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  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,823

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    This happened to my son in law's mother who collapsed and was taken to A & E to be diagnosed with heart block and had an emergency op to fit a pacemaker. A couple of days later she was fine to go home but stayed several more days blocking the bed waiting for a social care package
    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    Can you paste the title of that FT article Foxy? That way I can search and see it (otherwise it's behind a paywall)
    UK home care industry ‘on the brink of collapse’, says report

  • Options
    RoyalBlueRoyalBlue Posts: 3,223

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
  • Options
    I do wonder why Corbyn had this meeting today just as the antisemitism story was beginning to die down. It just starts it going round again. His people's news management is shocking.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,823

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    And the light at the end of the tunnel is the oncoming demographic train:

    https://twitter.com/foxinsoxuk/status/978302412363624448?s=19
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,292
    It was a Roma fan who was tooled up with a hammer....
  • Options
    ElliotElliot Posts: 1,516

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,422
    TOPPING said:

    kle4 said:

    Scott_P said:

    twitter.com/paulwaugh/status/988864856018358275

    twitter.com/paulwaugh/status/988889813704159233

    Given everything ken has said has been on the record it could be done in a week.
    The only cause for delay I'd have thought would be him making more and more statements, which then get added to the pile.
    Maybe they have got a team of German modern history experts poring over every single document that Hitler signed, just in case there is one that shows Ken was right?
    Plus psychologists to determine when exactly Hitler went a bit mad.
    Only when he realised the ninth army would have to retreat.
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,132
    GIN1138 said:



    But an interesting blast from the past was discovering Zammo from Grange Hill now has a key cutting business in South London. He once met Nancy Reagan.

    Fascinating...
    Six minutes in for the big meeting:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjYxHpMX0KI
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,422
    While Labour tears itself to pieces over whether it supports anti-semites or not, Owen Jones continues to worry about how many journos went to private school.
  • Options
    ElliotElliot Posts: 1,516

    I do wonder why Corbyn had this meeting today just as the antisemitism story was beginning to die down. It just starts it going round again. His people's news management is shocking.

    Judging from the outcome of the meeting, Corbyn is now very consciously making a choice I always assumed was subconscious: he is willing to ally with anti-Semites as long as they are with him on being anti-Tory or anti-Western.
  • Options
    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,919
    Macron and Donald love-in very funny on Newsnight.

    Meanwhile in the UK our grandstanding MP's, Lords and Speaker stand up and say they don't want a piece of filth like Donald in Westminster.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,823
    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,796
    Foxy said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    This happened to my son in law's mother who collapsed and was taken to A & E to be diagnosed with heart block and had an emergency op to fit a pacemaker. A couple of days later she was fine to go home but stayed several more days blocking the bed waiting for a social care package
    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    Can you paste the title of that FT article Foxy? That way I can search and see it (otherwise it's behind a paywall)
    UK home care industry ‘on the brink of collapse’, says report

    Thanks. Not sure why that works for FT articles but it does.

    On social care - proper funding required and taxation to back that up. No one wants to pay more tax but we're all going to have to.
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,132
    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,292
    edited April 2018
    GIN1138 said:

    Macron and Donald love-in very funny on Newsnight.

    Meanwhile in the UK our grandstanding MP's, Lords and Speaker stand up and say they don't want a piece of filth like Donald in Westminster.

    And our media....if May even talks to Donald about anything it is a national disgrace, if Macron does it...well he is trying to bring Donald into the real world.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,796
    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,132
    Foxy said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    This happened to my son in law's mother who collapsed and was taken to A & E to be diagnosed with heart block and had an emergency op to fit a pacemaker. A couple of days later she was fine to go home but stayed several more days blocking the bed waiting for a social care package
    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    Can you paste the title of that FT article Foxy? That way I can search and see it (otherwise it's behind a paywall)
    UK home care industry ‘on the brink of collapse’, says report

    Thanks.

    Although 13 months later it clearly hasn't yet collapsed even though there are serious issues.
  • Options
    RoyalBlueRoyalBlue Posts: 3,223

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
    All Europe was the loser from 1914-1945. It was the deathknell for European world leadership.

    It’s true that we retained our honour and suffered less physical damage and casualties than other nations, but the economic foundations of our power were destroyed.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,823

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    That is my conclusion. Others may differ.

    The other key is much more long term. We have to nudge our citizens into healthier lives, so that they have good health in retirement, can keep working in many jobs and have more disability free years. A sort of North Karelia Project, but nationwide.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/finlands-radical-heart-health-transformation/389766/
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,796
    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
    All Europe was the loser from 1914-1945. It was the deathknell for European world leadership.

    It’s true that we retained our honour and suffered less physical damage and casualties than other nations, but the economic foundations of our power were destroyed.
    Generally agree but I am not sure Britain suffered less physical damage than say France.
  • Options
    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,919
    edited April 2018

    GIN1138 said:

    Macron and Donald love-in very funny on Newsnight.

    Meanwhile in the UK our grandstanding MP's, Lords and Speaker stand up and say they don't want a piece of filth like Donald in Westminster.

    And our media....if May even talks to Donald about anything it is a national disgrace, if Macron does it...well he is trying to bring Donald into the real world.
    Well the media spin their nonsense endlessly anyway but the British political class and elites have gone mad since Brexit and Trump.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,823

    Foxy said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    This happened to my son in law's mother who collapsed and was taken to A & E to be diagnosed with heart block and had an emergency op to fit a pacemaker. A couple of days later she was fine to go home but stayed several more days blocking the bed waiting for a social care package
    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    Can you paste the title of that FT article Foxy? That way I can search and see it (otherwise it's behind a paywall)
    UK home care industry ‘on the brink of collapse’, says report

    Thanks.

    Although 13 months later it clearly hasn't yet collapsed even though there are serious issues.
    like the NHS the trickle of money is keeping it stable, for now, albeit with increasing debts.
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,132

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    But who should pay the higher taxes ?

