WRT ratings, given the big rise that Survation found in wanting May to stay on, I expect she'll see quite an improvement, but not back to previous levels.
Favourability is not the same as voting intention, however.
Quite. According to Survation (possibly the new 'Gold Standard') the Tory vote share has been steady (43-41) for a month while May's rating has collapsed. It's Labour that's surged.
I am enjoying the colossal reverse ferret on both sides:
Before the GE:
Leavers: May needs a big majority to secure a good deal. Remainers The size of the majority is irrelevant.
After the GE:
Remainers: May needs a big majority to secure a good deal. Leavers: The size of the majority is irrelevant.
A big majority would have been inimical to a good deal. Maybe that's why the Conservatives weren't given one.
What % of those who voted in the GE were considering Brexit? I'd say low single figures.
Tuition fees, dementia tax, heating allowance, all far more important. I get the impression that to some on here this is their only contact with the outside world. I've never known a group of self appointed experts so consistently wrong.
Richard Tyndall FPT: we're talking about different things. You're measuring the Countryside Alliance march by its lack of litter etc. I'm measuring it by its impact on MPs. We looked at the abusive placards, heard the unpleasant shouting, and agreed that despite the interminable Parliamentary obstruction by the Lords and Tony Blair's evident lack of interest, we had to see the ban through. Prescott's comments at the time were representative of MP reactions: it felt as though we were being besieged by a mob, even though I'm sure it felt differently to participants. That's why it was counter-productive, in a way that a quiet, dignified protest might not have been. (That said, a real problem is that quiet, dignified protests tend not to get media coverage.)
Exactly the same applies to many of the far left protests ("Maggie Maggie Maggie out out out!" and all that). Essentially organisers of demos need to decide if they're going to indulge themselves and feel good or want to change the minds of the people they're trying to influence. The former is more usual, and it's hard to think of a mass protest that has really changed policy, except for the poll tax riots.
Some examples of abusive placards? I was on the March and don't recall them
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
It is slightly perverse, though, that the reaction to an attack targeting a crowd leaving a mosque (Islamophobia) is identical to the reaction to an attack perpetrated by Islamic extremists.
Also, important to get terminology right. Attacking Muslims for being Muslims is unacceptable. Islam is an idea and must not be given special rights and privileges to protect it from criticism, ridicule, intellectual examination etc.
Lastly, it's stupid that under Khan London is a city where fit women in bikinis are banned from adverts on the tube, and flags of Hezbollah are permitted on the streets.
"But really, the manifesto was calculated to upset young people, old people, and middle -aged people."
So next election manifestos will include
No Tuition Fees Higher Pensions
Just need something for the 25 - 65 year olds. Tax relief on the interest payments on Mortgages? Soon Interest rates will be rising with devastating effect on mortgage payers.
It sounds like the Finsbury Park attacker had mental health issues.
Isn't a desire to drive a van into a group of people on the street a pretty good leading indication of that?
The 'joke' is that in the US:
Brown Muslim massacres people with automatic weapon = Islamic Terrorism White Christian massacres people with automatic weapon = 'Mental health issues'
"But really, the manifesto was calculated to upset young people, old people, and middle -aged people."
So next election manifestos will include
No Tuition Fees Higher Pensions
Just need something for the 25 - 65 year olds. Tax relief on the interest payments on Mortgages? Soon Interest rates will be rising with devastating effect on mortgage payers.
I think the current system of student loans should be retained, but with interest capped at the inflation rate and the exchequer picking up the difference. The middle classes shouldn't be subsidised to go to university by the less well off.
Conservative Crackpot Coalition Of Chaos - Update :
CCCC - Day 12 - 0830.
Auchentennach Bookmakers (est 1225) are now offering odds on which event will take place first :
1. Conservative/DUP signed C&S pact 2. SeanT to become peace envoy for ISIS 3. Boris Johnson not to say wiff-waff within next 3 months 4. Prime Minister to become Samaritans volunteer 5. Burnley FC to win Champions League 2019 6. Mrs JackW to declare a month of abstinence of shoe purchasing 7. Jezza to join the Orange Order with Gerry Adams 8. OGH to sell all shares in the Belgravia Hair Centre 9. Robert Mugabe to marry Peter Thatchell in Mosul Cosmopolitan Cathedral
I'm sure it was fun, and I've been in demos which I enjoyed too. My point is that mass demos are usually counter-productive if the intention is to change minds (as opposed to other things like mobilising people, making them feel part of a movement etc.). From the inside they feel enjoyable and warm and mutually supportive, from the outside they look like a mob who need to be resisted. I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of effective demos, since quiet demos tend to pass without much reaction at all. Constituents lobbying their MPs is what works.
Incidentally, the other effect was to damage the CA's ability to influence MPs on any other subject. They tried hard to shake off the "all about hunting" image but never succeeded, whereas an organisation like BASC - which is all about shooting and might be expected to get a similar reaction - has always successfully engaged with MPs.
A key Countryside Alliance message was that town folk don't understand countryside ways, so country people should be allowed to decide things for themselves. In other words turn the discussion from whether hunting foxes is a good idea to who decides? Given that, it wasn't a smart tactical move to go to town to tell bemused bystanders, you're all wrong, especially when marches tend to alienate onlookers anyway.
Favourability is not the same as voting intention, however.
And it would be useful to have June 8 and June 12 data to establish how much of the loss of faith was an input to the GE result and how much a consequence?
Anyhow she may be gone, soon.
Favorability is probably a better guide to voting intention than actual voting intention polls.
Not according to academic research. There is a weak relationship. Then again, anything is a better guide than voting intention polls, I suppose.
Favourability is not the same as voting intention, however.
Quite. According to Survation (possibly the new 'Gold Standard') the Tory vote share has been steady (43-41) for a month while May's rating has collapsed. It's Labour that's surged.
I am enjoying the colossal reverse ferret on both sides:
Before the GE:
Leavers: May needs a big majority to secure a good deal. Remainers The size of the majority is irrelevant.
After the GE:
Remainers: May needs a big majority to secure a good deal. Leavers: The size of the majority is irrelevant.
A big majority would have been inimical to a good deal. Maybe that's why the Conservatives weren't given one.
What % of those who voted in the GE were considering Brexit? I'd say low single figures.
Tuition fees, dementia tax, heating allowance, all far more important. I get the impression that to some on here this is their only contact with the outside world. I've never known a group of self appointed experts so consistently wrong.
And yet this was an election explicitly called in order to get a large mandate to deliver Brexit. Odd that.
they were far more interested in the freebies Labour were chucking around.
What would you say is the number one issue that decided your vote at the last General Election?
