PB Moderator - Serious question. Can we talk about it once it has come out of the trial, or do we have to wait until the trial is over?
As things currently, we will allow comments once the verdicts are in.
We have considered the possibility of allowing comments during the trial, we thought we'd see how posters behaved in the first few weeks of the trial, and unfortunately, within the first week a few have posted things that they shouldn't have posted,and would get Mike Smithson into trouble, so it is unlikely we will allow comments during the trial.
As ever, we will review our moderation policy on a regular basis.
PB Moderator - Serious question. Can we talk about it once it has come out of the trial, or do we have to wait until the trial is over?
As things currently, we will allow comments once the verdicts are in.
We have considered the possibility of allowing comments during the trial, we thought we'd see how posters behaved in the first few weeks of the trial, and unfortunately, within the first week a few have posted things that they shouldn't have posted,and would get Mike Smithson into trouble, so it is unlikely we will allow comments during the trial.
As ever, we will review our moderation policy on a regular basis.
Very bad Daily Mail front page for Unite, Ed Miliband and the Labour party. The scandal rumbles on. PoliticsHome - Front Pages
I cannot read the whole article obviously, however, "Labour Donor Aided Union Thugs" screams the headline. Then below says the company offers Unite members free calls and texts. Does this mean if a mobile is found on a terrorist and the mobile has a free text and call tariff on it, then that mobile company is aiding terrorists. This is in classic The Daily Heil territory.
Surely Mr Cameron must recall parliament now. A phone company under the communist name "The Peoples Operator" is offering free, yes free, phone calls and texts to Unite members on one of it's tariffs. When do the arrests start?
Surely Mr Cameron must recall parliament now. A phone company under the communist name "The Peoples Operator" is offering free, yes free, phone calls and texts to Unite members on one of it's tariffs. When do the arrests start?
**** Breaking News *** Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers....try and find Unite members cheap motor Insurance. Someone ring The Daily Heil, we have found out who has been insuring the cars of the union thugs.
Thank god the three blokes on the QT panel have got different coloured ties on. We've certainly come on aways since Dolly the Sheep.
Just tuned in.... It's all about Tim's "non- story"......
Carlotta... do you honestly - just between you and me, obv - believe that that story will shift votes? Like, really?
Directly, no - the things that will shift votes are the economy, living standards, health & education and for some immigration and the EU.
But the time Labour have to devote to talking about these - and Ed's legitimacy as Labour leader - can be affected by how much time they spend firefighting this - or not. Leaving others to set the agenda - apparently the current strategy - may be unwise.
Some have praised Ed's image rating improvement since the conference - he's still below where he was a year ago - and this looks unlikely to help.
**** Even more Breaking News *** - UIA Insurance find Union Thugs cheaper house insurance. This just keeps rumbling on and on, a disaster for Red Ed. Surely UIA and Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers MUST have a connection to Ed Miliband and Karl Marx? Anyone got The Daily Heils newsroom number.....they must be informed and relay it to the masses.
It's one huge Union Thug conspiracy. Vision Express, Mastercard,Airport Parking and Hotels, Caxton FX...they are all aiding and abetting UNION THUGS!!! Luckily The Daily Heil is on the case....oh and the PB Tories. It looks a complete disaster for Red Ed this.
"The People’s Operator, a mobile phone company founded by multi-millionaire Andrew Rosenfeld – a close friend of Ed Miliband – gives free mobile calls and text messages to Unite members.
It signed a deal last year to supply phones to activists and funnel cash to the union.
A document drawn up by Unite reveals that strike committees get free calls and text messages to coordinate mob action.
The Mail revealed yesterday how Unite was carrying out a campaign of bullying and intimidation against senior managers during the bitter dispute over Grangemouth oil refinery.
The union’s so-called ‘leverage’ teams sent dozens of thugs to invade the driveway of a boss at the refinery in Scotland during a dispute this month – leaving his wife and children fearing for their safety."
"At some point, Ed Miliband will have to make the decision of whether he will continue to protect this disastrous union-in-a-tailspin that is Unite, or whether he will stand back and let natural justice take its course.