    I suspect most people think it should be 'people like them' and not 'people like me'.
  • Options
    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,006

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,796

    Foxy said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    This happened to my son in law's mother who collapsed and was taken to A & E to be diagnosed with heart block and had an emergency op to fit a pacemaker. A couple of days later she was fine to go home but stayed several more days blocking the bed waiting for a social care package
    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    Can you paste the title of that FT article Foxy? That way I can search and see it (otherwise it's behind a paywall)
    UK home care industry ‘on the brink of collapse’, says report

    Thanks.

    Although 13 months later it clearly hasn't yet collapsed even though there are serious issues.
    Social care can't really be allowed to collapse since that would leave thousands dying uncared for, so it is presumably likely to remain on the brink of collapse until grown-up politicians agree a sensible way to fund it long-term. Unfortunately the (unecessary) distraction of Brexit is taking up all their energies at the moment.
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,422
    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    That is my conclusion. Others may differ.

    The other key is much more long term. We have to nudge our citizens into healthier lives, so that they have good health in retirement, can keep working in many jobs and have more disability free years. A sort of North Karelia Project, but nationwide.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/finlands-radical-heart-health-transformation/389766/
    Happening for diabetes.

    I have been signed up:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/diabetes/diabetes-prevention/roll-out-of-the-programme/
  • Options
    ElliotElliot Posts: 1,516
    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,132

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
    All Europe was the loser from 1914-1945. It was the deathknell for European world leadership.

    It’s true that we retained our honour and suffered less physical damage and casualties than other nations, but the economic foundations of our power were destroyed.
    Generally agree but I am not sure Britain suffered less physical damage than say France.
    Some bombing doesn't equal being used as a battlefield.

    And France was bombed as well, by both sides.
  • Options
    ElliotElliot Posts: 1,516

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,132
    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
    All Europe was the loser from 1914-1945. It was the deathknell for European world leadership.

    It’s true that we retained our honour and suffered less physical damage and casualties than other nations, but the economic foundations of our power were destroyed.
    The decline in British economic power was inevitable and had begun in the 19th century.

    We've been living for a long time from the benefits that the industrial revolution and winning the Seven Years War brought.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,048

    I do wonder why Corbyn had this meeting today just as the antisemitism story was beginning to die down. It just starts it going round again. His people's news management is shocking.

    I presume the date was set back when it was in the news more, not really possible to duck it.
  • Options
    Elliot said:

    I do wonder why Corbyn had this meeting today just as the antisemitism story was beginning to die down. It just starts it going round again. His people's news management is shocking.

    Judging from the outcome of the meeting, Corbyn is now very consciously making a choice I always assumed was subconscious: he is willing to ally with anti-Semites as long as they are with him on being anti-Tory or anti-Western.
    There seems to be a view that, as Jewish people only count in a few constituencies, and most people probably do not feel strongly about the issue, then it is not going to turn votes.

    The problem is that parties are brands and Labour's core proposition is it is nice and cuddly. The polling is showing that image is ebbing and people are starting to think it has racist elements in it, as well as some loons. It is hard to get that back.

    Also, and the bigger problem is this story is unlikely to go away. Look at what the newspapers have done with YouTube over the past 18 months, hounding it over story after story. The same will happy with labour and for much the same reason - there is likely to be plenty of material out there and the newspapers smell blood.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,823

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    That is my conclusion. Others may differ.

    The other key is much more long term. We have to nudge our citizens into healthier lives, so that they have good health in retirement, can keep working in many jobs and have more disability free years. A sort of North Karelia Project, but nationwide.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/finlands-radical-heart-health-transformation/389766/
    Happening for diabetes.

    I have been signed up:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/diabetes/diabetes-prevention/roll-out-of-the-programme/
    Good luck, and keep it up! preventing vascular damage is very worthwhile.
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    But who should pay the higher taxes ?

    I suspect most people think it should be 'people like them' and not 'people like me'.
    Some people arrange their earnings to avoid paying more tax.

    Perhaps they could look at themselves first.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,796

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    But who should pay the higher taxes ?

    I suspect most people think it should be 'people like them' and not 'people like me'.
    I would have thought most would accept that everyone has to pay a bit more. No one will like it but increasing proportions ot the population have first hand experience of their relatives suffering the effects of the current underfunding of social care.

    As an aside, I would move away from private provision towards direct state provision over time - private enterprise has failed miserably to provide social care efficiently and effectively. As AndyJS pointed out earlier "One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this."
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there are other benefits.

    Property tax in New Jersey is substantially more than Council Tax in the UK. It depends on the County, but it is about 3 per cent.

    Average annual property tax in NJ is ~ 9000 dollars a year.

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
  • Options
    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,006
    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,132
    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    You could make it specific to oldies and call it something like a Dementia Tax.

    Or concentrate on multi-million mansions and have Baroness Bakewell complaining:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/9123806/After-40-years-why-should-I-be-forced-to-sell-my-property.html
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,422
    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    That is my conclusion. Others may differ.

    The other key is much more long term. We have to nudge our citizens into healthier lives, so that they have good health in retirement, can keep working in many jobs and have more disability free years. A sort of North Karelia Project, but nationwide.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/finlands-radical-heart-health-transformation/389766/
    Happening for diabetes.

    I have been signed up:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/diabetes/diabetes-prevention/roll-out-of-the-programme/
    Good luck, and keep it up! preventing vascular damage is very worthwhile.
    To be honest, the monthly sessions can be a bit tedious - they last 90 mins, way too long - but the repeated focus is good.

    (He says with a glass of wine in one hand...)
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,796

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
    All Europe was the loser from 1914-1945. It was the deathknell for European world leadership.

    It’s true that we retained our honour and suffered less physical damage and casualties than other nations, but the economic foundations of our power were destroyed.
    Generally agree but I am not sure Britain suffered less physical damage than say France.
    Some bombing doesn't equal being used as a battlefield.

    And France was bombed as well, by both sides.
    Maybe you're right, I wasn't there. (Or here for that matter, although growing up in Hastings in the 60s I was very well acquainted with bombsites - there were a lot!)
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,261

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
    All Europe was the loser from 1914-1945. It was the deathknell for European world leadership.

