Completely anecdotal - The only issue I've heard in person that means a 2010 LD (My colleague) will stick with Clegg and co is the free school meals pledge.
I think the Personal allowance rising and the school meal things will be a powerful tool for the Lib Dems come 2015 and could potentially get them back quite a few 20-35 £10-£30k people. Its a good record they have on the coalition for this group and I think there will be a late drift from Lab - LD when (some) people in this demographic realise how much the LDs have done for them in Gov't.
Hat tip Guido..from the lips of the man who only ever speaks the truth "I can't remember the front bench being as united as it is today" Andy Burnham...
Religion is a biggie, if you are talking about social aspects. Ireland (if we are talking about Eire) is very Catholic, and the church appears to play a much greater part in people's lives (especially in the country areas) than it does in Scotland. It also plays a large part in setting the laws in Eire.
However, I have not been to Eire much (although I plan to walk its coast one day), so these might just be tourists' impressions. ;-)
I'd avoid calling it Eire when you're there. If you've visited the Western Isles you should be aware of how much religion is a part of life there, not to mention the historical wreckage left in the West of Scotland. I'd also suggest that religion plays its part in a more communitarian Scottish society, in the collective memory if not living faith.
Yep, I am well aware of the part religion plays in the Highlands and Islands. And the people tend to be exceptionally welcoming as well (except in Ullapool, but that's a different story).
But the stats show that Scots a whole are less religious than the English. Which surprised me. But both are much less religious than Ireland.
The religious divide is surely there in Scotland (just ask Celtic / Rangers or Hibs / Hearts fans) but just not as historically violent or divisive as it was (is?) in Ulster.
I suspect that in the Republic religion is a much less divisive thing simply because they're pretty much all catholic. The church has a huge influence on the state, which secularists may object to, but it's not the me vs you hatred of the north or the Old Firm.
Hat tip Guido..from the lips of the man who only ever speaks the truth "I can't remember the front bench being as united as it is today" Andy Burnham...
TBF, he probably can't remember anything pre Blair/Brown so that comment is factually correct.
A 1.9% of national income fiscal tightening would entail difficult choices for the Scottish government. It would require policy action equivalent to around a 9 percentage point increase in the basic rate of income tax, an 8 percentage point increase in the standard rate of VAT, a 6% reduction in total public spending, or a 8% reduction in public service spending. This would need to come on top of the fiscal tightening already planned by the UK government through to 2017–18.
A 1.9% of national income fiscal tightening would entail difficult choices for the Scottish government. It would require policy action equivalent to around a 9 percentage point increase in the basic rate of income tax, an 8 percentage point increase in the standard rate of VAT, a 6% reduction in total public spending, or a 8% reduction in public service spending. This would need to come on top of the fiscal tightening already planned by the UK government through to 2017–18.
Ouch....
Hmm I always thought the Scots were revenue neutral to the treasury - Aberdeen paying for Glasgow basically. Are they not ?
Elmet and Rothwell local election results 2012 Lab 12048 Con 9733 LD 3031 UKIP 2729 Eng Dem 664 Green 262 Dewsbury local election results 2012 Lab 12458 Con 9895 LD 1690 Ind ( ex LD ) 1731 Green 3020 UKIP 1011 Eng Dem 566
Note Greens won one ward in Dewsbury but elsewhere polled poorly .
And of course England has an established church that plays its part in the constitution and government (with Scotland pulled along for the ride), Scotland doesn't. Another pretty basic difference I'd say.
On the Crystal Methodist Peston has been doing some digging - a COOP politician, his enemies had simply assumed that the FSA would block his appointment to Chairman of the COOP bank and were dumbstruck when it was waved through in March 2010.....another triumph for the Brown/Balls regulatory regime....R4 are replaying his Select Ctte humiliation - what are the COOP bank's assets? "£3bn".... I'll think you'll find its £47bn....
To be fair, if you take the £1.85bn of shareholder's equity at December 2012 plus £900m of capital bonds outstanding, you get NET ASSETS of £2.75bn.
I do hope Hideaway Ed is going to soak those callous profiteering Child Care Centres, holding the nations children and their hardworking parents to ransom.
Hat tip Guido..from the lips of the man who only ever speaks the truth "I can't remember the front bench being as united as it is today" Andy Burnham...
Probably true, no doubt they all agree that Ed is useless.
Rightmove latest monthly house prices -5% in London, national -2.4%.
Bubble popped already. .
Ha, ha, ha
1,000 hours of BBC handwringing news coverage and 10,000 of poor Tim's post wiped out at a single stroke.
Using an index based on asking prices is silly enough, drawing conclusions from one which also states
"New seller asking prices drop by 2.4% (-£6,181) in line with normal pre-Christmas trend" is a special kind of PB Tory stupid.
Rightmove state:
"- Bubble-preventing Mortgage Market Review bares teeth as estate agents report few Help to Buy mortgage applications have so far been approved"
I'm amazed no one on PB pointed out that the fact that all Help to Buy mortgages must be on a repayment basis and subject to strick affordibility criteria meant that the hyperbolic 'bubble' talk was ill infomed nonsense.
Oh well
I'm amazed that you should talk about "ill infomed nonsense" when you are parroting, without understanding, the RM press release. If the factors you refer prevent a bubble forming (as indeed they might) they will do so by causing the scheme to fail altogether. So, a bit of a Pyrrhic victory, would you agree?
Amusing bit in the sitcom 'outnumbered' where the mum (Sue) can't set up the filter so Jake their teenage son has to do it - arf.
