If Corbyn won both seats why would he step down any time soon? Of course the latest approval rating polling still shows May with a clear lead over Starmer too and if anything the most likely replacement for Corbyn at the moment is his ideological soulmate John McDonnell
No one really knows who Starmer is though, and McDonnell would struggle to get nominated.
The only way McDonnell - or anyone from the far left - will become Labour leader is if the nomination thresholds are changed by conference. A vote is due this year. If the plan is rejected, as is likely, then Corbyn will be the last far left leader Labour ever has.
Over 40 MPs backed Corbyn when he was challenged last September
No, they didn't, They just did not back a leadership contest.
Given a clear majority of their colleagues backed a leadership contest and Owen Smith it showed a fair number of MPs were willing to keep the Corbyn flame alive
You'll all understand that if I weren't crying, I'd be laughing. Loudly.
It must be very difficult for you when your friends and/or colleagues are involved.
Yes, seriously, I have known David Hodge well for many years and he is a thoroughly good egg.
Look on the bright side, your colleague probably helped keep Corbyn as leader, imagine if he had had a bad PMQs with all of these stories swirling around.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Dreadful interview, she clearly has no idea how the EU customs union functions and the constraints it imposes on members. Hope she’s kept far away from the negotiating team.
Dreadful interview, she clearly has no idea how the EU customs union functions and the constraints it imposes on members. Hope she’s kept far away from the negotiating team.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
You'll all understand that if I weren't crying, I'd be laughing. Loudly.
It must be very difficult for you when your friends and/or colleagues are involved.
Yes, seriously, I have known David Hodge well for many years and he is a thoroughly good egg.
Look on the bright side, your colleague probably helped keep Corbyn as leader, imagine if he had had a bad PMQs with all of these stories swirling around.
Raise a glass to Labour Councillor Nick Forbes, who in passing on those texts thought he was delivering his Party a great coup, when all he was doing was embedding Corbyn in the job a while longer. Heh...
If Corbyn won both seats why would he step down any time soon? Of course the latest approval rating polling still shows May with a clear lead over Starmer too and if anything the most likely replacement for Corbyn at the moment is his ideological soulmate John McDonnell
No one really knows who Starmer is though, and McDonnell would struggle to get nominated.
The only way McDonnell - or anyone from the far left - will become Labour leader is if the nomination thresholds are changed by conference. A vote is due this year. If the plan is rejected, as is likely, then Corbyn will be the last far left leader Labour ever has.
Over 40 MPs backed Corbyn when he was challenged last September
No, they didn't, They just did not back a leadership contest.
Given a clear majority of their colleagues backed a leadership contest and Owen Smith it showed a fair number of MPs were willing to keep the Corbyn flame alive
Or that they knew he would win and were thinking of their careers.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Dreadful interview, she clearly has no idea how the EU customs union functions and the constraints it imposes on members. Hope she’s kept far away from the negotiating team.
It's not like she's shadow chief secretary to the treasury, or any important role that needs to understand these things in the context of the wider EU/UK discussions and future relationship.
Never mind the Tandridge Texts, when will we get to see the Nissan Note?
Nissan will simply have been told that remaining in a customs union for cars (with free trade in goods) was a HMG objective, and HMG would help with repatriation of any of the supply chain to the UK needed.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
Government could really be in trouble if there's substance to these Surrey texts - huge scandal if there's clear evidence of additional funding due to being a Tory council.
As for Long-Bailey, looks like Corbyn in a dress to me. The interviews I've seen of her make her look badly out of her depth. She's only been an MP for 18 months I think - very unfair to force her into such a complicated role rather than getting good experience as an MP first. They could do a lot worse than Harriet Harman though.
Long experience in the HoC hasn't done Corbyn much good
A matter of perspective. He's only become leader, transformed the membership, appointed acolytes across the whole party and NEC and made socialism great again! Of course it's all rather different outside looking in.
Helen Lewis So the NS sent a reporter to Stoke to cover the by-election. We were told - like other outlets - we couldn't speak to the Labour candidate.
Hang on, we're talking about *this* Rebecca Long-Bailey? ttps://youtube.com/watch?v=nGyIAqr9zBs
Dreadful interview, she clearly has no idea how the EU customs union functions and the constraints it imposes on members. Hope she’s kept far away from the negotiating team.
It's not like she's shadow chief secretary to the treasury, or any important role that needs to understand these things in the context of the wider EU/UK discussions and future relationship. Oh.
She’s new and inexperienced, however if she’s going to be thrown in at the deep end to argue Labour’s red lines with Andrew Neil, she’d better brush up on the basics in future. Not Labour leadership material, yet imo.
