car fire appears deliberate, or that some onlookers at an incident are getting a bit rowdy, we struggle to get to get one, because there just aren't enough police available. LFRS are going through a consultation of cuts at the moment, and even the senior management are admitting that the public will notice a difference in our response to them. It's an old cliché, but cuts will cost lives. The people of Leicestershire have been badly served over many years by local government and by senior management in their emergency services, and now they will be paying the price.
If only the previous Labour government hadn't squandered fortunes leaving maxed out deficit before the recession hit. Just imagine if after 18 years of growth we'd had a small surplus instead like we did in the last recession 18 years before then we wouldn't need to do these cuts today. But we can't turn back time only ensure the same mistakes aren't repeated again don't you agree?
Because these cuts will pale into petty insignificance if another recession hits while the deficit isn't under control and with debt at current levels.
I don't know a great deal about the NHS, apart from the fact that the ambulance service is at absolute breaking point. We regularly have to wait an hour or so for an ambulance, and more and more we are told that there are no ambulances available to transport casualties to hospital. On the subject of emergency service cuts in general, I think we're close to the edge in Leicestershire. There really is a serious lack of police during peak times. If we request a police presence for traffic management or because we believe a crime has been committed- say a car fire appears deliberate, or that some onlookers at an incident are getting a bit rowdy, we struggle to get to get one, because there just aren't enough police available. LFRS are going through a consultation of cuts at the moment, and even the senior management are admitting that the public will notice a difference in our response to them. It's an old cliché, but cuts will cost lives. The people of Leicestershire have been badly served over many years by local government and by senior management in their emergency services, and now they will be paying the price.
Andy Burnham thinks that the police could stand another 10% cut in funding. If he thinks another 10% funding cut would be acceptable then presumably (although with today's Labour Party who knows) he thinks cuts to-date are fine and dandy.
I'm sure there is a lot of fat that can be cut, from both the police and the fire service, but the trouble is, both services are saddled with plenty of crap that government wants them to do, and that means that the bread and butter, frontline stuff is the area that gets cut.
A snippet in that article on something which I'd missed:
The Sun unearthed the principles and demands of the Socialist Campaign for a Labour a Victory (SCLV). Among these were a call for MI5 to be disbanded and the police to be disarmed. Standard for the far Left, but of great interest because they were signed by both Corbyn's policy chief Andrew Fisher and the Shadow Chancellor
And yet some Corbyn supporters still have their heads in the sand. What will it take before they accept that the duck is quacking because it's a duck?
They want to set up their own secret police filled with their henchmen.
A tweet of relevance to those betting on Oldham West & Royton:
Jim Pickard @PickardJE · 1m1 minute ago Labour MPs reporting even more negative feedback than usual from white working class voters in Oldham West - especially this week.
Why would Labour MPs report that publicly? In order to gee up their supporters?
Could be to boost activists and foot soldiers, or a slight dig at Jeremy Corbyn. - One thing is for sure, there are a lot of Labour MPs now openly opposing him in parliament and the media at large.
Re Oldham, if what we hear is correct the WWC are leaving labour for Ukip, leaving the ethnic vote to labour, I don't know to what extent this is true. If it is it leaves the labour party struggling with a message.
Whereas the message to Labour from the WWC is crystal clear, albeit in a northern accent.
The point is, imagine the Tunbridge Wells WI deserting the conservatives, no idea where labour go from here beyond Islington and inner cities full of immigrants.
I still think they'll win in Oldham, albeit narrowly, but the message they've had drilled into activists for decades is redundant.
I don't know a great deal about the NHS, apart from the fact that the ambulance service is at absolute breaking point. We regularly have to wait an hour or so for an ambulance, and more and more we are told that there are no ambulances available to transport casualties to hospital. On the subject of emergency service cuts in general, I think we're close to the edge in Leicestershire. There really is a serious lack of police during peak times. If we request a police presence for traffic management or because we believe a crime has been committed- say a car fire appears deliberate, or that some onlookers at an incident are getting a bit rowdy, we struggle to get to get one, because there just aren't enough police available. LFRS are going through a consultation of cuts at the moment, and even the senior management are admitting that the public will notice a difference in our response to them. It's an old cliché, but cuts will cost lives. The people of Leicestershire have been badly served over many years by local government and by senior management in their emergency services, and now they will be paying the price.
