Mr. Observer, interestingly, there's a comparison to be made with Microsoft and Sony and their new consoles.
Xbox One (Microsoft's offering, and nicknamed the Xbone) had a raft of hugely unpopular (and, arguably in Europe, illegal) ideas, the worst of which was that games could not be sold second hand and that the console had to check in every 24 hours online (or every hour if you played a game on a friend's console). Oh, and the mandatory Kinect.
There was a huge uproar, and it was unclear what Sony would do. Because Nintendo have gone down a different path, Sony and Microsoft have the 'serious' console market to themselves.
Sony ended up doing none of the nonsense that Microsoft did (excepting reverse compatability, which, whilst annoying, was expected). The backlash was so huge, and the support for Sony so enormous, Microsoft was forced to give up the 24 hour online check-in and the ban on selling games second hand.
If an energy company had a small increase this year, they could increase their customer base enormously. It's very surprising they don't, given there are six energy companies, and in a console market with just two players Sony took the decision to shaft Microsoft instead of (in a moral rather than legal sense) collude with them. Isn't that what companies are supposed to do to the competition?
Describing the London increases as unsustainable, Rightmove said Help to Buy would mainly benefit buyers in the rest of England and Wales because many Londoners would not be able to afford mortgage repayments on a house costing double the national average."
Hang on, hasn't tim been arguing - more than once, I think - that Help to Buy would stoke up London house prices?
Mr. Eagles, in Diocletian's defence he had inherited rampant inflation due to continuous devaluation of the silver coinage and the donatives handed out numerous times in the crisis of the third century (and economic theories weren't really understood at that time).
That's right. But for Ed's speech prices would not have risen. That said, given this is opportunistic price raising if one company decided not to do it, it would clean up given the number of new accounts it would generate.
This is not "opportunistic". It is strategic. It is what massive corporations do when they see a threat on the horizon. As those of us who have worked for them knew they would do.
Good of you to acknowledge though that Ed is causing rising utility prices. It will in due course be seen to have blasted away at his feet with heavy calibre weaponry...
Mr. Eagles, in Diocletian's defence he had inherited rampant inflation due to continuous devaluation of the silver coinage and the donatives handed out numerous times in the crisis of the third century (and economic theories weren't really understood at that time).
He was very unlucky with the problems he inherited
OGH Tweets: "LAB has only won working majorities at 6 general elections, 5 of them with public school educated leaders at helm Good for @TristramHuntMP?
OGH trying to move the market so he can lay his bet?
That's not a serious comment, is it, Charles?
I back Mike's suggestions blind, even when I don't agree with them. Long experience indicates that it pays.
Fwiw, I regard this as one of The Man's more speculative punts. It may be a long time before Hunt gets his chance, and there are other interesting candidates of that generation, notably those flagged up by another shrewd punter, Henry Manson - Stella Creasey and Rachel Reeves, for example.
Their prices are likely to shorten if Miliband wins the next election and therefore stays on. Hunt likewise is worth a small long-term investment for the same reason.
Describing the London increases as unsustainable, Rightmove said Help to Buy would mainly benefit buyers in the rest of England and Wales because many Londoners would not be able to afford mortgage repayments on a house costing double the national average."
Hang on, hasn't tim been arguing - more than once, I think - that Help to Buy would stoke up London house prices?
I think he has argued it would stoke up house prices. The take home message from Rightmove's fairly reliable (though based on asking prices) report appears to be that he is right. Rightmove's argument is wrong anyway, because it ignores the fact that Help to Buy indirectly helps the upwardly aspirant owner of a £300,000 house whose desire to move to a £600,000 house has been frustrated for lack of a buyer.
Mr. Eagles, in Diocletian's defence he had inherited rampant inflation due to continuous devaluation of the silver coinage and the donatives handed out numerous times in the crisis of the third century (and economic theories weren't really understood at that time).
He was very unlucky with the problems he inherited
His chief claim to fame is that he is pretty much the first person in history known to have retired, in the sense of building a substantial bungalow by the sea and going to live there full time at the age of 60, in order to grow vegetables.
Mixed emotions for George Osborne on Help to Buy, I suspect:
"Rightmove said the average asking price in London rose to £544,232 in October from £493,748 the previous month – an increase of more than 10%. Across England and Wales, the rise over the month was a more modest 2.8% to £252,418.
Describing the London increases as unsustainable, Rightmove said Help to Buy would mainly benefit buyers in the rest of England and Wales because many Londoners would not be able to afford mortgage repayments on a house costing double the national average."
Rightmoves index is volatile but Bubble Boy could be getting his bubble too early.
Asking price indices compiled by estate agents are about as reliable as Daily Express front page splashes.
There is no evidence yet from bank lending figures and mortgage approvals that completion prices are inflating at the rates claimed by the media and those with a commercial interest in the housing market. On the contrary, the last set of figures from the BoE showed that average loan values were falling. Transaction volumes also remain low (40% of peak) and are only rising slowly.
That is not to say that there isn't a lot of talking up prices going on with consequent over-optimistic reactions in asking prices from property owners. Transaction volumes have been very low since the crash mainly due to most housing being below 2007 nominal levels. Property owners are always reluctant to sell at paper loss. A lot of the asking price inflation will just be 'testing the water' as prices approach or pass their pre-crash nominal levels.
We know the market for prime central London property differs due to the proportion of foreign cash purchases, but stats are showing a decline in demand and prices in this segment. This is what makes the antifrank anecdote so interesting as Clerkenwell is one of those areas that may be attracting both foreign buyers and owners displaced from high value west end locations.
Robert Kimbell @RedHotSquirrel ComRes/BBC poll result on Brighton & Hove for local elections: LAB 38% (+6), CON 25% (-4), GRN 21% (-12), #UKIP 9% (+8), LDEM 6% (+1)
He's certainly a good performer, and I see the attraction of a punt.
But (barring an under-a-bus event) I fully expect Ed Miliband to be Prime Minister after the 2015 election, in which case my money would be riding on a post-Miliband leadership contest at some unguessable point in the future in some unguessable political circumstances.
Too speculative for me. For that reason, Mike, I'm out.
That's right. But for Ed's speech prices would not have risen. That said, given this is opportunistic price raising if one company decided not to do it, it would clean up given the number of new accounts it would generate.
This is not "opportunistic". It is strategic. It is what massive corporations do when they see a threat on the horizon. As those of us who have worked for them knew they would do.
Good of you to acknowledge though that Ed is causing rising utility prices. It will in due course be seen to have blasted away at his feet with heavy calibre weaponry...
If you had ever worked for a massive corporation you would know that they do not rework their pricing strategies within the space of a few weeks on the back of speeches made by politicians who are at least a year and a half away from taking power. And I have no reason to doubt that you have worked for a massive corporation.
