Mrs. May has already confirmed that she will resign as Prime Minister prior to the next General Election.
There has to be a good chance that she will depart just as soon as (always assuming) she succeeds in steering Britain to a successful Brexit conclusion prior to 29th March, which is actually now looking a tad more likely than has previously been the case.
So who is likely to succeed her? There are, of course all the usual suspects including Boris, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab, Amber Rudd, etc all of whom are available at odds of between 6/1 - 20/1, but none of whom I particulary fancy to emerge as the winner.
So who you might ask is currently my pick? Drum Roll!! None other than the person whom as I type these words, is working day and night, using his unique combination of charm, intellect and somewhat bombastic negotiating skills to persuade the EU powers that be to accept a compromise agreement on the all-important Irish backstop problem, which is currently preventing such a deal. I give you, Ladies & Gentlemen, none other than Geoffrey Cox Q.C. M.P. Should he come home with a form of words which prove acceptable to the HoC in the next crucial vote on 12 March, he will be revered as something of a hero, not only among Tory MPs (and probably a good few Labour MPs to boot), but crucially to the Party's membership as a whole ... more than enough, in my opinion, to land him the top job, probably accompanied by a ringing endorsement from La May.
Quite apart from his attractive political personality, he also has an excellent profile for the job - just short of 60, a West Country MP for 14 years with a decent majority and of course with a legal background, possessing an excellent brain.
The best odds on him becoming the next PM are from the Betfair Exchange where I asked for and obtained odds of 65, equivalent to 60.8/1 net of their 5% commission ... cracking good value imho. Those of a nervous opinion might prefer to back Cox to become the next Conservative Leader to allow, therefore, for circumstances in which May was forced to call a GE, whilst still leader, which she then goes on to lose. Here, Betfair's odds are a slightly more modest 47 (43.7/1 net of comm'n).
As ever, DYOR.
One of the best things going for him is that he has got on with doing his job, rather than treating his job as a sideshow towards becoming party leader. At those odds, you've got yourself a very good bet. Politically, he would be a wise choice for the membership to take on. He would make the charge of his fellow Devon MP Sarah Wollaston, that the Tories have been captured by the hard right, to be the arrant nonsense it is.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
The meals were good in their day but of course choices are very much wider today
Mrs. May has already confirmed that she will resign as Prime Minister prior to the next General Election.
There has to be a good chance that she will depart just as soon as (always assuming) she succeeds in steering Britain to a successful Brexit conclusion prior to 29th March, which is actually now looking a tad more likely than has previously been the case.
So who is likely to succeed her? There are, of course all the usual suspects including Boris, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab, Amber Rudd, etc all of whom are available at odds of between 6/1 - 20/1, but none of whom I particulary fancy to emerge as the winner.
So who you might ask is currently my pick? Drum Roll!! None other than the person whom as I type these words, is working day and night, using his unique combination of charm, intellect and somewhat bombastic negotiating skills to persuade the EU powers that be to accept a compromise agreement on the all-important Irish backstop problem, which is currently preventing such a deal. I give you, Ladies & Gentlemen, none other than Geoffrey Cox Q.C. M.P. Should he come home with a form of words which prove acceptable to the HoC in the next crucial vote on 12 March, he will be revered as something of a hero, not only among Tory MPs (and probably a good few Labour MPs to boot), but crucially to the Party's membership as a whole ... more than enough, in my opinion, to land him the top job, probably accompanied by a ringing endorsement from La May.
Quite apart from his attractive political personality, he also has an excellent profile for the job - just short of 60, a West Country MP for 14 years with a decent majority and of course with a legal background, possessing an excellent brain.
The best odds on him becoming the next PM are from the Betfair Exchange where I asked for and obtained odds of 65, equivalent to 60.8/1 net of their 5% commission ... cracking good value imho. Those of a nervous opinion might prefer to back Cox to become the next Conservative Leader to allow, therefore, for circumstances in which May was forced to call a GE, whilst still leader, which she then goes on to lose. Here, Betfair's odds are a slightly more modest 47 (43.7/1 net of comm'n).
As ever, DYOR.
I agree. Certainly worth covering yourself if you are sprinkling a few bets around various potential runners.
I am on at 140/1 from a while ago.
Not entirely convinced he is the right person to take on Jezza and his campaigning though.
"Not entirely convinced he is the right person to take on Jezza and his campaigning though."
A damning judgement on the man's ability if ever I heard one. Personally, I reckon he's more than capable of eating him for breakfast and then spitting him out.
I know Brexit and the US stuff is interesting, but what's everyones hot take on Stacey Dooley vs David Lammy ?
There's a question. Approaching it from a tabloid angle...
David Lammy is the bumptious attention-seeking bloke who told Mastermind that Henry VII came after Henry VIII, and when asked for the "married name of Marie and Pierre who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903 for radiation research" said "Antoinette". There's also something about Versailles being built in 1370. He appears to have a whole library of tropes he likes to yell at people, and is given to public self-embarrassment.
Stacey Dooley is an excellent dancer, who I unfortunately first saw on a video going past the dried-up Aral Sea in a programme blaming fast-fashion for its non-exsitence, missing that the issue is not just cotton but more to do with poor production of cotton. She appears to have escaped from BBC3. Her reporting is interesting, but very sensationalist-sound-bitey and does not always stand up in depth or detail.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
So looks like May’s deal will pass. She plays chicken with our livelihoods and wins.
More to the point, she finally tried taking brexit hostage and appealing to brexit enthusiasts, instead of taking the economy hostage and trying to appeal to people who cared whether their constituents had jobs.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
I remember, in about 1960, telling my prospective father-in-law that I expected, once qualified, to be earning £1,000 pa.
And beer in the students pub was 1/9d per pint, or just over 8p. IIRC it was the Oil Price Rise in the early 70's which triggered massive price rise. That, and decimalisation, which because the City couldn't, apparently, cope with a 10/- pound...... ten old shillings to the £........ was set at 10 x 2/- to the pound, and made a new penny equal to two-and-a-half old ones.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
I remember, in about 1960, telling my prospective father-in-law that I expected, once qualified, to be earning £1,000 pa.