How is that new HQ of your service getting on? Still full of staff is it? Does Leicester FRS have former control room staff now in positions of senior management? What proportion is there of back-office staff to firefighters compared to 30 years ago?
I am not having a dig at you with those questions, Mr. Stopper. I merely suspect that like the Plod (and the MoD and probably the ambulance service too) the admin tail has long been and still is wagging the operational dog and nobody at the top of any of the services has a clue what to do about it (or even, I suspect, that something needs to be done).
A tweet of relevance to those betting on Oldham West & Royton:
Jim Pickard @PickardJE · 1m1 minute ago Labour MPs reporting even more negative feedback than usual from white working class voters in Oldham West - especially this week.
But their last negative feedback session about Ed in May still gave them a 14,730 majority. So not just more than usual, it needs truly unusual levels of negative feedback to lose.
That said, I have no idea what Labour can say on the doorsteps right now.
I don't know a great deal about the NHS, apart from the fact that the ambulance service is at absolute breaking point. We regularly have to wait an hour or so for an ambulance, and more and more we are told that there are no ambulances available to transport casualties to hospital. On the subject of emergency service cuts in general, I think we're close to the edge in Leicestershire. There really is a serious lack of police during peak times. If we request a police presence for traffic management or because we believe a crime has been committed- say a car fire appears deliberate, or that some onlookers at an incident are getting a bit rowdy, we struggle to get to get one, because there just aren't enough police available. LFRS are going through a consultation of cuts at the moment, and even the senior management are admitting that the public will notice a difference in our response to them. It's an old cliché, but cuts will cost lives. The people of Leicestershire have been badly served over many years by local government and by senior management in their emergency services, and now they will be paying the price.
How is that new HQ of your service getting on? Still full of staff is it? Does Leicester FRS have former control room staff now in positions of senior management? What proportion is there of back-office staff to firefighters compared to 30 years ago?
I am not having a dig at you with those questions, Mr. Stopper. I merely suspect that like the Plod (and the MoD and probably the ambulance service too) the admin tail has long been and still is wagging the operational dog and nobody at the top of any of the services has a clue what to do about it (or even, I suspect, that something needs to be done).
Our swanky new HQ is like the effing Marie Celeste, but we can't sell it as it's just "not financially viable" to get shot of it! Look, you're preaching to the converted, mate, operational is always the poor relation in any public sector organisation, and I can't see that changing anytime soon.
A tweet of relevance to those betting on Oldham West & Royton:
Jim Pickard @PickardJE · 1m1 minute ago Labour MPs reporting even more negative feedback than usual from white working class voters in Oldham West - especially this week.
But their last negative feedback session about Ed in May still gave them a 14,730 majority. So not just more than usual, it needs truly unusual levels of negative feedback to lose. That said, I have no idea what Labour can say on the doorsteps right now.
A snippet in that article on something which I'd missed:
The Sun unearthed the principles and demands of the Socialist Campaign for a Labour a Victory (SCLV). Among these were a call for MI5 to be disbanded and the police to be disarmed. Standard for the far Left, but of great interest because they were signed by both Corbyn's policy chief Andrew Fisher and the Shadow Chancellor
And yet some Corbyn supporters still have their heads in the sand. What will it take before they accept that the duck is quacking because it's a duck?
I noticed that too.
But then decided I was not surprised.
Labour's mad descent into irrelevance continues apace.
I think you mean 'BMA rejects offer of ACAS mediation without preconditions'.
Is Mr owls not giving us the full fact then?
Hunt has stated that he wants direct talks, before resorting to ACAS.