I'm sure it was fun, and I've been in demos which I enjoyed too. My point is that mass demos are usually counter-productive if the intention is to change minds (as opposed to other things like mobilising people, making them feel part of a movement etc.). From the inside they feel enjoyable and warm and mutually supportive, from the outside they look like a mob who need to be resisted. I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of effective demos, since quiet demos tend to pass without much reaction at all. Constituents lobbying their MPs is what works.
Incidentally, the other effect was to damage the CA's ability to influence MPs on any other subject. They tried hard to shake off the "all about hunting" image but never succeeded, whereas an organisation like BASC - which is all about shooting and might be expected to get a similar reaction - has always successfully engaged with MPs.
A key Countryside Alliance message was that town folk don't understand countryside ways, so country people should be allowed to decide things for themselves. In other words turn the discussion from whether hunting foxes is a good idea to who decides? Given that, it wasn't a smart tactical move to go to town to tell bemused bystanders, you're all wrong, especially when marches tend to alienate onlookers anyway.
At the time, I suggested slaughtering a goat in Parliament Square, to demonstrate country ways.
I'm sure it was fun, and I've been in demos which I enjoyed too. My point is that mass demos are usually counter-productive if the intention is to change minds (as opposed to other things like mobilising people, making them feel part of a movement etc.). From the inside they feel enjoyable and warm and mutually supportive, from the outside they look like a mob who need to be resisted. I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of effective demos, since quiet demos tend to pass without much reaction at all. Constituents lobbying their MPs is what works.
Incidentally, the other effect was to damage the CA's ability to influence MPs on any other subject. They tried hard to shake off the "all about hunting" image but never succeeded, whereas an organisation like BASC - which is all about shooting and might be expected to get a similar reaction - has always successfully engaged with MPs.
A key Countryside Alliance message was that town folk don't understand countryside ways, so country people should be allowed to decide things for themselves. In other words turn the discussion from whether hunting foxes is a good idea to who decides? Given that, it wasn't a smart tactical move to go to town to tell bemused bystanders, you're all wrong, especially when marches tend to alienate onlookers anyway.
At the time, I suggested slaughtering a goat in Parliament Square, to demonstrate country ways.
Presumably for the vellum required of the Queen's Speech?
There was 1 party wanting a second referendum - how did that work out? You're in a state of delusion
We had a "first referendum" which was expressed in such meaningless terms that it was open to any interpretation you like, Mr Choose. What we need now is a chance to have a say on the final outcome. The general election was also meaningless, since the Conservatives continued to insist that the EU would give us everything they asked for, and there would be no negative impact on our economy. The Labour Party did exactly the same, though its criteria were different.
Everything is "meaningless" until you get what you want ... which then becomes the "only permanent thing that counts". Nice.
The problem with the second referendum idea is that the status quo is officially off the table. So there are only three options to choose between - the deal, Leaving with no deal or becoming a full member, joining the euro and Schengen etc.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
These figs would surely imply a huge Labour lead, and if you believe the polls there isn't. In any event the Social care crap is dead, the winter fuel allowance will remain---Hurrah!/sorted
She will always be the PM who needlessly threw away her majority. In politics there is no escape from a big mistake.
Quite, I can't believe people are still discussing polls as opposed to what actually happens.
The perception, which is reflected in the reality of votes is that Corbyn did better than expected because he is sincere, and May the opposite. Perhaps finally politicians will tell us what they think and allow us to decide rather than avoid questions.
I've no idea why anybody would pay a polling company anymore.
Because they want to know which detergent adverts people remember? (That type of thing being 95% of the revenues of firms like Survation and YouGov.)
Yeah I get that, an accurate political poll is one that pleases you, beyond that they're pointless. Few people have a vested interest in soap powder.
"Yes. 71% of housewives in East Lancashire and 81% in Hertfordshire expressed an interest in the concept of exotic ice-creams. Only 8% in Hertfordshire and 14% in Lancashire expressed positive hostility, whilst 5% expressed latent hostility. In Hertfordshire, 96% of the 50% who formed 20% of consumer spending were in favour. 0.6% told us where we could put our exotic ice creams." - David Nobbs, F&RoRP
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
They're a bit like PCSO's do a similar job but cost less
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
Ah, I see. A pure cost-saving method to have a pseudo-teacher rather than a real one?
Is Hammond on a last-ditch kamikaze mission to alter Brexit policy or does he just know he's utterly untouchable?
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
Ah, I see. A pure cost-saving method to have a pseudo-teacher rather than a real one?
The problem with school funding is not teaching asiatants but the dramatic rise in none teaching roles that are now school based rather than local authority based. So schools have finance managers facility managers, purchasing officers, independant IT managers etc etc. the LEA's were accused of profligate waste and the budgets devolved to the school. I cant see how that has resulted in a more efficient use of funding.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
The other thing they assist with is that students with additional needs can be taught in mainstream education. Obviously special schools still exist for those with profound and severe physical disabilities, but additional support allows for inclusion which I think is a good thing.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
Ah, I see. A pure cost-saving method to have a pseudo-teacher rather than a real one?
The problem with school funding is not teaching asiatants but the dramatic rise in none teaching roles that are now school based rather than local authority based. So schools have finance managers facility managers, purchasing officers, independant IT managers etc etc. the LEA's were accused of profligate waste and the budgets devolved to the school. I cant see how that has resulted in a more efficient use of funding.
It's not designed to be a more efficient use of funding. It's designed to get funding out of non profit schools and into for profit ancillary services.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
Recruited and used well, they're a good system. It's manageable for a teacher to be *responsible* for the education of (say) 30 kids, but they need an extra pair of hands if they're to reflect the needs of smaller groups and individuals within that (group work, individual reading practice, supporting those with issues, allowing proper planning/assessment time). But there's a temptation when money's tight to use them as cheap teachers.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
The other thing they assist with is that students with additional needs can be taught in mainstream education. Obviously special schools still exist for those with profound and severe physical disabilities, but additional support allows for inclusion which I think is a good thing.
There used to be a process called statementing which once agreed provided more resource to help the individual who was statemented, dont know if that still exists
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
As I said a few days ago it was notable that the main reason for the increase in inflation was said to be the rising cost of foreign holidays and computer games. It is not exactly the stuff of which third world nightmares are made.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
Is Hammond on a last-ditch kamikaze mission to alter Brexit policy or does he just know he's utterly untouchable?
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
What is the May worldview? She did nothing to curb non-EU immigration in her six years as Home Secretary. Many Conservative supporters in the business world and in the Remain campaign (which included TMay) opposed curbs to EU migration. Why do you suppose Theresa May wants to build walls now?