And beer in the students pub was 1/9d per pint, or just over 8p. IIRC it was the Oil Price Rise in the early 70's which triggered massive price rise. That, and decimalisation, which because the City couldn't, apparently, cope with a 10/- pound...... ten old shillings to the £........ was set at 10 x 2/- to the pound, and made a new penny equal to two-and-a-half old ones.
I remember my Father coming home circa 1960 to say he had a pay rise taking him over £1,000 pa
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
The 'long term' figures though still don't include 'short term' migrants who state they are planning to come to the UK for less than 12 months. We don't capture them at all - and relying on GP registration data and our lack of exit controls means the data doesn't necessarily provide a complete picture.
The ONS have a track record of relying on the International Passenger survey - which of course assumes people are always honest about their intentions and never change their plans and extrapolate accordingly. Last estimates I saw reported that there were nearly 400,000 international migrants woh planned to stay for 3-12 months (so not exactly tourists in most cases) which aren't included in the ONS resident population data which is used to allocate local authority and NHS funding. But they are here presumably needing shelter, using services, working etc etc.
To me this suggests Biden or Bernie are best bets; if Biden doesn't jump in the race 26% of his vote share goes to Bernie and Bernie becomes clear favourite, if Biden does jump in and Harris / Warren and Bernie fight over more progressive votes, Biden holds strong. I also don't know if Bernie did a "one term pledge" and had Warren as Veep (or Harris) and just pulled things far leftwards and let the Veep try and continue the legacy if that would fold the party into unity.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
I remember, in about 1960, telling my prospective father-in-law that I expected, once qualified, to be earning £1,000 pa.
And beer in the students pub was 1/9d per pint, or just over 8p. IIRC it was the Oil Price Rise in the early 70's which triggered massive price rise. That, and decimalisation, which because the City couldn't, apparently, cope with a 10/- pound...... ten old shillings to the £........ was set at 10 x 2/- to the pound, and made a new penny equal to two-and-a-half old ones.
I remember my Father coming home circa 1960 to say he had a pay rise taking him over £1,000 pa
Actually I didn't earn £1k in my first qualified Job; it was £950. Went up the next year. My teacher wife was earning, IIRC, about £850
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
Not quite, while the headline figures may look like that, there has been a rapid increase in pension contributions so it's a lot more expensive (5-10% more in real terms) to employ a teacher now than it was in 2013.
And teacher staffing costs are at least 70% of a schools budget (often nearer 85%).
I know Brexit and the US stuff is interesting, but what's everyones hot take on Stacey Dooley vs David Lammy ?
Lammy's ultimate end position is that Comic Relief is racist.
There was some bod on the radio bemoaning the lack of black comedians on Comic relief or some such. Obviously not old enough to remember Lenny Henry doing it almost single handedly in the late 80s/90s !
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
The meals were good in their day but of course choices are very much wider today
We incrementally get used to better and better. It’s the human condition that we don’t notice it. Try driving a car that’s fifteen years old... I don’t mean an old warn out banger, a well maintained low mileage car. Then drive a new one. Fifteen years of engineering make a massive difference. Do the same again for fifteen years further back again...
We have lived in the most extraordinary times of perpetual improvement across the board. I shudder when someone starts talking about “we used to only eat in season vegetables and fruit” as if it’s some kind of badge of honour.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
That is the government's story. It does not seem to be reflected in the views of headteachers, school governors or local councils, and it is not my experience as a parent, although thankfully our children's schools are still open five full days per week. I don't believe the government on this I am afraid, not when it is flatly contradicted by people at the sharp end and the evidence of my own eyes.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
Not quite, while the headline figures may look like that, there has been a rapid increase in pension contributions so it's a lot more expensive (5-10% more in real terms) to employ a teacher now than it was in 2013.
And teacher staffing costs are at least 70% of a schools budget (often nearer 85%).
It would be interesting to know how much head teachers and deputy head teachers salaries have gone up in real terms over the last 20 years, particularly including pensions. It certainly seem to not be the austere/poorly paid profession that it used to be. the, of course, there are the very generous holidays that are essential to them, which ought to be costed in.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
That is the government's story. It does not seem to be reflected in the views of headteachers, school governors or local councils, and it is not my experience as a parent, although thankfully our children's schools are still open five full days per week. I don't believe the government on this I am afraid, not when it is flatly contradicted by people at the sharp end and the evidence of my own eyes.
Well it is true. Whether you believe it or not. For the very first time schools have had to squeeze their spending. The very very first time.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
The meals were good in their day but of course choices are very much wider today
We incrementally get used to better and better. It’s the human condition that we don’t notice it. Try driving a car that’s fifteen years old... I don’t mean an old warn out banger, a well maintained low mileage car. Then drive a new one. Fifteen years of engineering make a massive difference. Do the same again for fifteen years further back again...
We have lived in the most extraordinary times of perpetual improvement across the board. I shudder when someone starts talking about “we used to only eat in season vegetables and fruit” as if it’s some kind of badge of honour.
A little while ago I had, for whatever reason, to drive a car without power steering. Standard today, but not an equivalent 20 year old model. It was quite difficult until I got used to it.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
The meals were good in their day but of course choices are very much wider today
We incrementally get used to better and better. It’s the human condition that we don’t notice it. Try driving a car that’s fifteen years old... I don’t mean an old warn out banger, a well maintained low mileage car. Then drive a new one. Fifteen years of engineering make a massive difference. Do the same again for fifteen years further back again...
We have lived in the most extraordinary times of perpetual improvement across the board. I shudder when someone starts talking about “we used to only eat in season vegetables and fruit” as if it’s some kind of badge of honour.