'In an interview with the BBC, Mr Hunt said : "We don't rule that (Acas) out at some stage, but this process has already had independent mediation right from the start.
"We went to the Independent Pay Review Body, they came up with their proposals, we accepted their proposals and they are the basis of what we are proposing should change."
Half of Britons (49%) think the Government’s proposed changes to tax credits are an example of George Osborne making bad decisions as Chancellor. 28% think it is an example of him making good decisions.
44% think that the changes represent a broken election promise by the Conservatives, while 33% think the changes are the Conservatives carrying out the welfare reform they said they would.
NHS trusts in England have declared the worst financial performance in the history of the health service, with fears some hospitals will run out of cash to pay staff. New figures from NHS regulators revealed a deficit of £1.6bn, with projections the figure will reach £2.2bn by the end of the financial year. Experts told the Telegraph that the situation is now so bleak that there are fears that over the next year, some hospitals will be unable to pay their staff.
Longer term we need to look at ending life extending treatment on the NHS for very old people and looking at prescription charges for type 2 diabetics.
Ending PCTs got rid of a lot of mangers. ACute trusts went from running surpluses to runing deficits.
I thought Corbyn would be a disaster for Labour, but I didn't think it would be this bad, so soon.
I thought he'd have a honeymoon for a while, but this is turning into the honeymoon where your wife finds out you've slept with her sister, best mate, and her mother, concurrently.
Depends what you, or Jezza for that matter, thinks Lab should look like.
The Lab of last May will look nothing like the Lab of next May so maybe he has been a much needed shot in the arm for (Jezza's view of) Lab.
They should look like a credible opposition.
Yesterday close to 100% of those Docs taking part voted to strike, what were Labour discussing, whether their Shadow Chancellor wanted to abolish MI5.
On the day of the tax credits vote, what were Labour discussing, why Corbyn hadn't sung God Save The Queen the day before.
As my dear old grandmother used to say, now is not the time for logic.
You might think they should look like a credible opposition but who are you to dictate what the Labour Party should look like? The people who voted in and are being recruited by Jezza evidently think something else. And them's the ones that matter right now.
The country needs a strong opposition to ensure proper scrutiny of the government.
The country needs LOYAL opposition. We certainly have not had that for the last 5 years in my opinion.
Apparently all the hostages are out of the Malian hotel.
Edited extra bit: apologies, slightly misread the line. The gunmen reportedly no longer have hostages, which may mean the same thing, or may have an altogether grimmer meaning.
Apparently all the hostages are out of the Malian hotel.
Edited extra bit: apologies, slightly misread the line. The gunmen reportedly no longer have hostages, which may mean the same thing, or may have an altogether grimmer meaning.
That's a relief - but RIP to those that didn't make it.
Re Oldham, if what we hear is correct the WWC are leaving labour for Ukip, leaving the ethnic vote to labour, I don't know to what extent this is true. If it is it leaves the labour party struggling with a message.
Whereas the message to Labour from the WWC is crystal clear, albeit in a northern accent.
The point is, imagine the Tunbridge Wells WI deserting the conservatives, no idea where labour go from here beyond Islington and inner cities full of immigrants.
I still think they'll win in Oldham, albeit narrowly, but the message they've had drilled into activists for decades is redundant.
No wonder they were so keen to import new voters.
Where do they turn when immigrants choose other parties?
Meanwhile it's all going swimmingly for Hunt; NHS trusts are now £1.6 billion in the red. They could sack agency nurses but then wouldn't meet safe staffing levels. And why do we need agency nurses? Because we don't train enough and Hunt and Lansley have severely pissed off those we do have that recruitment is difficult.
I think you mean 'BMA rejects offer of ACAS mediation without preconditions'.
Is Mr owls not giving us the full fact then?
Hunt has stated that he wants direct talks, before resorting to ACAS.
'In an interview with the BBC, Mr Hunt said : "We don't rule that (Acas) out at some stage, but this process has already had independent mediation right from the start.