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
Ah, I see. A pure cost-saving method to have a pseudo-teacher rather than a real one?
The problem with school funding is not teaching asiatants but the dramatic rise in none teaching roles that are now school based rather than local authority based. So schools have finance managers facility managers, purchasing officers, independant IT managers etc etc. the LEA's were accused of profligate waste and the budgets devolved to the school. I cant see how that has resulted in a more efficient use of funding.
IIRC the LEAs siphoned off about 25% of the total budget, which is a huge amount to spend on central functions.
"But really, the manifesto was calculated to upset young people, old people, and middle -aged people."
So next election manifestos will include
No Tuition Fees Higher Pensions
Just need something for the 25 - 65 year olds. Tax relief on the interest payments on Mortgages? Soon Interest rates will be rising with devastating effect on mortgage payers.
I think the current system of student loans should be retained, but with interest capped at the inflation rate and the exchequer picking up the difference. The middle classes shouldn't be subsidised to go to university by the less well off.
Perhaps the government should get out of the way and let Universities run their own fees offering ?
I'm sure it was fun, and I've been in demos which I enjoyed too. My point is that mass demos are usually counter-productive if the intention is to change minds (as opposed to other things like mobilising people, making them feel part of a movement etc.). From the inside they feel enjoyable and warm and mutually supportive, from the outside they look like a mob who need to be resisted. I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of effective demos, since quiet demos tend to pass without much reaction at all. Constituents lobbying their MPs is what works.
Incidentally, the other effect was to damage the CA's ability to influence MPs on any other subject. They tried hard to shake off the "all about hunting" image but never succeeded, whereas an organisation like BASC - which is all about shooting and might be expected to get a similar reaction - has always successfully engaged with MPs.
A key Countryside Alliance message was that town folk don't understand countryside ways, so country people should be allowed to decide things for themselves. In other words turn the discussion from whether hunting foxes is a good idea to who decides? Given that, it wasn't a smart tactical move to go to town to tell bemused bystanders, you're all wrong, especially when marches tend to alienate onlookers anyway.
Except as I pointed out last night the Liberty and Livelihood march did not alienate onlookers. It was viewed by all sides of the press as a perfect example of how to hold a well organised and peaceful protest.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
The other thing they assist with is that students with additional needs can be taught in mainstream education. Obviously special schools still exist for those with profound and severe physical disabilities, but additional support allows for inclusion which I think is a good thing.
That seems to be their main role in Scotland and it is not just for primary school kids. My wife teaches at college and a significant number of the students have "learning support" helping them with dyslexia, dyscalculia, language difficulties, autism related issues, disability access problems, it goes on and on.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
Similarly pb Tories tend to shrug off NHS crisis stories as if headlines matter against the common experience of patients and their friends and relations. Voters can see what is happening on the ground and in their children's schools and clinics.
Is Hammond on a last-ditch kamikaze mission to alter Brexit policy or does he just know he's utterly untouchable?
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
What is the May worldview? She did nothing to curb non-EU immigration in her six years as Home Secretary. Many Conservative supporters in the business world and in the Remain campaign (which included TMay) opposed curbs to EU migration. Why do you suppose Theresa May wants to build walls now?
The May world view is generally what the Daily Mail tells her it is.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
As I said a few days ago it was notable that the main reason for the increase in inflation was said to be the rising cost of foreign holidays and computer games. It is not exactly the stuff of which third world nightmares are made.
Interesting. I'll admit to not doing the shopping in our house, but one thing does seem to go up all the time is phone/internet/tv. Now I know why this is - the Premier League - but it is not an essential to have Sky Sports/BT Sport just like foreign holidays are not essential.
Whilst I don't wish for a recession to happen, if one does occur in the next few years, I do hope BT, Sky and the Premier League feel a lot of pain.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
They're a bit like PCSO's do a similar job but cost less
PCSOs are great. They increase the visible presence of police on the street and have been responsible for numerous acts of bravery and saving lives since they were introduced. I very rarely find cause to praise Blair but in this case it was a great idea.
Whilst they cannot make formal police arrests, given that they usually patrol with a regular officer, they are an excellent way of increasing manpower with no real downsides.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
Ah, I see. A pure cost-saving method to have a pseudo-teacher rather than a real one?
The problem with school funding is not teaching asiatants but the dramatic rise in none teaching roles that are now school based rather than local authority based. So schools have finance managers facility managers, purchasing officers, independant IT managers etc etc. the LEA's were accused of profligate waste and the budgets devolved to the school. I cant see how that has resulted in a more efficient use of funding.
IIRC the LEAs siphoned off about 25% of the total budget, which is a huge amount to spend on central functions.
It is if they are all office bureaucrats but not so much if they are providing services such as speech and language therapists who can be more effectively deployed over several schools than being based at one.
Is Hammond on a last-ditch kamikaze mission to alter Brexit policy or does he just know he's utterly untouchable?
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
What is the May worldview? She did nothing to curb non-EU immigration in her six years as Home Secretary. Many Conservative supporters in the business world and in the Remain campaign (which included TMay) opposed curbs to EU migration. Why do you suppose Theresa May wants to build walls now?
The May world view is generally what the Daily Mail tells her it is.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
As I said a few days ago it was notable that the main reason for the increase in inflation was said to be the rising cost of foreign holidays and computer games. It is not exactly the stuff of which third world nightmares are made.
It isn't. But we were promised a Brexit that delivers increasing prosperity and more opportunities. Politically, therefore, if the Brexit process is actually making foreign holidays, computer games and other "luxuries" less affordable that is an issue.
Mrs May should have resigned on Friday morning the 9th June. She just seems to be making a difficult situation far worse.
That would have been extremely irresponsible, running away from the situation.
Sometimes, the morally correct thing to do is *not* to resign when you've cocked up. This is one of them.
I agree. The problem is that while Theresa May is right not to have run away from her own mistake, she appears to have been so demoralised by it that she cannot now rectify it.
The Conservative party needs to release her from her duty.
Some examples of abusive placards? I was on the March and don't recall them
It's a long time ago, but I recall some very nasty ones about Blair. With his current unpopularity, many people will see nothing wrong with that, but as a way of influencing Government MPs it was a bad idea.
A problem for all march organisers is that they're not really motivated to discourage participants who've brought their own placards (likewise the SWP and other fringe groups at left-wing demos) - it takes a very firm policy to say "You can't carry that in our demo".