Helen Lewis So the NS sent a reporter to Stoke to cover the by-election. We were told - like other outlets - we couldn't speak to the Labour candidate.
I remember John Harris on the 2015 election trail getting the same treatment where ever he went.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
Paul Kirkby 'Goldman Sachs has replaced 6OO traders with 200 computer engineers. Engineers now 1/3 of the Goldman's workforce' https://t.co/emTKHjo2Uu
That's what happens when you lose so many people to the White House, I guess.
Kudos to Trump, he was right, when he said if Hillary won, Goldman Sachs would be running the government.
He was right on both counts.
The French regulator has been hiring engineers to work in its enforcement division for a number of years now. You have been warned.
I've been speaking to a few people both in the legal and financial services industry, plus accountants too, it is striking how many engineering graduates are looking to work in these fields.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
Your bright side is not the same as my bright side......
Paul Kirkby 'Goldman Sachs has replaced 6OO traders with 200 computer engineers. Engineers now 1/3 of the Goldman's workforce' https://t.co/emTKHjo2Uu
That's what happens when you lose so many people to the White House, I guess.
Kudos to Trump, he was right, when he said if Hillary won, Goldman Sachs would be running the government.
He was right on both counts.
The French regulator has been hiring engineers to work in its enforcement division for a number of years now. You have been warned.
I've been speaking to a few people both in the legal and financial services industry, plus accountants too, it is striking how many engineering graduates are looking to work in these fields.
Some engineering graduates would prefer to maximise their income than have an interesting job.
Labour might be over-egging Surreygate. Nothing in those texts indicates that Surrey are getting some special deal.
Indeed and my guess is that officials were unofficially exploring options for the budget (only a few weeks away on March 8th) concerning additional funding nationally for adult social care and informally testing how these would address Surrey's shortfall, which for demographic reasons, has genuinely been clobbered by the current formula. For example, the council gets virtually nothing from the much trumpeted Better Care Fund.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. Idiots.
I know. Watching the penny slowly drop when they're caught is one of the joys of my job, evil witch that I am!
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. Idiots.
That's why regulatory training to new staff/when the regs changes always begins with
'Be aware of the rules, regs, and laws, I'm fairly convinced you will not do well in prison'
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. Idiots.
I know. Watching the penny slowly drop when they're caught is one of the joys of my job, evil witch that I am!
Known for yonks what you 'do', but never pictured you as a Miss Marple with an evil streak.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. Idiots.
That's why regulatory training to new staff/when the regs changes always begins with
'Be aware of the rules, regs, and laws, I'm fairly convinced you will not do well in prison'
Unfortunately, not enough people go to prison for that threat to work. The chances of being caught and going to prison are still not high enough.
When I do the training on proper use of communications I'm rather blunter.
I show them some examples. Then while they're reeling from the awfulness of what's up on the screen I say:
"You're not Shakespeare.
99% of what's in your head is not worth making public.
And most of the rest is not worth writing down."
A few years ago with one group of traders who had put down on chat in the most mind-boggling minutiae details of their sex lives, I told them - and bear in mind that I am probably old enough to be their mother - "Guys, if you want to discuss your sex lives, do it orally, eh".
I still get people coming up to me now who remember that. One cannot be too subtle or polite. Traders are like toddlers, only with hairier bottoms.
Indeed and my guess is that officials were unofficially exploring options for the budget (only a few weeks away on March 8th) concerning additional funding nationally for adult social care and informally testing how these would address Surrey's shortfall, which for demographic reasons, has genuinely been clobbered by the current formula. For example, the council gets virtually nothing from the much trumpeted Better Care Fund.
To be fair, John, yesterday looked and sounded shambolic. I'm not suggesting a "memorandum of understanding" as such but I will be astonished if Hammond, in his Budget, doesn't find some money from down the back of the sofa to meet the additional adult social care costs for Surrey and indeed other authorities.
If he doesn't, Hodge will face a difficult campaign having to argue for £x million cuts without having so far said where such cuts will be made.
I do think Hodge is done as Leader and I suspect he will be replaced after the May elections.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
Yeah it's amazing what people think we can get away with. One sales guy sent a spreadsheet of customer details from his work email to a competitor's work email and was surprised to find himself in the police station. Funniest was probably the opposite of your story, a pretty young Russian PA who was running what we shall euphemistically call a high end personal services company on her work mobile!
Labour might be over-egging Surreygate. Nothing in those texts indicates that Surrey are getting some special deal.
Indeed and my guess is that officials were unofficially exploring options for the budget (only a few weeks away on March 8th) concerning additional funding nationally for adult social care and informally testing how these would address Surrey's shortfall, which for demographic reasons, has genuinely been clobbered by the current formula. For example, the council gets virtually nothing from the much trumpeted Better Care Fund.