"We went to the Independent Pay Review Body, they came up with their proposals, we accepted their proposals and they are the basis of what we are proposing should change."
Strange that he now seems to swear by the merits of the Pay Review Body the DoH have ignored the recommendations of every one of them on NHS pay in general over the last several years.
A quick calculation implies that reducing child tax credits for child 3 in families, combined with complete abolition of awards for fourth and subsequent children would get Osborne home without making any changes to tapers and earnings thresholds whilst giving 100% protection of awards for the first two children on any tax credit claim.
Tony Judt, a marvellous (and, sadly, late) historian also described the phenomenon:-
I'd missed his passing - shame! In Postwar he had a wonderful simile for the post-Thatcher Conservative Party - 'like a deranged seance'
'Are you there, Margaret? Have you got a message for us Margaret?'
He died of a particularly cruel form of motor neurone disease a few years back. He still managed to write: The Memory Chalet is a short collection of poignant essays as he looks back at episodes in his life. And there is a collaboration with Timothy Snyder which is well worth reading.
His widow, Jennifer Homans, has recently published a book of his essays.
His analysis of the French Left particularly in the 1930's and in the post-war period is superb and very on point re the times we live in now. Understand what happened to them then, in relation to both Nazism and Communism, and the cul de sac into which the left has wandered into now with Islamism is no surprise and a depressing re-enactment. The only surprise is that we are surprised.
Pakistan 1/3 of the way through the overs and 1/3 of the required runs on the board, for only a couple of wickets. Need to send these two back to the pavillion quickly otherwise the game could run away from England in a very high scoring match. Assuming Pakistan want to win, of course...
Perhaps it just suits the interests of those arguing for ever more state spending to ignore the fact that as a Nation the UK is skint and for Osborne's supporters to ignore the fact that as a chancellor he is doing such a dreadful job.
Mr. Llama, the borrowing has been mentioned. Seems a good argument for limiting tax credits, and sending in the enormo-haddock to deal with dummy-spitting Lib Dem and Labour peers.
Perhaps it just suits the interests of those arguing for ever more state spending to ignore the fact that as a Nation the UK is skint and for Osborne's supporters to ignore the fact that as a chancellor he is doing such a dreadful job.
It was raised a bit earlier, to be sure. The public won't accept the sort of action apparently required it get it under control, and Osborne can have no excuse for such a pathetic job - having staked his reputation on eliminating borrowing (in 10 years rather than 5 even), even if someone believes meeting that target is not important, or that it cannot be done without too much pain right now, has to say, if those figures are as bad as they appear, that he has utterly failed. People let him off not meeting his target in 5 years, but if after 10 years of cutting he still hasn't? Even with a crap opposition I don't see how he personally could live that down.
Just flown from Europe to the Far East.....the 'Great Circle Route' (alarmingly still shown on the IFE) takes you over Ukraine....so thats out.....when I checked a few weeks ago it was 'down Italy, over the Med & Egypt, including Sinai, then on to Saudi & the Indian Ocean.'
Mr. Llama, the borrowing has been mentioned. Seems a good argument for limiting tax credits, and sending in the enormo-haddock to deal with dummy-spitting Lib Dem and Labour peers.
If it has already been discussed I apologise, I must have missed it.
The enormo-haddock should, of course, be sent into Downing Street, there to beat some sense into Cameron and his sidekick.
A quick calculation implies that reducing child tax credits for child 3 in families, combined with complete abolition of awards for fourth and subsequent children would get Osborne home without making any changes to tapers and earnings thresholds whilst giving 100% protection of awards for the first two children on any tax credit claim.
A UN official has said that peacekeepers on the scene have seen 27 bodies at the hotel in Bamako. They stressed the information is still preliminary and search continues of the hotel.
The peacekeepers saw 12 corpses in the basement of the hotel and another 15 on the second floor, the official said on condition of anonymity. He added that the U.N. troops were still helping Malian authorities search the hotel.