    It’s true that we retained our honour and suffered less physical damage and casualties than other nations, but the economic foundations of our power were destroyed.
    Generally agree but I am not sure Britain suffered less physical damage than say France.
    I believe Allied bombing killed more French folk than the Blitz did Brits.
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    unspoofable
  • Options
    another_richardanother_richard Posts: 25,132

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:


    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.

    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    But who should pay the higher taxes ?

    I suspect most people think it should be 'people like them' and not 'people like me'.
    I would have thought most would accept that everyone has to pay a bit more. No one will like it but increasing proportions ot the population have first hand experience of their relatives suffering the effects of the current underfunding of social care.

    As an aside, I would move away from private provision towards direct state provision over time - private enterprise has failed miserably to provide social care efficiently and effectively. As AndyJS pointed out earlier "One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this."
    From the Joan Bakewell mansion article I've just linked to:

    ' I am all for taxing the rich more. I believe the less well-off are carrying too much of the burden of current austerity. But '

    There's always a 'but'.

    People are all for more tax being paid BUT preferably by other people.

    Alternatively they're all for other types of spending being cut to fund more of the spending they like BUT getting everyone to agree on which other types of spending to cut is the tricky bit.
  • Options
    Wing nut in chief mentioned in dispatches there.... He flies ever closer to the sun..
  • Options
    FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,054

    It was a Roma fan who was tooled up with a hammer....

    When in Liverpool....

    That's a joke before anyone jumps on me. I'm a fan too. The best thing for our health would be to stop conceding late goals.
  • Options
    Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    If someone told me that was a translation from German dating from the early 1930s I would have no trouble believing it.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,796

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
    All Europe was the loser from 1914-1945. It was the deathknell for European world leadership.

    It’s true that we retained our honour and suffered less physical damage and casualties than other nations, but the economic foundations of our power were destroyed.
    Generally agree but I am not sure Britain suffered less physical damage than say France.
    I believe Allied bombing killed more French folk than the Blitz did Brits.
    A quick look at Wikipedia seems to support your view and @another_richard's. I am genuinely surprised but yet another example of something new I have learnt from PB.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties

    (The military casualty totals for Germany are astonishingly high but the one that really hits you is the civilian number for Poland... largely due to the Holocaust, whose horrors can never be overstated.)
  • Options
    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,006
    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    unspoofable
    Which particular statement(s) do you disagree with? I've made it easier for you.

    There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews.
    It is made easier by social media, but also sometimes spills onto the streets.
    It is not restricted to one particular political party.
    Dealing with it is primarily a police matter.
    Leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture.
    There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks.
    Corbyn is a role model in this respect.

    Typing "unspoofable" is just lazy.
  • Options
    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,006
    Ishmael_Z said:

    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    If someone told me that was a translation from German dating from the early 1930s I would have no trouble believing it.
    That's a bit offensive actually. Which statements do you disagree with?
  • Options
    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Integrate the NHS and social care budgets. As things are currently set up (except in a few areas), there is a perverse incentive to keep people who are blocking beds in hospital. That is because the budgets are separate; the local authority, already stretched, doesn't want to or can't afford to provide suitable care outside the hospital, because it's yet another hit on their budget. So the old person who needs care is stuck in hospital, at much greater overall cost, and at risk to their own health.

    I think Jeremy Hunt gets this, but there's a lot of organisation and political inertia.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,164

    Apologies, put this right at the end of the previous thread but in case anyone is interested in the US elections.

    I spent some time in California two weeks ago. To put in context, my wife is from Los Angeles and we visit twice a year to visit her family who are staunch Democrats. I have been making that trip for over 20 years.

    I have to say that, obvious though it sounds, this was the most polarised I have ever seen both the TV and national news. You could take the same information and both sides will give you diametrically opposing interpretations. Neither side had much good to say about the other.

    One thing about the whole Mueller investigation that has not had much reporting over here is that, for Republicans and the Trump fans, the real story about Mueller is not about Russian collaboration but how the evidence allegedly points to the "Deep State" trying to overthrow Trump and how the Obama administration used the FBI and CIA to hand victory to Clinton and then tried to overthrow Trump when he won. That is energising the Republican base in favour of Trump.

    Two US betting implications I thought of.

    1. I think Republican turnout will be high. The consensus view is that there will be a blue wave but, apart from the generic Congress polls have been tightening, the Trump fan base looks very incentivised to come out and vote to defend their man. I don't know whether the Arizona 8th voting is a sign of that given the early trends.

    2. I don't for the life of me see how Democrat senators in places like West Virginia, Montana, Indiana or Missouri are going to survive. Regardless of how good or popular they are, people are just taking sides and saying you are either with us or against us. I am sure someone will produce a poll saying Democrat senators are hanging on in places like that but I really do not see it. The mood has just become so polarised that people are not going to cross-vote

    Trumpites will turn out for Trump, not GOP Congressmen and women
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    unspoofable
    Which particular statement(s) do you disagree with? I've made it easier for you.

    There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews.
    It is made easier by social media, but also sometimes spills onto the streets.
    It is not restricted to one particular political party.
    Dealing with it is primarily a police matter.
    Leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture.
    There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks.
    Corbyn is a role model in this respect.

    Typing "unspoofable" is just lazy.
    Explain to me how Corbyn as leader of todays Labour party is a role model.

  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,164
    edited April 2018
    If he is heading for government Corbyn at least needs to come close to the 13% lead Cameron got in 2006 or the 8% lead John Smith got in 1993 in the first local elections of the Parliament which led up to the general election which returned their parties to power
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    Fair t osay Labour against Anti Semitism less than impressed with the absolute boy / tireless fighter against anti semitism.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/LabourAgainstAS/status/988881364693979137
  • Options
    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    Jeremy Corbyn mouths the words. He's theoretically against all forms of racism. He's theoretically against anti-semitism. I'm pretty sure that he's quite sincere in this, and honestly believes that because he puts his name to articles condemning anti-semitism (no doubt written for him), he therefore is a campaigner against all forms of racism including anti-semitism.