If an energy company had a small increase this year, they could increase their customer base enormously. It's very surprising they don't, given there are six energy companies...
One reason for this is that the process of signing up a new customer is quite expensive, because of the administrative overheads of the switching process. I remember some years ago the energy companies were moaning about the relatively high level of churn, saying that it was adding too much cost to the system.
By contrast, there is little to no administrative overhead for a supermarket involved in winning your custom from another. So you can see why there would be more competition in groceries than energy.
Describing the London increases as unsustainable, Rightmove said Help to Buy would mainly benefit buyers in the rest of England and Wales because many Londoners would not be able to afford mortgage repayments on a house costing double the national average."
Hang on, hasn't tim been arguing - more than once, I think - that Help to Buy would stoke up London house prices?
I think he has argued it would stoke up house prices. The take home message from Rightmove's fairly reliable (though based on asking prices) report appears to be that he is right. Rightmove's argument is wrong anyway, because it ignores the fact that Help to Buy indirectly helps the upwardly aspirant owner of a £300,000 house whose desire to move to a £600,000 house has been frustrated for lack of a buyer.
Richards argument boils down to
"If London house prices go up so much that Help To Buy is irrelevant across the whole city then tim will have been wrong on Help To Buy pumping up London house prices"
Help to Buy in itself has had and will have very little effect on London prices. To date HTB has been focussed on new builds and there are relatively few in London.
The media noise surrounding HTB will be having an impact but by far the overriding driver of pricing in London is foreign cash purchases with displacement causing upward pressure on second tier locations and down.
David Singleton @david_singleton Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski tells one-legged drug addict in wheelchair to get a job. A gift to the Labour spin machine http://ind.pn/H9QWDV
Yep, they really want to be seen as the party of drug addict beggars who ended up in a wheel chair through heroin use.....
After Ed Miliband has been PM for 10 years from 2015, Hunt may not want or be available to take over as PM from 2025. Perhaps by 2025 we will have Tony Blairs son Euan in a senior position within the Labour government and he may stand for election as leader.
12 years time. I look forward to the Daily Mail (or internet equivalent) piece on Euan's father. If I'm still around!
'I always start to worry when Labour start talking about this.
British Jobs for British workers redux?"
I know what you mean. I worry that I might get one of the 60,000 letters incorrectly sent by this government telling immigrants to go home addressed to me at Grouchos
Mr. Eagles, Caesar managed to get killed less than a year after victory. Hannibal became ruler of his city after the Second Punic War. A Hannibalic defeat is more impressive than a Caesarian triumph.
If you had ever worked for a massive corporation you would know that they do not rework their pricing strategies within the space of a few weeks on the back of speeches made by politicians who are at least a year and a half away from taking power. And I have no reason to doubt that you have worked for a massive corporation.
Do you really think that they would not change policy on the back of say, a speech by Putin sabre rattling and threatening supplies to the UK? Or the Emir of Qatar threatening to renegotiate LNG supply contracts? Of course they would. A speech by a potential* Prime Minister parking his tanks on their lawn - and they won't react? It is the duty to their shareholders and to their customers to do so. Building a strategic cash reserve to cover future pricing contingencies is absolutely what they would do.
*Of course, Ed Miliband will never be Prime Minister! But they may see it differently...
I always start to worry when Labour start talking about this.
British Jobs for British workers redux?
I know what you mean. I worry that I might get one of the 60,000 letters incorrectly sent by this government telling immigrants to go home addressed to me at Grouchos
Mr. Eagles, Caesar managed to get killed less than a year after victory. Hannibal became ruler of his city after the Second Punic War. A Hannibalic defeat is more impressive than a Caesarian triumph.
Mr. Me, ah, cheers for that informative response.
But compare the effects of their defeats.
Zama, ultimately saw the Carthaginians wiped from existence.
Edit: And you seem to be under the impression that Caesar had only one victory.
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
Mr. Eagles, Caesar had more defeats than Hannibal (who had a grand total of one). Caesar's victories were less impressive than Hannibal's. Caesar was a creature of ego, Hannibal was a patriot. By no objective measure can the Queen of Bithynia be considered the equal (in military terms) of Hannibal Barca.
If you had ever worked for a massive corporation you would know that they do not rework their pricing strategies within the space of a few weeks on the back of speeches made by politicians who are at least a year and a half away from taking power. And I have no reason to doubt that you have worked for a massive corporation.
Do you really think that they would not change policy on the back of say, a speech by Putin sabre rattling and threatening supplies to the UK? Or the Emir of Qatar threatening to renegotiate LNG supply contracts? Of course they would. A speech by a potential* Prime Minister parking his tanks on their lawn - and they won't react? It is the duty to their shareholders and to their customers to do so. Building a strategic cash reserve to cover future pricing contingencies is absolutely what they would do.
*Of course, Ed Miliband will never be Prime Minister! But they may see it differently...
The ones that don't react to events, die off swiftly..
Tristram Hunt now 16/1 with Paddy Power, and they will only let me put on a Max stake of 5 pounds 49 p. Can't be bothered at that price.
Stuart, at least it has saved you throwing a fiver down the drain
True. I don't really rate Mike as much of a tipster these days anyway. His Carmichael tip a few days back could be a final nail in that particular coffin.
You can only judge tips against outcomes and you cannot cope with me entering into the Scottish IndyRef debate.
40/1 shots are exactly that. Carmichael is probably the biggest certainty amongst LD MPs to hold his seat and on that basis alone 40/1 is great price.
The fact that you have to rubbish my view suggests that you are scared of Carmichael 's ability to mix it with Salmond. He can negate your biggest asset and you know it.
Yes Mike. You are quite right. I have been extremely foolish. I ought to have realised that I was in the presence of someone with far greater insight into Scottish politics and politicians that I could ever hope to achieve.
Time is going to prove you to be a great and magnanimous winner, while I will prove to be an insignificant, treacherous ignoramous, and a poor loser at that!
Your 40/1 shot with Carmichael is undoubtedly one of the finest tips in the entire history of the British betting industry, and will bring you riches beyond man's wildest dreams. Carmichael is a giant among political midgets, and will stride victorous over the (metaphorically) slain corpses of Salmond, Lamont, Davidson et al, as the SLDs gain 48 seats in 2015, wiping out all other parties for a clean sweep.
I am petrified of the mighty Carmichael and all his works. As is doubtless my boss Alex Salmond.
Finally, I would like to confess that I am extremely poorly equipped in the trouser department, and I have never given a lady an enjoyable moment. I barely deserve to be called a human being.