It is worth noting that ONS overstate the monthly deficit almost always on first estimates.
The 12 month rolling deficit is £70.4bn. That's £27bn lower than the figure ONS reported at the same time last year, and within £1bn of the year end expectation.
A Jewish primary school was evacuated after a suspicious package was discovered in a nearby alleyway.
Pupils and staff at Gateshead Jewish Primary School, Tyne and Wear, were sent home as bomb disposal experts cordoned off the road and cleared residents from nearby houses.
@rosschawkins: There's an expectation in diplomat circles the French Syria resolution will pass at UN Security Council tonight - Syria debate about to move
@rosschawkins: AP reports French resolution states: "eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria.''
@rosschawkins: If UN resolution passes q for Corbyn: whip the vote and likely see front bench resignations, or back down on whipping?
A quick calculation implies that reducing child tax credits for child 3 in families, combined with complete abolition of awards for fourth and subsequent children would get Osborne home without making any changes to tapers and earnings thresholds whilst giving 100% protection of awards for the first two children on any tax credit claim.
Really?
Child benefit costs us approx 13bn a year. In the latest year we have statistics, 9.5% of children born (in 2013) were fourth or later.
So, across the entire cohort of kids (0-18), probably 6% are fourth or later. Of course, first child (of which there are the most) gets almost twice as much. So, if we assume 10% of kids are third, and cut their allowance by half, and eliminate it for the 6% or so that are fourth or later, then we reduce the total child benefit bill by approximately 1.75bn.
Meanwhile it's all going swimmingly for Hunt; NHS trusts are now £1.6 billion in the red. They could sack agency nurses but then wouldn't meet safe staffing levels. And why do we need agency nurses? Because we don't train enough and Hunt and Lansley have severely pissed off those we do have that recruitment is difficult.
That is trusts own fault. Health spending has gone up, its ring fenced and in 2010 Brown said that after all the money he had sprayed at it the NHS now had enough money and could undertake a 20bn efficiency drive. The Govt have already taken on board the Welcome Trusts analysis and promised and additional 8bn on top of its last budget figures.
Perhaps it just suits the interests of those arguing for ever more state spending to ignore the fact that as a Nation the UK is skint and for Osborne's supporters to ignore the fact that as a chancellor he is doing such a dreadful job.
It was raised a bit earlier, to be sure. The public won't accept the sort of action apparently required it get it under control, and Osborne can have no excuse for such a pathetic job - having staked his reputation on eliminating borrowing (in 10 years rather than 5 even), even if someone believes meeting that target is not important, or that it cannot be done without too much pain right now, has to say, if those figures are as bad as they appear, that he has utterly failed. People let him off not meeting his target in 5 years, but if after 10 years of cutting he still hasn't? Even with a crap opposition I don't see how he personally could live that down.
I was at a presentation by CEBR last week. Their forecast is for the deficit still to be £20bn by 2020 and that the political obstacles are "too high" for it to be eliminated.
It amazed me at the last GE that Labour didn't make more of Osborne's failure to meet his 5 year target, escpailly as the 50% reduction he achieved was exactly what Labour proposed in 2010.
Meanwhile it's all going swimmingly for Hunt; NHS trusts are now £1.6 billion in the red. They could sack agency nurses but then wouldn't meet safe staffing levels. And why do we need agency nurses? Because we don't train enough and Hunt and Lansley have severely pissed off those we do have that recruitment is difficult.
That is trusts own fault. Health spending has gone up, its ring fenced and in 2010 Brown said that after all the money he had sprayed at it the NHS now had enough money and could undertake a 20bn efficiency drive. The Govt have already taken on board the Welcome Trusts analysis and promised and additional 8bn on top of its last budget figures.
What's the betting they'd have found those efficiencies with barely a peep?
Perhaps it just suits the interests of those arguing for ever more state spending to ignore the fact that as a Nation the UK is skint and for Osborne's supporters to ignore the fact that as a chancellor he is doing such a dreadful job.