When people say how much better things were in the past, they instinctively compare their living standards with those of the upper middle classes at the time.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
Not quite, while the headline figures may look like that, there has been a rapid increase in pension contributions so it's a lot more expensive (5-10% more in real terms) to employ a teacher now than it was in 2013.
And teacher staffing costs are at least 70% of a schools budget (often nearer 85%).
That is most certainly true, and the fact that a lot of ancillary services were done through contractors, who had massive cost jumps when the national living wage came in.
To counter that the pay freeze for teachers over the last seven years would have provided a substantial saving on their medium term spending projections.
The difficulty is as you highlight, that so much of the cost can’t be trimmed because it’s direct employment of teachers which are difficult to vary and they’ve increased.
I know Brexit and the US stuff is interesting, but what's everyones hot take on Stacey Dooley vs David Lammy ?
Lammy's ultimate end position is that Comic Relief is racist.
There was some bod on the radio bemoaning the lack of black comedians on Comic relief or some such. Obviously not old enough to remember Lenny Henry doing it almost single handedly in the late 80s/90s !
You can't win sometimes...
Ariana Grande has responded to a backlash over her headlining Manchester Pride.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
That is the government's story. It does not seem to be reflected in the views of headteachers, school governors or local councils, and it is not my experience as a parent, although thankfully our children's schools are still open five full days per week. I don't believe the government on this I am afraid, not when it is flatly contradicted by people at the sharp end and the evidence of my own eyes.
Well it is true. Whether you believe it or not. For the very first time schools have had to squeeze their spending. The very very first time.
And as I've already stated - it's not true. Even when schools were "protected" their costs were rising higher than their budgets were increased due to pension contribution changes.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
That is the government's story. It does not seem to be reflected in the views of headteachers, school governors or local councils, and it is not my experience as a parent, although thankfully our children's schools are still open five full days per week. I don't believe the government on this I am afraid, not when it is flatly contradicted by people at the sharp end and the evidence of my own eyes.
Well it is true. Whether you believe it or not. For the very first time schools have had to squeeze their spending. The very very first time.
Not bad for a safe job where you get masses more holiday than anyone else! Plus the massive pensions. Will they volunteer for a pay cut? No don't think so!
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
Not quite, while the headline figures may look like that, there has been a rapid increase in pension contributions so it's a lot more expensive (5-10% more in real terms) to employ a teacher now than it was in 2013.
And teacher staffing costs are at least 70% of a schools budget (often nearer 85%).
It would be interesting to know how much head teachers and deputy head teachers salaries have gone up in real terms over the last 20 years, particularly including pensions. It certainly seem to not be the austere/poorly paid profession that it used to be. the, of course, there are the very generous holidays that are essential to them, which ought to be costed in.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
The meals were good in their day but of course choices are very much wider today
We incrementally get used to better and better. It’s the human condition that we don’t notice it. Try driving a car that’s fifteen years old... I don’t mean an old warn out banger, a well maintained low mileage car. Then drive a new one. Fifteen years of engineering make a massive difference. Do the same again for fifteen years further back again...
We have lived in the most extraordinary times of perpetual improvement across the board. I shudder when someone starts talking about “we used to only eat in season vegetables and fruit” as if it’s some kind of badge of honour.
A little while ago I had, for whatever reason, to drive a car without power steering. Standard today, but not an equivalent 20 year old model. It was quite difficult until I got used to it.
Yes. We get used to it. We can get used to everything. We can get used to all the kids in the primary school not getting taught through an iPad or getting a free school meal whether they need it or not if we want to.
You feel it when you’ve lost it. Stories of having no inside toilet, no remote control for the tv... having a piece of mean for dinner in Sunday and keeping any left overs for Monday Tuesday and Wednesday.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
I remember, in about 1960, telling my prospective father-in-law that I expected, once qualified, to be earning £1,000 pa.
And beer in the students pub was 1/9d per pint, or just over 8p. IIRC it was the Oil Price Rise in the early 70's which triggered massive price rise. That, and decimalisation, which because the City couldn't, apparently, cope with a 10/- pound...... ten old shillings to the £........ was set at 10 x 2/- to the pound, and made a new penny equal to two-and-a-half old ones.
I remember my Father coming home circa 1960 to say he had a pay rise taking him over £1,000 pa
Actually I didn't earn £1k in my first qualified Job; it was £950. Went up the next year. My teacher wife was earning, IIRC, about £850
What did your father do? If I may ask!
Branch Manager of the Prudential Assurance Company
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
Not quite, while the headline figures may look like that, there has been a rapid increase in pension contributions so it's a lot more expensive (5-10% more in real terms) to employ a teacher now than it was in 2013.
And teacher staffing costs are at least 70% of a schools budget (often nearer 85%).
It would be interesting to know how much head teachers and deputy head teachers salaries have gone up in real terms over the last 20 years, particularly including pensions. It certainly seem to not be the austere/poorly paid profession that it used to be. the, of course, there are the very generous holidays that are essential to them, which ought to be costed in.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
I remember, in about 1960, telling my prospective father-in-law that I expected, once qualified, to be earning £1,000 pa.
And beer in the students pub was 1/9d per pint, or just over 8p. IIRC it was the Oil Price Rise in the early 70's which triggered massive price rise. That, and decimalisation, which because the City couldn't, apparently, cope with a 10/- pound...... ten old shillings to the £........ was set at 10 x 2/- to the pound, and made a new penny equal to two-and-a-half old ones.
I remember my Father coming home circa 1960 to say he had a pay rise taking him over £1,000 pa
Actually I didn't earn £1k in my first qualified Job; it was £950. Went up the next year. My teacher wife was earning, IIRC, about £850
What did your father do? If I may ask!
Branch Manager of the Prudential Assurance Company
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
That is the government's story. It does not seem to be reflected in the views of headteachers, school governors or local councils, and it is not my experience as a parent, although thankfully our children's schools are still open five full days per week. I don't believe the government on this I am afraid, not when it is flatly contradicted by people at the sharp end and the evidence of my own eyes.