On Edmund's excellent widget, it's important to recognise that the biggest advantage is not that you can block out posters (I only block out two regular posters), but that you can highlight the posts from some of the key posters you wouldn't want to miss, in my case people like Peter the Punter, David Herdson, Sean Fear, tim, Nick Palmer, Jack W, Mike, another richard, antifrank, and several others. I find that very useful especially when looking quickly through a long thread.
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
Comparing the skill-set needed to teach at the country's leading independent, fee-paying school with the one needed to teach in a state-funded school is absurd as the profile of the pupils is going to be completely different. As for the argument about there being bad teachers with PGCEs; well yes - but there are also a lot of very bad drivers with driving licences. That is not a reason to allow those without them onto the roads.
If you had ever worked for a massive corporation you would know that they do not rework their pricing strategies within the space of a few weeks on the back of speeches made by politicians who are at least a year and a half away from taking power. And I have no reason to doubt that you have worked for a massive corporation.
Do you really think that they would not change policy on the back of say, a speech by Putin sabre rattling and threatening supplies to the UK? Or the Emir of Qatar threatening to renegotiate LNG supply contracts? Of course they would. A speech by a potential* Prime Minister parking his tanks on their lawn - and they won't react? It is the duty to their shareholders and to their customers to do so. Building a strategic cash reserve to cover future pricing contingencies is absolutely what they would do.
*Of course, Ed Miliband will never be Prime Minister! But they may see it differently...
In which case, I am genuinely shocked that not a single member of the government has made it clear to electors that the reason prices are going up is because of Ed's proposed freeze. It is genuinely extraordinary that they have failed to explain this to us all and that instead they are criticising energy companies for being greedy and urging consumers to switch suppliers. Is this the biggest missed open goal in political history?
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
There is a greater problem in that those judged incompetent are either very new or time served....
Easing time served teachers out of education needs to carefully thought through as there is currently no way to remove them. You used to offer early retirement but nowadays that ain't an option....
o/t - I see Tessa Jowell has jumped ahead of Sadiq Khan and David Lammy in Paddy Power's betting for next London Mayor (5/1 - 10/1 - 12/1 when they were all the same price a short while ago).
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
There is a greater problem in that those judged incompetent are either very new or time served....
Easing time served teachers out of education needs to carefully thought through as there is currently no way to remove them. You used to offer early retirement but nowadays that ain't an option....
Someone needs to think of a solution before teachers' pension age increases to 70!
Stop talking about Pandas, I'm writing a thread that references the Pandas, and the fact they outnumber Tory MPs in Scotland.
But have Tory MP's stopped breeding? Unlikely, on previous form....
This is one of the those special threads by me which is trollbait wonderfully perceptive.
I manage to blame the end of the Union on Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems, it will also annoy Scottish Conservatives, scare the Beejeesus out of Lab and make me rue the day etc.
On Edmund's excellent widget, it's important to recognise that the biggest advantage is not that you can block out posters (I only block out two regular posters), but that you can highlight the posts from some of the key posters you wouldn't want to miss, in my case people like Peter the Punter, David Herdson, Sean Fear, tim, Nick Palmer, Jack W, Mike, another richard, antifrank, and several others. I find that very useful especially when looking quickly through a long thread.
I like that bet. I've thought for a while Tristram Hunt could be a decent shout as next Labour leader. He isn't affected by the Blair/Brown nonsense, is youngish, quite handsome (I think?), & speaks well.
In a weird way it does feel like Labour can get away with a toff at the top more easily than the Conservatives
One thing to remember regarding the odds shortening on a bet Mike has placed, is that the odds have only shortened because Mike has placed the bet. Don't go thinking "wow Mike was onto something" because the odds have shortened. He probably is on to something, given he is an excellent political bettor, but there is no liquidity in these markets and one bet from a marked up client forces a major rejig of the market.
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
Comparing the skill-set needed to teach at the country's leading independent, fee-paying school with the one needed to teach in a state-funded school is absurd as the profile of the pupils is going to be completely different. As for the argument about there being bad teachers with PGCEs; well yes - but there are also a lot of very bad drivers with driving licences. That is not a reason to allow those without them onto the roads.
Your analogy is a little flawed, I think. If teachers were employed by drawing their name out of a hat, you might have a point.
However, teachers are interviewed prior to being employed, usually extensively. Those who do not come up to the mark can, outside of a state school, be removed.
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
There is a greater problem in that those judged incompetent are either very new or time served....
Easing time served teachers out of education needs to carefully thought through as there is currently no way to remove them. You used to offer early retirement but nowadays that ain't an option....
The one thing that that Gove has got unequivocally right is that he has made it easier to get rid of bad teachers. The process has been simplified and speeded up significantly. It is very good news for everyone (except the bad teachers). The last thing good teachers want is to spend their time shielding or doing the work of their not-up-to-scratch colleagues. Without going into detail, I know that for an absolute fact. It is also the case that a lot of these teachers tend to be on the older side as they came through when teaching courses were much less rigorous than they have become over the last 15 years or so.
Is this the biggest missed open goal in political history?
Possibly. They are all still rabbits in the headlights in my view.
A low carbon policy not only slashes the elasticity of supply to the electricity market by phasing out coal, but it also reduces your bargaining power when negotiating contracts with the suppliers of what remains.
The French and the Chinese know our low carbon policy and they saw us coming a mile off. They clearly saw they were the only game in town.
Words cannot express how badly all our mainstream politicians have played this.
Mixed emotions for George Osborne on Help to Buy, I suspect:
"
Rightmoves index is volatile but Bubble Boy could be getting his bubble too early.
Asking price indices compiled by estate agents are about as reliable as Daily Express front page splashes.
There is no evidence yet from bank lending figures and mortgage approvals that completion prices are inflating at the rates claimed by the media and those with a commercial interest in the housing market. On the contrary, the last set of figures from the BoE showed that average loan values were falling. Transaction volumes also remain low (40% of peak) and are only rising slowly.
That is not to say that there isn't a lot of talking up prices going on with consequent over-optimistic reactions in asking prices from property owners. Transaction volumes have been very low since the crash mainly due to most housing being below 2007 nominal levels. Property owners are always reluctant to sell at paper loss. A lot of the asking price inflation will just be 'testing the water' as prices approach or pass their pre-crash nominal levels.
We know the market for prime central London property differs due to the proportion of foreign cash purchases, but stats are showing a decline in demand and prices in this segment. This is what makes the antifrank anecdote so interesting as Clerkenwell is one of those areas that may be attracting both foreign buyers and owners displaced from high value west end locations.
We are not talking about loan values, or transaction levels, but about house prices. You are in effect saying: How can you claim there is an apple shortage? Look at all these oranges and bananas! and alternating that with: There are no infidel tanks in Baghdad!