Richard Tyndall FPT: we're talking about different things. You're measuring the Countryside Alliance march by its lack of litter etc. I'm measuring it by its impact on MPs. We looked at the abusive placards, heard the unpleasant shouting, and agreed that despite the interminable Parliamentary obstruction by the Lords and Tony Blair's evident lack of interest, we had to see the ban through. Prescott's comments at the time were representative of MP reactions: it felt as though we were being besieged by a mob, even though I'm sure it felt differently to participants. That's why it was counter-productive, in a way that a quiet, dignified protest might not have been. (That said, a real problem is that quiet, dignified protests tend not to get media coverage.)
Exactly the same applies to many of the far left protests ("Maggie Maggie Maggie out out out!" and all that). Essentially organisers of demos need to decide if they're going to indulge themselves and feel good or want to change the minds of the people they're trying to influence. The former is more usual, and it's hard to think of a mass protest that has really changed policy, except for the poll tax riots.
Some examples of abusive placards? I was on the March and don't recall them
"And while many protesters carried banners proclaiming: "Buy British food", "Save our farms" or "Town and country not town over country", these were far out-numbered by pro-hunt slogans.
"Blair, ban hunting and we will boot you out", read placards held aloft by demonstrators as they marched 20 abreast through the streets and brought much of the city to a standstill."
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
As I said a few days ago it was notable that the main reason for the increase in inflation was said to be the rising cost of foreign holidays and computer games. It is not exactly the stuff of which third world nightmares are made.
It isn't. But we were promised a Brexit that delivers increasing prosperity and more opportunities. Politically, therefore, if the Brexit process is actually making foreign holidays, computer games and other "luxuries" less affordable that is an issue.
The reaction and the event are not the same thing no matter how much some people might want to make that the case. The reaction can and is often perverse - a case in pint being the immediate reaction after the vote itself. Once the process is completed we will be in a position to judge whether or not it has been a success economically. Until then all we are seeing is a reflection of people's in built bias.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
They're a bit like PCSO's do a similar job but cost less
PCSOs are great. They increase the visible presence of police on the street and have been responsible for numerous acts of bravery and saving lives since they were introduced. I very rarely find cause to praise Blair but in this case it was a great idea.
Whilst they cannot make formal police arrests, given that they usually patrol with a regular officer, they are an excellent way of increasing manpower with no real downsides.
My friend was a PCSO and became a police officer a few years ago. I think he had to take a pay cut to do that so PCSOs weren't cheap (though I guess it cost less to train them).
The other advantage/disadvantage of PCSOs is that they could be laid off....
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
As I said a few days ago it was notable that the main reason for the increase in inflation was said to be the rising cost of foreign holidays and computer games. It is not exactly the stuff of which third world nightmares are made.
It isn't. But we were promised a Brexit that delivers increasing prosperity and more opportunities. Politically, therefore, if the Brexit process is actually making foreign holidays, computer games and other "luxuries" less affordable that is an issue.
Dear Lord. It took us 40 years to get this far and you expect the benefits of us regaining control over our own economic future to manifest themselves before we even leave? That's insane. The full gains from Brexit may take a decade to embed themselves.
I'm sure it was fun, and I've been in demos which I enjoyed too. My point is that mass demos are usually counter-productive if the intention is to change minds (as opposed to other things like mobilising people, making them feel part of a movement etc.). From the inside they feel enjoyable and warm and mutually supportive, from the outside they look like a mob who need to be resisted. I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of effective demos, since quiet demos tend to pass without much reaction at all. Constituents lobbying their MPs is what works.
Incidentally, the other effect was to damage the CA's ability to influence MPs on any other subject. They tried hard to shake off the "all about hunting" image but never succeeded, whereas an organisation like BASC - which is all about shooting and might be expected to get a similar reaction - has always successfully engaged with MPs.
A key Countryside Alliance message was that town folk don't understand countryside ways, so country people should be allowed to decide things for themselves. In other words turn the discussion from whether hunting foxes is a good idea to who decides? Given that, it wasn't a smart tactical move to go to town to tell bemused bystanders, you're all wrong, especially when marches tend to alienate onlookers anyway.
On that logic, why can't we let the poor misunderstood paedophiles have their say. Let them decide whether it's OK to bugger kids.
Mate...I don't want to live in a country where it's acceptable for packs of hounds to tear apart terrified foxes. Like paedophilia, I know it happens, but I don't want it to be accepted by the government. No fucking way comrade.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
As I said a few days ago it was notable that the main reason for the increase in inflation was said to be the rising cost of foreign holidays and computer games. It is not exactly the stuff of which third world nightmares are made.
It isn't. But we were promised a Brexit that delivers increasing prosperity and more opportunities. Politically, therefore, if the Brexit process is actually making foreign holidays, computer games and other "luxuries" less affordable that is an issue.
The reaction and the event are not the same thing no matter how much some people might want to make that the case. The reaction can and is often perverse - a case in pint being the immediate reaction after the vote itself. Once the process is completed we will be in a position to judge whether or not it has been a success economically. Until then all we are seeing is a reflection of people's in built bias.
That may be so. But you cannot postpone politics until we reach a time when it is deemed a full assessment of the economic impact of Brexit can be made.
Incidentally, the second language appearing in a UK passport is not French....
Gaelic?
There is a clue in my name - I gave this question to someone to use at a pub quiz in Dubai - "what is second langauge appearing in UK passport" - almost everyone said French..a few said spanish..nobody picked Welsh!
Mrs May should have resigned on Friday morning the 9th June. She just seems to be making a difficult situation far worse.
That would have been extremely irresponsible, running away from the situation.
Sometimes, the morally correct thing to do is *not* to resign when you've cocked up. This is one of them.
I agree. The problem is that while Theresa May is right not to have run away from her own mistake, she appears to have been so demoralised by it that she cannot now rectify it.
The Conservative party needs to release her from her duty.
Too late and too distracting, the moment has passed. You will just have to sit on that Hammond slip a little bit longer.
What I hope we see is a more collegiate, cabinet based government with a range of views being taken into account from both inside and outside the cabinet before the government announces something rash. It's one of the very few upsides of minority government and it means the pressure on May to be the font of all wisdom (a role which to put it politely she found challenging) is reduced.
Richard Tyndall FPT: we're talking about different things. You're measuring the Countryside Alliance march by its lack of litter etc. I'm measuring it by its impact on MPs. We looked at the abusive placards, heard the unpleasant shouting, and agreed that despite the interminable Parliamentary obstruction by the Lords and Tony Blair's evident lack of interest, we had to see the ban through. Prescott's comments at the time were representative of MP reactions: it felt as though we were being besieged by a mob, even though I'm sure it felt differently to participants. That's why it was counter-productive, in a way that a quiet, dignified protest might not have been. (That said, a real problem is that quiet, dignified protests tend not to get media coverage.)