Its a difficult situation, and Hodge looks like he is trying his best. Little twerps like Guido sticking their oar in really don't help the very difficult issue of adult and social care. Is he seriously suggesting that people shouldn't try and work together on this ?
Like you and Richard I see no issue with these text messages.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. Idiots.
I know. Watching the penny slowly drop when they're caught is one of the joys of my job, evil witch that I am!
Known for yonks what you 'do', but never pictured you as a Miss Marple with an evil streak.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
Catching the IT people at it (if they are any good) that's slightly harder
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
Yeah it's amazing what people think we can get away with. One sales guy sent a spreadsheet of customer details from his work email to a competitor's work email and was surprised to find himself in the police station. Funniest was probably the opposite of your story, a pretty young Russian PA who was running what we shall euphemistically call a high end personal services company on her work mobile!
I had something similar but even more mind-boggling. One for a PB drinks do.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
Catching the IT people at it (if they are any good) that's slightly harder
Mostly that's because we know how the monitoring technology works and how to avoid triggering it.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Indeed and my guess is that officials were unofficially exploring options for the budget (only a few weeks away on March 8th) concerning additional funding nationally for adult social care and informally testing how these would address Surrey's shortfall, which for demographic reasons, has genuinely been clobbered by the current formula. For example, the council gets virtually nothing from the much trumpeted Better Care Fund.
To be fair, John, yesterday looked and sounded shambolic. I'm not suggesting a "memorandum of understanding" as such but I will be astonished if Hammond, in his Budget, doesn't find some money from down the back of the sofa to meet the additional adult social care costs for Surrey and indeed other authorities.
If he doesn't, Hodge will face a difficult campaign having to argue for £x million cuts without having so far said where such cuts will be made.
I do think Hodge is done as Leader and I suspect he will be replaced after the May elections.
Stodge, my occasional drinking pal from pb drinks (when's the next one btw), from my neutral and objective vantage, the only shambolic and faintly tawdry aspect of yesterday's proceedings was the casual opportunism of Hazel Watson, the LibDem leader, who having denounced the 15% proposal then proceeded to oppose the 4.99% option. Having lambasted the Tories for lack of consultation, she then refused to nominate any LibDems to the cross party group charged with identifying savings and efficiency improvements. All without providing an alternative.
Also disagree with you about David. He will be safe and will have my full support should I be successful on May 4th.
However, the Council must reverse the 2014 egregious and indefensible increases in Councillor allowances.
Labour might be over-egging Surreygate. Nothing in those texts indicates that Surrey are getting some special deal.
Indeed and my guess is that officials were unofficially exploring options for the budget (only a few weeks away on March 8th) concerning additional funding nationally for adult social care and informally testing how these would address Surrey's shortfall, which for demographic reasons, has genuinely been clobbered by the current formula. For example, the council gets virtually nothing from the much trumpeted Better Care Fund.
Its a difficult situation, and Hodge looks like he is trying his best. Little twerps like Guido sticking their oar in really don't help the very difficult issue of adult and social care. Is he seriously suggesting that people shouldn't try and work together on this ?
Like you and Richard I see no issue with these text messages.
Probably true, but the whole referendum thing has been a fiasco. Now everyone thinks Surrey has got a special deal and our CT is going up 4.99%.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
Yeah it's amazing what people think we can get away with. One sales guy sent a spreadsheet of customer details from his work email to a competitor's work email and was surprised to find himself in the police station. Funniest was probably the opposite of your story, a pretty young Russian PA who was running what we shall euphemistically call a high end personal services company on her work mobile!
I had something similar but even more mind-boggling. One for a PB drinks do.
When I was working for a company, we were involved in litigation with a building company, over several million pounds of building works.
The Director who was in charge of building works sent an e-mail to this building company from his company computer saying how much he admired them and asking them if they'd like to employ him. Not illegal, just very, very thick.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
Catching the IT people at it (if they are any good) that's slightly harder
Mostly that's because we know how the monitoring technology works and how to avoid triggering it.
A few years ago I was slightly surprised to catch a group of devs running an interesting line of "under desk hosting" with a directional wifi antenna pointing out the office window to a similar piece of equipment situated in the apartment one of them was renting just down the road. These days with Pi's of course it can be "in your desk drawer hosting".
A few years ago I was slightly surprised to catch a group of devs running an interesting line of "under desk hosting" with a directional wifi antenna pointing out the office window to a similar piece of equipment situated in the apartment one of them was renting just down the road. These days with Pi's of course it can be "in your desk drawer hosting".