Worse, Labour is damaged every day that this story continues on, because we were complicit in the deal which we must suppose was struck. We helped Unite wriggle out. We even had Labour MPs – Labour MPs, as Neil Kinnock might have had it – failing to consider what was best for the workers of Grangemouth, merely what was best for their friends in Unite."
The Daily Mail The Daily Telegraph The Times The Daily Express The Sun
"'TPO sim cards should be provided to all contacts to enable free text messaging and calls between strike committee members and activists.’
So that's relevant to the intimidation strategy - how is home insurance? In case of actual damage?
If the UNION THUGS were wearing glasses bought at preferential rates through their union....they could have bought them at Vision Express. Vision Express aiding Union Thugs!!
What about the cars driving the UNION THUGS around. If the insurance on that car was bought through their union via Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers at preferential terms.....Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers insuring UNION THUGS cars to do thuggish deeds!!!
David Cameron's statement, in relation to the allegations of intimidation against management, that '[t]he Labour Party does need to investigate what has been happening with the Unite union' is nothing short of a disgrace. If there is a prima facie case for an investigation, it is a matter for the Police Service of Scotland, and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, not for a political party. We live in strange times.
Thank god the three blokes on the QT panel have got different coloured ties on. We've certainly come on aways since Dolly the Sheep.
Just tuned in.... It's all about Tim's "non- story"......
Carlotta... do you honestly - just between you and me, obv - believe that that story will shift votes? Like, really?
Directly, no - the things that will shift votes are the economy, living standards, health & education and for some immigration and the EU.
But the time Labour have to devote to talking about these - and Ed's legitimacy as Labour leader - can be affected by how much time they spend firefighting this - or not. Leaving others to set the agenda - apparently the current strategy - may be unwise.
Some have praised Ed's image rating improvement since the conference - he's still below where he was a year ago - and this looks unlikely to help.
Well. I reckon most folk with a brain cell outside the political bubble will remember what unions are for, and realise that union leaders/activists can be arseholes.
What happens if the UNION THUGS were kitted out in F & F clothing bought through their Unite rewards scheme at preferential rates. Tesco kitting out UNION THUGS to do thuggish deeds.
I can't see anything particularly shocking in the phone operator article.
It's the problem with Daily Mail and that kind of journalism. They often follow up serious pieces (the intimidations at directors' houses) with this kind of stretched up things
I can't see anything particularly shocking in the phone operator article.
It's the problem with Daily Mail and that kind of journalism. They often follow up serious pieces (the intimidations at directors' houses) with this kind of stretched up things
The fact that the PB Tories followed up the ridiculous article with utter seriousness, shows how easily led they really are.......and then tried to justify it after posters showed it up for what it really is, makes it even worse.
Andrew Neil making a good point on BBC This Week about some Select Committees who seem to suffer from p*ss poor planning and preparation when they get their moment in the media spot light.
One of the reason's that I rate Andrew Neil as about the most impressive and forensic political journalist and TV interviewer we have in the UK, is partly down to the fact he really is always so well prepared and on top of the facts when interviewing politicians. He is basically the journalistic equivalent of Mrs Thatcher. And woe betide any politician who turns up to be interviewed and who isn't on top of their own brief, and because you can be sure that Neil will be, and he can cut through the usual political spin with a verbally cutting sledgehammer!
David Cameron's statement, in relation to the allegations of intimidation against management, that '[t]he Labour Party does need to investigate what has been happening with the Unite union' is nothing short of a disgrace. If there is a prima facie case for an investigation, it is a matter for the Police Service of Scotland, and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, not for a political party. We live in strange times.
From reports the Police are already investigating it - tho on the BBC News item none of the residents wanted to appear on camera "for fear of retaliation".. .....It does look like Unite need to re-visit their "Leverage" guidelines for the future.
I wonder if it's also because Select Committees are made up by some "leftovers"...MPs not good enough to be ministers/shadow minister....MPs sacked from government/shadow....young MPs too inexperienced to be a minister
Andrew Neil making a good point on BBC This Week about some Select Committees who seem to suffer from p*ss poor planning and preparation when they get their moment in the media spot light.
From reports the Police are already investigating it - tho on the BBC News item none of the residents wanted to appear on camera "for fear of retaliation".. .....It does look like Unite need to re-visit their "Leverage" guidelines for the future.
That doesn't alter the fact that it is not for political parties to investigate such allegations under our constitution.