Exactly the same applies to many of the far left protests ("Maggie Maggie Maggie out out out!" and all that). Essentially organisers of demos need to decide if they're going to indulge themselves and feel good or want to change the minds of the people they're trying to influence. The former is more usual, and it's hard to think of a mass protest that has really changed policy, except for the poll tax riots.
Some examples of abusive placards? I was on the March and don't recall them
"And while many protesters carried banners proclaiming: "Buy British food", "Save our farms" or "Town and country not town over country", these were far out-numbered by pro-hunt slogans.
"Blair, ban hunting and we will boot you out", read placards held aloft by demonstrators as they marched 20 abreast through the streets and brought much of the city to a standstill."
Is Hammond on a last-ditch kamikaze mission to alter Brexit policy or does he just know he's utterly untouchable?
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
What is the May worldview? She did nothing to curb non-EU immigration in her six years as Home Secretary. Many Conservative supporters in the business world and in the Remain campaign (which included TMay) opposed curbs to EU migration. Why do you suppose Theresa May wants to build walls now?
The May world view is generally what the Daily Mail tells her it is.
Bit of a non sequitur there Nick, unles mass violent protest is OK if it's in a cause you believe in.
What I was trying to say is that I'm not sure that mass protest works persuasively - either it's so aggressive that it puts people off, or so mild that nobody notices. (I'm not in favour of violent protests in a democracy, of course - didn't think I needed to say that.) It's a pity, since in principle it ought to be possible to exercise influence by showing that one's very concerned, more than would be indicated by a quinquennial vote.
The poll tax demos were pretty productive at producing a seismic change in govt policy.
BTW...I just noticed from your Facebook page that you are working in animal welfare. Good on you comrade. Your deep compassion is perfect for that kind of work. Good luck.
Incidentally, the second language appearing in a UK passport is not French....
Gaelic?
There is a clue in my name - I gave this question to someone to use at a pub quiz in Dubai - "what is second langauge appearing in UK passport" - almost everyone said French..a few said spanish..nobody picked Welsh!
Hmm, I'm sure I saw Gaelic in mine. It's at home though so I can't check.
Is Hammond on a last-ditch kamikaze mission to alter Brexit policy or does he just know he's utterly untouchable?
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
What is the May worldview? She did nothing to curb non-EU immigration in her six years as Home Secretary. Many Conservative supporters in the business world and in the Remain campaign (which included TMay) opposed curbs to EU migration. Why do you suppose Theresa May wants to build walls now?
A belief (like Heath) that there is a bureaucratic solution to every social problem.
It sounds like the Finsbury Park attacker had mental health issues.
Isn't a desire to drive a van into a group of people on the street a pretty good leading indication of that?
The desire -and then the ability - to commit murder randomly in any situation surely indicates someone not being the full shilling.
That was kind of my point. You can then determine whether it is a neurological (i.e. "physical") issue that can be treated with therapy or pharmacological intervention, or whether it is an "obsession" (which could be religious or of some other nature). The second is much harder to treat.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
As regards the schools around here. Lots of the likes of the above, state schools struggling with cuts. However, there is one exception. Specifically, a large former private school has converted to free school status, the net effect of which is that the state will in future pay for the education of those whose parents were wealthy enough to choose to send their children to be educated there. The state has the same control over admissions as when it was a private school i.e. none.
So in our case, there may not have overall been a cut in state expenditure on schooling. Rather, across the board cuts in funding to existing state schools have been made in order to provide a windfall to the parents of those who chose to educate their children privately. To cap it all, the school in question has just had a visit from a member of the royal family in order to celebrate its new status.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
Ah, I see. A pure cost-saving method to have a pseudo-teacher rather than a real one?
The problem with school funding is not teaching asiatants but the dramatic rise in none teaching roles that are now school based rather than local authority based. So schools have finance managers facility managers, purchasing officers, independant IT managers etc etc. the LEA's were accused of profligate waste and the budgets devolved to the school. I cant see how that has resulted in a more efficient use of funding.
IIRC the LEAs siphoned off about 25% of the total budget, which is a huge amount to spend on central functions.
It is if they are all office bureaucrats but not so much if they are providing services such as speech and language therapists who can be more effectively deployed over several schools than being based at one.
Of course there are some services which should - and still can, and still are - shared between schools. A lot of money went on overheads, "strategic planning" and other arguably unnecessary central functions
Richard Tyndall FPT: we're talking about different things. You're measuring the Countryside Alliance march by its lack of litter etc. I'm measuring it by its impact on MPs. We looked at the abusive placards, heard the unpleasant shouting, and agreed that despite the interminable Parliamentary obstruction by the Lords and Tony Blair's evident lack of interest, we had to see the ban through. Prescott's comments at the time were representative of MP reactions: it felt as though we were being besieged by a mob, even though I'm sure it felt differently to participants. That's why it was counter-productive, in a way that a quiet, dignified protest might not have been. (That said, a real problem is that quiet, dignified protests tend not to get media coverage.)
Exactly the same applies to many of the far left protests ("Maggie Maggie Maggie out out out!" and all that). Essentially organisers of demos need to decide if they're going to indulge themselves and feel good or want to change the minds of the people they're trying to influence. The former is more usual, and it's hard to think of a mass protest that has really changed policy, except for the poll tax riots.
"We looked at the abusive placards, heard the unpleasant shouting"
I was on the Countryside march, almost by mistake. I was having a dirty weekend in London with my then-gf, and when we left the hotel in the morning we sort-of got dragged into it. As we're both country folk at heart, we joined in. It was my first, and so far only, protest march.
It was great fun. And I can assure you that from my perspective, the antis who were lining the route were the ones doing the unpleasant shouting. In fact, from memory some of it was *very* unpleasant. But I only saw a small portion of the march, and I daresay you only saw a small portion of the antis.
It all ended when we got to Hyde Park and sat down for a champagne and strawberry picnic with a random family who invited us to join them. That was my abiding memory of the spirit of the protest.
I was there. It was absolutely great.
Sadly, the countrymice neglected to take the opportunity while in town to thank every city dweller fervently for subsidising their lifestyles so lavishly. Poor form.
Do you ever remember to thank them for providing your food, energy and water? And the taxpaying ones who backstopped The City when it went bust? Thought not. Without them, you wouldn't still be enjoying your gilded existence.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
As I said a few days ago it was notable that the main reason for the increase in inflation was said to be the rising cost of foreign holidays and computer games. It is not exactly the stuff of which third world nightmares are made.
It isn't. But we were promised a Brexit that delivers increasing prosperity and more opportunities. Politically, therefore, if the Brexit process is actually making foreign holidays, computer games and other "luxuries" less affordable that is an issue.