The very first day we installed wifi in the office, we found a rogue access point under a desk. That was a fun conversation
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
Yeah it's amazing what people think we can get away with. One sales guy sent a spreadsheet of customer details from his work email to a competitor's work email and was surprised to find himself in the police station. Funniest was probably the opposite of your story, a pretty young Russian PA who was running what we shall euphemistically call a high end personal services company on her work mobile!
I had something similar but even more mind-boggling. One for a PB drinks do.
When I was working for a company, we were involved in litigation with a building company, over several million pounds of building works.
The Director who was in charge of building works sent an e-mail to this building company from his company computer saying how much he admired them and asking them if they'd like to employ him. Not illegal, just very, very thick.
That's a good one. There was likely an agreement between the two companies not to poach staff (it's usually in any big contract but no-one notices it) and he somehow thought that emails to and from a company involved in active litigation wouldn't get noticed.
Not illegal, but worthy of a P45 I would have thought.
Labour might be over-egging Surreygate. Nothing in those texts indicates that Surrey are getting some special deal.
Indeed and my guess is that officials were unofficially exploring options for the budget (only a few weeks away on March 8th) concerning additional funding nationally for adult social care and informally testing how these would address Surrey's shortfall, which for demographic reasons, has genuinely been clobbered by the current formula. For example, the council gets virtually nothing from the much trumpeted Better Care Fund.
Its a difficult situation, and Hodge looks like he is trying his best. Little twerps like Guido sticking their oar in really don't help the very difficult issue of adult and social care. Is he seriously suggesting that people shouldn't try and work together on this ?
Like you and Richard I see no issue with these text messages.
Probably true, but the whole referendum thing has been a fiasco. Now everyone thinks Surrey has got a special deal and our CT is going up 4.99%.
I doubt only your CT will be going up, even when there are freezes - thats only for certain precepts etc...
The whole issue needs some joined up thinking from everyone, local gov't; national its bigger than one party or council.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Not necessarily! A 10% lead would imply a GB swing of 1.7% which would be enough to take 14 seats from Labour on a uniform swing. However, most of those Labour MPs would enjoy first term incumbency and could well survive in the same way that Tory MPs in Con/Lab marginals did in 2015.The other point is that the headline GB lead probably flatters the Tories in England & Wales because of their strong recovery in Scotland. A 1.7% swing across GB might mean a swing outside Scotland of barely 1%.
People should not be using txt messages to discuss such things, surely? Bizarre.
Well quite.
Nowadays they should be setting up dedicated whatsapp groups.
In all seriousness, the increasing tendency to commit random thoughts to writing in all sorts of discoverable media is hugely frustrating. I guess your ability as a lawyer to cite client confidentiality takes the edge of it a bit for you personally, but the knowledge that in tense adversarial situations that you can be ambushed by a random text one of your idiot employees sent to a third party (or even another employee) - one can always disown it, but it's still sat there in writing - adds a wholly unwelcome extra dimension of uncertainty.
Look on the bright side. It's absolutely bloody marvelous for us investigators!
It's great isn't it? Wait a couple of years until the graduates who have been on social media since they were in short trousers come into the workplace and it will be even better.
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
We had someone harassing his ex via his work mobile who was like that.
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
Catching the IT people at it (if they are any good) that's slightly harder
Mostly that's because we know how the monitoring technology works and how to avoid triggering it.
A few years ago I was slightly surprised to catch a group of devs running an interesting line of "under desk hosting" with a directional wifi antenna pointing out the office window to a similar piece of equipment situated in the apartment one of them was renting just down the road. These days with Pi's of course it can be "in your desk drawer hosting".
Yeah, the IT guys can be sneaky with stuff like that. Friend of mine found a couple of bitcoin miners hiding at the back of the server room, 3 13A plugs going into each one!
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Not necessarily! A 10% lead would imply a GB swing of 1.7% which would be enough to take 14 seats from Labour on a uniform swing. However, most of those Labour MPs would enjoy first term incumbency and could well survive in the same way that Tory MPs in Con/Lab marginals did in 2015.The other point is that the headline GB lead probably flatters the Tories in England & Wales because of their strong recovery in Scotland. A 1.7% swing across GB might mean a swing outside Scotland of barely 1%.
The swing isn't uniform though, Labour are retaining more of their vote in the university cities etc.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Not necessarily! A 10% lead would imply a GB swing of 1.7% which would be enough to take 14 seats from Labour on a uniform swing. However, most of those Labour MPs would enjoy first term incumbency and could well survive in the same way that Tory MPs in Con/Lab marginals did in 2015.The other point is that the headline GB lead probably flatters the Tories in England & Wales because of their strong recovery in Scotland. A 1.7% swing across GB might mean a swing outside Scotland of barely 1%.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
There is also the matter of the new boundaries to remember.