Thank god the three blokes on the QT panel have got different coloured ties on. We've certainly come on aways since Dolly the Sheep.
Just tuned in.... It's all about Tim's "non- story"......
Carlotta... do you honestly - just between you and me, obv - believe that that story will shift votes? Like, really?
Directly, no - the things that will shift votes are the economy, living standards, health & education and for some immigration and the EU.
But the time Labour have to devote to talking about these - and Ed's legitimacy as Labour leader - can be affected by how much time they spend firefighting this - or not. Leaving others to set the agenda - apparently the current strategy - may be unwise.
Some have praised Ed's image rating improvement since the conference - he's still below where he was a year ago - and this looks unlikely to help.
Well. I reckon most folk with a brain cell outside the political bubble will remember what unions are for, and realise that union leaders/activists can be arseholes.
Much of the media operates inside the Westminster bubble.....and for reasons that need not detain us some papers would rather talk about anything other than that which cannot be mentioned - and if they can give Ed a good kicking too, so much the better, in their view.
Thank god the three blokes on the QT panel have got different coloured ties on. We've certainly come on aways since Dolly the Sheep.
Just tuned in.... It's all about Tim's "non- story"......
Carlotta... do you honestly - just between you and me, obv - believe that that story will shift votes? Like, really?
Directly, no - the things that will shift votes are the economy, living standards, health & education and for some immigration and the EU.
But the time Labour have to devote to talking about these - and Ed's legitimacy as Labour leader - can be affected by how much time they spend firefighting this - or not. Leaving others to set the agenda - apparently the current strategy - may be unwise.
Some have praised Ed's image rating improvement since the conference - he's still below where he was a year ago - and this looks unlikely to help.
Well. I reckon most folk with a brain cell outside the political bubble will remember what unions are for, and realise that union leaders/activists can be arseholes.
Much of the media operates inside the Westminster bubble.....and for reasons that need not detain us some papers would rather talk about anything other than that which cannot be mentioned - and if they can give Ed a good kicking too, so much the better, in their view.
Well yes, of course. *not sure what point you're making*
From reports the Police are already investigating it - tho on the BBC News item none of the residents wanted to appear on camera "for fear of retaliation".. .....It does look like Unite need to re-visit their "Leverage" guidelines for the future.
That doesn't alter the fact that it is not for political parties to investigate such allegations under our constitution.
Yes, Cameron expressed himself poorly - but kept it in the news cycle.....so on it goes....
Yes, Cameron expressed himself poorly - but kept it in the news cycle.....so on it goes....
If misguided declamation from the Prime Minister is what's needed to keep allegations of serious criminality in the news, then we have reached a sorry state of affairs. Perhaps Sir Brian Leveson was right after all...
Thank god the three blokes on the QT panel have got different coloured ties on. We've certainly come on aways since Dolly the Sheep.
Just tuned in.... It's all about Tim's "non- story"......
Carlotta... do you honestly - just between you and me, obv - believe that that story will shift votes? Like, really?
Directly, no - the things that will shift votes are the economy, living standards, health & education and for some immigration and the EU.
But the time Labour have to devote to talking about these - and Ed's legitimacy as Labour leader - can be affected by how much time they spend firefighting this - or not. Leaving others to set the agenda - apparently the current strategy - may be unwise.
Some have praised Ed's image rating improvement since the conference - he's still below where he was a year ago - and this looks unlikely to help.
Well. I reckon most folk with a brain cell outside the political bubble will remember what unions are for, and realise that union leaders/activists can be arseholes.
Much of the media operates inside the Westminster bubble.....and for reasons that need not detain us some papers would rather talk about anything other than that which cannot be mentioned - and if they can give Ed a good kicking too, so much the better, in their view.
Well yes, of course. *not sure what point you're making*
While Falkirk/Grangemouth/Unite won't shift votes directly it easily might affect Labour's ability to shift votes - which is why they are desperate for it to drop out of the news cycle - recall how on Monday it was predicted how "the scandal of Lansley's NHS playoffs" was to be this weeks story? Hasn't turned out that way,
How depressing to see those London elitists Abbott and Costello (sorry Portillo) telling us how HS2 is going to save the north. No evidence for it they just believe it because some council leaders say so. Interesting that they accept the word of northern council leaders at face value just as they might accept the word of politicians from far flung countries at face value because after all, what would they know about those places?