Dear Lord. It took us 40 years to get this far and you expect the benefits of us regaining control over our own economic future to manifest themselves before we even leave? That's insane. The full gains from Brexit may take a decade to embed themselves.
That's not what voters were told. I understand that if there are to Brexit benefits they will take years to manifest themselves. That's why I opposed Brexit. I did not believe the gain outweighed the pain. But like most on here, I am not a typical member of the electorate. It's not me that needs to be convinced, it's those who were told that Brexit was going to see them get higher wages, better public services and lower taxes, while enjoying all the benefits of EU membership they currently enjoy.
These figs would surely imply a huge Labour lead, and if you believe the polls there isn't. In any event the Social care crap is dead, the winter fuel allowance will remain---Hurrah!/sorted
She will always be the PM who needlessly threw away her majority. In politics there is no escape from a big mistake.
Quite, I can't believe people are still discussing polls as opposed to what actually happens.
The perception, which is reflected in the reality of votes is that Corbyn did better than expected because he is sincere, and May the opposite. Perhaps finally politicians will tell us what they think and allow us to decide rather than avoid questions.
I've no idea why anybody would pay a polling company anymore.
Because they want to know which detergent adverts people remember? (That type of thing being 95% of the revenues of firms like Survation and YouGov.)
Yeah I get that, an accurate political poll is one that pleases you, beyond that they're pointless. Few people have a vested interest in soap powder.
That's something I don't get about polling firms. Why do they bother doing political polling at all - the publicity has surely not been much help since 1992. Why not just stop political polling entirely and focus on the money making soap powder polls. If I was running a business where I wanted to get some product polling, I really don't think I would look twice at their political polling records to help me.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
Jesus. The people on here.
They think are making a killer point whilst merely displaying their ignorance
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
They exist almost entirely in primary education, and they allow for bigger class sizes. So, instead of having a class of 18 five year olds with one teacher, you have a class of 30 with one teacher and one teaching assistant.
Ah, I see. A pure cost-saving method to have a pseudo-teacher rather than a real one?
The problem with school funding is not teaching asiatants but the dramatic rise in none teaching roles that are now school based rather than local authority based. So schools have finance managers facility managers, purchasing officers, independant IT managers etc etc. the LEA's were accused of profligate waste and the budgets devolved to the school. I cant see how that has resulted in a more efficient use of funding.
IIRC the LEAs siphoned off about 25% of the total budget, which is a huge amount to spend on central functions.
It is if they are all office bureaucrats but not so much if they are providing services such as speech and language therapists who can be more effectively deployed over several schools than being based at one.
Of course there are some services which should - and still can, and still are - shared between schools. A lot of money went on overheads, "strategic planning" and other arguably unnecessary central functions
One wonders how they'd cope under a Corbyn government, when money walks, and serious cuts are imposed.
Is Hammond on a last-ditch kamikaze mission to alter Brexit policy or does he just know he's utterly untouchable?
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
What is the May worldview? She did nothing to curb non-EU immigration in her six years as Home Secretary. Many Conservative supporters in the business world and in the Remain campaign (which included TMay) opposed curbs to EU migration. Why do you suppose Theresa May wants to build walls now?
The May world view is generally what the Daily Mail tells her it is.
So uniformly wrong then :-)
How's the Saboteur Crushing going?
As usual you get the wrong end of the stick. I was agreeing wholeheartedly with both SO and his view of the Mail and May. If both ceased to exist tomorrow I would be one of those celebrating.
It sounds like the Finsbury Park attacker had mental health issues.
Isn't a desire to drive a van into a group of people on the street a pretty good leading indication of that?
The desire -and then the ability - to commit murder randomly in any situation surely indicates someone not being the full shilling.
That was kind of my point. You can then determine whether it is a neurological (i.e. "physical") issue that can be treated with therapy or pharmacological intervention, or whether it is an "obsession" (which could be religious or of some other nature). The second is much harder to treat.
Obsessional disorders are mental health conditions.....
All these mass killers suffer from extreme narcissistic personality disorder which by it's nature makes it impossible for them to show empathy. And, worryingly, extreme Personality disorders are notoriously difficult to treat....they do not respond to Pharma or Cognitive therapies. The best way I suppose is to try and identify them and point their obsessions on something that doesn't involve indiscriminate killing
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
School funding was a major issue that Labour tapped into successfully. There was some kind of mini-campaign and petition iirc - had 500,000 names on it I think.
What exactly is a teaching assistant? I keep hearing about them, but since I had an impoverished education by never having any, I can't grasp what exactly it is that they do (and why the teachers don't do whatever-it-is).
Jesus. The people on here.
They think are making a killer point whilst merely displaying their ignorance
Erm, no, I admitted my ignorance. That's why I asked the question...
I'm sure it was fun, and I've been in demos which I enjoyed too. My point is that mass demos are usually counter-productive if the intention is to change minds (as opposed to other things like mobilising people, making them feel part of a movement etc.). From the inside they feel enjoyable and warm and mutually supportive, from the outside they look like a mob who need to be resisted. I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of effective demos, since quiet demos tend to pass without much reaction at all. Constituents lobbying their MPs is what works.
Incidentally, the other effect was to damage the CA's ability to influence MPs on any other subject. They tried hard to shake off the "all about hunting" image but never succeeded, whereas an organisation like BASC - which is all about shooting and might be expected to get a similar reaction - has always successfully engaged with MPs.
A key Countryside Alliance message was that town folk don't understand countryside ways, so country people should be allowed to decide things for themselves. In other words turn the discussion from whether hunting foxes is a good idea to who decides? Given that, it wasn't a smart tactical move to go to town to tell bemused bystanders, you're all wrong, especially when marches tend to alienate onlookers anyway.
On that logic, why can't we let the poor misunderstood paedophiles have their say. Let them decide whether it's OK to bugger kids.
Mate...I don't want to live in a country where it's acceptable for packs of hounds to tear apart terrified foxes. Like paedophilia, I know it happens, but I don't want it to be accepted by the government. No fucking way comrade.
And yet you live in Italy where fox hunting is perfectly legal?
I'm sure it was fun, and I've been in demos which I enjoyed too. My point is that mass demos are usually counter-productive if the intention is to change minds (as opposed to other things like mobilising people, making them feel part of a movement etc.). From the inside they feel enjoyable and warm and mutually supportive, from the outside they look like a mob who need to be resisted. I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of effective demos, since quiet demos tend to pass without much reaction at all. Constituents lobbying their MPs is what works.
Incidentally, the other effect was to damage the CA's ability to influence MPs on any other subject. They tried hard to shake off the "all about hunting" image but never succeeded, whereas an organisation like BASC - which is all about shooting and might be expected to get a similar reaction - has always successfully engaged with MPs.