Paul Kirkby 'Goldman Sachs has replaced 6OO traders with 200 computer engineers. Engineers now 1/3 of the Goldman's workforce' https://t.co/emTKHjo2Uu
That's what happens when you lose so many people to the White House, I guess.
Kudos to Trump, he was right, when he said if Hillary won, Goldman Sachs would be running the government.
He was right on both counts.
The French regulator has been hiring engineers to work in its enforcement division for a number of years now. You have been warned.
I've been speaking to a few people both in the legal and financial services industry, plus accountants too, it is striking how many engineering graduates are looking to work in these fields.
I find that very worrying. The UK is already desperately short of engineers of all types and I remember reading a little while ago that some ridiculous percentage of those that we do have are due to retire over the next decade. Given that the future economic well-being of this country depends on innovation and big improvements in productivity, losing engineering graduates to other professions is not going to be helpful.
One can understand the reasons behind the graduate's decisions (they will have seen friends from uni going into to comparatively very high paying jobs) but it is not good for the Country. Just another twist in the UK's spiral of decline that has been going on for a couple of centuries. Here manipulating money is seen as more important, and so better rewarded, than actually creating the stuff. Contrast the status of engineers here with, say, Germany.
Dreadful interview, she clearly has no idea how the EU customs union functions and the constraints it imposes on members. Hope she’s kept far away from the negotiating team.
This? This is Labour's great hope?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I have it on very good authority that the Rebecca Long-Bailey rumour is total and utter rubbish. A Labour staffer with a well developed sense of humour briefed it last week for reasons known only to themselves. Rebecca backers have been warned!
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Not necessarily! A 10% lead would imply a GB swing of 1.7% which would be enough to take 14 seats from Labour on a uniform swing. However, most of those Labour MPs would enjoy first term incumbency and could well survive in the same way that Tory MPs in Con/Lab marginals did in 2015.The other point is that the headline GB lead probably flatters the Tories in England & Wales because of their strong recovery in Scotland. A 1.7% swing across GB might mean a swing outside Scotland of barely 1%.
The swing isn't uniform though, Labour are retaining more of their vote in the university cities etc.
Maybe so - but several of the polls are suggesting little swing in England and in most Labour marginals the sitting MP can reasonably expect an incumbency bonus.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
There is also the matter of the new boundaries to remember.
Which will not be implemented before the end of 2018 - if at all.
Stodge, my occasional drinking pal from pb drinks (when's the next one btw), from my neutral and objective vantage, the only shambolic and faintly tawdry aspect of yesterday's proceedings was the casual opportunism of Hazel Watson, the LibDem leader, who having denounced the 15% proposal then proceeded to oppose the 4.99% option. Having lambasted the Tories for lack of consultation, she then refused to nominate any LibDems to the cross party group charged with identifying savings and efficiency improvements. All without providing an alternative.
Also disagree with you about David. He will be safe and will have my full support should I be successful on May 4th.
However, the Council must reverse the 2014 egregious and indefensible increases in Councillor allowances.
We are at one about Hammond and the budget.
Not sure about "neutral and objective" entirely. I'm not sure what to make of Hazel Watson's actions - sometimes an Opposition just has to oppose. Perhaps she is of the view the County Council should be releasing some of its £136 million of investment property to assist with the funding shortfall rather than cut services or impose compulsory redundancies.
I respect your public support for David Hodge - let's see what the elections bring and see if anyone in the Conservative Group takes a different view in private.
As to whether the Government will have been entirely enamoured of Hodge's actions, that remains to be seen. He may well get something of what he wants in the short term but there will be a price for him to pay and I imagine some of his fellow Surrey MPs won't have been too impressed by recent events.
I wouldn't be surprised if the quid pro quo for the extra funding was for Hodge to quietly step down after the election receiving fulsome tributes and then the Group choosing a new leader - Claire Curran perhaps ?
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Not necessarily! A 10% lead would imply a GB swing of 1.7% which would be enough to take 14 seats from Labour on a uniform swing. However, most of those Labour MPs would enjoy first term incumbency and could well survive in the same way that Tory MPs in Con/Lab marginals did in 2015.The other point is that the headline GB lead probably flatters the Tories in England & Wales because of their strong recovery in Scotland. A 1.7% swing across GB might mean a swing outside Scotland of barely 1%.
The swing isn't uniform though, Labour are retaining more of their vote in the university cities etc.