It seemed particularly pernicious when Portillo talked about the grim future the north was facing without HS2. Essentially our politicians are stubborn and refuse to change economic tack on the current policy mix that is failing the north so badly. Instead they simply promise to bring the north closer to London when what those cities need is their own thriving economies. How can remoteness be the problem when those cities are two hours or less from London. If cutting journey times from 2 hours to 1 hour is so beneficial, why hasn't Birmingham been outperforming Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. Our political class simply refuses to adopt policies that would actually help the regions so instead they put blind faith in a railway line. Pedantic types corrected Cameron when he described us as a small island. Maybe they were right though. Cameron really does believe this is a small island comparable to Hong Kong or Singapore and we can build an economy around a city-state. Until that mentality changes a major north-south chasm will remain.
"In another disturbing twist, the Mail reveals today that the Unite mobs were provided with free mobile phone calls by a company founded by Andrew Rosenfeld, a significant Labour donor and close friend of Mr Miliband.
Could it be that Mr Miliband knew about Unite’s odious Leverage Unit all along?
We repeat: the case for a public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the Labour party grows by the day."
Well yes, of course. *not sure what point you're making*
While Falkirk/Grangemouth/Unite won't shift votes directly it easily might affect Labour's ability to shift votes - which is why they are desperate for it to drop out of the news cycle - recall how on Monday it was predicted how "the scandal of Lansley's NHS playoffs" was to be this weeks story? Hasn't turned out that way,
But to most people *out there* this is just white noise Carlotta. The public aren't stupid. They stand further back than we do, and they see the bigger picture.
They know we're fecked. They know no one has the answer. They know they don't have a voice. They know they're being fleeced by vested interests.
The media, by and large, is as bad as the rest of them. Same cloth. Same 'sides'. And the public know it.
I doubt any scandal will 'stand out'. There are too many scandals. Wood for the trees.
Andrea, if you look at just how Unite behaved, and who they specifically targeted other than the INEOS bosses in connection with this dispute, the Daily Mail isn't stretching this story by focusing on this issue at all.
And yet again, the key point in all of this is the incredible tight links which bind the Labour party and Unite due to the current political and funding set up between the two. And despite the behaviour of Unite in the Falkirk Labour party candidate selection scandal and the Grangemouth dispute, the whole Stevie Deans row which blew up between INEOS and Unite was about whether this Unite Convener was carrying out Unite/Labour party business on their company's time.
I can't see anything particularly shocking in the phone operator article.
It's the problem with Daily Mail and that kind of journalism. They often follow up serious pieces (the intimidations at directors' houses) with this kind of stretched up things
You seem to be working over time tonight on this thread to try and kill this headline, and while trying to undermine the posters who raised it with some very familiar tactics.........
I can't see anything particularly shocking in the phone operator article.
It's the problem with Daily Mail and that kind of journalism. They often follow up serious pieces (the intimidations at directors' houses) with this kind of stretched up things
The fact that the PB Tories followed up the ridiculous article with utter seriousness, shows how easily led they really are.......and then tried to justify it after posters showed it up for what it really is, makes it even worse.
I think that Andrew Neil got it right, some committees simple haven't done their homework or been able to properly prepare as a team before these media events. It can be frustrating to see the clearly partisan lines and political agenda's drawn up before hand which can divide a committee, and which usually ends up weakening their work and therefore the outcomes as a result. Look at that infamous Culture, Media and Sport select committee report on a topic we cannot now discuss for legal reasons, but which saw clear party political divisions emerge when some of them were unable to support the final conclusions.
I wonder if it's also because Select Committees are made up by some "leftovers"...MPs not good enough to be ministers/shadow minister....MPs sacked from government/shadow....young MPs too inexperienced to be a minister
Andrew Neil making a good point on BBC This Week about some Select Committees who seem to suffer from p*ss poor planning and preparation when they get their moment in the media spot light.
All the news networks are reporting enrollment figures for the first few days of the healthcare.gov website.
To be fair, they are all claiming that these are not official figures, but they are all the same.
Enrollment on day 1 - 6 enrollment by the end of day 3 - 248.