A key Countryside Alliance message was that town folk don't understand countryside ways, so country people should be allowed to decide things for themselves. In other words turn the discussion from whether hunting foxes is a good idea to who decides? Given that, it wasn't a smart tactical move to go to town to tell bemused bystanders, you're all wrong, especially when marches tend to alienate onlookers anyway.
...
Mate...I don't want to live in a country where it's acceptable for packs of hounds to tear apart terrified foxes. Like paedophilia, I know it happens, but I don't want it to be accepted by the government. No fucking way comrade.
Erm, are there not packs of hunting hounds in Italy? That vibrant place you seem to love....
I'm sure it was fun, and I've been in demos which I enjoyed too. My point is that mass demos are usually counter-productive if the intention is to change minds (as opposed to other things like mobilising people, making them feel part of a movement etc.). From the inside they feel enjoyable and warm and mutually supportive, from the outside they look like a mob who need to be resisted. I'm not sure what the answer is in terms of effective demos, since quiet demos tend to pass without much reaction at all. Constituents lobbying their MPs is what works.
Incidentally, the other effect was to damage the CA's ability to influence MPs on any other subject. They tried hard to shake off the "all about hunting" image but never succeeded, whereas an organisation like BASC - which is all about shooting and might be expected to get a similar reaction - has always successfully engaged with MPs.
A key Countryside Alliance message was that town folk don't understand countryside ways, so country people should be allowed to decide things for themselves. In other words turn the discussion from whether hunting foxes is a good idea to who decides? Given that, it wasn't a smart tactical move to go to town to tell bemused bystanders, you're all wrong, especially when marches tend to alienate onlookers anyway.
On that logic, why can't we let the poor misunderstood paedophiles have their say. Let them decide whether it's OK to bugger kids.
Mate...I don't want to live in a country where it's acceptable for packs of hounds to tear apart terrified foxes. Like paedophilia, I know it happens, but I don't want it to be accepted by the government. No fucking way comrade.
Rog you must be having a turn, after your comments about being terrified of Muslim women yesterday.
Paedophilia is illegal. Killing foxes is not. Foxes are killed every day. It is simply a matter of how they are killed. You, and the anti-hunting lot, don't like people dressing up and enjoying their sport. Fine. You are at liberty not to like such people. But whether someone kills a fox with a smile on their face, or weeping tears of sorrow is irrelevant.
Is Hammond on a last-ditch kamikaze mission to alter Brexit policy or does he just know he's utterly untouchable?
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
What is the May worldview? She did nothing to curb non-EU immigration in her six years as Home Secretary. Many Conservative supporters in the business world and in the Remain campaign (which included TMay) opposed curbs to EU migration. Why do you suppose Theresa May wants to build walls now?
The May world view is generally what the Daily Mail tells her it is.
So uniformly wrong then :-)
How's the Saboteur Crushing going?
As usual you get the wrong end of the stick. I was agreeing wholeheartedly with both SO and his view of the Mail and May. If both ceased to exist tomorrow I would be one of those celebrating.
Some examples of abusive placards? I was on the March and don't recall them
It's a long time ago, but I recall some very nasty ones about Blair. With his current unpopularity, many people will see nothing wrong with that, but as a way of influencing Government MPs it was a bad idea.
A problem for all march organisers is that they're not really motivated to discourage participants who've brought their own placards (likewise the SWP and other fringe groups at left-wing demos) - it takes a very firm policy to say "You can't carry that in our demo".
With all due respect, Nick, I think you have created a false memory to justify your own worldview.
Hunting is a minority activity, which is important to a small group of people. (Personally I don't really care). The most significant issue is one of liberty.
News from the frontline - three teaching assistants laid off at the primary school where a friend sends her kids and the head teacher voluntarily taking a small pay cut on top. There are these kinds of cuts in all the schools around here. Parents notice. It's not just Brexit and it's not just dementia tax.
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
As I said a few days ago it was notable that the main reason for the increase in inflation was said to be the rising cost of foreign holidays and computer games. It is not exactly the stuff of which third world nightmares are made.
It isn't. But we were promised a Brexit that delivers increasing prosperity and more opportunities. Politically, therefore, if the Brexit process is actually making foreign holidays, computer games and other "luxuries" less affordable that is an issue.
Dear Lord. It took us 40 years to get this far and you expect the benefits of us regaining control over our own economic future to manifest themselves before we even leave? That's insane. The full gains from Brexit may take a decade to embed themselves.
I doubt any of us on PB will ever live to see the "full gains" from Brexit.
Incidentally, the second language appearing in a UK passport is not French....
Gaelic?
There is a clue in my name - I gave this question to someone to use at a pub quiz in Dubai - "what is second langauge appearing in UK passport" - almost everyone said French..a few said spanish..nobody picked Welsh!
Hmm, I'm sure I saw Gaelic in mine. It's at home though so I can't check.
What region do you live in? If it is Wales then Welsh is likely the other language. Maybe in Scotland that has Gaelic as the other language? My UK one was issued with an address in England so it has English and needs one other so the default seems to be French. Although my Irish one was done through the London Embassy it was inevitable that Irish Gaelic would be the primary choice.
It sounds like the Finsbury Park attacker had mental health issues.
Isn't a desire to drive a van into a group of people on the street a pretty good leading indication of that?
The desire -and then the ability - to commit murder randomly in any situation surely indicates someone not being the full shilling.
That was kind of my point. You can then determine whether it is a neurological (i.e. "physical") issue that can be treated with therapy or pharmacological intervention, or whether it is an "obsession" (which could be religious or of some other nature). The second is much harder to treat.
It is an argument for a much greater emphasis on mental health issues, though; especially among young men. A lot of Europe's home-grown Moslem terrorists seem to have damaged backgrounds and spent time in prison where they become radicalised. It might be worth investing more money in mental health monitoring and treatments in prison. The amounts spent would be tiny in comparison to the costs of potential catastrophes averted.
Comments
It is slightly perverse, though, that the reaction to an attack targeting a crowd leaving a mosque (Islamophobia) is identical to the reaction to an attack perpetrated by Islamic extremists.
Also, important to get terminology right. Attacking Muslims for being Muslims is unacceptable. Islam is an idea and must not be given special rights and privileges to protect it from criticism, ridicule, intellectual examination etc.
Lastly, it's stupid that under Khan London is a city where fit women in bikinis are banned from adverts on the tube, and flags of Hezbollah are permitted on the streets.
"But really, the manifesto was calculated to upset young people, old people, and middle -aged people."