It was raised a bit earlier, to be sure. The public won't accept the sort of action apparently required it get it under control, and Osborne can have no excuse for such a pathetic job - having staked his reputation on eliminating borrowing (in 10 years rather than 5 even), even if someone believes meeting that target is not important, or that it cannot be done without too much pain right now, has to say, if those figures are as bad as they appear, that he has utterly failed. People let him off not meeting his target in 5 years, but if after 10 years of cutting he still hasn't? Even with a crap opposition I don't see how he personally could live that down.
I was at a presentation by CEBR last week. Their forecast is for the deficit still to be £20bn by 2020 and that the political obstacles are "too high" for it to be eliminated.
It amazed me at the last GE that Labour didn't make more of Osborne's failure to meet his 5 year target, escpailly as the 50% reduction he achieved was exactly what Labour proposed in 2010.
Meanwhile it's all going swimmingly for Hunt; NHS trusts are now £1.6 billion in the red. They could sack agency nurses but then wouldn't meet safe staffing levels. And why do we need agency nurses? Because we don't train enough and Hunt and Lansley have severely pissed off those we do have that recruitment is difficult.
That is trusts own fault. Health spending has gone up, its ring fenced and in 2010 Brown said that after all the money he had sprayed at it the NHS now had enough money and could undertake a 20bn efficiency drive. The Govt have already taken on board the Welcome Trusts analysis and promised and additional 8bn on top of its last budget figures.
The brutal truth is that most hospital management are inadequate. How they gets fixed in a socialist empire is probably an impossible challenge.
Perhaps it just suits the interests of those arguing for ever more state spending to ignore the fact that as a Nation the UK is skint and for Osborne's supporters to ignore the fact that as a chancellor he is doing such a dreadful job.
It was raised a bit earlier, to be sure. The public won't accept the sort of action apparently required it get it under control, and Osborne can have no excuse for such a pathetic job - having staked his reputation on eliminating borrowing (in 10 years rather than 5 even), even if someone believes meeting that target is not important, or that it cannot be done without too much pain right now, has to say, if those figures are as bad as they appear, that he has utterly failed. People let him off not meeting his target in 5 years, but if after 10 years of cutting he still hasn't? Even with a crap opposition I don't see how he personally could live that down.
I was at a presentation by CEBR last week. Their forecast is for the deficit still to be £20bn by 2020 and that the political obstacles are "too high" for it to be eliminated.
It amazed me at the last GE that Labour didn't make more of Osborne's failure to meet his 5 year target, escpailly as the 50% reduction he achieved was exactly what Labour proposed in 2010.
You can if the cuts didn't achieve their aim. If I'd missed my primary target by 50% in my job, I'd have long since been shown the door.
Perhaps it just suits the interests of those arguing for ever more state spending to ignore the fact that as a Nation the UK is skint and for Osborne's supporters to ignore the fact that as a chancellor he is doing such a dreadful job.
It was raised a bit earlier, to be sure. The public won't accept the sort of action apparently required it get it under control, and Osborne can have no excuse for such a pathetic job - having staked his reputation on eliminating borrowing (in 10 years rather than 5 even), even if someone believes meeting that target is not important, or that it cannot be done without too much pain right now, has to say, if those figures are as bad as they appear, that he has utterly failed. People let him off not meeting his target in 5 years, but if after 10 years of cutting he still hasn't? Even with a crap opposition I don't see how he personally could live that down.
I was at a presentation by CEBR last week. Their forecast is for the deficit still to be £20bn by 2020 and that the political obstacles are "too high" for it to be eliminated.
It amazed me at the last GE that Labour didn't make more of Osborne's failure to meet his 5 year target, escpailly as the 50% reduction he achieved was exactly what Labour proposed in 2010.
A Malian security ministry spokesman has said that Malian special forces are still trying to dislodge Islamist gunmen from the upper floors of the hotel in Bamako.