It was admitted yesterday by Kathleen Sebelius that any plan which has increased its premium by more than $5 since March 2010 would not be grandfathered in to Obamacare.
Many news organizations have been reading the Federal Register since NBC News found that the administration expected up to 67% of individual plans to be cancelled due to Obamacare rules.
They have found on page 34552 of the Federal Register, the June 17,2010 issue, the following:
the department's mid-range estimate is that 66% of small employer plans and 45% of large employer plans will relinquish their grandfather status by the end of 2013
Forbes and the Kaiser Family Foundation announced today that as a result of their research, they estimate that more than 93 million Americans will see their workplace health care plans disrupted.
All the time Obama was repeatedly making the claim that "If you like your health plan, you can keep it. Period." Without those claims, the bill would never have passed.
The Washington Post - a liberal bastion if ever there was one - today gave President Obama 4 pinnochios on his healthcare speech in Boston yesterday. Even they are saying the president lied repeatedly. This shows that he knew he was lying at the time.
This is potentially much bigger than the healthcare.gov problems.
Before LDs oversell their good increase in votes in Pill, it is probably worth noting that their candidate was the only one with a non-Asian name....Which probably also explains the big drop in Conservative vote.....Just an observation
I notice that The Independent's average daily circulation for August 2013, without bulks, had plummeted to just 50,487copies, down a startling 20% on a year earlier.
Yet the BBC continues to give it top billing, along with The Guardian in its reviews of the newspapers - now why would that be?
I notice that The Independent's average daily circulation for August 2013, without bulks, had plummeted to just 50,487copies, down a startling 20% on a year earlier.
Yet the BBC continues to give it top billing, along with The Guardian in its reviews of the newspapers - now why would that be?
I notice that The Independent's average daily circulation for August 2013, without bulks, had plummeted to just 50,487copies, down a startling 20% on a year earlier.
Yet the BBC continues to give it top billing, along with The Guardian in its reviews of the newspapers - now why would that be?
I notice that The Independent's average daily circulation for August 2013, without bulks, had plummeted to just 50,487copies, down a startling 20% on a year earlier.
Yet the BBC continues to give it top billing, along with The Guardian in its reviews of the newspapers - now why would that be?
I should buy a copy. As a potential collectors item. After the paper closes down they'll be worth money just on rarity value.
You seem to be working over time tonight on this thread to try and kill this headline, and while trying to undermine the posters who raised it with some very familiar tactics.........
I can't see anything particularly shocking in the phone operator article.
It's the problem with Daily Mail and that kind of journalism. They often follow up serious pieces (the intimidations at directors' houses) with this kind of stretched up things
The fact that the PB Tories followed up the ridiculous article with utter seriousness, shows how easily led they really are.......and then tried to justify it after posters showed it up for what it really is, makes it even worse.
Exactly my thoughts - maybe a clone of someone we all know...
I notice that The Independent's average daily circulation for August 2013, without bulks, had plummeted to just 50,487copies, down a startling 20% on a year earlier.
Yet the BBC continues to give it top billing, along with The Guardian in its reviews of the newspapers - now why would that be?
I should buy a copy. As a potential collectors item. After the paper closes down they'll be worth money just on rarity value.
Try popping round to the BBC, you'll find they are giving them away!
I notice that The Independent's average daily circulation for August 2013, without bulks, had plummeted to just 50,487copies, down a startling 20% on a year earlier.
Yet the BBC continues to give it top billing, along with The Guardian in its reviews of the newspapers - now why would that be?
What are bulks?
Bulks = presumably freebies, like the hundreds of thousands of copies handed around the BBC every year.
I notice that The Independent's average daily circulation for August 2013, without bulks, had plummeted to just 50,487copies, down a startling 20% on a year earlier.
Yet the BBC continues to give it top billing, along with The Guardian in its reviews of the newspapers - now why would that be?
What are bulks?
Bulks = presumably freebies, like the hundreds of thousands of copies handed around the BBC every year.
How do they sell any advertising?
Must cost a fortune to keep it going.
peter from Putney Oppps. Just pressed off topic on your post, fat finger syndrome, sorry.
You seem to be working over time tonight on this thread to try and kill this headline, and while trying to undermine the posters who raised it with some very familiar tactics.........