Caroline Lucas is opposing Hinckley on the basis that wind energy prices will have collapsed by the 2020s (citing....er.....makers of wind energy products like Dong Energy).
So, only a few years to wait until the lights come back on!!! possibly
And these people expect to be elected? It really is quite breathtaking.
o/t - I see Tessa Jowell has jumped ahead of Sadiq Khan and David Lammy in Paddy Power's betting for next London Mayor (5/1 - 10/1 - 12/1 when they were all the same price a short while ago).
Thanks, Neil, that's helpful, but not sure The London Mayor contest is Paddy's forte.
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
Comparing the skill-set needed to teach at the country's leading independent, fee-paying school with the one needed to teach in a state-funded school is absurd as the profile of the pupils is going to be completely different. As for the argument about there being bad teachers with PGCEs; well yes - but there are also a lot of very bad drivers with driving licences. That is not a reason to allow those without them onto the roads.
Your analogy is a little flawed, I think. If teachers were employed by drawing their name out of a hat, you might have a point.
However, teachers are interviewed prior to being employed, usually extensively. Those who do not come up to the mark can, outside of a state school, be removed.
I am sure that a lot of people with driving jobs get interviewed extensively before they are put behind a wheel.
Mixed emotions for George Osborne on Help to Buy, I suspect:
"
Rightmoves index is volatile but Bubble Boy could be getting his bubble too early.
Asking price indices compiled by estate agents are about as reliable as Daily Express front page splashes.
There is no evidence yet from bank lending figures and mortgage approvals that completion prices are inflating at the rates claimed by the media and those with a commercial interest in the housing market. On the contrary, the last set of figures from the BoE showed that average loan values were falling. Transaction volumes also remain low (40% of peak) and are only rising slowly.
That is not to say that there isn't a lot of talking up prices going on with consequent over-optimistic reactions in asking prices from property owners. Transaction volumes have been very low since the crash mainly due to most housing being below 2007 nominal levels. Property owners are always reluctant to sell at paper loss. A lot of the asking price inflation will just be 'testing the water' as prices approach or pass their pre-crash nominal levels.
We know the market for prime central London property differs due to the proportion of foreign cash purchases, but stats are showing a decline in demand and prices in this segment. This is what makes the antifrank anecdote so interesting as Clerkenwell is one of those areas that may be attracting both foreign buyers and owners displaced from high value west end locations.
We are not talking about loan values, or transaction levels, but about house prices. You are in effect saying: How can you claim there is an apple shortage? Look at all these oranges and bananas! and alternating that with: There are no infidel tanks in Baghdad!
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
Comparing the skill-set needed to teach at the country's leading independent, fee-paying school with the one needed to teach in a state-funded school is absurd as the profile of the pupils is going to be completely different. As for the argument about there being bad teachers with PGCEs; well yes - but there are also a lot of very bad drivers with driving licences. That is not a reason to allow those without them onto the roads.
Your analogy is a little flawed, I think. If teachers were employed by drawing their name out of a hat, you might have a point. However, teachers are interviewed prior to being employed, usually extensively. Those who do not come up to the mark can, outside of a state school, be removed.
Teachers in a state school who don't come up to the mark can also removed. This may or may not in fact happen (my father was a primary head for around 20 years and removed at least two teachers that I know of on capability grounds over that period) but it's possible. Similarly, it's still perfectly possible to give them early retirement as a way out. The fact that the government doesn't want to spend the money doesn't mean it's impossible.
The basic issue is exactly the same management issue as in the private sector: many managers are conflict averse, poor at process, and scared of putting in place performance management measures that lead either to improvement or dismissal. To add some more anecdote, every individual I've worked with in the private sector who has (in reality) been dismissed on performance grounds has (in terms of legal process) been made redundant, at far greater cost. I'm sure it's not the same everywhere, but my strong impression is that whether in schools or banks, those who don't come up to the mark can be removed, but aren't due to the inadequacy of many managers.
The one thing that that Gove has got unequivocally right is that he has made it easier to get rid of bad teachers. The process has been simplified and speeded up significantly. It is very good news for everyone (except the bad teachers). The last thing good teachers want is to spend their time shielding or doing the work of their not-up-to-scratch colleagues. Without going into detail, I know that for an absolute fact. It is also the case that a lot of these teachers tend to be on the older side as they came through when teaching courses were much less rigorous than they have become over the last 15 years or so.
Its still not that easy and to be blunt the current approach of capability is downright cruel (we are doing it at the moment)....
There needs to be a way of doing it that allows older teachers to leave with dignity intact and somewhere to go to.....
I like that bet. I've thought for a while Tristram Hunt could be a decent shout as next Labour leader. He isn't affected by the Blair/Brown nonsense, is youngish, quite handsome (I think?), & speaks well.
In a weird way it does feel like Labour can get away with a toff at the top more easily than the Conservatives
One thing to remember regarding the odds shortening on a bet Mike has placed, is that the odds have only shortened because Mike has placed the bet. Don't go thinking "wow Mike was onto something" because the odds have shortened. He probably is on to something, given he is an excellent political bettor, but there is no liquidity in these markets and one bet from a marked up client forces a major rejig of the market.
Likely to tempt you back, Sam? Serious question re. Hunt, Labour and ex-Lab Kippers.
Are the Chinese worse than the Saudis? At least the former are not funding the ideology behind much of the terrorism we suffer from.
Is anyone arguing Saudi Arabia should be given the Osborne tonguing and special status regarding banks and nuclear that China just got?
The Saudis got their "tonguing" some time ago - when Labour were in charge - when the SFO had to back down over their investigation into alleged BaE corrput payments to senior Saudi officials. Interference with a country's judicial system is quite some favour, no?
"Ed Miliband, flanked by Douglas Alexander, his newly-appointed ‘Chair of General Election Strategy’ introduced Spencer Livermore as the party’s new campaigns director who will now be tasked with day-to-day control of the party’s election campaign.
Livermore, reading from a prepared script, announced that in future, the party’s seven executive directors would report directly to him – bypassing Iain McNicol, the party’s General Secretary.
Uncut can reveal that the announcement came as a total shock to most senior staff who knew nothing about the changes – including, it is said, NcNicol himself.
Appointed to run the party’s organisation by a vote of the governing National Executive Committee, both McNicol and the NEC have been effectively usurped by Miliband’s team in an organisational coup.
Teachers in a state school who don't come up to the mark can also removed. This may or may not in fact happen (my father was a primary head for around 20 years and removed at least two teachers that I know of on capability grounds over that period) but it's possible. Similarly, it's still perfectly possible to give them early retirement as a way out. The fact that the government doesn't want to spend the money doesn't mean it's impossible.