Perhaps it just suits the interests of those arguing for ever more state spending to ignore the fact that as a Nation the UK is skint and for Osborne's supporters to ignore the fact that as a chancellor he is doing such a dreadful job.
It was raised a bit earlier, to be sure. The public won't accept the sort of action apparently required it get it under control, and Osborne can have no excuse for such a pathetic job - having staked his reputation on eliminating borrowing (in 10 years rather than 5 even), even if someone believes meeting that target is not important, or that it cannot be done without too much pain right now, has to say, if those figures are as bad as they appear, that he has utterly failed. People let him off not meeting his target in 5 years, but if after 10 years of cutting he still hasn't? Even with a crap opposition I don't see how he personally could live that down.
I was at a presentation by CEBR last week. Their forecast is for the deficit still to be £20bn by 2020 and that the political obstacles are "too high" for it to be eliminated.
It amazed me at the last GE that Labour didn't make more of Osborne's failure to meet his 5 year target, escpailly as the 50% reduction he achieved was exactly what Labour proposed in 2010.
You are not comparing like with like and need to study the facts, not least relating to the structural deficit. Monthly borrowing figures are subject to peculiar fluctuations. The collapse in oil price and thus revenues will be one thing affecting revenues, ask the SNP.
Comments
Even in the more 'diverse' areas???
A few very glum Pakistani faces here in the bar - even a couple of them getting a drink!
On the subject of emergency service cuts in general, I think we're close to the edge in Leicestershire. There really is a serious lack of police during peak times. If we request a police presence for traffic management or because we believe a crime has been committed- say a car fire appears deliberate, or that some onlookers at an incident are getting a bit rowdy, we struggle to get to get one, because there just aren't enough police available.
LFRS are going through a consultation of cuts at the moment, and even the senior management are admitting that the public will notice a difference in our response to them.
It's an old cliché, but cuts will cost lives. The people of Leicestershire have been badly served over many years by local government and by senior management in their emergency services, and now they will be paying the price.
What else and why else would he say that?
(2.18pm)
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151104/debtext/151104-0002.htm
http://www.ncpolitics.uk/2015/11/where-the-polls-went-wrong.html/
Because these cuts will pale into petty insignificance if another recession hits while the deficit isn't under control and with debt at current levels.
Appears to want a strike
"Enemy within"
I still think they'll win in Oldham, albeit narrowly, but the message they've had drilled into activists for decades is redundant.
I am not having a dig at you with those questions, Mr. Stopper. I merely suspect that like the Plod (and the MoD and probably the ambulance service too) the admin tail has long been and still is wagging the operational dog and nobody at the top of any of the services has a clue what to do about it (or even, I suspect, that something needs to be done).
That said, I have no idea what Labour can say on the doorsteps right now.
Look, you're preaching to the converted, mate, operational is always the poor relation in any public sector organisation, and I can't see that changing anytime soon.
Alas, it seems an unlikely prospect.
Last night Burnham came out with an astonishing 'now never mind what Jeremy Corbyn says, here's what I think'.
But then decided I was not surprised.
Labour's mad descent into irrelevance continues apace.
Regrettable that we are now in 2015
'Are you there, Margaret? Have you got a message for us Margaret?'
@ComResPolls: Latest @ITVNews poll- proposed changes to tax credits are:
Fair 31%
Unfair 51%
Necessary 39%
Unnecessary 43%
http://www.comres.co.uk/polls/itv-news-tax-credits-survey/ …
'In an interview with the BBC, Mr Hunt said : "We don't rule that (Acas) out at some stage, but this process has already had independent mediation right from the start.
"We went to the Independent Pay Review Body, they came up with their proposals, we accepted their proposals and they are the basis of what we are proposing should change."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-3324959/BMA-set-confirm-strike-junior-doctors.html
44% think that the changes represent a broken election promise by the Conservatives, while 33% think the changes are the Conservatives carrying out the welfare reform they said they would.
Surely some mistake
Reports of at least 18 dead...