I can't see anything particularly shocking in the phone operator article.
It's the problem with Daily Mail and that kind of journalism. They often follow up serious pieces (the intimidations at directors' houses) with this kind of stretched up things
The fact that the PB Tories followed up the ridiculous article with utter seriousness, shows how easily led they really are.......and then tried to justify it after posters showed it up for what it really is, makes it even worse.
Exactly my thoughts - maybe a clone of someone we all know...
It's Ash yet again. Too dim to be tim.
If he denies it just run the parrot sketch test on him.
Comments
One more reason to vote UKIP. Banish boredom!
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/87568/the_sun_friday_1st_november_2013.html
We have considered the possibility of allowing comments during the trial, we thought we'd see how posters behaved in the first few weeks of the trial, and unfortunately, within the first week a few have posted things that they shouldn't have posted,and would get Mike Smithson into trouble, so it is unlikely we will allow comments during the trial.
As ever, we will review our moderation policy on a regular basis.
PoliticsHome - Front Pages
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2482513/Labour-donor-aided-union-thugs-How-Milibands-millionaire-friend-gave-vital-support-Unite-militants.html
Labour 500 LD 233 Plaid 167 Con 155
I'm shocked, shocked that a union is offering mobile phone deals to its members.
Disgraceful – will no one speak out for the poor children - Continued pg 94…!
But the time Labour have to devote to talking about these - and Ed's legitimacy as Labour leader - can be affected by how much time they spend firefighting this - or not. Leaving others to set the agenda - apparently the current strategy - may be unwise.
Some have praised Ed's image rating improvement since the conference - he's still below where he was a year ago - and this looks unlikely to help.
http://www.uniterewards.com/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2482513/Labour-donor-aided-union-thugs-How-Milibands-millionaire-friend-gave-vital-support-Unite-militants.html#ixzz2jLZpVBWl
"The People’s Operator, a mobile phone company founded by multi-millionaire Andrew Rosenfeld – a close friend of Ed Miliband – gives free mobile calls and text messages to Unite members.
It signed a deal last year to supply phones to activists and funnel cash to the union.
A document drawn up by Unite reveals that strike committees get free calls and text messages to coordinate mob action.
The Mail revealed yesterday how Unite was carrying out a campaign of bullying and intimidation against senior managers during the bitter dispute over Grangemouth oil refinery.
The union’s so-called ‘leverage’ teams sent dozens of thugs to invade the driveway of a boss at the refinery in Scotland during a dispute this month – leaving his wife and children fearing for their safety."
So that's relevant to the intimidation strategy - how is home insurance? In case of actual damage?
Worse, Labour is damaged every day that this story continues on, because we were complicit in the deal which we must suppose was struck. We helped Unite wriggle out. We even had Labour MPs – Labour MPs, as Neil Kinnock might have had it – failing to consider what was best for the workers of Grangemouth, merely what was best for their friends in Unite."
The Daily Mail
The Daily Telegraph
The Times
The Daily Express
The Sun
Labour Uncut:
http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2013/10/30/the-web-we-have-woven-in-falkirk/#more-17412
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2482513/Labour-donor-aided-union-thugs-How-Milibands-millionaire-friend-gave-vital-support-Unite-militants.html
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2482513/Labour-donor-aided-union-thugs-How-Milibands-millionaire-friend-gave-vital-support-Unite-militants.html#ixzz2jLbX1OOc
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
What about the cars driving the UNION THUGS around. If the insurance on that car was bought through their union via Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers at preferential terms.....Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers insuring UNION THUGS cars to do thuggish deeds!!!
https://www.thepeoplesoperator.com/Get-Sim
http://www.hotukdeals.com/
I can't see anything particularly shocking in the phone operator article.
It's the problem with Daily Mail and that kind of journalism. They often follow up serious pieces (the intimidations at directors' houses) with this kind of stretched up things
One of the reason's that I rate Andrew Neil as about the most impressive and forensic political journalist and TV interviewer we have in the UK, is partly down to the fact he really is always so well prepared and on top of the facts when interviewing politicians. He is basically the journalistic equivalent of Mrs Thatcher. And woe betide any politician who turns up to be interviewed and who isn't on top of their own brief, and because you can be sure that Neil will be, and he can cut through the usual political spin with a verbally cutting sledgehammer!