The basic issue is exactly the same management issue as in the private sector: many managers are conflict averse, poor at process, and scared of putting in place performance management measures that lead either to improvement or dismissal. To add some more anecdote, every individual I've worked with in the private sector who has (in reality) been dismissed on performance grounds has (in terms of legal process) been made redundant, at far greater cost. I'm sure it's not the same everywhere, but my strong impression is that whether in schools or banks, those who don't come up to the mark can be removed, but aren't due to the inadequacy of many managers.
Your first para. Fair enough - and that's good to hear. Your second para. Amen to most of that. However in the private sector bad management isn't tolerated in perpetuity to the same extent as in the public sector. The market sees to that.
I got on Tessa back then! She wont have to give up a seat if she wins and she's got good enough name recognition to get through an open selection. If Khan or Lammy are ministers after GE 2015 they'll be less likely to want to stand.
Your first para. Fair enough - and that's good to hear. Your second para. Amen to most of that. However in the private sector bad management isn't tolerated in perpetuity to the same extent as in the public sector. The market sees to that.
Your second comment is interesting - I guess to me that seems like a statement of faith rather than evidence-based analysis. The reason I say that is that I know plenty of civil servants who are rigorous in following what I'd consider to be very good practice in terms of performance management, exiting under-performers and so on; and some of the managers I was referring to have been in management positions in major banks for 25+ years. That's most of a career, suggesting that they are being tolerated as close to "in perpetuity" as makes no difference. Clearly you get your examples like Goldman Sachs where underperformers are frequently culled, but in my experiences that's more of an exception than a rule for the private sector.
As ever, I get the impression that these laws of the market really only apply to smallish businesses, where competition is an existential reality, not a fiction used to justify preferring private over public provision for ideological reasons. When it comes to large companies there's so much cosy cartelling going on that businesses can be run inefficiently without posing any real existential threat. The logic used to argue that the public sector is inefficient can apply very easily to (say) any large bank, utility company or manufacturer.
Mixed emotions for George Osborne on Help to Buy, I suspect:
"
Rightmoves index is volatile but Bubble Boy could be getting his bubble too early.
That is not to say that there isn't a lot of talking up prices going on with consequent over-optimistic reactions in asking prices from property owners. Transaction volumes have been very low since the crash mainly due to most housing being below 2007 nominal levels. Property owners are always reluctant to sell at paper loss. A lot of the asking price inflation will just be 'testing the water' as prices approach or pass their pre-crash nominal levels.
We know the market for prime central London property differs due to the proportion of foreign cash purchases, but stats are showing a decline in demand and prices in this segment. This is what makes the antifrank anecdote so interesting as Clerkenwell is one of those areas that may be attracting both foreign buyers and owners displaced from high value west end locations.
We are not talking about loan values, or transaction levels, but about house prices. You are in effect saying: How can you claim there is an apple shortage? Look at all these oranges and bananas! and alternating that with: There are no infidel tanks in Baghdad!
House prices *in real terms* are at 2002 levels. Why the panic?
And what is the house price to income ratio now compared to 2002? Anyway it's about the trend, which is sharply upwards and going to accelerate when HTB really kicks in.
The one thing that that Gove has got unequivocally right is that he has made it easier to get rid of bad teachers. The process has been simplified and speeded up significantly. It is very good news for everyone (except the bad teachers). The last thing good teachers want is to spend their time shielding or doing the work of their not-up-to-scratch colleagues. Without going into detail, I know that for an absolute fact. It is also the case that a lot of these teachers tend to be on the older side as they came through when teaching courses were much less rigorous than they have become over the last 15 years or so.
Its still not that easy and to be blunt the current approach of capability is downright cruel (we are doing it at the moment)....
There needs to be a way of doing it that allows older teachers to leave with dignity intact and somewhere to go to.....
Capability isn't nice, but getting rid of someone never is. Polruan's point about management is well made.
Mr. Eagles, Caesar had more defeats than Hannibal (who had a grand total of one). Caesar's victories were less impressive than Hannibal's. Caesar was a creature of ego, Hannibal was a patriot. By no objective measure can the Queen of Bithynia be considered the equal (in military terms) of Hannibal Barca.
Caesar's defeats (Gergovia, and Dyrrachium ) were far less serious than Zama, however, which knocked the Cartaginians out of the war.
It's an interesting commentary on the two nations that Carthage suffered far fewer casualties than the Romans, in the Second Punic War, yet they ended up suing for peace.
The one thing that that Gove has got unequivocally right is that he has made it easier to get rid of bad teachers. The process has been simplified and speeded up significantly. It is very good news for everyone (except the bad teachers). The last thing good teachers want is to spend their time shielding or doing the work of their not-up-to-scratch colleagues. Without going into detail, I know that for an absolute fact. It is also the case that a lot of these teachers tend to be on the older side as they came through when teaching courses were much less rigorous than they have become over the last 15 years or so.
Its still not that easy and to be blunt the current approach of capability is downright cruel (we are doing it at the moment)....
There needs to be a way of doing it that allows older teachers to leave with dignity intact and somewhere to go to.....
Capability isn't nice, but getting rid of someone never is. Polruan's point about management is well made.
I wonder if it might be a good idea to have a rigorous selection and training process early on in the career in an attempt to minimise the chances of having to end up in capability processes later on.... maybe some kind of "qualification" could be involved.
Mr. Fear, they may well have suffered fewer casualties in the First Punic War (that said, the sea was probably the winner as far as causing most deaths is concerned).
Rome's excellent political/military constitution is how they were able to defeat the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War. Selling the land upon which Hannibal's army was located immediately after Cannae for the full market price was indicative of the positively pathological patriotism of Rome at the time.
Although constitutions are less interesting (for some) than individuals, they're more important. Hannibal was, after Alexander, the greatest general of antiquity, but he lost. That's why constitutional reform (if it occurs) must be done well, otherwise we end up with separation (from devolution intended to kill the nationalist cause entirely) or the Lords reform idiocy suggested by Clegg.
Comparing the skill-set needed to teach at the country's leading independent, fee-paying school with the one needed to teach in a state-funded school is absurd
I love it when our friends on the left argue for special treatment for fee paying schools!
I wonder if Dr The Honourable Tristram Hunt will use the same argument to defend the same practice at his old school?
"'Bedroom Tax' Pushes Claimants Off Benefits Council figures show one in 10 claimants who have lost out because of the coalition cut have come off benefits completely.
Data obtained under Freedom of Information laws shows tens of thousands of claimants affected by the welfare reform have been encouraged to find work.
This has doubled the saving predicted by ministers from the move, up from £500m-a-year to around £1bn."