Hailing this as some sort of triumph does rather smack of someone who doesn't quite understand the internet, but in order to seem up with things regurgitates whatever piece of PR bumf Google wants people to focus on.
Surely if you were going to do anything illegal on the internet you'd have to be extremely thick to Google it, and abusers are going to use whatever the best medium for their vile activities is - tackling it from this perspective is rather like whack-a-mole. What do you do if using Tor becomes much more common place, say if Google similarly cracks down on piracy or get more tech savvy and fed up with them? It's all well and good, but unlikely to actually do anything in the long run.
In other news, the number of child abuse cases passed to the CPS that actually get prosecuted has dropped by a third since 2010-11. Seems far more important than Google getting a bit of good PR.
Amusing bit in the sitcom 'outnumbered' where the mum (Sue) can't set up the filter so Jake their teenage son has to do it - arf.
Surely if you were going to do anything illegal on the internet you'd have to be extremely thick to Google it
You'd be surprised
"The prosecution said the attack was the final act to kill him for his money even though he had generously given cash for cars and horses for the family, which had been squandered.
In the weeks before, some family members researched how to kill him on the internet with Google searches such as "1,000 ways to die", "poisonous toadstools" and "easiest way to kill an old person"."
45. BeesAreTrendy 3 HOURS AGO If Brake had their way then they would have all cars driving at no more than 5 miles per hour with a man with a red flag walking in front of it.
45. BeesAreTrendy 3 HOURS AGO If Brake had their way then they would have all cars driving at no more than 5 miles per hour with a man with a red flag walking in front of it.
Sums it up
I've never understood why smoking whilst driving isn't viewed as unacceptable as holding a mobile whilst driving.
Amusing bit in the sitcom 'outnumbered' where the mum (Sue) can't set up the filter so Jake their teenage son has to do it - arf.
Hailing this as some sort of triumph does rather smack of someone who doesn't quite understand the internet, but in order to seem up with things regurgitates whatever piece of PR bumf Google wants people to focus on.
Surely if you were going to do anything illegal on the internet you'd have to be extremely thick to Google it, and abusers are going to use whatever the best medium for their vile activities is - tackling it from this perspective is rather like whack-a-mole. What do you do if using Tor becomes much more common place, say if Google similarly cracks down on piracy or get more tech savvy and fed up with them? It's all well and good, but unlikely to actually do anything in the long run.
In other news, the number of child abuse cases passed to the CPS that actually get prosecuted has dropped by a third since 2010-11. Seems far more important than Google getting a bit of good PR.
Don't be fooled the other way - the proposed opt-in systems (for all porn) are technically complicated. Yes, some fourteen year olds will be able to set a VPN somewhere else in the world, but it will be a small number, and it will not undermine the overall application. (Compared to the number of households opting in for mum and dad, no doubt.)
On today's developments, current child sex offenders to have corners of the web - but new joiners have to end up there some way. And as in many parts of life, as strange as it seems that one more hurdle would put off the determined user, they do work when you look at the group as a whole.
That said, there's two big events the yes side can't control
1) The EU's opinion on whether post Independence there will be an automaticity to Scotland's EU membership, this position will probably be determined by events in Madrid.
2) Will rump UK allow a currency union with an Independent Scotland
TSE, I doubt either of these are a big issue.
1) They have till mid 2016 from after the vote to sort out the EU, reality is they are not going to say no, they will not cut off their noses to spite their faces , they will not lose the fishing , oil , etc
2). Again , for all the bluster the rUK will be desperate for a currency union as it is in their best interests. “The present United Kingdom relies heavily on Scottish exports of oil, gas and whisky to generate foreign currency earnings. Even then, the UK runs a massive current account deficit – importing more than it exports, and borrowing internationally to cover the difference. In fact, this deficit is actually getting worse. If Scotland retains sterling after independence, its foreign trade earnings will flow into the common pot (as they do at present) helping reduce the current account deficit. But the moment Scotland shifts to a separate currency that changes. Instantly Scotland will start to run a trade surplus, boosting its currency and raising its international credit worthiness. That, all things being equal, will bring interest rates in Scotland down. But just the reverse happens in rUK. The EU Commission forecasts that the present UK trade deficit will hit 4.4 per cent of GDP next year – the highest of any major industrial country. Take away the circa £50 billion annual export earnings from Scottish oil, gas and whisky and you will near double the trade deficit of rUK. It would climb from 4.4 per cent of GDP to a staggering 10 per cent. That is unsustainable and the financial markets would punish rUK piteously. The rUK’s international credit rating would plunge, sending interest rate upwards, depressing economic growth.”
The religious divide is surely there in Scotland (just ask Celtic / Rangers or Hibs / Hearts fans) but just not as historically violent or divisive as it was (is?) in Ulster.
I suspect that in the Republic religion is a much less divisive thing simply because they're pretty much all catholic. The church has a huge influence on the state, which secularists may object to, but it's not the me vs you hatred of the north or the Old Firm.
The religious divide in Scotland is overrated and is only between bigots and a section of football supporters, mainly in west of Scotland and very minor in Edinburgh. For the vast majority of the people it is not an issue.
A 1.9% of national income fiscal tightening would entail difficult choices for the Scottish government. It would require policy action equivalent to around a 9 percentage point increase in the basic rate of income tax, an 8 percentage point increase in the standard rate of VAT, a 6% reduction in total public spending, or a 8% reduction in public service spending. This would need to come on top of the fiscal tightening already planned by the UK government through to 2017–18.
Ouch....