Maybe so - but several of the polls are suggesting little swing in England and in most Labour marginals the sitting MP can reasonably expect an incumbency bonus.
Given Scotland was already at a low ebb in 2015, are your suggesting Labour will get hammered in Wales?
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Not necessarily! A 10% lead would imply a GB swing of 1.7% which would be enough to take 14 seats from Labour on a uniform swing. However, most of those Labour MPs would enjoy first term incumbency and could well survive in the same way that Tory MPs in Con/Lab marginals did in 2015.The other point is that the headline GB lead probably flatters the Tories in England & Wales because of their strong recovery in Scotland. A 1.7% swing across GB might mean a swing outside Scotland of barely 1%.
Well, there can always be odd results, but an 11% lead gave the Conservatives 375 seats in 1987, and Labour are very vulnerable in blue collar seats where the Conservatives are close challengers.
Stodge, my occasional drinking pal from pb drinks (when's the next one btw), from my neutral and objective vantage, the only shambolic and faintly tawdry aspect of yesterday's proceedings was the casual opportunism of Hazel Watson, the LibDem leader, who having denounced the 15% proposal then proceeded to oppose the 4.99% option. Having lambasted the Tories for lack of consultation, she then refused to nominate any LibDems to the cross party group charged with identifying savings and efficiency improvements. All without providing an alternative.
Also disagree with you about David. He will be safe and will have my full support should I be successful on May 4th.
However, the Council must reverse the 2014 egregious and indefensible increases in Councillor allowances.
We are at one about Hammond and the budget.
Not sure about "neutral and objective" entirely. I'm not sure what to make of Hazel Watson's actions - sometimes an Opposition just has to oppose. Perhaps she is of the view the County Council should be releasing some of its £136 million of investment property to assist with the funding shortfall rather than cut services or impose compulsory redundancies.
I respect your public support for David Hodge - let's see what the elections bring and see if anyone in the Conservative Group takes a different view in private.
As to whether the Government will have been entirely enamoured of Hodge's actions, that remains to be seen. He may well get something of what he wants in the short term but there will be a price for him to pay and I imagine some of his fellow Surrey MPs won't have been too impressed by recent events.
I wouldn't be surprised if the quid pro quo for the extra funding was for Hodge to quietly step down after the election receiving fulsome tributes and then the Group choosing a new leader - Claire Curran perhaps ?
Could some of that investment property be used for care ?
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Not necessarily! A 10% lead would imply a GB swing of 1.7% which would be enough to take 14 seats from Labour on a uniform swing. However, most of those Labour MPs would enjoy first term incumbency and could well survive in the same way that Tory MPs in Con/Lab marginals did in 2015.The other point is that the headline GB lead probably flatters the Tories in England & Wales because of their strong recovery in Scotland. A 1.7% swing across GB might mean a swing outside Scotland of barely 1%.
The swing isn't uniform though, Labour are retaining more of their vote in the university cities etc.
Maybe so - but several of the polls are suggesting little swing in England and in most Labour marginals the sitting MP can reasonably expect an incumbency bonus.
Given Scotland was already at a low ebb in 2015, are your suggesting Labour will get hammered in Wales?
Not particularly. GB polls have recently been showing a pro-Tory swing in Scotland of 8/9% from Labour. In England the swing is 1/2% and sometimes negative.The strong recovery in Scotland is giving a rather distorted impression of how well the Tories are doing elsewhere.
Paul Kirkby 'Goldman Sachs has replaced 6OO traders with 200 computer engineers. Engineers now 1/3 of the Goldman's workforce' https://t.co/emTKHjo2Uu
That's what happens when you lose so many people to the White House, I guess.
Kudos to Trump, he was right, when he said if Hillary won, Goldman Sachs would be running the government.
He was right on both counts.
The French regulator has been hiring engineers to work in its enforcement division for a number of years now. You have been warned.
I've been speaking to a few people both in the legal and financial services industry, plus accountants too, it is striking how many engineering graduates are looking to work in these fields.
I find that very worrying. The UK is already desperately short of engineers of all types and I remember reading a little while ago that some ridiculous percentage of those that we do have are due to retire over the next decade. Given that the future economic well-being of this country depends on innovation and big improvements in productivity, losing engineering graduates to other professions is not going to be helpful.
One can understand the reasons behind the graduate's decisions (they will have seen friends from uni going into to comparatively very high paying jobs) but it is not good for the Country. Just another twist in the UK's spiral of decline that has been going on for a couple of centuries. Here manipulating money is seen as more important, and so better rewarded, than actually creating the stuff. Contrast the status of engineers here with, say, Germany.
I quite agree.
BTW I was sorry to hear that your cat, Thomas, had shuffled off this mortal coil.