Well it is true. Whether you believe it or not. For the very first time schools have had to squeeze their spending. The very very first time.
According to the IFS's 2018 Annual Report on Education Funding in England, "incorporating cuts to local authority spending and sixth-form funding, total school spending per pupil has fallen by 8% in real terms [between 09/10 and 17/18]". Since investing in education is probably among the most productive spending a government undertakes, it is absurd to be cutting spending at all. If more Tories sent their kids to state schools, they'd see the anger at school gates for themselves, but that is a whole other conversation.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
That is the government's story. It does not seem to be reflected in the views of headteachers, school governors or local councils, and it is not my experience as a parent, although thankfully our children's schools are still open five full days per week. I don't believe the government on this I am afraid, not when it is flatly contradicted by people at the sharp end and the evidence of my own eyes.
Well it is true. Whether you believe it or not. For the very first time schools have had to squeeze their spending. The very very first time.
Not bad for a safe job where you get masses more holiday than anyone else! Plus the massive pensions. Will they volunteer for a pay cut? No don't think so!
ahhhh the old 'loads of holiday' cushy job nonsense - if discussing school funding you should at least have a basic understanding of how schools function and the role of teachers in that. Anyone who thinks teaching is a cushy job should do what I did and 'downshift' from my 'tough' job doing software development in a merchant bank for the cushy life of a teacher. Let's just say I learned a lot about how mistaken one can be about something.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
I remember, in about 1960, telling my prospective father-in-law that I expected, once qualified, to be earning £1,000 pa.
And beer in the students pub was 1/9d per pint, or just over 8p. IIRC it was the Oil Price Rise in the early 70's which triggered massive price rise. That, and decimalisation, which because the City couldn't, apparently, cope with a 10/- pound...... ten old shillings to the £........ was set at 10 x 2/- to the pound, and made a new penny equal to two-and-a-half old ones.
I remember my Father coming home circa 1960 to say he had a pay rise taking him over £1,000 pa
Actually I didn't earn £1k in my first qualified Job; it was £950. Went up the next year. My teacher wife was earning, IIRC, about £850
What did your father do? If I may ask!
Branch Manager of the Prudential Assurance Company
He was 'the man from the Pru'?
He was indeed and he was quite the most polite gentleman you could imagine and never swore
Yup. Pretty much nowhere in the world is now calorie deficient except through conflict. Another stunning and rarely talked about human achievement.
Hans Rosling (unfortuanately no longer with us) used to talk passionately about the "miracle" of this rapid improvement. His talks are always worth a watch.
My wife came across a menu card from a local restaurant and conference venue around 1972 and the prices stopped us in our tracks
Afternoon tea 27p
3 course meal 75p
Difficult to realise that was the pricing 47 years ago
I presume that wasn't the price for a cup of tea but for the full scones, sandwiches and the like.
What were earnings in 1972 - my first job was in 1979 and my annual gross salary was £3,100.
I remember food in the early 80s, it was from compared to the variety we have today, I’m imagining the early 70s even more so. I’m sure the hot scone with jam and butter would have been fine... but the rest....?
The meals were good in their day but of course choices are very much wider today
We incrementally get used to better and better. It’s the human condition that we don’t notice it. Try driving a car that’s fifteen years old... I don’t mean an old warn out banger, a well maintained low mileage car. Then drive a new one. Fifteen years of engineering make a massive difference. Do the same again for fifteen years further back again...
We have lived in the most extraordinary times of perpetual improvement across the board. I shudder when someone starts talking about “we used to only eat in season vegetables and fruit” as if it’s some kind of badge of honour.
A little while ago I had, for whatever reason, to drive a car without power steering. Standard today, but not an equivalent 20 year old model. It was quite difficult until I got used to it.
Yes. We get used to it. We can get used to everything. We can get used to all the kids in the primary school not getting taught through an iPad or getting a free school meal whether they need it or not if we want to.
You feel it when you’ve lost it. Stories of having no inside toilet, no remote control for the tv... having a piece of mean for dinner in Sunday and keeping any left overs for Monday Tuesday and Wednesday.
I took the parent to the Doctor the other day, and I later learnt about the traditional "chip pan", into which any cutoffs of fat or leftover dripping would be added, to be used for fish and chips on Friday.
The Doctor had previously nearly come out in hives at the suggestion that minimal lard be used for frying.
Mr OKC; It isn't great, but as a graduate starting salary that compares well with many, such as lab scientists etc. The question was more to do with inflated Headteacher's salaries and pensions though, and how these compare with previous years. I think the article I found answered the question to some extent. Many are on over £100k, which when you factor in the pension and the holidays and the job security makes it bordering on fat cat territory. They need to be careful about screaming that schools are underfunded if they are creaming off quite a bit of the funding.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
Oh dear, the righteous indignation attempt! I never said it was cushy. I was talking about the compensation and benefits package that have inflated for head teachers and deputies. I think teachers mainly do a very good and difficult job. They might get a little more credibility with their arguments, though, if they also recognised that so do a lot of other people that don't have the perks that they have, particularly with respect to pensions and leave. With that, I must go and do some marking!
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
That is the government's story. It does not seem to be reflected in the views of headteachers, school governors or local councils, and it is not my experience as a parent, although thankfully our children's schools are still open five full days per week. I don't believe the government on this I am afraid, not when it is flatly contradicted by people at the sharp end and the evidence of my own eyes.
Well it is true. Whether you believe it or not. For the very first time schools have had to squeeze their spending. The very very first time.
According to the IFS's 2018 Annual Report on Education Funding in England, "incorporating cuts to local authority spending and sixth-form funding, total school spending per pupil has fallen by 8% in real terms [between 09/10 and 17/18]". Since investing in education is probably among the most productive spending a government undertakes, it is absurd to be cutting spending at all. If more Tories sent their kids to state schools, they'd see the anger at school gates for themselves, but that is a whole other conversation.