Stealth taxes eh?
Just as well there isn't a 'cost of living crisis"......
It seemed particularly pernicious when Portillo talked about the grim future the north was facing without HS2. Essentially our politicians are stubborn and refuse to change economic tack on the current policy mix that is failing the north so badly. Instead they simply promise to bring the north closer to London when what those cities need is their own thriving economies. How can remoteness be the problem when those cities are two hours or less from London. If cutting journey times from 2 hours to 1 hour is so beneficial, why hasn't Birmingham been outperforming Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. Our political class simply refuses to adopt policies that would actually help the regions so instead they put blind faith in a railway line. Pedantic types corrected Cameron when he described us as a small island. Maybe they were right though. Cameron really does believe this is a small island comparable to Hong Kong or Singapore and we can build an economy around a city-state. Until that mentality changes a major north-south chasm will remain.
"In another disturbing twist, the Mail reveals today that the Unite mobs were provided with free mobile phone calls by a company founded by Andrew Rosenfeld, a significant Labour donor and close friend of Mr Miliband.
Could it be that Mr Miliband knew about Unite’s odious Leverage Unit all along?
We repeat: the case for a public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the Labour party grows by the day."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2482432/DAILY-MAIL-COMMENT-Why-Labour-wont-confront-union-thugs.html
But to most people *out there* this is just white noise Carlotta. The public aren't stupid. They stand further back than we do, and they see the bigger picture.
They know we're fecked. They know no one has the answer. They know they don't have a voice. They know they're being fleeced by vested interests.
The media, by and large, is as bad as the rest of them. Same cloth. Same 'sides'. And the public know it.
I doubt any scandal will 'stand out'. There are too many scandals. Wood for the trees.
And yet again, the key point in all of this is the incredible tight links which bind the Labour party and Unite due to the current political and funding set up between the two. And despite the behaviour of Unite in the Falkirk Labour party candidate selection scandal and the Grangemouth dispute, the whole Stevie Deans row which blew up between INEOS and Unite was about whether this Unite Convener was carrying out Unite/Labour party business on their company's time.
All the news networks are reporting enrollment figures for the first few days of the healthcare.gov website.
To be fair, they are all claiming that these are not official figures, but they are all the same.
Enrollment on day 1 - 6
enrollment by the end of day 3 - 248.
It was admitted yesterday by Kathleen Sebelius that any plan which has increased its premium by more than $5 since March 2010 would not be grandfathered in to Obamacare.
Many news organizations have been reading the Federal Register since NBC News found that the administration expected up to 67% of individual plans to be cancelled due to Obamacare rules.
They have found on page 34552 of the Federal Register, the June 17,2010 issue, the following:
the department's mid-range estimate is that 66% of small employer plans and 45% of large employer plans will relinquish their grandfather status by the end of 2013
Forbes and the Kaiser Family Foundation announced today that as a result of their research, they estimate that more than 93 million Americans will see their workplace health care plans disrupted.
All the time Obama was repeatedly making the claim that "If you like your health plan, you can keep it. Period." Without those claims, the bill would never have passed.
The Washington Post - a liberal bastion if ever there was one - today gave President Obama 4 pinnochios on his healthcare speech in Boston yesterday. Even they are saying the president lied repeatedly. This shows that he knew he was lying at the time.
This is potentially much bigger than the healthcare.gov problems.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqVVqCoIPps&
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/10418707/Alexander-Lebedev-cant-fund-Independent-losses.html
Yet the BBC continues to give it top billing, along with The Guardian in its reviews of the newspapers - now why would that be?
After the paper closes down they'll be worth money just on rarity value.
I've heard of walkers being gored by bulls (and especially highland cattle), but never a deer:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2481714/Nature-lover-fights-life-impaled-wild-stags-antlers-Welsh-countryside.html
Ouch.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/norway/10416304/Norwegian-shop-apologises-for-putting-fake-human-limbs-in-freezer-section-as-part-of-Halloween-joke.html
Must cost a fortune to keep it going.
peter from Putney
Oppps. Just pressed off topic on your post, fat finger syndrome, sorry.
If he denies it just run the parrot sketch test on him.