Not particularly. GB polls have recently been showing a pro-Tory swing in Scotland of 8/9% from Labour. In England the swing is 1/2% and sometimes negative.The strong recovery in Scotland is giving a rather distorted impression of how well the Tories are doing elsewhere.
Plus you have to factor in the ground game and the algorithms.
Any of those alternative Labour leaders would be a bigger challenge for May - mostly because they'd be competent - but they would still need to address Labour's pressing strategic problems that have no easy answers.
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
Yup, Dave, especially after mid 2013 when Sir Lynton took the reins, decided to appeal to the Lib Dem floating voters, Mrs May has decided to target Lab floating voters.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Agreed.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
That is not what current polls are suggesting. Even ICM would imply just 35 gains from Labour. Opinium would suggest 12 -15 losses to Labour in England and Wales.
If the Conservatives were to lead Labour by 10%+ (in line with current polls) they'd easily reach 350 seats.
Not necessarily! A 10% lead would imply a GB swing of 1.7% which would be enough to take 14 seats from Labour on a uniform swing. However, most of those Labour MPs would enjoy first term incumbency and could well survive in the same way that Tory MPs in Con/Lab marginals did in 2015.The other point is that the headline GB lead probably flatters the Tories in England & Wales because of their strong recovery in Scotland. A 1.7% swing across GB might mean a swing outside Scotland of barely 1%.
Well, there can always be odd results, but an 11% lead gave the Conservatives 375 seats in 1987, and Labour are very vulnerable in blue collar seats where the Conservatives are close challengers.
1987 was really the reverse scenario. Labour did very well in Scotland - and quite well in Wales. In England,however, it made little progress on 1983 and in some areas - London and the South generally - went backwards.
Not particularly. GB polls have recently been showing a pro-Tory swing in Scotland of 8/9% from Labour. In England the swing is 1/2% and sometimes negative.The strong recovery in Scotland is giving a rather distorted impression of how well the Tories are doing elsewhere.
Plus you have to factor in the ground game and the algorithms.
A ground game involves getting off your arse and delivering leaflets/canvassing. All the indications are that the new Corbyn members are lazy sods who aren't willing to put in the hard yards.
Could some of that investment property be used for care ?
Only if you want to people requiring special care in shopping centres, cinemas and office blocks.
I would imagine Surrey embarked on this strategy to provide an alternative source of income to reliance on central Government largesse (or smallesse if you prefer) and it's actually a very good idea since local authorities have the ability to borrow at very good rates at present and the rental yields from commercial property (especially outside London) are very good.
Not particularly. GB polls have recently been showing a pro-Tory swing in Scotland of 8/9% from Labour. In England the swing is 1/2% and sometimes negative.The strong recovery in Scotland is giving a rather distorted impression of how well the Tories are doing elsewhere.
Plus you have to factor in the ground game and the algorithms.
A ground game involves getting off your arse and delivering leaflets/canvassing. All the indications are that the new Corbyn members are lazy sods who aren't willing to put in the hard yards.
Surely a bit of retweeting in your lunch break, and then dinner at Nando's with your mates telling everyone how terrible the Tories are and how JC4PM, followed by a bit of Facebook liking in the evening will do the job ?
Not particularly. GB polls have recently been showing a pro-Tory swing in Scotland of 8/9% from Labour. In England the swing is 1/2% and sometimes negative.The strong recovery in Scotland is giving a rather distorted impression of how well the Tories are doing elsewhere.
Plus you have to factor in the ground game and the algorithms.
A ground game involves getting off your arse and delivering leaflets/canvassing. All the indications are that the new Corbyn members are lazy sods who aren't willing to put in the hard yards.
Comments
'Goldman Sachs has replaced 6OO traders with 200 computer engineers. Engineers now 1/3 of the Goldman's workforce' https://t.co/emTKHjo2Uu
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
FWIW, different PMs have different strengths. Cameron was crap at debates, May is crap at PMQs.
Cameron was good at the slick set-pieces and tactical positioning; May is good at detail and strategic positioning.
Both are/were well-respected amongst floating voters,albeit they appeal to slightly different sorts.
I think she's decided she might lose 20 seats to the Lib Dems but win 50 from Labour.
Oh.
He was right on both counts.
I'd say "par" for May in a GE at the moment (on current boundaries) would be about 350 seats.
So the NS sent a reporter to Stoke to cover the by-election. We were told - like other outlets - we couldn't speak to the Labour candidate.
Not Labour leadership material, yet imo.
https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/829304668731932673
"director of prosperity and ethics"
I got into trouble in the last one.
https://twitter.com/donaeldunready
People I was working with last week didn't believe that IT and Legal could or should read their work emails. They also think that if they delete an email it's actually deleted. Idiots.
