Next week should be an interesting one for PBs moderators. Perhaps a few sessions with antifrank's photoshopped personal trainer might help
Roger and others.
The moderating team is quite relaxed about next week, anyone violating the site rules (or the spirit therein) on phone hacking may have their posting privileges suspended until the conclusion of the phone hacking trials.
I know, this is is difficult, but other sites (such as the Guardian and the Daily Mail), don't allow comments below the line on phone hacking articles, no one wishes to allow behaviour that may get Mike Smithson into trouble.
I would ask PBers to cast their mind back 12 months, when we banned discussions about the BBC accusations about a senior Tory from the Thatcher era and sexual abuse, there's a reason that the site wasn't sued, but others were.
Additionally, MPs have been informed that they aren't even allowed to mention the name of Andy Coulson, if MPs aren't allowed to do so, then it seems wise that PBers aren't allowed to either.
The man with no name: MPs banned from saying "Andy Coulson" ahead of phone hacking trial.
Solicitor General Oliver Heald wrote to the three main parties asking MPs to “refrain from any commentary which may be perceived as prejudicial
Thing is, there is a need for extra school places. I don't think anyone disputes that. Were it not so then you could reasonably argue that allocating funds to a free school takes money from the overall educational pot that could be spent on, for example, textbooks or bunsen burners in the state sector.
But many state schools are bursting at the edges. I don't think free schools are therefore the demonic presence some paint them out to be. Often for example it is simply not possible to expand capacity in existing schools, or the will is not there.
As a matter of interest, is this generally true, or mainly in London and a few high-growth areas? In the prosperous suburban constituency where I'm standing, there are schools that are full, but others that are definitely not, and there's a fairly obvious choice between expanding the most popular ones and doing more to make the less popular ones attractive (we don't have any really bad schools). The third choice of setting up some new school isn't obviously sensible, regardless of its nature.
Well my sample is central London so that skews everything I appreciate.
But I think also you are slightly seeing this through the prism of state-good, individual initiative-bad. As in fact Simon Hughes mentioned on DP today (and so the day has dawned when I agree with Simon Hughes), all our great public schools started off as initiatives not wholly different to academies/free schools and, love them or hate them, they have unambiguously been successful. Amazingly so.
Additionally, MPs have been informed that they aren't even allowed to mention the name of [x] , if MPs aren't allowed to do so, then it seems wise that PBers aren't allowed to either ....
Solicitor General Oliver Heald wrote to the three main parties asking MPs to “refrain from any commentary which may be perceived as prejudicial
Last time I checked a Minister of the Crown has no ability to control what Members of Parliament say in proceedings. Only an officer of the House, pursuant to the standing orders and resolutions of the House, can do that. The broader point about moderation of course stands.
Additionally, MPs have been informed that they aren't even allowed to mention the name of [x] , if MPs aren't allowed to do so, then it seems wise that PBers aren't allowed to either ....
Solicitor General Oliver Heald wrote to the three main parties asking MPs to “refrain from any commentary which may be perceived as prejudicial
Last time I checked a Minister of the Crown has no ability to control what Members of Parliament say in proceedings. Only an officer of the House, pursuant to the standing orders and resolutions of the House, can do that. The broader point about moderation of course stands.
Two days running we have two brilliant Marf cartoons in a single day!
wonderfully generous of Sean T for drinks - thanks, dude. I hope to be able to make it, I'm starting a new job, albeit short-term, on the 4th.
Congratulations Sunil; as I understand it this has been some time coming.
Time for a return to the fold in celebration of the Coaltion providing the conditions for you to find work?
Thanks TOPPING!
Tempting! Tempting! On the other hand I could claim it's Ed's magnificent leadership qualities, his poise and his alacrity that motivated me to get this job
That's great, Sunil! Later jobs get easier to land when employers see there's not been a long gap. (And yes, I'm sure Ed's dynamic example helped surge you into office.)
Looking at Watson's comments in the Commons yesterday, and its not hard to see why Unite miscalculated so badly in their negotiations on behalf of their members with INEOS at Grangemouth.
Alistair Carmichael and John Swinney put in an impressive performance in front of the media today. Not seen the Scottish and Westminster Government's so joined at the hip since the days of Labour being in power in both Governments. And all the more impressive when you see the political make up of both Governments right now, especially with the Independence Referendum looming.
At least Tom Watson is maintaining radio silence, perhaps until he has had his foot surgically removed from his mouth.
He wasn't yesterday:
"I am sure that the Secretary of State will be as saddened as many of the workers were to hear that the negotiations that he managed to secure around the table at ACAS were slightly thwarted because the billionaire hedge fund manger who runs INEOS, Mr Jim Ratcliffe, was on his yacht in the Mediterranean, so the negotiating team had to phone him. I think that shows a lack of seriousness. One of the big concerns people have is that tax avoidance disguises the profitability of the site. Will the Secretary of State consider conducting an independent financial assessment of the site to see what options future buyers might have?"
I see the BBC have updated their story on Vladimir Klitschko seeking the Ukranian presidency once they had someone google his name and realise that, despite being an MP and minor party leader, he is not in fact a former Heavyweight champion but in fact still reigning.