George Osborne - smashing you with prohibitive taxes and wasting your family time, since 2010.
FFS quit moaning about your taxes.
Ozzy has me paying higher marginal rates than billionaires and I should just suck it up like a good little subject.
I share your pain. I pay a higher marginal rate than billionaires as a result of Darling's shenanigans - and have been doing so for longer - but relatively speaking I am better off than many so I count my blessings.
Comparing the skill-set needed to teach at the country's leading independent, fee-paying school with the one needed to teach in a state-funded school is absurd
I love it when our friends on the left argue for special treatment for fee paying schools!
I wonder if Dr The Honourable Tristram Hunt will use the same argument to defend the same practice at his old school?
It's a matter of common sense. The challenges of teaching a small class of children whose parents have paid for them to be there and who have been screened before they arrive are rather different to those you face when confronted by a larger class of mixed ability children from a wide variety of backgrounds and domestic circumstances.
"'Bedroom Tax' Pushes Claimants Off Benefits Council figures show one in 10 claimants who have lost out because of the coalition cut have come off benefits completely.
Data obtained under Freedom of Information laws shows tens of thousands of claimants affected by the welfare reform have been encouraged to find work.
This has doubled the saving predicted by ministers from the move, up from £500m-a-year to around £1bn."
As there are around half a million deaths a year in the UK it would seem likely that many of those 70,000 estimated as no longer claimimg benefits are in fact not doing so because they are dead .
I like that bet. I've thought for a while Tristram Hunt could be a decent shout as next Labour leader. He isn't affected by the Blair/Brown nonsense, is youngish, quite handsome (I think?), & speaks well.
In a weird way it does feel like Labour can get away with a toff at the top more easily than the Conservatives
One thing to remember regarding the odds shortening on a bet Mike has placed, is that the odds have only shortened because Mike has placed the bet. Don't go thinking "wow Mike was onto something" because the odds have shortened. He probably is on to something, given he is an excellent political bettor, but there is no liquidity in these markets and one bet from a marked up client forces a major rejig of the market.
Ladbrokes still had the 33-1 available. Often tips on here do shorten as Mike bets, other winning followers - PtP etc follow him in creating an uneven book. Doesn't mean they will win or that they are value at the new price. Happened on the Carmichael tip. The 15s I saw was too short, 40s would have been good.
Comparing the skill-set needed to teach at the country's leading independent, fee-paying school with the one needed to teach in a state-funded school is absurd
I love it when our friends on the left argue for special treatment for fee paying schools!
I wonder if Dr The Honourable Tristram Hunt will use the same argument to defend the same practice at his old school?
It's a matter of common sense.
But not a matter of principle?
''Special treatment" is almost always a matter of 'common sense'.
If Clegg & the Hon Hunt were solely concerned about 'unqualified teachers' they would apply it across all schools - and not exempt the ones they went to themselves.
OGH Tweets: "LAB has only won working majorities at 6 general elections, 5 of them with public school educated leaders at helm Good for @TristramHuntMP?
OGH trying to move the market so he can lay his bet?
That's not a serious comment, is it, Charles?
I back Mike's suggestions blind, even when I don't agree with them. Long experience indicates that it pays.
Fwiw, I regard this as one of The Man's more speculative punts. It may be a long time before Hunt gets his chance, and there are other interesting candidates of that generation, notably those flagged up by another shrewd punter, Henry Manson - Stella Creasey and Rachel Reeves, for example.
Their prices are likely to shorten if Miliband wins the next election and therefore stays on. Hunt likewise is worth a small long-term investment for the same reason.
Not really - just come out of a 2 hour compliance briefing on market abuse though so was feeling grumpy!
That said, someone who is in the position to move markets - such as OGH - does need to be whiter than white.
Comparing the skill-set needed to teach at the country's leading independent, fee-paying school with the one needed to teach in a state-funded school is absurd
I love it when our friends on the left argue for special treatment for fee paying schools!
I wonder if Dr The Honourable Tristram Hunt will use the same argument to defend the same practice at his old school?
Clearly Cleggers has a problem with it despite enduring it for his own education - and choosing it for his own offspring.
The C of E used to be the Tory party at prayer. Now Justin Welby is Polly Toynbee in a cassock
Justin Welby is the new shadow minister for Moral Indignation. And it’s a wide-ranging brief. Over the weekend he intervened on energy policy, attacking the Big Six power companies. “Having spent years on a low income as a clergyman I know what it is like when your household budget is blown apart by a significant extra fuel bill and your anxiety levels become very high,” he said ...
It’ll be interesting to see where the Archbishop sets his sights next. “Welby slams Gove on Free Schools”. “Jesus never needed any Help to Buy, says Bishop”. “'Badgers are God’s creatures too', says Church chief”.
Mr. Fear, they may well have suffered fewer casualties in the First Punic War (that said, the sea was probably the winner as far as causing most deaths is concerned).
Rome's excellent political/military constitution is how they were able to defeat the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War. Selling the land upon which Hannibal's army was located immediately after Cannae for the full market price was indicative of the positively pathological patriotism of Rome at the time.
Although constitutions are less interesting (for some) than individuals, they're more important. Hannibal was, after Alexander, the greatest general of antiquity, but he lost. That's why constitutional reform (if it occurs) must be done well, otherwise we end up with separation (from devolution intended to kill the nationalist cause entirely) or the Lords reform idiocy suggested by Clegg.
Yet, I think the Roman constitution worked because of the incredible patriotism and public spirit of its upper classes a that time (exemplified by how man of them died in battle). The constitution broke down as the upper classes became more selfish, more addicted to pursuing wealth by any means they could, and as there rivalries with each other turned murderous.
The C of E used to be the Tory party at prayer. Now Justin Welby is Polly Toynbee in a cassock
Justin Welby is the new shadow minister for Moral Indignation. And it’s a wide-ranging brief. Over the weekend he intervened on energy policy, attacking the Big Six power companies. “Having spent years on a low income as a clergyman I know what it is like when your household budget is blown apart by a significant extra fuel bill and your anxiety levels become very high,” he said ...
It’ll be interesting to see where the Archbishop sets his sights next. “Welby slams Gove on Free Schools”. “Jesus never needed any Help to Buy, says Bishop”. “'Badgers are God’s creatures too', says Church chief”.
IMHO, one reason for the C of E's decline is because the political views of its leaders are so at odds with those of its followers.
Yougov have been doing a lot of polling on the opinions of self-identified Anglicans over the past year, and unsurprisingly, they tend to be pretty right wing. But, you'd never get that impression from the Bishops.
Comments
Xbox One (Microsoft's offering, and nicknamed the Xbone) had a raft of hugely unpopular (and, arguably in Europe, illegal) ideas, the worst of which was that games could not be sold second hand and that the console had to check in every 24 hours online (or every hour if you played a game on a friend's console). Oh, and the mandatory Kinect.