Yawn , Yawn , another load of bollocks of how poor we will be and how we must let Westminster look after us..............Bollocks
45. BeesAreTrendy 3 HOURS AGO If Brake had their way then they would have all cars driving at no more than 5 miles per hour with a man with a red flag walking in front of it.
Sums it up
I've never understood why smoking whilst driving isn't viewed as unacceptable as holding a mobile whilst driving.
These idiots don't even want hands free, next it will be distraction to use radio , lights switch , indicators , A/c , no children allowed in cars etc........ Loonies
Yes, some fourteen year olds will be able to set a VPN somewhere else in the world, but it will be a small number, and it will not undermine the overall application.
If the filter is actually effective in filtering porn to the point where it actually annoys significant numbers of users (teenage or otherwise) it'll become easy to avoid. That's the way software works. If you've got a defined series of steps that are complicated, and there's a big enough user base to be worth bothering about, you can make a single piece of software that does them all for you, and the technology becomes simple.
1) They have till mid 2016 from after the vote to sort out the EU, reality is they are not going to say no, they will not cut off their noses to spite their faces , they will not lose the fishing , oil , etc
2). Again , for all the bluster the rUK will be desperate for a currency union as it is in their best interests. “The present United Kingdom relies heavily on Scottish exports of oil, gas and whisky to generate foreign currency earnings. Even then, the UK runs a massive current account deficit – importing more than it exports, and borrowing internationally to cover the difference. In fact, this deficit is actually getting worse. If Scotland retains sterling after independence, its foreign trade earnings will flow into the common pot (as they do at present) helping reduce the current account deficit. But the moment Scotland shifts to a separate currency that changes. Instantly Scotland will start to run a trade surplus, boosting its currency and raising its international credit worthiness. That, all things being equal, will bring interest rates in Scotland down. But just the reverse happens in rUK. The EU Commission forecasts that the present UK trade deficit will hit 4.4 per cent of GDP next year – the highest of any major industrial country. Take away the circa £50 billion annual export earnings from Scottish oil, gas and whisky and you will near double the trade deficit of rUK. It would climb from 4.4 per cent of GDP to a staggering 10 per cent. That is unsustainable and the financial markets would punish rUK piteously. The rUK’s international credit rating would plunge, sending interest rate upwards, depressing economic growth.”
I agree with a lot of that, it is just I suspect uncertainty on these matters won't help swing voters to the yes side, as you know The Unionists approach will be that an Independent Scotland will have its oilfields seized by the EU or eaten by the Dragons.
As they say, nature abhors a vacuum, and the Unionists will be filling it with their spin, and even the SNP's most ardent supporters, will concede the Scottish Government haven't entirely covered themselves in glory when it comes to matters of the EU and that legal advice.
Yes, some fourteen year olds will be able to set a VPN somewhere else in the world, but it will be a small number, and it will not undermine the overall application.
If the filter is actually effective in filtering porn to the point where it actually annoys significant numbers of users (teenage or otherwise) it'll become easy to avoid. That's the way software works. If you've got a defined series of steps that are complicated, and there's a big enough user base to be worth bothering about, you can make a single piece of software that does them all for you, and the technology becomes simple.
I was initially sceptical of a sufficiently discriminatory filter (in terms of content filtered), but the technical officers of some of the ISPs (I think Virgin as a voluntary adopter?) came out and said they could define a meaningful group of content to be filtered "upstream" from individual households.
TSE, agree though the more you see now , cracks are appearing , 2 big Labour Beasts came over to YES last week , more and more Labour people are wavering and it will be the labour voters that will make it YES. Key point will be the White Paper next week and its aftermath, if they can get over the media bias , especially the BBC then there will be a lot more real discussions on facts rather than the scaremongering we have had to date.
Yes, some fourteen year olds will be able to set a VPN somewhere else in the world, but it will be a small number, and it will not undermine the overall application.
If the filter is actually effective in filtering porn to the point where it actually annoys significant numbers of users (teenage or otherwise) it'll become easy to avoid. That's the way software works. If you've got a defined series of steps that are complicated, and there's a big enough user base to be worth bothering about, you can make a single piece of software that does them all for you, and the technology becomes simple.
I was initially sceptical of a sufficiently discriminatory filter (in terms of content filtered), but the technical officers of some of the ISPs (I think Virgin as a voluntary adopter?) came out and said they could define a meaningful group of content to be filtered "upstream" from individual households.
I'm not saying it's a bad idea - I think everybody educated in a modern society should be learning at least elementary hacking skills, and I can't think of any better way to get kids started thinking about security systems and how to get around them than putting a simple technical barrier between them and their porn.
TSE, agree though the more you see now , cracks are appearing , 2 big Labour Beasts came over to YES last week , more and more Labour people are wavering and it will be the labour voters that will make it YES. Key point will be the White Paper next week and its aftermath, if they can get over the media bias , especially the BBC then there will be a lot more real discussions on facts rather than the scaremongering we have had to date.
I also expect the English Tories for Scottish Nationalism to start playing a prominent role in this campaign as well.
My one hope, that whatever the result is, it is a comprehensive victory for the winning side.
I don't think it is in anyone's interest where one side to only win by less than a couple of points.
Rightmove latest monthly house prices -5% in London, national -2.4%.
Bubble popped already. .
Ha, ha, ha
1,000 hours of BBC handwringing news coverage and 10,000 of poor Tim's post wiped out at a single stroke.
Using an index based on asking prices is silly enough, drawing conclusions from one which also states
"New seller asking prices drop by 2.4% (-£6,181) in line with normal pre-Christmas trend" is a special kind of PB Tory stupid.