    But, as the saying goes, fine words butter no parsnips.
  • Options
    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,006
    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    .
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    unspoofable
    Which particular statement(s) do you disagree with? I've made it easier for you.

    There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews.
    It is made easier by social media, but also sometimes spills onto the streets.
    It is not restricted to one particular political party.
    Dealing with it is primarily a police matter.
    Leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture.
    There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks.
    Corbyn is a role model in this respect.

    Typing "unspoofable" is just lazy.
    Explain to me how Corbyn as leader of todays Labour party is a role model.

    Ah - so that was what you objected to. Corbyn never stoops to personal abuse and is always polite. I think that was part of his attraction at the last GE. Rees-Mogg is similar in that respect (only!).
  • Options
    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    edited April 2018
    Barnesian said:

    ...
    It is not restricted to one particular political party.
    ....

    Actually, it is, pretty much. Certainly only one political party has the problem right at the top, and doesn't deal with it.
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    Jeremy Corbyn mouths the words. He's theoretically against all forms of racism. He's theoretically against anti-semitism. I'm pretty sure that he's quite sincere in this, and honestly believes that because he puts his name to articles condemning anti-semitism (no doubt written for him), he therefore is a campaigner against all forms of racism including anti-semitism.

    But, as the saying goes, fine words butter no parsnips.

    The man and the crowd he runs with are dangerous.

  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    .
    I

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, asnipnd it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    unspoofable
    Which particular statement(s) do you disagree with? I've made it easier for you.

    There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews.
    It is made easier by social media, but also sometimes spills onto the streets.
    It is not restricted to one particular political party.
    Dealing with it is primarily a police matter.
    Leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture.
    There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks.
    Corbyn is a role model in this respect.

    Typing "unspoofable" is just lazy.
    Explain to me how Corbyn as leader of todays Labour party is a role model.

    Ah - so that was what you objected to. Corbyn never stoops to personal abuse and is always polite. I think that was part of his attraction at the last GE. Rees-Mogg is similar in that respect (only!).
    Oh - your entire post was crap from start to finish

    But we have to start somewhere.

    Explain to us how Jeremy Corbyn is a role model for the fight against anti semitism.

    It's almost like you have been sitting there hearing nothing, seeing nothing

    He is presiding over a pile of filth - and it's getting worse.
  • Options
    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820
    edited April 2018
    Floater said:

    Jeremy Corbyn mouths the words. He's theoretically against all forms of racism. He's theoretically against anti-semitism. I'm pretty sure that he's quite sincere in this, and honestly believes that because he puts his name to articles condemning anti-semitism (no doubt written for him), he therefore is a campaigner against all forms of racism including anti-semitism.

    But, as the saying goes, fine words butter no parsnips.

    The man and the crowd he runs with are dangerous.

    Of course. Because once you start along the route of raging against shadowy wealthy elites, you're only one step away from raging against shadowy wealthy Jews, as we saw in in the 1930s. And when you start from a position of default anti-Americanism, you're only one step away from allying yourself with some very disagreeable groups who are rabidly anti-American.

    Corbyn's message, for all his mild manners, is hate.
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    .
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    unspoofable
    Which particular statement(s) do you disagree with? I've made it easier for you.

    There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews.
    It is made easier by social media, but also sometimes spills onto the streets.
    It is not restricted to one particular political party.
    Dealing with it is primarily a police matter.
    Leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture.
    There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks.
    Corbyn is a role model in this respect.

    Typing "unspoofable" is just lazy.
    Explain to me how Corbyn as leader of todays Labour party is a role model.

    Ah - so that was what you objected to. Corbyn never stoops to personal abuse and is always polite. I think that was part of his attraction at the last GE. Rees-Mogg is similar in that respect (only!).
    From your own post

    Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture.

    What has he done to influence the culture within Labour?

    Is it just a coincidence that things have gone downhill fast under Corbyn?

  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,164
    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    National Insurance is what should fund increased social care costs, the clue is in the title
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,164

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there are other benefits.

    Property tax in New Jersey is substantially more than Council Tax in the UK. It depends on the County, but it is about 3 per cent.

    Average annual property tax in NJ is ~ 9000 dollars a year.

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
    In Alabama and Hawaii by contrast it is less than 1%
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,068
    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    That is my conclusion. Others may differ.

    The other key is much more long term. We have to nudge our citizens into healthier lives, so that they have good health in retirement, can keep working in many jobs and have more disability free years. A sort of North Karelia Project, but nationwide.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/finlands-radical-heart-health-transformation/389766/
    Surely it would be cheaper to encourage the old to take up more dangerous pursuits: motor racing, sky diving, smoking, drinking and drugs.
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited April 2018
    Does anyone else see the connection between the fact that for instance we don't have to show ID to vote in elections in the UK and the Windrush debacle? I think there is one, which is that we've always been a country that hates forcing people to carry documents proving who they are. But that mean when people suddenly do need documents they quite often don't have them. If we'd always been a country obsessed with ID the Windrush debacle couldn't have happened. I love the fact that I can show up at my local polling station without even a polling card and I get issued with a ballot paper as if that were the most normal thing in the world. In Boston, MA I couldn't even buy a local train ticket for a 30 minute journey without showing ID.
  • Options
    rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:



    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.

    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there are other benefits.

    Property tax in New Jersey is substantially more than Council Tax in the UK. It depends on the County, but it is about 3 per cent.

    Average annual property tax in NJ is ~ 9000 dollars a year.

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
    Here in Westchester County, NY, which has the highest property taxes in the whole USA, we pay $13,000 p.a. in taxes to our village, town (including precept to the county) and school board. It would be nearer $17,000 but we were able to get a lower valuation accepted by the village.