'Be aware of the rules, regs, and laws, I'm fairly convinced you will not do well in prison'
http://asia.nikkei.com/Viewpoints/Minxin-Pei/Chinese-tycoon-s-disappearance-foreshadows-showdown-in-Beijing
I'm still traumatised by what I found on that phone, dick pics and the like.
I do now
When I do the training on proper use of communications I'm rather blunter.
I show them some examples. Then while they're reeling from the awfulness of what's up on the screen I say:
"You're not Shakespeare.
99% of what's in your head is not worth making public.
And most of the rest is not worth writing down."
A few years ago with one group of traders who had put down on chat in the most mind-boggling minutiae details of their sex lives, I told them - and bear in mind that I am probably old enough to be their mother - "Guys, if you want to discuss your sex lives, do it orally, eh".
I still get people coming up to me now who remember that. One cannot be too subtle or polite. Traders are like toddlers, only with hairier bottoms.
If he doesn't, Hodge will face a difficult campaign having to argue for £x million cuts without having so far said where such cuts will be made.
I do think Hodge is done as Leader and I suspect he will be replaced after the May elections.
Is he seriously suggesting that people shouldn't try and work together on this ?
Like you and Richard I see no issue with these text messages.
Trump delivers scathing verdict on appeals court
I listened to the panel; it had nothing to do with it. I will not comment - particularly one judge.
If they want to help the country, they do what they should be doing.
If they read something so perfectly written, so clear to anybody, and then you have lawyers....
I watched last night - I couldn't believe.
Things nothing to do with what I just read.
I won't call courts biased, so I won't. But they seem to be so political.
It would be so good for our justice system if they could just do what was right.
Right now we are at risk as a result of what just happened.
I listened to a bunch of stuff last night on television that was disgraceful.
What we have, I just read to you. It can't be clearer.
And a highly respected judge in Boston just ruled differently.
I will read that, but there are statements made by that judge that were perfect.
I think it's sad. I think it's a sad day. I think it will be a sad day until we get what we are entitled to as citizens of this country.
One of the reasons I was elected was security. And jobs. Lots of things. But one of the strongest was security.
But they are taking away our weapons, one by one. You people know it.
I know it - I can read the polls. I have read them for a long time, better than anybody.
We need security in our country. We have to allow you to do your job. And give you the weapons you need -this is a weapon you need.
Maybe because of politics.
Also disagree with you about David. He will be safe and will have my full support should I be successful on May 4th.
However, the Council must reverse the 2014 egregious and indefensible increases in Councillor allowances.
We are at one about Hammond and the budget.
The Director who was in charge of building works sent an e-mail to this building company from his company computer saying how much he admired them and asking them if they'd like to employ him. Not illegal, just very, very thick.
Not illegal, but worthy of a P45 I would have thought.
The whole issue needs some joined up thinking from everyone, local gov't; national its bigger than one party or council.
http://commentcentral.co.uk/us-visa-rules-no-holocaust/
The hyperbole really does need turning down a notch or two.
One can understand the reasons behind the graduate's decisions (they will have seen friends from uni going into to comparatively very high paying jobs) but it is not good for the Country. Just another twist in the UK's spiral of decline that has been going on for a couple of centuries. Here manipulating money is seen as more important, and so better rewarded, than actually creating the stuff. Contrast the status of engineers here with, say, Germany.
https://twitter.com/punslayintwoods
His betting puts all of ours in the shade I think !
Agreed. Another Westminster Village story that most people will give not a toss about.
I respect your public support for David Hodge - let's see what the elections bring and see if anyone in the Conservative Group takes a different view in private.
As to whether the Government will have been entirely enamoured of Hodge's actions, that remains to be seen. He may well get something of what he wants in the short term but there will be a price for him to pay and I imagine some of his fellow Surrey MPs won't have been too impressed by recent events.
I wouldn't be surprised if the quid pro quo for the extra funding was for Hodge to quietly step down after the election receiving fulsome tributes and then the Group choosing a new leader - Claire Curran perhaps ?
BTW I was sorry to hear that your cat, Thomas, had shuffled off this mortal coil.
I would imagine Surrey embarked on this strategy to provide an alternative source of income to reliance on central Government largesse (or smallesse if you prefer) and it's actually a very good idea since local authorities have the ability to borrow at very good rates at present and the rental yields from commercial property (especially outside London) are very good.
Just as nothing in Nissan-gate suggested that Nissan had received any promises :-) .
But they need to be seen to be doing something. Leapfrog went out with Oh What a Lovely War!