Thanks Stuart. You are probably right. Tom Gordon of Sunday Herald also says Labour is confident of winning.
I wasn't surprised Salmond has been in Dunfermline but that he paid a visit at the end of the day (when parties should know where the wind is blowing). But I guess he planned to come earlier before the Grangemouth situation exploded and required him somewhere else during the day
Congratulations Sunil. I hope the job (what is it, if you don't mind me asking?) goes well.
I cannot make the 20th. Despite my office being only 5 minutes away that day I am the other side of London and have to get to a school event for my youngest.
I sense that this government are just about to go through a rough patch, with the Tories slipping back a bit in the polls and Labour regularly hitting 40% +. The public are finally sensing that the Tories are an arrogant out of touch bunch, who will not tackle the strong vested interests in the country.
so, lets replace them with an arrogant out of touch bunch wearing red rosettes who utterly cocked up the country last time they were in.
"The public are finally sensing that the Tories are an arrogant out of touch bunch, who will not tackle the strong vested interests in the country."
Tackle them! The public think they are there as a pressure group for the vested interests and if anyone reads the Tories on here what else could they think. Making Sir Philip Green whose wife pays tax in Monaco 'waste tzar' should have been a pointer....
The strongest vested interests are unions in education and healthcare and are being challenged by the government so that the country can move forward.
Not seen Hunchman for a while. I believe that he owes us an explanation.
Hunchman first came on here predicting an imminent crash in JULY 2011 when the FTSE was around 5,700.
He has repeatedly told us time after time after time that the FTSE is about to crash and up to now it has never happened.
Of course if he keeps posting the same thing for 10 or 20 years then he is bound to be right eventually.
But his posts have repeatedly given the impression that the crash is coming in the near future. Sometimes he has said it may be a couple of months but never much more than that.
It really is time for this to end. Hunchman has no more idea than anyone else what is going to happen.
Throughout my entire life there have ALWAYS been pundits with extreme views predicting wild movements whether up or down. They are usually wrong.
One final point - don't forget Hunchman also told us that oil would fall to $10. That looks likely doesn't it!
That's great, Sunil! Later jobs get easier to land when employers see there's not been a long gap. (And yes, I'm sure Ed's dynamic example helped surge you into office.)
Comments
Cue the comments.
The moderating team is quite relaxed about next week, anyone violating the site rules (or the spirit therein) on phone hacking may have their posting privileges suspended until the conclusion of the phone hacking trials.
I know, this is is difficult, but other sites (such as the Guardian and the Daily Mail), don't allow comments below the line on phone hacking articles, no one wishes to allow behaviour that may get Mike Smithson into trouble.
I would ask PBers to cast their mind back 12 months, when we banned discussions about the BBC accusations about a senior Tory from the Thatcher era and sexual abuse, there's a reason that the site wasn't sued, but others were.
Additionally, MPs have been informed that they aren't even allowed to mention the name of Andy Coulson, if MPs aren't allowed to do so, then it seems wise that PBers aren't allowed to either.
The man with no name: MPs banned from saying "Andy Coulson" ahead of phone hacking trial.
Solicitor General Oliver Heald wrote to the three main parties asking MPs to “refrain from any commentary which may be perceived as prejudicial
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mps-gagged-saying-andy-coulsons-2472163
But I think also you are slightly seeing this through the prism of state-good, individual initiative-bad. As in fact Simon Hughes mentioned on DP today (and so the day has dawned when I agree with Simon Hughes), all our great public schools started off as initiatives not wholly different to academies/free schools and, love them or hate them, they have unambiguously been successful. Amazingly so.
Why deny the parents' aspirations to repeat that?
Time for a return to the fold in celebration of the Coaltion providing the conditions for you to find work?
The SNP, like many parties, often acts like a big family, and Shirley-Anne is a very popular member of that extended family. Deservedly so.
Tempting! Tempting! On the other hand I could claim it's Ed's magnificent leadership qualities, his poise and his alacrity that motivated me to get this job
Excellent.
How many posts per hour do you have to write?
;-)
Alistair Carmichael and John Swinney put in an impressive performance in front of the media today. Not seen the Scottish and Westminster Government's so joined at the hip since the days of Labour being in power in both Governments. And all the more impressive when you see the political make up of both Governments right now, especially with the Independence Referendum looming.
Still, Labour and Unite will always have that heated moment in Falkirk!
There is a mindset among Scottish Labour and Unite that doesn't seem to have moved on with the changes in the global economic landscape.
Article from 2005 in the Herald - Worker fears as BP sells Grangemouth chemical firm GBP5.1bn deal includes staff at 'cut to the bone' refinery
Ian Smart blogspot - Sometimes You're just beat
I wasn't surprised Salmond has been in Dunfermline but that he paid a visit at the end of the day (when parties should know where the wind is blowing). But I guess he planned to come earlier before the Grangemouth situation exploded and required him somewhere else during the day
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-24654750
Huzzah, Dr. Prasannan! I knew sacrificing a goat to Hephaestus would pay off.
Probably excepting Liz Truss.
I cannot make the 20th. Despite my office being only 5 minutes away that day I am the other side of London and have to get to a school event for my youngest.
Well, its a plan..............
Ambrose Evans - Pritchard!