    Part of the reason taxes are so high here in NYS is because we’re the only state that funds Medicaid (the health care safety net for very low-income people) at county level. However perhaps the real reason is that Americans really like their local government to be local; no-one would stand for organizing it by central diktat like in the UK, and no-one cares about economies of scale; we are served by a village, a town and a county police department (and the county has additional sheriff’s department) all paid for out of property tax. We have a volunteer fire department, which in theory should save money, but we have four separate appliances for a population of just 11,000!
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,068
    Republicans hold on (at a canter) in Arizona, apparently.
  • Options
    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,151
    AndyJS said:

    Does anyone else see the connection between the fact that for instance we don't have to show ID to vote in elections in the UK and the Windrush debacle? I think there is one, which is that we've always been a country that hates forcing people to carry documents proving who they are. But that mean when people suddenly do need documents they quite often don't have them. If we'd always been a country obsessed with ID the Windrush debacle couldn't have happened. I love the fact that I can show up at my local polling station without even a polling card and I get issued with a ballot paper as if that were the most normal thing in the world. In Boston, MA I couldn't even buy a local train ticket for a 30 minute journey without showing ID.

    Not really, the policy was to kick people out or make them leave to hit the targets, so if there had been an ID system they'd have found some way to exploit it to kick people out or make them leave.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,797
    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    Barnesian said:

    Elliot said:

    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    .
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Or, you know, Jews genuinely concerned about attacks and an increasingly hostile environment. The Board of Deputies gave some very real and pratical steps Corbyn could take. That would end the issue. But Corbyn doesn't want to because he values anti-Semites like Hamas, Press TV, Ken Livinstone and others as valuable allies.
    Sorry. I think your last sentence is total garbage. There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews, made easier by social media, but also sometimes spilling onto the streets, and it is not restricted to one particular political party. Dealing with it is primarily a police matter but leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture. There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks. Corbyn is a role model in this respect.
    unspoofable
    Which particular statement(s) do you disagree with? I've made it easier for you.

    There is a growing hostile environment for many groups including Jews.
    It is made easier by social media, but also sometimes spills onto the streets.
    It is not restricted to one particular political party.
    Dealing with it is primarily a police matter.
    Leaders have a responsibility too in influencing the culture.
    There needs to be more tolerance and less ad hominem attacks.
    Corbyn is a role model in this respect.

    Typing "unspoofable" is just lazy.
    Explain to me how Corbyn as leader of todays Labour party is a role model.

    Ah - so that was what you objected to. Corbyn never stoops to personal abuse and is always polite. I think that was part of his attraction at the last GE. Rees-Mogg is similar in that respect (only!).
    “Always polite”....
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43878356
  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    I’ve ranted about this before, but you need to completely restructure the NHS.

    The needs of long term chronic care are very different to A&E, acute care, specialty medicines etc.

    DGHs are a 1950s solution to deal with a 1970s problem. But no politicians wins from “closing our local hospital” so it will never happen
  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Barnesian said:

    Floater said:

    I bet if this was another minority group jezza wouldn’t have just sat their shrugging.

    Strange reaction for the militant fighter against anti - semitism.

    Oh - that was just another load of bollocks to try and move on.
    I genuinely think he just doesn’t think there is really a problem stemming from seeing the Jews as not a poor underrepresented minority with no voice and of course he is no fan of Israel’s approach to dealing with their neighbours.
    I think that is right. Top of his personal agenda will be the homeless, the jobless, the poor, the ill, perhaps the Palestinians but not antisemitism. That will be low down on his agenda for the reasons you give.

    It is being forced onto his agenda by some who have it high in their own personal agenda and by some who think it will damage him.

    I think he is giving it too much attention. He should just move on and stick to his own agenda.
    Just to be clear: you don’t think Labour should address the evil of anti-semitism that is infecting it?

    I will be charitable and assume that is a Lib Dem giving “helpful” advice to a rival party

    Otherwise...sheesh (shakes head)
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,941
    This is going to confuse people: in Eastleigh, Hampshire, the local Lib Dem council leader is in favour of a new development of 5,000 houses.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-5653313/Its-Nimbys-vs-Yimbys-New-people-saying-Yes-yard.html
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,068
    Sandpit said:

    This is going to confuse people: in Eastleigh, Hampshire, the local Lib Dem council leader is in favour of a new development of 5,000 houses.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-5653313/Its-Nimbys-vs-Yimbys-New-people-saying-Yes-yard.html

    Fake news.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,001
    HYUFD said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there are other benefits.

    Property tax in New Jersey is substantially more than Council Tax in the UK. It depends on the County, but it is about 3 per cent.

    Average annual property tax in NJ is ~ 9000 dollars a year.

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
    In Alabama and Hawaii by contrast it is less than 1%
    My previous council tax was around 1.3%, current is 0.75% or so.
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,429
    UK said farewell to 4,000 nurses and midwives from European Economic Area in past year, with only 800 arriving
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,001
    edited April 2018
    Sandpit said:

    This is going to confuse people: in Eastleigh, Hampshire, the local Lib Dem council leader is in favour of a new development of 5,000 houses.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-5653313/Its-Nimbys-vs-Yimbys-New-people-saying-Yes-yard.html

    IanB2 said:

    UK said farewell to 4,000 nurses and midwives from European Economic Area in past year, with only 800 arriving

    Well who needs all the houses then ?

    I think town and city centres are going to be utterly kaiboshed in terms of shops shortly, I can't remember the last time I went into Sheffield City Centre (Or Rotherham, or Coventry) to buy ANYTHING.
    Maybe we should stick the houses there instead
  • Options
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 54,068
    Pulpstar said:

    Sandpit said:

    This is going to confuse people: in Eastleigh, Hampshire, the local Lib Dem council leader is in favour of a new development of 5,000 houses.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-5653313/Its-Nimbys-vs-Yimbys-New-people-saying-Yes-yard.html

    IanB2 said:

    UK said farewell to 4,000 nurses and midwives from European Economic Area in past year, with only 800 arriving

    Well who needs all the houses then ?

    I think town and city centres are going to be utterly kaiboshed in terms of shops shortly, I can't remember the last time I went into Sheffield City Centre (Or Rotherham, or Coventry) to buy ANYTHING.
    Maybe we should stick the houses there instead
    Rents for restaurants and bars will decline, as demand from traditional retail falls.