Rightmove state:
"- Bubble-preventing Mortgage Market Review bares teeth as estate agents report few Help to Buy mortgage applications have so far been approved"
I'm amazed no one on PB pointed out that the fact that all Help to Buy mortgages must be on a repayment basis and subject to strick affordibility criteria meant that the hyperbolic 'bubble' talk was ill infomed nonsense.
Oh well
I'm amazed that you should talk about "ill infomed nonsense" when you are parroting, without understanding, the RM press release. If the factors you refer prevent a bubble forming (as indeed they might) they will do so by causing the scheme to fail altogether. So, a bit of a Pyrrhic victory, would you agree?
No I wouldn't agree.
The point of Help to Buy is to enable those who can demonstrably afford a mortgage to purchase a suitable property without the need to raise a 25%+ deposit. This is appears to be doing whilst avoiding the excesses of the housing markets past.
There is vast grey area between the white of the scheme failing and the black of a property bubble and we are sat comfortably within it and will, in all probability remain so.
Another reason for me to delete grindr from my phone
Rev Flowers was secretly filmed doing the alleged drug deal by 26-year-old bank worker Stuart Davies. The pair had met on gay dating phone app Grindr.
It really has come to something when (a) you cant trust your dealer not to film you and sell the footage to a national tabloid and (b) your dealer has an alternate career as a "bank worker". Talk about bringing the good name of drug dealing into disrepute.
Another reason for me to delete grindr from my phone
Rev Flowers was secretly filmed doing the alleged drug deal by 26-year-old bank worker Stuart Davies. The pair had met on gay dating phone app Grindr.
It really has come to something when (a) you cant trust your dealer not to film you and sell the footage to a national tabloid and (b) your dealer has an alternate career as a "bank worker". Talk about bringing the good name of drug dealing into disrepute.
It gets better
Mr Davies said he decided to expose Rev Flowers because he was shocked by the scale of his drug use and the fact that he cavorted with other young men.
Twitter Chris Ship @chrisshipitv 7m On Labour/Unite row in Falkirk Clegg says: we have right to know who is pulling the strings- EdMili as he claims or his union paymasters?
Chris Ship @chrisshipitv 5m Clegg: Labour woul ruin this nascent recovery, Tories can't be relied upon to deliver it fairly. <You'll hear that few times before 2015
Archie Gemmill tells a funny story, that back in 1996, he was told that he featured in the film Trainspotting, so he went to see it, with no idea what is was about, with his parents.....
Another reason for me to delete grindr from my phone
Rev Flowers was secretly filmed doing the alleged drug deal by 26-year-old bank worker Stuart Davies. The pair had met on gay dating phone app Grindr.
It really has come to something when (a) you cant trust your dealer not to film you and sell the footage to a national tabloid and (b) your dealer has an alternate career as a "bank worker". Talk about bringing the good name of drug dealing into disrepute.
It gets better
Mr Davies said he decided to expose Rev Flowers because he was shocked by the scale of his drug use and the fact that he cavorted with other young men.
He was shocked, shocked I tell you. Mr Davies further denied that a significant payment from a major national tabloid (with deep pockets) had anything to do with his motivation.
Another reason for me to delete grindr from my phone
Rev Flowers was secretly filmed doing the alleged drug deal by 26-year-old bank worker Stuart Davies. The pair had met on gay dating phone app Grindr.
It really has come to something when (a) you cant trust your dealer not to film you and sell the footage to a national tabloid and (b) your dealer has an alternate career as a "bank worker". Talk about bringing the good name of drug dealing into disrepute.
It gets better
Mr Davies said he decided to expose Rev Flowers because he was shocked by the scale of his drug use and the fact that he cavorted with other young men.
He was shocked, shocked I tell you. Mr Davies further denied that a significant payment from a major national tabloid (with deep pockets) had anything to do with his motivation.
Archie Gemmill tells a funny story, that back in 1996, he was told that he featured in the film Trainspotting, so he went to see it, with no idea what is was about, with his parents.....
Another reason for me to delete grindr from my phone
Rev Flowers was secretly filmed doing the alleged drug deal by 26-year-old bank worker Stuart Davies. The pair had met on gay dating phone app Grindr.
It really has come to something when (a) you cant trust your dealer not to film you and sell the footage to a national tabloid and (b) your dealer has an alternate career as a "bank worker". Talk about bringing the good name of drug dealing into disrepute.
It gets better
Mr Davies said he decided to expose Rev Flowers because he was shocked by the scale of his drug use and the fact that he cavorted with other young men.
He was shocked, shocked I tell you. Mr Davies further denied that a significant payment from a major national tabloid (with deep pockets) had anything to do with his motivation.
Grindr... - Hmm not exactly pushing for the wltm 'long term' market methinks...
Rightmove latest monthly house prices -5% in London, national -2.4%.
Bubble popped already. .
Ha, ha, ha
1,000 hours of BBC handwringing news coverage and 10,000 of poor Tim's post wiped out at a single stroke.
Using an index based on asking prices is silly enough, drawing conclusions from one which also states
"New seller asking prices drop by 2.4% (-£6,181) in line with normal pre-Christmas trend" is a special kind of PB Tory stupid.
Rightmove state:
"- Bubble-preventing Mortgage Market Review bares teeth as estate agents report few Help to Buy mortgage applications have so far been approved"
I'm amazed no one on PB pointed out that the fact that all Help to Buy mortgages must be on a repayment basis and subject to strick affordibility criteria meant that the hyperbolic 'bubble' talk was ill infomed nonsense.