There was a huge uproar, and it was unclear what Sony would do. Because Nintendo have gone down a different path, Sony and Microsoft have the 'serious' console market to themselves.
Sony ended up doing none of the nonsense that Microsoft did (excepting reverse compatability, which, whilst annoying, was expected). The backlash was so huge, and the support for Sony so enormous, Microsoft was forced to give up the 24 hour online check-in and the ban on selling games second hand.
If an energy company had a small increase this year, they could increase their customer base enormously. It's very surprising they don't, given there are six energy companies, and in a console market with just two players Sony took the decision to shaft Microsoft instead of (in a moral rather than legal sense) collude with them. Isn't that what companies are supposed to do to the competition?
'Clegg loves the chauffeurs and people greasing up to him': Deputy PM savaged for free schools U-turn pandering to Labour"
And it's in the daily mail so its got to be true. I want Edmund to invent a daily mail widget
British Jobs for British workers redux?
Labour seeks to give British people access to foreigner-only shifts
Current practices exploit foreign workers, keep UK nationals out of work and drive wages down, says Yvette Cooper
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/20/labour-foreigner-only-immigration
Good of you to acknowledge though that Ed is causing rising utility prices. It will in due course be seen to have blasted away at his feet with heavy calibre weaponry...
I back Mike's suggestions blind, even when I don't agree with them. Long experience indicates that it pays.
Fwiw, I regard this as one of The Man's more speculative punts. It may be a long time before Hunt gets his chance, and there are other interesting candidates of that generation, notably those flagged up by another shrewd punter, Henry Manson - Stella Creasey and Rachel Reeves, for example.
Their prices are likely to shorten if Miliband wins the next election and therefore stays on. Hunt likewise is worth a small long-term investment for the same reason.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/dec/06/james-naughtie-today-jeremy-hunt
If Aurelian hadn't been murdered it would've been interesting to see if he could've turned the whole empire around. Maybe it would still be with us.
The one positive about the murder of Caesar, it ultimately allowed the British Empire to be the greatest Empire in history.
There is no evidence yet from bank lending figures and mortgage approvals that completion prices are inflating at the rates claimed by the media and those with a commercial interest in the housing market. On the contrary, the last set of figures from the BoE showed that average loan values were falling. Transaction volumes also remain low (40% of peak) and are only rising slowly.
That is not to say that there isn't a lot of talking up prices going on with consequent over-optimistic reactions in asking prices from property owners. Transaction volumes have been very low since the crash mainly due to most housing being below 2007 nominal levels. Property owners are always reluctant to sell at paper loss. A lot of the asking price inflation will just be 'testing the water' as prices approach or pass their pre-crash nominal levels.
We know the market for prime central London property differs due to the proportion of foreign cash purchases, but stats are showing a decline in demand and prices in this segment. This is what makes the antifrank anecdote so interesting as Clerkenwell is one of those areas that may be attracting both foreign buyers and owners displaced from high value west end locations.
Voters: Why can;t we use coal?
Ed Davey: What, and compromise my principles? Look! a squirrel! a really pretty baby one!!
ComRes/BBC poll result on Brighton & Hove for local elections: LAB 38% (+6), CON 25% (-4), GRN 21% (-12), #UKIP 9% (+8), LDEM 6% (+1)
But (barring an under-a-bus event) I fully expect Ed Miliband to be Prime Minister after the 2015 election, in which case my money would be riding on a post-Miliband leadership contest at some unguessable point in the future in some unguessable political circumstances.
Too speculative for me. For that reason, Mike, I'm out.
By contrast, there is little to no administrative overhead for a supermarket involved in winning your custom from another. So you can see why there would be more competition in groceries than energy.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/suncolumnists/trevorkavanagh/5213188/Sun-columnist-Trevor-Kavanagh-Blame-fuel-price-rises-on-the-green-bandwagon.html
Others are cottoning on the monumental stupidity of the way our dear politicians have distorted the energy market to suit their own consciences
Oh dear...
Click on "other stuff" for details of their Kitten block.
The media noise surrounding HTB will be having an impact but by far the overriding driver of pricing in London is foreign cash purchases with displacement causing upward pressure on second tier locations and down.
Look, a Scottish Tory?
(shurely 'Bill' instead of 'Day'?? Ed.).
If I'm still around!
Interesting consumer and industrial gas price comparisons but in Euros
'I always start to worry when Labour start talking about this.
British Jobs for British workers redux?"
I know what you mean. I worry that I might get one of the 60,000 letters incorrectly sent by this government telling immigrants to go home addressed to me at Grouchos
Mr. Me, ah, cheers for that informative response.
*Of course, Ed Miliband will never be Prime Minister! But they may see it differently...
Zama, ultimately saw the Carthaginians wiped from existence.
Edit: And you seem to be under the impression that Caesar had only one victory.
Silly Sausage
After everyone disagreed with his ideas about free schools, Clegg announced plans to work out of a room above a Westminster pub.
The party’s emblem is a hand tossing a coin to represent its decision-making process, with the slogan “Nick – Guess What Happens Next”.
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/clegg-to-form-one-man-party-2013102180521
Bad deal for the country apparently
Agreed. And if the French and the chinese don;t cut the price we'll.....um.......????
There is no empirical evidence that having a PCGE cert makes you a better teacher. You'll need to reg for the free trial to read it but its rather good.
Toby Young makes a wider point here http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyyoung/100242295/memo-to-nick-clegg-and-fiona-millar-15000-teachers-have-been-judged-incompetent-and-most-of-those-are-qualified/
Time is going to prove you to be a great and magnanimous winner, while I will prove to be an insignificant, treacherous ignoramous, and a poor loser at that!
Your 40/1 shot with Carmichael is undoubtedly one of the finest tips in the entire history of the British betting industry, and will bring you riches beyond man's wildest dreams. Carmichael is a giant among political midgets, and will stride victorous over the (metaphorically) slain corpses of Salmond, Lamont, Davidson et al, as the SLDs gain 48 seats in 2015, wiping out all other parties for a clean sweep.
I am petrified of the mighty Carmichael and all his works. As is doubtless my boss Alex Salmond.
Finally, I would like to confess that I am extremely poorly equipped in the trouser department, and I have never given a lady an enjoyable moment. I barely deserve to be called a human being.
Easing time served teachers out of education needs to carefully thought through as there is currently no way to remove them. You used to offer early retirement but nowadays that ain't an option....
I manage to blame the end of the Union on Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems, it will also annoy Scottish Conservatives, scare the Beejeesus out of Lab and make me rue the day etc.