England's win over Pakistan in third ODI being investigated for corruption unit after suspicious betting patterns emerge
England beat Pakistan in the third ODI in Sharjah by six wickets
ICC investigating the match after suspicious betting patterns emerged
Officers were warned about potential corruption before series began
http://dailym.ai/1O7DvmY
https://t.co/xCdAraOUoZ https://t.co/cJ0ddi3cG4
Equally more support for cutting child tax credits than working tax credits.
It's all about language and public understanding.
Income Support and Child Benefit disguised as though they are working tax credits.
Also, cutting tax credits is rated at +2 as good for the economy.
Edited extra bit: apologies, slightly misread the line. The gunmen reportedly no longer have hostages, which may mean the same thing, or may have an altogether grimmer meaning.
Objections: Wales, Scotland, London, NE, NW.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Nov-20/323928-lebanon-airspace-to-close-for-3-days-due-to-russian-military-drills-starting-midnight-airport.ashx
for "military drills" over the Med...
Where do they turn when immigrants choose other parties?
His widow, Jennifer Homans, has recently published a book of his essays.
His analysis of the French Left particularly in the 1930's and in the post-war period is superb and very on point re the times we live in now. Understand what happened to them then, in relation to both Nazism and Communism, and the cul de sac into which the left has wandered into now with Islamism is no surprise and a depressing re-enactment. The only surprise is that we are surprised.
Lebanon refuses Russian request to close airspace.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/12007197/Autumn-Statement-2015-George-Osborne-dealt-a-blow-by-terrible-borrowing-figures.html
Perhaps it just suits the interests of those arguing for ever more state spending to ignore the fact that as a Nation the UK is skint and for Osborne's supporters to ignore the fact that as a chancellor he is doing such a dreadful job.
So we flew over Turkey & Iran.......
The enormo-haddock should, of course, be sent into Downing Street, there to beat some sense into Cameron and his sidekick.
The 12 month rolling deficit is £70.4bn. That's £27bn lower than the figure ONS reported at the same time last year, and within £1bn of the year end expectation.
Debt interest is about £50bn.
George Eaton
Corbyn has best net satisfaction rating of any leader in new @IpsosMORI poll. (Via @MSmithsonPB.)
Ben Page, Ipsos MORI @benatipsosmori 8m8 minutes ago
@georgeeaton @IpsosMORI @MSmithsonPB and by historic standards one of the worst for a new leader
@rosschawkins: AP reports French resolution states: "eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria.''
@rosschawkins: If UN resolution passes q for Corbyn: whip the vote and likely see front bench resignations, or back down on whipping?
http://sputniknews.com/videoclub/20151120/1030471556/for-us-for-paris-russian-airstrikes-isil-syria.html
Child benefit costs us approx 13bn a year. In the latest year we have statistics, 9.5% of children born (in 2013) were fourth or later.
So, across the entire cohort of kids (0-18), probably 6% are fourth or later. Of course, first child (of which there are the most) gets almost twice as much. So, if we assume 10% of kids are third, and cut their allowance by half, and eliminate it for the 6% or so that are fourth or later, then we reduce the total child benefit bill by approximately 1.75bn.
Which would be good, and is to be applauded.
But it barely touches our annual budget deficit.
The Govt have already taken on board the Welcome Trusts analysis and promised and additional 8bn on top of its last budget figures.
It amazed me at the last GE that Labour didn't make more of Osborne's failure to meet his 5 year target, escpailly as the 50% reduction he achieved was exactly what Labour proposed in 2010.
You can't complain about not reducing it enough, whilst bitching about cuts.
Osborne has halved the deficit so far. I'm sick of handwringers complaining that too much has been cut and that cuts aren't enough, it's laughable.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CURaEQ3WUAAIrfH.jpg
90% recall of any event is off the scale.
Monthly borrowing figures are subject to peculiar fluctuations. The collapse in oil price and thus revenues will be one thing affecting revenues, ask the SNP.