Oh well
I'm amazed that you should talk about "ill infomed nonsense" when you are parroting, without understanding, the RM press release. If the factors you refer prevent a bubble forming (as indeed they might) they will do so by causing the scheme to fail altogether. So, a bit of a Pyrrhic victory, would you agree?
No I wouldn't agree.
The point of Help to Buy is to enable those who can demonstrably afford a mortgage to purchase a suitable property without the need to raise a 25%+ deposit. This is appears to be doing whilst avoiding the excesses of the housing markets past.
There is vast grey area between the white of the scheme failing and the black of a property bubble and we are sat comfortably within it and will, in all probability remain so.
So what? More money chasing the same goods = price rises, other things being equal. Money is money, and the market doesn't care whether it comes from the loving kindness of Dave n George towards Hard Working Families, or from the Colombian drug cartels investing their profits.
Half of the 1978 team are famous to this day. The current Scottish team is made up of never to be remembered non-entities , I couldn't name one of them.
Don't be fooled the other way - the proposed opt-in systems (for all porn) are technically complicated. Yes, some fourteen year olds will be able to set a VPN somewhere else in the world, but it will be a small number, and it will not undermine the overall application. (Compared to the number of households opting in for mum and dad, no doubt.)
On today's developments, current child sex offenders to have corners of the web - but new joiners have to end up there some way. And as in many parts of life, as strange as it seems that one more hurdle would put off the determined user, they do work when you look at the group as a whole.
That's probably correct, although the point to make is that often niche software becomes mainstream, for example practically every 15-year-old when I was at school used p2p file sharing software because of the success of Napster, moving on to Kazaa and Limewire when those became the best software to download music on. Because they were free-for-alls, those networks were inevitably full of porn, and it isn't impossible to imagine worse stuff being on there if you were inclined to look.
At the moment stuff like Tor is only really used by geeks and criminals but that could easily change - especially given the publicity around Silk Road, the NSA, although it will only become a lot more widely used if there's something lots of people want to do that can only be done on it. For example lots of people watch sport online - if television companies actually managed to crackdown on it and started prosecuting individuals use of IP anonymity software would become a lot more popular and we're back in moral panic mode again.
It just seems like a summit addressing sensible technical issues to which there isn't an easy answer is being puffed up as some kind of triumph in the war against filth because of the frankly shocking stats in prosecuting actual abuse cases.
Well that's nice.....Ed's having a 'good hair day'.....
My tonsorial advice to Miliband would be to "keep the length" or at least to enjoy his moment before the inevitable chop and the parliamentary hair focus shifts back to everyone wondering how long Cameron can play the combover game with dignity.
Well that's nice.....Ed's having a 'good hair day'.....
My tonsorial advice to Miliband would be to "keep the length" or at least to enjoy his moment before the inevitable chop and the parliamentary hair focus shifts back to everyone wondering how long Cameron can play the combover game with dignity.
Leaked email suggests Ed Miliband and Ed Balls are on collision course Leaked email from one of Ed Miliband’s staff described shadow chancellor Ed Ball’s economic approach as a 'nightmare'
Why Miliband-Balls won't be a repeat of Blair-Brown Having witnessed the original feud at first hand, both men are conscious of the need to avoid an irrevocable split.
Well that's nice.....Ed's having a 'good hair day'.....
My tonsorial advice to Miliband would be to "keep the length" or at least to enjoy his moment before the inevitable chop and the parliamentary hair focus shifts back to everyone wondering how long Cameron can play the combover game with dignity.
Well that's nice.....Ed's having a 'good hair day'.....
My tonsorial advice to Miliband would be to "keep the length" or at least to enjoy his moment before the inevitable chop and the parliamentary hair focus shifts back to everyone wondering how long Cameron can play the combover game with dignity.
Twitter Chris Ship @chrisshipitv 5m Clegg: Labour woul ruin this nascent recovery, Tories can't be relied upon to deliver it fairly. You'll hear that few times before 2015
Oh yes. Mind you, I think it's quite a good line that nicely sets up the Lib Dem position (as they want us to think of them) as fiscally sensible but compassionate with it. Clever positioning and a snappy soundbite, IMO.
Having said that, if the speculation / rumours come true of Farron taking over from Clegg and going into coalition with Labour led by Ed & Ed, then my Lib Dem membership card might not be long for this world...
Twitter Chris Ship @chrisshipitv 5m Clegg: Labour woul ruin this nascent recovery, Tories can't be relied upon to deliver it fairly. You'll hear that few times before 2015
Oh yes. Mind you, I think it's quite a good line that nicely sets up the Lib Dem position (as they want us to think of them) as fiscally sensible but compassionate with it. Clever positioning and a snappy soundbite, IMO.
Having said that, if the speculation / rumours come true of Farron taking over from Clegg and going into coalition with Labour led by Ed & Ed, then my Lib Dem membership card might not be long for this world...
If that is the soundbite - it makes a Lib/Lab coalition impossible ?
Twitter Chris Ship @chrisshipitv 5m Clegg: Labour woul ruin this nascent recovery, Tories can't be relied upon to deliver it fairly. You'll hear that few times before 2015
Oh yes. Mind you, I think it's quite a good line that nicely sets up the Lib Dem position (as they want us to think of them) as fiscally sensible but compassionate with it. Clever positioning and a snappy soundbite, IMO.
Having said that, if the speculation / rumours come true of Farron taking over from Clegg and going into coalition with Labour led by Ed & Ed, then my Lib Dem membership card might not be long for this world...
If that is the soundbite - it makes a Lib/Lab coalition impossible ?