    Sell over leveraged owners of retail property, buy those who benefit from falling rents.

  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,823
    IanB2 said:

    UK said farewell to 4,000 nurses and midwives from European Economic Area in past year, with only 800 arriving

    This is a succes.

    The purpose of Brexit was to reduce net immigration and increase upward pressure on wages for strurdy British Yeomen like my good self,
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,001
    edited April 2018

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is who should fund it, not that it should be funded. The private citizen or an arm of the State, via higher taxes.

    We want neither the moral hazard that punishes the thrifty for saving for their retirement, nor a system that means an extended stay in hospital saves the family a few thousand bob.

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there are other benefits.

    Property tax in New Jersey is substantially more than Council Tax in the UK. It depends on the County, but it is about 3 per cent.

    Average annual property tax in NJ is ~ 9000 dollars a year.

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
    http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/the_demand_for_over-sized_home.html

    Houses in New Jersey seem to be much bigger than UK ones, the average new build 'family home' contains around the same 1100 sq foot as he was saying was too small for his family.
    The biggest problem here is property is listed first by bedroom, then area. What matters is floorspace more than a tiny box room imo...

    Further, 3000+ sq ft is probably a bit excessive for a couple but I don't think a good size UK 4 bed of ~ 1500-1600 sq ft is
  • Options
    RecidivistRecidivist Posts: 4,679

    I do wonder why Corbyn had this meeting today just as the antisemitism story was beginning to die down. It just starts it going round again. His people's news management is shocking.


    Refusing to see them would have been better news management? Short of getting an endorsement from a numinous voice emanating from a burning bush his enemies are going to carry on portraying Corbyn as an anti-semite regardless.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,385
    Barnesian said:

    Ah - so that was what you objected to. Corbyn never stoops to personal abuse and is always polite. I think that was part of his attraction at the last GE. Rees-Mogg is similar in that respect (only!).

    A man who called the Chancellor of the Exchequer 'uncaring and uncouth' in a budget response last year never resorts to personal attacks?

    Or a man who called the PM 'cretinous' is similar?

    It's a view I suppose...
  • Options
    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,205
    Pulpstar said:

    Sandpit said:

    This is going to confuse people: in Eastleigh, Hampshire, the local Lib Dem council leader is in favour of a new development of 5,000 houses.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-5653313/Its-Nimbys-vs-Yimbys-New-people-saying-Yes-yard.html

    IanB2 said:

    UK said farewell to 4,000 nurses and midwives from European Economic Area in past year, with only 800 arriving

    Well who needs all the houses then ?

    I think town and city centres are going to be utterly kaiboshed in terms of shops shortly, I can't remember the last time I went into Sheffield City Centre (Or Rotherham, or Coventry) to buy ANYTHING.
    Maybe we should stick the houses there instead
    That's starting to happen in New Croydon Woking.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,823
    Pulpstar said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
    http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/the_demand_for_over-sized_home.html

    Houses in New Jersey seem to be much bigger than UK ones, the average new build 'family home' contains around the same 1100 sq foot as he was saying was too small for his family.
    The biggest problem here is property is listed first by bedroom, then area. What matters is floorspace more than a tiny box room imo...

    Further, 3000+ sq ft is probably a bit excessive for a couple but I don't think a good size UK 4 bed of ~ 1500-1600 sq ft is
    Not just in the USA, but also in continental Europe, property is advertised by floor area, while in Britain it is often ignored. Compared with other countries British houses are poky and on very small plots of land, so not attractive to downsizing, though council and inheritance taxes that are designed to favour under occupancy of bigger houses plays a part. Additionally there is the problem of baby boomers being the first consumerist generation. We simply have too much stuff to easily downsize.
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    FPT:

    ' What can we do to combat this? In short, be sceptical. If you’re told something eyebrow-raising, look for a primary source to back it up. Try to get context. '

    The fake news - crops are unharvested because migrant workers have been driven away.

    Lets look at a primary source:

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/timeseries/jwr5/lms

    The reality - agricultural jobs at their highest for twenty years.

    Are you suggesting that crops didn't go unharvested? Because that really would be fake news.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-crops-eu-farm-workers-brexit-referendum-rot-manpower-recruitment-numbers-a8194701.html
    Did you check the primary source ie the ONS agricultural jobs or were you guilty of wishful thinking and failed to 'scrutinise carefully a story that confirms your prejudices' ?
    You seem to think the claims are inconsistent. You have made a claim I haven't commented on, but you have dismissed a claim that I have made for which on different occasions I have provided a good deal of evidence.
    Your 'evidence' appears to be unqueried anecdotes from people with a vested interest reported in biased newspapers.

    Have you looked for a 'primary source document' to back your 'evidence' up ?

    Have you 'tried to get context' ?

    Have you been 'especially sceptical of information that produces a strong emotional response from you.' ?

    Have you 'asked yourself who wants to produce that response' ?
    When a variety of named farmers assert, when it is not obviously in their interests to do so, that they have had crops that they have been unable to pick because of labour shortages, including details of the specific crops and the quantities lost, I believe them. No, I don’t go around conducting personal inspections. Your one attempt at this was to report from observation that there were no obvious agricultural labour shortages in December - hardly a surprise.

    The government, which presumably does conduct check-ups, seems to accept what the farmers are telling them. You seem to be determined, in the face of abundant different sources, to disbelieve them. Sometimes determined incredulity can be more irrational than taking numerous different reports at face value.
  • Options
    logical_songlogical_song Posts: 9,727
    rcs1000 said:

    Republicans hold on (at a canter) in Arizona, apparently.

    538 says
    "Based on FiveThirtyEight partisan lean, an 8-point Lesko win would be exactly in line with past special-election results that have pointed to a Democratic wave. If, however, Lesko wins by a margin in the teens — thus holding Democratic overperformance to 12 points or fewer — then perhaps special-election results are beginning to come into agreement with the tightening generic ballot polls; maybe Democrats’ position truly is eroding. Or maybe not — it’s just one data point."