“Incorporating cuts to local authority and sixth form funding” the former is barely relevant when most schools are academies and the latter disregards the apprenticeship funding.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
There're certainly arguments to be made about such matters, but Lammy's comments are an incredibly ham-fisted and counter-productive way of trying to express them.
Keep your eyes on the prize plonker, Watson. Chris Williamson does not seem to be aware of the concept of remorse.....
It is remarkable how far discipline has broken down within the Labour Party. On last night's Peston both Labour backbenchers got into heated argument with McDonnell on live TV, with Nandy twice accusing him of lying. According to Watson more defections are potentially imminent.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
Lammy's critique is not of the aid or the projects - but that a white woman is involved. How dare she.
Keep your eyes on the prize plonker, Watson. Chris Williamson does not seem to be aware of the concept of remorse.....
It is remarkable how far discipline has broken down within the Labour Party. On last night's Peston both Labour backbenchers got into heated argument with McDonnell on live TV, with Nandy twice accusing him of lying. According to Watson more defections are potentially imminent.
Mr OKC; It isn't great, but as a graduate starting salary that compares well with many, such as lab scientists etc. The question was more to do with inflated Headteacher's salaries and pensions though, and how these compare with previous years. I think the article I found answered the question to some extent. Many are on over £100k, which when you factor in the pension and the holidays and the job security makes it bordering on fat cat territory. They need to be careful about screaming that schools are underfunded if they are creaming off quite a bit of the funding.
I don't know about heads, but lower down the scale things have changed considerably. When my wife started, back in the 60's, the 'short hours and long holidays' was truer than it is today. One of my grandchildren teaches in a primary school, his wife in a VIth Form college (FE, really) and our granddaughter was, until recently teaching secondary, up to A level.My wife, after a long break went back to teaching in the late 80's. In the 60's she had very little marking or assessment to do, but when she returned the workload had doubled, A normal day for her was, and now for the grandchildren, is 8-5, with 2 or so hours marking or assessment or otherwise reporting on at least three nights a week. That takes the weekly load over 50 hours, and I suspect senior staff such as our colleague ydoethur spend longer.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
Ian Birrell has written at lengthy about the appalling nature of some aid projects, and the appalling behaviour of some aid workers, but that doesn't seem to be Lammy's point.
"What the party needs now is someone with the ability to appeal to a broad base particularly many of the centre ground voters who have concerns about Trump."
Hmm, who do I trust, the UK's leading independent researcher on public finances, or an anonymous person on the Internet... Besides, I can see it with my own eyes, and so can other parents. If Tories want to pretend they are not presiding over a crisis in the schools system then go ahead, it can only help them lose the next election.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
There're certainly arguments to be made about such matters, but Lammy's comments are an incredibly ham-fisted and counter-productive way of trying to express them.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
Ian Birrell has written at lengthy about the appalling nature of some aid projects, and the appalling behaviour of some aid workers, but that doesn't seem to be Lammy's point.
Well how can we forget Oxfam scandal....but no Lammy is banging on about old whitey going over there trying to raise awareness.
I know Brexit and the US stuff is interesting, but what's everyones hot take on Stacey Dooley vs David Lammy ?
Lammy's ultimate end position is that Comic Relief is racist.
There was some bod on the radio bemoaning the lack of black comedians on Comic relief or some such. Obviously not old enough to remember Lenny Henry doing it almost single handedly in the late 80s/90s !
You can't win sometimes...
Ariana Grande has responded to a backlash over her headlining Manchester Pride.
Talking as a Mancunian, the way she conducted herself after the attack really does make her one of our own. She clearly has the tangled life not atypical of a performer, or even a diva, but her presence on Twitter, whether all her or touched by publicist is often an object lesson in rising above it with grace and style, even when supposedly "hitting back". And I daresay I feel a little bit vicariously proud of that.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
Ian Birrell has written at lengthy about the appalling nature of some aid projects, and the appalling behaviour of some aid workers, but that doesn't seem to be Lammy's point.
I actually only saw the bullet points that he said it is in some ways racist for a white person to be seen saving a poor black person.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Schools have been 100% protected from any kind of austerity until about two years ago, in which they had a mild squeezing taking them back, in real terms to ........ about 2013....
That is the government's story. It does not seem to be reflected in the views of headteachers, school governors or local councils, and it is not my experience as a parent, although thankfully our children's schools are still open five full days per week. I don't believe the government on this I am afraid, not when it is flatly contradicted by people at the sharp end and the evidence of my own eyes.
Well it is true. Whether you believe it or not. For the very first time schools have had to squeeze their spending. The very very first time.
Little use talking about total spend on education if you are not going to make any accounting at all for increases in demand and costs. This is basic stuff.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
Ian Birrell has written at lengthy about the appalling nature of some aid projects, and the appalling behaviour of some aid workers, but that doesn't seem to be Lammy's point.
Well how can we forget Oxfam scandal....but no Lammy is banging on about old whitey going over there trying to raise awareness.
There is a long history of this white man's burden. Most eloquently articulated by William Easterly if not David Lammy.
"Stacey Dooley has challenged MP David Lammy after he said "the world does not need any more white saviours" following her Comic Relief posts from Africa."
"Stacey Dooley has challenged MP David Lammy after he said "the world does not need any more white saviours" following her Comic Relief posts from Africa."
David Lammy is on to a hiding to nothing, not only because of his idiotic comments, but they were directed at a BBC star. If there is one thing the Beeb above all else don't like is criticism of their own.
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
Ian Birrell has written at lengthy about the appalling nature of some aid projects, and the appalling behaviour of some aid workers, but that doesn't seem to be Lammy's point.
I actually only saw the bullet points that he said it is in some ways racist for a white person to be seen saving a poor black person.
Not much to disagree with there.
I'd rather be racist and help someone, than ignore them in order to be anti-racist.