Not in the least - what's the issue? Lab will be fighting the election on basically the same tax and spending plans as Osborne. Their manifesto may even end up being more conservative than Con's, because Osborne will try to outflank them with some spending giveaways at the last minute. Either way their actual plans for afterwards won't be substantially different. A coalition with the LibDems gives Lab cover if their base are narked off that they're not spending enough, and the LibDems get to take credit for preventing Labour from creating the fiscal catastrophe that they weren't going to create in the first place.
Twitter Chris Ship @chrisshipitv 5m Clegg: Labour woul ruin this nascent recovery, Tories can't be relied upon to deliver it fairly. You'll hear that few times before 2015
Oh yes. Mind you, I think it's quite a good line that nicely sets up the Lib Dem position (as they want us to think of them) as fiscally sensible but compassionate with it. Clever positioning and a snappy soundbite, IMO.
Having said that, if the speculation / rumours come true of Farron taking over from Clegg and going into coalition with Labour led by Ed & Ed, then my Lib Dem membership card might not be long for this world...
If that is the soundbite - it makes a Lib/Lab coalition impossible ?
Not in the least - what's the issue? Lab will be fighting the election on basically the same tax and spending plans as Osborne. Their manifesto may even end up being more conservative than Con's, because Osborne will try to outflank them with some spending giveaways at the last minute. Either way their actual plans for afterwards won't be substantially different. A coalition with the LibDems gives Lab cover if their base are narked off that they're not spending enough, and the LibDems get to take credit for preventing Labour from creating the fiscal catastrophe that they weren't going to create in the first place.
Clegg is saying : "Labour would ruin this recovery"
Copying X,Y and Z for a short spell - as we saw from 1997 doesn't mean a hill of beans in a 5 year parly.
Unless Ed is going to commit to Con economic policy for 5 years ? (no laughing).
Independent Scotland would face choice of tax rises or deep cuts, says IFS Scottish government contests Institute for Fiscal Studies report that predicts 'significant additional fiscal tightening'
Not in the least - what's the issue? Lab will be fighting the election on basically the same tax and spending plans as Osborne. Their manifesto may even end up being more conservative than Con's, because Osborne will try to outflank them with some spending giveaways at the last minute. Either way their actual plans for afterwards won't be substantially different. A coalition with the LibDems gives Lab cover if their base are narked off that they're not spending enough, and the LibDems get to take credit for preventing Labour from creating the fiscal catastrophe that they weren't going to create in the first place.
Clegg is saying : "Labour would ruin this recovery"
Copying X,Y and Z for a short spell - as we saw from 1997 doesn't mean a hill of beans in a 5 year parly.
Unless Ed is going to commit to Con economic policy for 5 years ? (no laughing).
He'll commit to the same spending envelope as Con for a couple of years (minus symbolic tweaks). After that the manifesto is irrelevant, but his deficit after that will be broadly the same as Con's would have been. The parties all get the same advice and have the same market pressures, and their differences are mainly for show. To the extent that there's an actual difference, it's high-tax-high-spending and low-tax-low-spending, not the deficit.
But even if that wasn't his plan and Balls really did intend to run the huge deficits of the Conservative imagination, a coalition with the LibDems based on the proposition that the LibDems won't let Labour do anything crazy works out fine for both parties.
Maybe you'll be able to follow this if you look at the symmetrical message the LibDems will be running against Con: Left to their own devices, they'll destroy the NHS.
Sorry, I just cannot take this suggestion seriously. Why on earth would you vote out the real thing for a poor imitation which will fall apart the minute you try to use it?
Not in the least - what's the issue? Lab will be fighting the election on basically the same tax and spending plans as Osborne. Their manifesto may even end up being more conservative than Con's, because Osborne will try to outflank them with some spending giveaways at the last minute. Either way their actual plans for afterwards won't be substantially different. A coalition with the LibDems gives Lab cover if their base are narked off that they're not spending enough, and the LibDems get to take credit for preventing Labour from creating the fiscal catastrophe that they weren't going to create in the first place.
Clegg is saying : "Labour would ruin this recovery"
Copying X,Y and Z for a short spell - as we saw from 1997 doesn't mean a hill of beans in a 5 year parly.
Unless Ed is going to commit to Con economic policy for 5 years ? (no laughing).
He'll commit to the same spending envelope as Con for a couple of years (minus symbolic tweaks). After that the manifesto is irrelevant, but his deficit after that will be broadly the same as Con's would have been. The parties all get the same advice and have the same market pressures, and their differences are mainly for show. To the extent that there's an actual difference, it's high-tax-high-spending and low-tax-low-spending, not the deficit.
But even if that wasn't his plan and Balls really did intend to run the huge deficits of the Conservative imagination, a coalition with the LibDems based on the proposition that the LibDems won't let Labour do anything crazy works out fine for both parties.
Maybe you'll be able to follow this if you look at the symmetrical message the LibDems will be running against Con: Left to their own devices, they'll destroy the NHS.
Update Twitter ITV News @itvnews 5m Former Labour MP @DenisMacShane to be sentenced for expenses fraud on 19th December and granted unconditional bail http://itv.co/17gpcGY
SkyNews Ed Miliband - 'Labour plan to raise an extra 800 million from the Banking Levy for the childcare crisis' Skynews presenter to Ed Miliband 'Is this Bank Levy the gift that keeps on giving.' And now onto the non story that is Falkirk and those emails about Ed Balls.....
Comments
I think the Personal allowance rising and the school meal things will be a powerful tool for the Lib Dems come 2015 and could potentially get them back quite a few 20-35 £10-£30k people. Its a good record they have on the coalition for this group and I think there will be a late drift from Lab - LD when (some) people in this demographic realise how much the LDs have done for them in Gov't.