In a weird way it does feel like Labour can get away with a toff at the top more easily than the Conservatives
One thing to remember regarding the odds shortening on a bet Mike has placed, is that the odds have only shortened because Mike has placed the bet. Don't go thinking "wow Mike was onto something" because the odds have shortened. He probably is on to something, given he is an excellent political bettor, but there is no liquidity in these markets and one bet from a marked up client forces a major rejig of the market.
However, teachers are interviewed prior to being employed, usually extensively. Those who do not come up to the mark can, outside of a state school, be removed.
Possibly. They are all still rabbits in the headlights in my view.
A low carbon policy not only slashes the elasticity of supply to the electricity market by phasing out coal, but it also reduces your bargaining power when negotiating contracts with the suppliers of what remains.
The French and the Chinese know our low carbon policy and they saw us coming a mile off. They clearly saw they were the only game in town.
Words cannot express how badly all our mainstream politicians have played this.
http://www.nationwide.co.uk/hpi/default.htm
House price rises at accelerating pace in all regions in Q3 2013.
So, only a few years to wait until the lights come back on!!! possibly
And these people expect to be elected? It really is quite breathtaking.
Now if it were the Next Pope market....
http://www.nationwide.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/19D2DA3F-08CB-4473-B53F-E339154B7F88/0/Sep_2013.pdf
House prices *in real terms* are at 2002 levels. Why the panic?
The basic issue is exactly the same management issue as in the private sector: many managers are conflict averse, poor at process, and scared of putting in place performance management measures that lead either to improvement or dismissal. To add some more anecdote, every individual I've worked with in the private sector who has (in reality) been dismissed on performance grounds has (in terms of legal process) been made redundant, at far greater cost. I'm sure it's not the same everywhere, but my strong impression is that whether in schools or banks, those who don't come up to the mark can be removed, but aren't due to the inadequacy of many managers.
There needs to be a way of doing it that allows older teachers to leave with dignity intact and somewhere to go to.....
http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2013/10/20/mcnicol-sidelined-in-coup-as-miliband-asserts-control-over-party-machine/
"Ed Miliband, flanked by Douglas Alexander, his newly-appointed ‘Chair of General Election Strategy’ introduced Spencer Livermore as the party’s new campaigns director who will now be tasked with day-to-day control of the party’s election campaign.
Livermore, reading from a prepared script, announced that in future, the party’s seven executive directors would report directly to him – bypassing Iain McNicol, the party’s General Secretary.
Uncut can reveal that the announcement came as a total shock to most senior staff who knew nothing about the changes – including, it is said, NcNicol himself.
Appointed to run the party’s organisation by a vote of the governing National Executive Committee, both McNicol and the NEC have been effectively usurped by Miliband’s team in an organisational coup.
“It was a brutal meeting” said one eyewitness."
Your second para. Amen to most of that. However in the private sector bad management isn't tolerated in perpetuity to the same extent as in the public sector. The market sees to that.
I got on Tessa back then! She wont have to give up a seat if she wins and she's got good enough name recognition to get through an open selection. If Khan or Lammy are ministers after GE 2015 they'll be less likely to want to stand.
As ever, I get the impression that these laws of the market really only apply to smallish businesses, where competition is an existential reality, not a fiction used to justify preferring private over public provision for ideological reasons. When it comes to large companies there's so much cosy cartelling going on that businesses can be run inefficiently without posing any real existential threat. The logic used to argue that the public sector is inefficient can apply very easily to (say) any large bank, utility company or manufacturer.
No panic, just trying to clarify the facts.
It's an interesting commentary on the two nations that Carthage suffered far fewer casualties than the Romans, in the Second Punic War, yet they ended up suing for peace.
Rome's excellent political/military constitution is how they were able to defeat the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War. Selling the land upon which Hannibal's army was located immediately after Cannae for the full market price was indicative of the positively pathological patriotism of Rome at the time.
Although constitutions are less interesting (for some) than individuals, they're more important. Hannibal was, after Alexander, the greatest general of antiquity, but he lost. That's why constitutional reform (if it occurs) must be done well, otherwise we end up with separation (from devolution intended to kill the nationalist cause entirely) or the Lords reform idiocy suggested by Clegg.
I wonder if Dr The Honourable Tristram Hunt will use the same argument to defend the same practice at his old school?
"'Bedroom Tax' Pushes Claimants Off Benefits
Council figures show one in 10 claimants who have lost out because of the coalition cut have come off benefits completely.
Data obtained under Freedom of Information laws shows tens of thousands of claimants affected by the welfare reform have been encouraged to find work.
This has doubled the saving predicted by ministers from the move, up from £500m-a-year to around £1bn."
http://news.sky.com/story/1157481/bedroom-tax-pushes-claimants-off-benefits
''Special treatment" is almost always a matter of 'common sense'.
If Clegg & the Hon Hunt were solely concerned about 'unqualified teachers' they would apply it across all schools - and not exempt the ones they went to themselves.
That said, someone who is in the position to move markets - such as OGH - does need to be whiter than white.
Freud would love this :^)
The C of E used to be the Tory party at prayer. Now Justin Welby is Polly Toynbee in a cassock
Justin Welby is the new shadow minister for Moral Indignation. And it’s a wide-ranging brief. Over the weekend he intervened on energy policy, attacking the Big Six power companies. “Having spent years on a low income as a clergyman I know what it is like when your household budget is blown apart by a significant extra fuel bill and your anxiety levels become very high,” he said ...
It’ll be interesting to see where the Archbishop sets his sights next. “Welby slams Gove on Free Schools”. “Jesus never needed any Help to Buy, says Bishop”. “'Badgers are God’s creatures too', says Church chief”.
Once upon a time the C of E was seen as an ecclesiastical extension of Conservative Central Office. But these days its main job seems to be to fill in on Polly Toynbee’s day off.http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100242368/the-c-of-e-used-to-be-the-tory-party-at-prayer-now-justin-welby-is-polly-toynbee-in-a-cassock/
Now he's made a plum of himself on Ed's ratings... having missed the recent surge higher in the latest Mori!
Fraser Nelson @FraserNelson
Ed Miliband's personal (lack of) approval ratings now vie with IDS and Hague at their worst. (Attached). pic.twitter.com/AaAjD3b7VK
George Eaton @georgeeaton
@FraserNelson His current rating is well above IDS and Hague and above Cameron's present one.
Lab 37 (-2); Cons 34 (+1); LD 14 (+2); UKIP 8 (-1) Others 8 (+1)
Yougov have been doing a lot of polling on the opinions of self-identified Anglicans over the past year, and unsurprisingly, they tend to be pretty right wing. But, you'd never get that impression from the Bishops.