Mr OKC; It isn't great, but as a graduate starting salary that compares well with many, such as lab scientists etc. The question was more to do with inflated Headteacher's salaries and pensions though, and how these compare with previous years. I think the article I found answered the question to some extent. Many are on over £100k, which when you factor in the pension and the holidays and the job security makes it bordering on fat cat territory. They need to be careful about screaming that schools are underfunded if they are creaming off quite a bit of the funding.
I don't know about heads, but lower down the scale things have changed considerably. When my wife started, back in the 60's, the 'short hours and long holidays' was truer than it is today. One of my grandchildren teaches in a primary school, his wife in a VIth Form college (FE, really) and our granddaughter was, until recently teaching secondary, up to A level.My wife, after a long break went back to teaching in the late 80's. In the 60's she had very little marking or assessment to do, but when she returned the workload had doubled, A normal day for her was, and now for the grandchildren, is 8-5, with 2 or so hours marking or assessment or otherwise reporting on at least three nights a week. That takes the weekly load over 50 hours, and I suspect senior staff such as our colleague ydoethur spend longer.
The assessment obsession that was accelerated by Gove is absurd. The pendulum has gone too far from the days when I was at a bog standard comp and none of the teachers ever seemed assessed (and many of them bothered) on how well they were teaching. Teaching is a hard job and highly important (I have many teachers in my family), but then so are a lot of other jobs that do not have a career ladder to where many of the head teachers now are, IMO! There used to be a time when public sector workers accepted their security, holidays and pensions for salaries that would be lower than private sector workers. This is not the case now.
Mr OKC; It isn't great, but as a graduate starting salary that compares well with many, such as lab scientists etc. The question was more to do with inflated Headteacher's salaries and pensions though, and how these compare with previous years. I think the article I found answered the question to some extent. Many are on over £100k, which when you factor in the pension and the holidays and the job security makes it bordering on fat cat territory. They need to be careful about screaming that schools are underfunded if they are creaming off quite a bit of the funding.
I don't think £100k salaries are out of kilter with the staffing and budgeting they are responsible for in a large secondary school, and if you think the job is secure just get it a little wrong and get one poor OFSTED report - that is a career ending event, much moreso than a FTSE100 CEO who messes up a little and still has a comfy future of non-execs ahead.
The potential for money sucking is from privatisation - the boards and shareholders of multi-school academies.
Hmm, who do I trust, the UK's leading independent researcher on public finances, or an anonymous person on the Internet... Besides, I can see it with my own eyes, and so can other parents. If Tories want to pretend they are not presiding over a crisis in the schools system then go ahead, it can only help them lose the next election.
I went to school when Labour was in power for a large part of the 70s. It was dire. Funding was continually in crisis, the schools were falling apart and teachers taught us we all ought to not worry about exams and get out on the picket line, or go on a CND march. I am under no illusions about the crapness of the current government, but education would only get worse under Corbyn
I don't think it is unprecedented but has probably only occurred with the consent of Paul Flynn's family. Moreover, the fact that he had been incapacitated for several months and unable to attend Westminster adds a certain urgency to the need to hold the by election
Mr OKC; It isn't great, but as a graduate starting salary that compares well with many, such as lab scientists etc. The question was more to do with inflated Headteacher's salaries and pensions though, and how these compare with previous years. I think the article I found answered the question to some extent. Many are on over £100k, which when you factor in the pension and the holidays and the job security makes it bordering on fat cat territory. They need to be careful about screaming that schools are underfunded if they are creaming off quite a bit of the funding.
I don't know about heads, but lower down the scale things have changed considerably. When my wife started, back in the 60's, the 'short hours and long holidays' was truer than it is today. One of my grandchildren teaches in a primary school, his wife in a VIth Form college (FE, really) and our granddaughter was, until recently teaching secondary, up to A level.My wife, after a long break went back to teaching in the late 80's. In the 60's she had very little marking or assessment to do, but when she returned the workload had doubled, A normal day for her was, and now for the grandchildren, is 8-5, with 2 or so hours marking or assessment or otherwise reporting on at least three nights a week. That takes the weekly load over 50 hours, and I suspect senior staff such as our colleague ydoethur spend longer.
The assessment obsession that was accelerated by Gove is absurd. The pendulum has gone too far from the days when I was at a bog standard comp and none of the teachers ever seemed assessed (and many of them bothered) on how well they were teaching. Teaching is a hard job and highly important (I have many teachers in my family), but then so are a lot of other jobs that do not have a career ladder to where many of the head teachers now are, IMO! There used to be a time when public sector workers accepted their security, holidays and pensions for salaries that would be lower than private sector workers. This is not the case now.
I come from a family of teachers (and married to one), and thats probably broadly true. The problem is that teaching seems to be a job which gets tougher and tougher. More admin, less face-to-face teaching time, and the pay doesn't scale as well as other professions.
"What the party needs now is someone with the ability to appeal to a broad base particularly many of the centre ground voters who have concerns about Trump."
That worked so well for Hillary.
Hillary had and has the problem of being a massive crook and the establishment personified. They need Klobuchar, as long as she hasn't got any charitable foundations doing 'things'
Mr OKC; It isn't great, but as a graduate starting salary that compares well with many, such as lab scientists etc. The question was more to do with inflated Headteacher's salaries and pensions though, and how these compare with previous years. I think the article I found answered the question to some extent. Many are on over £100k, which when you factor in the pension and the holidays and the job security makes it bordering on fat cat territory. They need to be careful about screaming that schools are underfunded if they are creaming off quite a bit of the funding.
I don't know about heads, but lower down the scale things have changed considerably. When my wife started, back in the 60's, the 'short hours and long holidays' was truer than it is today. One of my grandchildren teaches in a primary school, his wife in a VIth Form college (FE, really) and our granddaughter was, until recently teaching secondary, up to A level.My wife, after a long break went back to teaching in the late 80's. In the 60's she had very little marking or assessment to do, but when she returned the workload had doubled, A normal day for her was, and now for the grandchildren, is 8-5, with 2 or so hours marking or assessment or otherwise reporting on at least three nights a week. That takes the weekly load over 50 hours, and I suspect senior staff such as our colleague ydoethur spend longer.