But the stats show that Scots a whole are less religious than the English. Which surprised me. But both are much less religious than Ireland.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_Kingdom
I suspect that in the Republic religion is a much less divisive thing simply because they're pretty much all catholic. The church has a huge influence on the state, which secularists may object to, but it's not the me vs you hatred of the north or the Old Firm.
for the Scottish government. It would require policy action equivalent to
around a 9 percentage point increase in the basic rate of income tax, an 8
percentage point increase in the standard rate of VAT, a 6% reduction in
total public spending, or a 8% reduction in public service spending. This
would need to come on top of the fiscal tightening already planned by the
UK government through to 2017–18.
Ouch....
http://www.protectingourchildren.co.uk/~/media/Images/Landing Pages/conservativesFlag.ashx
Lab 12048 Con 9733 LD 3031 UKIP 2729 Eng Dem 664 Green 262
Dewsbury local election results 2012
Lab 12458 Con 9895 LD 1690 Ind ( ex LD ) 1731 Green 3020 UKIP 1011 Eng Dem 566
Note Greens won one ward in Dewsbury but elsewhere polled poorly .
England has a team that has qualified for the last five football world cups.
We also have a country that has won both the Rugby Union and Football world cups.
In fact we're the only country to have achieved that!
Sample Size: 1013 Yorkshire adults (from North, South and West Yorkshire and York)
Surely if you were going to do anything illegal on the internet you'd have to be extremely thick to Google it, and abusers are going to use whatever the best medium for their vile activities is - tackling it from this perspective is rather like whack-a-mole. What do you do if using Tor becomes much more common place, say if Google similarly cracks down on piracy or get more tech savvy and fed up with them? It's all well and good, but unlikely to actually do anything in the long run.
In other news, the number of child abuse cases passed to the CPS that actually get prosecuted has dropped by a third since 2010-11. Seems far more important than Google getting a bit of good PR.
"The prosecution said the attack was the final act to kill him for his money even though he had generously given cash for cars and horses for the family, which had been squandered.
In the weeks before, some family members researched how to kill him on the internet with Google searches such as "1,000 ways to die", "poisonous toadstools" and "easiest way to kill an old person"."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-15107352
45. BeesAreTrendy
3 HOURS AGO
If Brake had their way then they would have all cars driving at no more than 5 miles per hour with a man with a red flag walking in front of it.
Sums it up
Don't be fooled the other way - the proposed opt-in systems (for all porn) are technically complicated. Yes, some fourteen year olds will be able to set a VPN somewhere else in the world, but it will be a small number, and it will not undermine the overall application. (Compared to the number of households opting in for mum and dad, no doubt.)
On today's developments, current child sex offenders to have corners of the web - but new joiners have to end up there some way. And as in many parts of life, as strange as it seems that one more hurdle would put off the determined user, they do work when you look at the group as a whole.
1) They have till mid 2016 from after the vote to sort out the EU, reality is they are not going to say no, they will not cut off their noses to spite their faces , they will not lose the fishing , oil , etc
2). Again , for all the bluster the rUK will be desperate for a currency union as it is in their best interests.
“The present United Kingdom relies heavily on Scottish exports of oil, gas and whisky to generate foreign currency earnings. Even then, the UK runs a massive current account deficit – importing more than it exports, and borrowing internationally to cover the difference. In fact, this deficit is actually getting worse.
If Scotland retains sterling after independence, its foreign trade earnings will flow into the common pot (as they do at present) helping reduce the current account deficit. But the moment Scotland shifts to a separate currency that changes.
Instantly Scotland will start to run a trade surplus, boosting its currency and raising its international credit worthiness. That, all things being equal, will bring interest rates in Scotland down. But just the reverse happens in rUK.
The EU Commission forecasts that the present UK trade deficit will hit 4.4 per cent of GDP next year – the highest of any major industrial country. Take away the circa £50 billion annual export earnings from Scottish oil, gas and whisky and you will near double the trade deficit of rUK. It would climb from 4.4 per cent of GDP to a staggering 10 per cent.
That is unsustainable and the financial markets would punish rUK piteously. The rUK’s international credit rating would plunge, sending interest rate upwards, depressing economic growth.”
For the vast majority of the people it is not an issue.
As they say, nature abhors a vacuum, and the Unionists will be filling it with their spin, and even the SNP's most ardent supporters, will concede the Scottish Government haven't entirely covered themselves in glory when it comes to matters of the EU and that legal advice.
England = 5
USA = 8
Key point will be the White Paper next week and its aftermath, if they can get over the media bias , especially the BBC then there will be a lot more real discussions on facts rather than the scaremongering we have had to date.
Robert Peston @Peston 49m
forgot to say that Co-op Bank's Flowers, styled the crystal methodist, was on Ed Miliband's finance advisory group
My one hope, that whatever the result is, it is a comprehensive victory for the winning side.
I don't think it is in anyone's interest where one side to only win by less than a couple of points.
What would happen if Scotland played Costa Rica in a world cup?
Missed this one - will anyone have heard of them ?
The point of Help to Buy is to enable those who can demonstrably afford a mortgage to purchase a suitable property without the need to raise a 25%+ deposit. This is appears to be doing whilst avoiding the excesses of the housing markets past.