    Results so far Rep 52.5%, Dem 47.4%, so Dem wave still on the cards?
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 76,001
    Foxy said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
    http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/the_demand_for_over-sized_home.html

    Houses in New Jersey seem to be much bigger than UK ones, the average new build 'family home' contains around the same 1100 sq foot as he was saying was too small for his family.
    The biggest problem here is property is listed first by bedroom, then area. What matters is floorspace more than a tiny box room imo...

    Further, 3000+ sq ft is probably a bit excessive for a couple but I don't think a good size UK 4 bed of ~ 1500-1600 sq ft is
    Not just in the USA, but also in continental Europe, property is advertised by floor area, while in Britain it is often ignored. Compared with other countries British houses are poky and on very small plots of land, so not attractive to downsizing, though council and inheritance taxes that are designed to favour under occupancy of bigger houses plays a part. Additionally there is the problem of baby boomers being the first consumerist generation. We simply have too much stuff to easily downsize.
    Our current housing stock isn't great, and what's being built is getting worse no matter how well you photo 3/4 size furniture.
  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,627
    Pulpstar said:

    Sandpit said:

    This is going to confuse people: in Eastleigh, Hampshire, the local Lib Dem council leader is in favour of a new development of 5,000 houses.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-5653313/Its-Nimbys-vs-Yimbys-New-people-saying-Yes-yard.html

    IanB2 said:

    UK said farewell to 4,000 nurses and midwives from European Economic Area in past year, with only 800 arriving

    Well who needs all the houses then ?

    I think town and city centres are going to be utterly kaiboshed in terms of shops shortly, I can't remember the last time I went into Sheffield City Centre (Or Rotherham, or Coventry) to buy ANYTHING.
    Maybe we should stick the houses there instead
    There was an excellent greengrocer in my high street that closed 6 weeks ago. They cited high rents, rates and the fact most people were elderly spending only a fiver, and their online business is where the growth is.

    Trouble is my wife and I really liked going in there on a Saturday morning to stock up on fruit and veg for the week (the only time we can) and we don’t like ordering fruit and veg we can’t see/inspect online several days in advance, and booking a delivery slot.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,005
    Good morning, everyone.
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Foxy said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:



    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.

    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund it better. It's a shame that the last attempt was so cynically exploited for political ends but we must keep trying. The NHS depends on it.
    The problem is

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
    http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/the_demand_for_over-sized_home.html

    Houses in New Jersey seem to be much bigger than UK ones, the average new build 'family home' contains around the same 1100 sq foot as he was saying was too small for his family.
    The biggest problem here is property is listed first by bedroom, then area. What matters is floorspace more than a tiny box room imo...

    Further, 3000+ sq ft is probably a bit excessive for a couple but I don't think a good size UK 4 bed of ~ 1500-1600 sq ft is
    Not just in the USA, but also in continental Europe, property is advertised by floor area, while in Britain it is often ignored. Compared with other countries British houses are poky and on very small plots of land, so not attractive to downsizing, though council and inheritance taxes that are designed to favour under occupancy of bigger houses plays a part. Additionally there is the problem of baby boomers being the first consumerist generation. We simply have too much stuff to easily downsize.
    The number one thing I have picked up from buying property in Hungary is to concentrate on the price per square metre. It’s served me very well recently.
  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,627
    AndyJS said:

    Does anyone else see the connection between the fact that for instance we don't have to show ID to vote in elections in the UK and the Windrush debacle? I think there is one, which is that we've always been a country that hates forcing people to carry documents proving who they are. But that mean when people suddenly do need documents they quite often don't have them. If we'd always been a country obsessed with ID the Windrush debacle couldn't have happened. I love the fact that I can show up at my local polling station without even a polling card and I get issued with a ballot paper as if that were the most normal thing in the world. In Boston, MA I couldn't even buy a local train ticket for a 30 minute journey without showing ID.

    I almost always carry around my photocard driving licence around with me. But, if carrying such identification at all times was mandatory, i would resent it and almost certainly regularly leave it at home on principle.
  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    HYUFD said:

    Apologies, put this right at the end of the previous thread but in case anyone is interested in the US elections.

    I spent some time in California two weeks ago. To put in context, my wife is from Los Angeles and we visit twice a year to visit her family who are staunch Democrats. I have been making that trip for over 20 years.

    I have to say that, obvious though it sounds, this was the most polarised I have ever seen both the TV and national news. You could take the same information and both sides will give you diametrically opposing interpretations. Neither side had much good to say about the other.

    One thing about the whole Mueller investigation that has not had much reporting over here is that, for Republicans and the Trump fans, the real story about Mueller is not about Russian collaboration but how the evidence allegedly points to the "Deep State" trying to overthrow Trump and how the Obama administration used the FBI and CIA to hand victory to Clinton and then tried to overthrow Trump when he won. That is energising the Republican base in favour of Trump.

    Two US betting implications I thought of.

    1. I think Republican turnout will be high. The consensus view is that there will be a blue wave but, apart from the generic Congress polls have been tightening, the Trump fan base looks very incentivised to come out and vote to defend their man. I don't know whether the Arizona 8th voting is a sign of that given the early trends.

    2. I don't for the life of me see how Democrat senators in places like West Virginia, Montana, Indiana or Missouri are going to survive. Regardless of how good or popular they are, people are just taking sides and saying you are either with us or against us. I am sure someone will produce a poll saying Democrat senators are hanging on in places like that but I really do not see it. The mood has just become so polarised that people are not going to cross-vote

    Trumpites will turn out for Trump, not GOP Congressmen and women
    We often disagree on American politics analysis but this is gold.

    The special election results have been terrible for the Republicans, special election results are a decent indicator of the coming mid term.

    The generic ballott result is terrible for republicans, the generic ballot is a decent indicator for the mid terms.

    And finally, Trump's approval rating is appalling and once again that is a decent indicator for the mid terms.