The assessment obsession that was accelerated by Gove is absurd. The pendulum has gone too far from the days when I was at a bog standard comp and none of the teachers ever seemed assessed (and many of them bothered) on how well they were teaching. Teaching is a hard job and highly important (I have many teachers in my family), but then so are a lot of other jobs that do not have a career ladder to where many of the head teachers now are, IMO! There used to be a time when public sector workers accepted their security, holidays and pensions for salaries that would be lower than private sector workers. This is not the case now.
Agree, especially, with your first sentence. I don't think there was much assessment at my 50's Grammar, either, unless you count exam results achieved. However I also agree with Mr Pro Raa, when he asserts that job securities a thing of the past.
And, AFAICS, being on the Board of a multi-school academy is not only money for old rope, but a licence for whatever barmy idea gets into ones head.
"What the party needs now is someone with the ability to appeal to a broad base particularly many of the centre ground voters who have concerns about Trump."
That worked so well for Hillary.
Hillary had and has the problem of being a massive crook and the establishment personified. They need Klobuchar, as long as she hasn't got any charitable foundations doing 'things'
I don't think it is unprecedented but has probably only occurred with the consent of Paul Flynn's family. Moreover, the fact that he had been incapacitated for several months and unable to attend Westminster adds a certain urgency to the need to hold the by election
And for the record I don't wholly disagree with Lammy. You don't have to be an extreme Easterly or Polman fan to critique the west's aid efforts over the years.
Ian Birrell has written at lengthy about the appalling nature of some aid projects, and the appalling behaviour of some aid workers, but that doesn't seem to be Lammy's point.
I actually only saw the bullet points that he said it is in some ways racist for a white person to be seen saving a poor black person.
Not much to disagree with there.
I'd rather be racist and help someone, than ignore them in order to be anti-racist.
If I may say that betrays a naivety about aid. Would you pay off Al Shabab in order to give food to some IDPs?
Keep your eyes on the prize plonker, Watson. Chris Williamson does not seem to be aware of the concept of remorse.....
It is remarkable how far discipline has broken down within the Labour Party. On last night's Peston both Labour backbenchers got into heated argument with McDonnell on live TV, with Nandy twice accusing him of lying. According to Watson more defections are potentially imminent.
Mr OKC; It isn't great, but as a graduate starting salary that compares well with many, such as lab scientists etc. The question was more to do with inflated Headteacher's salaries and pensions though, and how these compare with previous years. I think the article I found answered the question to some extent. Many are on over £100k, which when you factor in the pension and the holidays and the job security makes it bordering on fat cat territory. They need to be careful about screaming that schools are underfunded if they are creaming off quite a bit of the funding.
I don't know about heads, but lower down the scale things have changed considerably. When my wife started, back in the 60's, the 'short hours and long holidays' was truer than it is today. One of my grandchildren teaches in a primary school, his wife in a VIth Form college (FE, really) and our granddaughter was, until recently teaching secondary, up to A level.My wife, after a long break went back to teaching in the late 80's. In the 60's she had very little marking or assessment to do, but when she returned the workload had doubled, A normal day for her was, and now for the grandchildren, is 8-5, with 2 or so hours marking or assessment or otherwise reporting on at least three nights a week. That takes the weekly load over 50 hours, and I suspect senior staff such as our colleague ydoethur spend longer.
The assessment obsession that was accelerated by Gove is absurd. The pendulum has gone too far from the days when I was at a bog standard comp and none of the teachers ever seemed assessed (and many of them bothered) on how well they were teaching. Teaching is a hard job and highly important (I have many teachers in my family), but then so are a lot of other jobs that do not have a career ladder to where many of the head teachers now are, IMO! There used to be a time when public sector workers accepted their security, holidays and pensions for salaries that would be lower than private sector workers. This is not the case now.
I come from a family of teachers (and married to one), and thats probably broadly true. The problem is that teaching seems to be a job which gets tougher and tougher. More admin, less face-to-face teaching time, and the pay doesn't scale as well as other professions.
Indeed. I went into teaching to, er, teach. Not fill in endless forms, attend meetings, write reports and read policy documents. There are plenty of other better rewarded professions if that is your thing. Of course some of that will always be required, but it seems to be becoming the majority. Teachers used to become teachers precisely because they knew they wouldn't make great admin people.
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Well, maybe they ought to be on the front pages of our newspapers every day until we actually do something about it. Why shouldn't the suffering of thousands of girls and women in our country be the highest priority?
I don't think it is unprecedented but has probably only occurred with the consent of Paul Flynn's family. Moreover, the fact that he had been incapacitated for several months and unable to attend Westminster adds a certain urgency to the need to hold the by election
Very uncaring comment
Might have been Mr F's wish; that his constituents were not left unrepresented. It does seem very early to start campaigning, though.
I don't think it is unprecedented but has probably only occurred with the consent of Paul Flynn's family. Moreover, the fact that he had been incapacitated for several months and unable to attend Westminster adds a certain urgency to the need to hold the by election
Very uncaring comment
It is based on fact.Highly unlikely the writ would have been moved without family approval.
"What the party needs now is someone with the ability to appeal to a broad base particularly many of the centre ground voters who have concerns about Trump."
That worked so well for Hillary.
Hillary had and has the problem of being a massive crook and the establishment personified. They need Klobuchar, as long as she hasn't got any charitable foundations doing 'things'
Klobuchar has a minion terrorising problem !
True but she's not as riddled with problems as the rest and isn't a non starter socialist Doesn't matter who they pick in reality, trump is a shoo in
Its just 'local West Yorkshire' news - so not really of national interest.
There are far more important things going on - the lead story in today's Standard is "Please stop 'influencing' on our doorsteps, Notting Hill residents tell 'unapologetic' Instagrammers". It even outranks the Dooley Lammy twitter spat.