There is vast grey area between the white of the scheme failing and the black of a property bubble and we are sat comfortably within it and will, in all probability remain so.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/5269021/Ex-Co-op-Bank-chief-Paul-Flowers-buys-Class-A-drugs.html
I note the Homeland writers were also putting the boot in using the 1978 Iran squad as a plot line
Rev Flowers was secretly filmed doing the alleged drug deal by 26-year-old bank worker Stuart Davies. The pair had met on gay dating phone app Grindr.
But remember 1978 also when Archie Gemmill scored that goal against the Netherlands
Martin Bashir says Sarah Palin is an 'idiot' and suggests someone should defecate in her mouth
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/martin-bashir-says-sarah-palin-is-an-idiot-and-suggests-someone-should-defecate-in-her-mouth-8946426.html
Mr Davies said he decided to expose Rev Flowers because he was shocked by the scale of his drug use and the fact that he cavorted with other young men.
Chris Ship @chrisshipitv 7m
On Labour/Unite row in Falkirk Clegg says: we have right to know who is pulling the strings- EdMili as he claims or his union paymasters?
Chris Ship @chrisshipitv 5m
Clegg: Labour woul ruin this nascent recovery, Tories can't be relied upon to deliver it fairly. <You'll hear that few times before 2015
Archie Gemmill tells a funny story, that back in 1996, he was told that he featured in the film Trainspotting, so he went to see it, with no idea what is was about, with his parents.....
YouGov @YouGov 23s
YouGov President Peter Kellner: Britain is learning to put up with Europe - http://y-g.co/HZb7V6
http://www.scottishfootballblog.co.uk/2010/06/scotland-in-1978-what-just-happened.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THMHg8BYhpk
At the moment stuff like Tor is only really used by geeks and criminals but that could easily change - especially given the publicity around Silk Road, the NSA, although it will only become a lot more widely used if there's something lots of people want to do that can only be done on it. For example lots of people watch sport online - if television companies actually managed to crackdown on it and started prosecuting individuals use of IP anonymity software would become a lot more popular and we're back in moral panic mode again.
It just seems like a summit addressing sensible technical issues to which there isn't an easy answer is being puffed up as some kind of triumph in the war against filth because of the frankly shocking stats in prosecuting actual abuse cases.
My tonsorial advice to Miliband would be to "keep the length" or at least to enjoy his moment before the inevitable chop and the parliamentary hair focus shifts back to everyone wondering how long Cameron can play the combover game with dignity.
http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2013/nov/18/ed-miliband-mini-mullet-haircut-itv-daybreak
I detect more the influence of the tousled Hon Hunt myself....
I'm followed by @chanellejhayes model and reality TV star. I ask "Did you get the right Dan Hodges?". She unfollows. That'll be no then...
Blimey!
Leaked email suggests Ed Miliband and Ed Balls are on collision course
Leaked email from one of Ed Miliband’s staff described shadow chancellor Ed Ball’s economic approach as a 'nightmare'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/10456467/Leaked-email-suggests-Ed-Miliband-and-Ed-Balls-are-on-collision-course.html
Why Miliband-Balls won't be a repeat of Blair-Brown
Having witnessed the original feud at first hand, both men are conscious of the need to avoid an irrevocable split.
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/11/why-miliband-balls-wont-be-repeat-blair-brown
To which I think we may safely conclude 'they would say that, wouldn't they?'
Having said that, if the speculation / rumours come true of Farron taking over from Clegg and going into coalition with Labour led by Ed & Ed, then my Lib Dem membership card might not be long for this world...
What an idiot.
Copying X,Y and Z for a short spell - as we saw from 1997 doesn't mean a hill of beans in a 5 year parly.
Unless Ed is going to commit to Con economic policy for 5 years ? (no laughing).
ITV News @itvnews 1m
Former MP Denis MacShane has pleaded guilty to making bogus expenses claims of nearly £13,000 http://itv.co/Ic6qXy
Independent Scotland would face choice of tax rises or deep cuts, says IFS
Scottish government contests Institute for Fiscal Studies report that predicts 'significant additional fiscal tightening'
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/18/independent-scotland-tax-spending-ifs-report
Swinney & Darling on.....
MacShane pleads guilty to 13ks worth of bogus expense claims.
Blimey that Vicky Pryce can pick her fellas.
So MacShane is likely to get that much, so out in 3 months on tag.
But even if that wasn't his plan and Balls really did intend to run the huge deficits of the Conservative imagination, a coalition with the LibDems based on the proposition that the LibDems won't let Labour do anything crazy works out fine for both parties.
Maybe you'll be able to follow this if you look at the symmetrical message the LibDems will be running against Con: Left to their own devices, they'll destroy the NHS.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24989402#TWEET958482
Sky seem to be unable to help either.
http://news.sky.com/story/1170223/former-mp-admits-13k-bogus-expense-claims
Political affiliation made it into both the headline and first paragraph when Lord Taylor was jailed:
Ex-Tory peer Lord Taylor jailed for expenses fraud
Former Conservative peer Lord Taylor of Warwick has been jailed for 12 months for falsely claiming £11,277 in parliamentary expenses.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13599624
Like footie fixtures "3pm unless otherwise stated"
Twitter
ITV News @itvnews 5m
Former Labour MP @DenisMacShane to be sentenced for expenses fraud on 19th December and granted unconditional bail http://itv.co/17gpcGY
Ex-Labour MP Denis MacShane has pleaded guilty to false accounting over parliamentary expenses.
Having said that, as he represented the 'political arm of the British public', in a one party state there couldn't be any other choice.
Skynews presenter to Ed Miliband 'Is this Bank Levy the gift that keeps on giving.'
And now onto the non story that is Falkirk and those emails about Ed Balls.....