    To buck this trend would be something spectacular.
  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,627

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    FPT

    I think the predominant U.K. public mindset is not so much imperial as hegemonic; we are the centre of the world and what we think matters.

    Only this can explain the absurdity of hundreds of MPs sounding off about the launch of 8 missiles, carried by 4 aircraft, which are going out of service next year.

    I think victory in the Falklands conflict is a big factor in its persistence. If we had lost, with thousands of casualities and the loss of dozens of ships, it would have been our Algeria.

    Losing in Algeria and Vietnam hasn't stopped France meddling in various countries.
    True, but they have wholly bought into the theory that being a part of the EU is the only way for them to lead a semi-independent existence in the world, rather than a satrapy of the US or pre 1989 the USSR. I think the failure of Suez and utter defeat in their colonial wars helped them reach that conclusion.
    The EEC was a coalition of the losers of 1914-1945 with France able to exploit Germany's guilt complex and division.
    All Europe was the loser from 1914-1945. It was the deathknell for European world leadership.

    It’s true that we retained our honour and suffered less physical damage and casualties than other nations, but the economic foundations of our power were destroyed.
    Generally agree but I am not sure Britain suffered less physical damage than say France.
    Some bombing doesn't equal being used as a battlefield.

    And France was bombed as well, by both sides.
    Maybe you're right, I wasn't there. (Or here for that matter, although growing up in Hastings in the 60s I was very well acquainted with bombsites - there were a lot!)
    Northern France was devastated by bombing and heavy fighting in WWII.

    The UK suffered nasty night-time area bombing of its major cities during the Blitz, diminishing thereafter, but never had to accommodate Operation Overload, or panzer divisions or artillery occupying and shelling its towns or channel ports, with allied air forces regularly attacking them on top, in and amongst homes and buildings.
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    rcs1000 said:

    Republicans hold on (at a canter) in Arizona, apparently.

    Up to a point.
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,627
    Foxy said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund i

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The
    ht is
    Not just in the USA, but also in continental Europe, property is advertised by floor area, while in Britain it is often ignored. Compared with other countries British houses are poky and on very small plots of land, so not attractive to downsizing, though council and inheritance taxes that are designed to favour under occupancy of bigger houses plays a part. Additionally there is the problem of baby boomers being the first consumerist generation. We simply have too much stuff to easily downsize.
    You can really upset people who’ve spent a lifetime in a family home they feel emotionally attached to, with lots of happy memories, to downsize though. Most people only do that when they have to do it, due to care home fees or incapacity or a similar 24 hour care issue.

    Not everyone wants to downsize by choice and any Government that tried to make moves to ‘encourage’ them to do so would be very unpopular, IMHO.
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    Morning all.
    Feel like I'm missing all the excitement as Hertsmere has no local elections this year.
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,058
    Foxy said:

    IanB2 said:

    UK said farewell to 4,000 nurses and midwives from European Economic Area in past year, with only 800 arriving

    This is a succes.

    The purpose of Brexit was to reduce net immigration and increase upward pressure on wages for strurdy British Yeomen like my good self,
    LOL, but, although It’s quite a while now now since I worked in a hospital, I didn’t think that doctors wages were in any way related to those of nurses!
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,627
    Pulpstar said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    Elliot said:

    Foxy said:

    AndyJS said:

    kle4 said:

    Elliot said:

    I was speaking to a nurse earlier today and she told me by far the biggest wasted cost in the NHS is old people staying in hospital beds because, even though they are good to go home, there are no carers or care home.places available.

    We badly need a better funded social care system. The costs are all showing up in the NHS.

    I had a very very similar conversation today with a colleague. Social care seems to be in a very bad way, and it is an area I'd truly hope the parties could get together on. Alas.
    One of the problems is that care workers are badly paid but care home fees are mysteriously very high despite this.
    Yet most of the Social Care sector is teetering on the brink of financial collapse and bankrupcy:

    https://www.ft.com/content/e6c08ebe-0d47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d

    So what should be done ?
    Fund iton it.
    The

    You seem to have answered your own question - it has to be and arm of the State via higher taxes.
    The best undertaxed source of wealth is property. We should start there.
    Indeed -- and there are other benefits.

    Property tax in New Jersey is substantially more than Council Tax in the UK. It depends on the County, but it is about 3 per cent.

    Average annual property tax in NJ is ~ 9000 dollars a year.

    That is a huge encouragement to downsize once your children leave home & your house is too big for you.
    http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/the_demand_for_over-sized_home.html

    Houses in New Jersey seem to be much bigger than UK ones, the average new build 'family home' contains around the same 1100 sq foot as he was saying was too small for his family.
    The biggest problem here is property is listed first by bedroom, then area. What matters is floorspace more than a tiny box room imo...

    Further, 3000+ sq ft is probably a bit excessive for a couple but I don't think a good size UK 4 bed of ~ 1500-1600 sq ft is
    New homes also suffer from poor storage. Many seem to have done away with lofts.

    Most people aspire to own a 4-bed detached home, so that’s the game developers play on the open market for sales/profit within those rules, and only those rules.
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,627
    rcs1000 said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Sandpit said:

    This is going to confuse people: in Eastleigh, Hampshire, the local Lib Dem council leader is in favour of a new development of 5,000 houses.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-5653313/Its-Nimbys-vs-Yimbys-New-people-saying-Yes-yard.html

    IanB2 said:

    UK said farewell to 4,000 nurses and midwives from European Economic Area in past year, with only 800 arriving

    Well who needs all the houses then ?

    I think town and city centres are going to be utterly kaiboshed in terms of shops shortly, I can't remember the last time I went into Sheffield City Centre (Or Rotherham, or Coventry) to buy ANYTHING.
    Maybe we should stick the houses there instead
    Rents for restaurants and bars will decline, as demand from traditional retail falls.

    Sell over leveraged owners of retail property, buy those who benefit from falling rents.

    Coffee shops and hairdressers are booming.

    Other than that it’s betting shops (high profit) and charity shops (no rates) that seem to dominate, with the odd chain convenience store on top.
This discussion has been closed.