Richpeople in Notting Hill are important - poor girls in Bradford really aren't worthy of attention!
Given that thousands of children are sexually abused each year, if two girls being abused were treated as national front page news then there would be literally nothing else on the front pages of newspapers for the rest of eternity, sadly. If we really wanted to help poor children, we would be funding our schools properly so they didn't have to close at lunchtime on Friday to save money.
Well, maybe they ought to be on the front pages of our newspapers every day until we actually do something about it. Why shouldn't the suffering of thousands of girls and women in our country be the highest priority?
There is a regular slot on the news bulletins for a pointless update on the stock markets and foreign currency exchange rates. They could have a daily update on violent crime against women and girls instead.
Comments
A damning judgement on the man's ability if ever I heard one. Personally, I reckon he's more than capable of eating him for breakfast and then spitting him out.
David Lammy is the bumptious attention-seeking bloke who told Mastermind that Henry VII came after Henry VIII, and when asked for the "married name of Marie and Pierre who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903 for radiation research" said "Antoinette". There's also something about Versailles being built in 1370. He appears to have a whole library of tropes he likes to yell at people, and is given to public self-embarrassment.
Stacey Dooley is an excellent dancer, who I unfortunately first saw on a video going past the dried-up Aral Sea in a programme blaming fast-fashion for its non-exsitence, missing that the issue is not just cotton but more to do with poor production of cotton. She appears to have escaped from BBC3. Her reporting is interesting, but very sensationalist-sound-bitey and does not always stand up in depth or detail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsR4Nx-ELgc
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1741517099303564
* Both are probably have better sides than highlighted.
https://twitter.com/EdConwaySky/status/1101064090171179008
And beer in the students pub was 1/9d per pint, or just over 8p. IIRC it was the Oil Price Rise in the early 70's which triggered massive price rise. That, and decimalisation, which because the City couldn't, apparently, cope with a 10/- pound...... ten old shillings to the £........ was set at 10 x 2/- to the pound, and made a new penny equal to two-and-a-half old ones.
I am an equal opportunity bigot when it comes anti-white saviours? And not sure how that tallies with..
He said of Dooley, "the image she wants to promote is her as heroine and black child as victim".
Lammy's ultimate end position is that Comic Relief is racist.
The ONS have a track record of relying on the International Passenger survey - which of course assumes people are always honest about their intentions and never change their plans and extrapolate accordingly. Last estimates I saw reported that there were nearly 400,000 international migrants woh planned to stay for 3-12 months (so not exactly tourists in most cases) which aren't included in the ONS resident population data which is used to allocate local authority and NHS funding. But they are here presumably needing shelter, using services, working etc etc.
To me this suggests Biden or Bernie are best bets; if Biden doesn't jump in the race 26% of his vote share goes to Bernie and Bernie becomes clear favourite, if Biden does jump in and Harris / Warren and Bernie fight over more progressive votes, Biden holds strong. I also don't know if Bernie did a "one term pledge" and had Warren as Veep (or Harris) and just pulled things far leftwards and let the Veep try and continue the legacy if that would fold the party into unity.
What did your father do? If I may ask!
And teacher staffing costs are at least 70% of a schools budget (often nearer 85%).
We have lived in the most extraordinary times of perpetual improvement across the board. I shudder when someone starts talking about “we used to only eat in season vegetables and fruit” as if it’s some kind of badge of honour.
I've thought it was time to pull the plug on Comic Relief for years... On the grounds that it is not funny!
That said Lammy comes across as just another MP who has lost the plot and become totally unhinged since Brexit...
That is most certainly true, and the fact that a lot of ancillary services were done through contractors, who had massive cost jumps when the national living wage came in.
To counter that the pay freeze for teachers over the last seven years would have provided a substantial saving on their medium term spending projections.
The difficulty is as you highlight, that so much of the cost can’t be trimmed because it’s direct employment of teachers which are difficult to vary and they’ve increased.
Ariana Grande has responded to a backlash over her headlining Manchester Pride.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-47398929
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/more-school-heads-are-paid-over-100-000-s9zmhx80w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJLqyuxm96k
You feel it when you’ve lost it. Stories of having no inside toilet, no remote control for the tv... having a piece of mean for dinner in Sunday and keeping any left overs for Monday Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Doctor had previously nearly come out in hives at the suggestion that minimal lard be used for frying.
He is a comfortable buffoon.
In the 60's she had very little marking or assessment to do, but when she returned the workload had doubled, A normal day for her was, and now for the grandchildren, is 8-5, with 2 or so hours marking or assessment or otherwise reporting on at least three nights a week. That takes the weekly load over 50 hours, and I suspect senior staff such as our colleague ydoethur spend longer.
That worked so well for Hillary.
Not much to disagree with there.
Little use talking about total spend on education if you are not going to make any accounting at all for increases in demand and costs. This is basic stuff.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47400300
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47400521
Good grief, could you imagine this sort of phrasing being used for other races and genders.
The potential for money sucking is from privatisation - the boards and shareholders of multi-school academies.
Old 1/2020th Female
Dull black female
(Bonus: https://www.google.com/search?ei=ONV3XPWfG62rgwf2v7vYAg&q=alexandria+ocasio-cortez+"young+latino+woman"&oq=alexandria+ocasio-cortez+"young+latino+woman"&gs_l=psy-ab.3...9259.12282..12393...0.0..0.66.1045.21......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i131i67j0i67j0j0i3j0i22i30.VYP04FIjRNs )
However I also agree with Mr Pro Raa, when he asserts that job securities a thing of the past.
And, AFAICS, being on the Board of a multi-school academy is not only money for old rope, but a licence for whatever barmy idea gets into ones head.
Of course some of that will always be required, but it seems to be becoming the majority.
Teachers used to become teachers precisely because they knew they wouldn't make great admin people.
Doesn't matter who they pick in reality, trump is a shoo in