So next election manifestos will include
No Tuition Fees
Higher Pensions
Just need something for the 25 - 65 year olds. Tax relief on the interest payments on Mortgages? Soon Interest rates will be rising with devastating effect on mortgage payers.
Brown Muslim massacres people with automatic weapon = Islamic Terrorism
White Christian massacres people with automatic weapon = 'Mental health issues'
CCCC - Day 12 - 0830.
Auchentennach Bookmakers (est 1225) are now offering odds on which event will take place first :
1. Conservative/DUP signed C&S pact
2. SeanT to become peace envoy for ISIS
3. Boris Johnson not to say wiff-waff within next 3 months
4. Prime Minister to become Samaritans volunteer
5. Burnley FC to win Champions League 2019
6. Mrs JackW to declare a month of abstinence of shoe purchasing
7. Jezza to join the Orange Order with Gerry Adams
8. OGH to sell all shares in the Belgravia Hair Centre
9. Robert Mugabe to marry Peter Thatchell in Mosul Cosmopolitan Cathedral
10/1 each of nine. Maximum Stake - 1 groat.
Country Ways For All The Country And Not The Few.
Cumulative trade deficit £11.325bn
Cumulative tourism deficit £6.550bn
The money is there, its all a question of priorities and imported consumer tat and foreign holidays are deemed a higher priority by many millions of people.
His Brexit noises (most recently in the Mansion House speech this morning - frictionless borders, not shutting down immigration etc) don't feel very in tune with the May/Davis worldview.
And wanting to leave the customs union while keeping current border/customs policy for a while feels like wishful thinking.
Sometimes, the morally correct thing to do is *not* to resign when you've cocked up. This is one of them.
Whilst I don't wish for a recession to happen, if one does occur in the next few years, I do hope BT, Sky and the Premier League feel a lot of pain.
Whilst they cannot make formal police arrests, given that they usually patrol with a regular officer, they are an excellent way of increasing manpower with no real downsides.
The Conservative party needs to release her from her duty.
@Nick_Pettigrew: David Davis bought his sofa at DFS for the full price.
Mark Carney says Brexit has made us all poorer. No shit.
And Hammond in his mansion house speech says Remainers were right, it's now my job to try and salvage whatever I can from the wreckage of Brexit.
Awesome!
A problem for all march organisers is that they're not really motivated to discourage participants who've brought their own placards (likewise the SWP and other fringe groups at left-wing demos) - it takes a very firm policy to say "You can't carry that in our demo".
"Blair, ban hunting and we will boot you out", read placards held aloft by demonstrators as they marched 20 abreast through the streets and brought much of the city to a standstill."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2274129.stm
I'm not sure what Nick was so scared of..
Perhaps he saw this guy?
He does look rather dangerous
The other advantage/disadvantage of PCSOs is that they could be laid off....
On that logic, why can't we let the poor misunderstood paedophiles have their say. Let them decide whether it's OK to bugger kids.
Mate...I don't want to live in a country where it's acceptable for packs of hounds to tear apart terrified foxes. Like paedophilia, I know it happens, but I don't want it to be accepted by the government. No fucking way comrade.
What I hope we see is a more collegiate, cabinet based government with a range of views being taken into account from both inside and outside the cabinet before the government announces something rash. It's one of the very few upsides of minority government and it means the pressure on May to be the font of all wisdom (a role which to put it politely she found challenging) is reduced.
The poll tax demos were pretty productive at producing a seismic change in govt policy.
BTW...I just noticed from your Facebook page that you are working in animal welfare. Good on you comrade. Your deep compassion is perfect for that kind of work. Good luck.
My Irish passport is Gaelic / English.
So in our case, there may not have overall been a cut in state expenditure on schooling. Rather, across the board cuts in funding to existing state schools have been made in order to provide a windfall to the parents of those who chose to educate their children privately. To cap it all, the school in question has just had a visit from a member of the royal family in order to celebrate its new status.
All these mass killers suffer from extreme narcissistic personality disorder which by it's nature makes it impossible for them to show empathy. And, worryingly, extreme Personality disorders are notoriously difficult to treat....they do not respond to Pharma or Cognitive therapies. The best way I suppose is to try and identify them and point their obsessions on something that doesn't involve indiscriminate killing
Paedophilia is illegal. Killing foxes is not. Foxes are killed every day. It is simply a matter of how they are killed. You, and the anti-hunting lot, don't like people dressing up and enjoying their sport. Fine. You are at liberty not to like such people. But whether someone kills a fox with a smile on their face, or weeping tears of sorrow is irrelevant.
So then to the big issue of today - is the big double going to be landed ?
RIBCHESTER - Evens
CHURCHILL - 8/13
LADY AURELIA has drifted from 6/4 to 4/1 though whether that's down to Dettori's injury or other factors I don't know.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=990&q=countryside+march+1998+placards&oq=countryside+march+1998+placards&gs_l=img.3...989.17368.0.17511.39.32.1.0.0.0.916.4786.3-7j2j0j2.11.0....0...1.1.64.img..27.10.4020...0j0i10k1j0i10i24k1j0i24k1.IdOxIXfgG6s
"I love my country, but fear my government"
"The peasants are revolting"
"Fight prejudice, fight the ban"
"Bang out of order"
Yep, those seem pretty nasty.
2002:
"Newsflash: Tony Blair is still a w*nker".
"We don't take prisoners, townie" [with a mask of Blair]
Hmmh...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=990&q=countryside+march+1998+placards&oq=countryside+march+1998+placards&gs_l=img.3...989.17368.0.17511.39.32.1.0.0.0.916.4786.3-7j2j0j2.11.0....0...1.1.64.img..27.10.4020...0j0i10k1j0i10i24k1j0i24k1.IdOxIXfgG6s#safe=strict&tbm=isch&q=liberty+and+livelihood+march+placards
How about these ones?
"Bliar, Bliar"
"Deaf to reason, guilty of treason"
"Destroy power, not people"
"Blair will be tried as a war criminal"
Sorry. My mistake. Those were from the anti Iraq war march
https://www.google.co.uk/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=990&q=countryside+march+1998+placards&oq=countryside+march+1998+placards&gs_l=img.3...989.17368.0.17511.39.32.1.0.0.0.916.4786.3-7j2j0j2.11.0....0...1.1.64.img..27.10.4020...0j0i10k1j0i10i24k1j0i24k1.IdOxIXfgG6s#safe=strict&tbm=isch&q=anti+iraq+war+march+2001+placards
With all due respect, Nick, I think you have created a false memory to justify your own worldview.
Hunting is a minority activity, which is important to a small group of people. (Personally I don't really care). The most significant issue is one of liberty.