The MSPs who voted against gay marriage last night at Holyrood.
Allan, Dr Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Brown, Gavin (Lothian) (Con) Cunningham, Roseanna (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Don, Nigel (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Fergusson, Alex (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Johnstone, Alex (North East Scotland) (Con) Lyle, Richard (Central Scotland) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) McGrigor, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Milne, Nanette (North East Scotland) (Con) Mitchell, Margaret (Central Scotland) (Con) Smith, Elaine (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Those who abstained:
Brodie, Chic (South Scotland) (SNP) MacDonald, Angus (Falkirk East) (SNP) Malik, Hanzala (Glasgow) (Lab) McMahon, Michael (Uddingston and Bellshill) (Lab) McMahon, Siobhan (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Absolutely stunning figures there. There are ever more indications that growth is still accelerating and I expect Q3 to be increased at some point. Q4 may well push 1%.
Experts now forecasting £105bn for the year. I suspect George will try pretty hard to get it under the £100bn if he can but that will be stretched by the implications of getting rid of the green crap as our PM might have put it.
But back in the real world. If you think the new entrants were in the better tier of two tier workforces you really are in some fantasy world completely unconnected to reality.
In the Real World, nobody would describe it as a two tier workforce. There are 2 sets of people doing similar jobs on different sets of T&C. Some we happy with one, some were happier with the other.
To argue that the unionised set were unambiguously better than the others is fatuous.
The rest of the country has paid a very high price to keep bankers and London at the trough.
??????
I remember reading that Lloyds and RBS paid back the last of their loans some time ago, and the taxpayer in the event made money because both banks paid an arrangement fee (more than a billion if I remember correctly).
Banks were given billions in loan guarantees, to be sure, but in the event those loans guarantees were never used, because they were never needed.
The notion the banks 'cost' the taxpayer anything is a complete myth, especialy with lloyds shares now at or through break even...
Incestuous as in they are all part of the Labour movement? Incestuous as in Unite incestuous, it's an affiliate trade union in the Labour movement. I'm not saying that it's a good or bad thing, merely that incestuous is rather an odd word to use given that they are openly partner bodies in the same movement.
You're right, they are partners, working closely together in the same movement. Precisely so.
As is no secret to anyone. At least you have a vague understanding of how the Labour movement works, unlike some of the numpties on here.
I'm surprised you haven't denounced Ed Balls yet for his 'curtain twitching social conservatism' in referring to Rev Flowers 'rent boys'......surely 'prostitutes' would have avoided allusion to his sexuality?
Happy to if that's what he said. He shouldn't have raised it. Who cares?
You do when you think a PBTory has.....your "Curtain twitching social conservatives" ...
That's what I'm saying – that Balls should not have raised it. It's irrelevant.
And that has how the vast majority of the coverage - and responses on here have been about - he bought drugs to entice young prostitutes into having sex with him - their gender is irrelevant.
Similarly (with all due respect to the PMBod) had a senior Labour politician, spouse of a prominent anti-porn campaigner tweeted pics of opposite gender mammaries the response would have been very similar - tho of course the marital row might have been different....
You're still being too kind to Mr Dromey. He didn't *favourite* the hetero male equivalent of a boob shot. He favourited the BBC.
To argue that the unionised set were unambiguously better than the others is fatuous.
To argue that the point of privatisation of contracts wasnt to drive down terms and conditions, particularly by worsening those for new entrants, is so far off the ranch as to make me worry for you.
Balls is very far from stupid, and knows exactly what dogwhistle the average labour voter responds to on the issue of gays.
That's probably why Labour spent so much time and energy on the gay rights agenda while in government.
It's kind of built in to the metaphor in "dogwhistle" that you send out one message explicitly and audibly, and quite another one subliminally. So thank you for reinforcing my point.
Your point is that while equalising the age of consent, legislating for civil partnerships, allowing gays in the military, outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and repealing Section 28 Labour was keeping in with the homophobes by using the term "rent boys" from time to time. Well, it's a point.
Not Labour was, but Balls is. Missed the point again.
"Activity in Britain's factories was also up, with order numbers at the highest level since March 1995, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
The CBI's industrial trends survey's total orders showed a positive balance of 11 in November from minus four in October, beating predictions of zero and the average of minus 17.
Total output for the three months to November was at its highest level since January 1995."
it might be thought achieving a level of industrial output that we last achieved in 1995 is nothing to write home about but that is only because we had the worst government in history in the intervening period.
No, they are not. Labour's record on gay rights is, well, a matter of record.
It might well be.
However, are they shouting out about this in the Working Mens Clubs and the Mosques? I used to be a member of a WMC , my Dad was club secretary. They didn't like it up 'em there, or up anyone else for that matter.
To argue that the point of privatisation of contracts wasnt to drive down terms and conditions, particularly by worsening those for new entrants, is so far off the ranch as to make me worry for you.
Oh dear. It would appear you have no idea what you are talking about.
The point of outsourcing was undoubtedly to reduce the cost to the taxpayer, but the notion that this means just hiring people on 'worse T&C' is so far from reality that your ignorance is embarrassing.
The outsourcing companies recruited people from their global organisations around the World to staff these contracts. These people were clearly not on worse T&C with respect to the local TUPE staff.
"Activity in Britain's factories was also up, with order numbers at the highest level since March 1995, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
The CBI's industrial trends survey's total orders showed a positive balance of 11 in November from minus four in October, beating predictions of zero and the average of minus 17.
Total output for the three months to November was at its highest level since January 1995."
it might be thought achieving a level of industrial output that we last achieved in 1995 is nothing to write home about but that is only because we had the worst government in history in the intervening period.
Good point, I should have read to the end of the article, not just the first few paragraphs.
Oh dear. It would appear you have no idea what you are talking about.
I wish I didnt have the experiences I do of two tier workforces. Or that someone offered these jobs on double the pay to everyone. Where is that by the way? Narnia?
Flowers seems to have left the news pretty promptly.
Now last night I was somewhat criticised for saying Cameron shouldn't be pursuing the story, but I'm damn sure the press should. The particular circumstances are somewhat irrelevant, but the theme that somehow an individual can get into an inner circle of trust which means that you are happy for him to run banks if that's what he tells you he can do... well that isn't to be ignored. This is totally along the lines of the 'old boys club' much quoted about progression of those who went to an elite school or university, but this shows that precisely the same effect is at work within the wheels of the left. What I think is really disturbing is that this jobs network has no regard whatsoever for ability, experience, or knowledge.
The Charities commission, the FSA/Old Lady, the Methodist church, and the Labour party have all demonstrated for all to see that they are not responsible organisations. It seems they should all be trying to correct that.
Why do the more foolishly challenged amongst us consider "Wee Fr'Eck" a gifted politician? Are they heart-led and mind-less...?
It analysed three scenarios, including the one predicted by Mr Salmond: that oil revenues will be healthily buoyant over the next decade, that Scotland will get a generous deal when Britain’s national debt is divided up, and that it will not pay any more for government borrowing than Britain does. It also assumed increased productivity and a tripling of net migration, to 26,000 a year.
Alas for Mr Salmond, this would not work out well.
Is it navel-gazing or wet-dreams about the Scots [sic] Naval Defence Force from "Our Progressives"? Who cares? England would probably support the muppet followers out of our nation-union: Good-bye Scotland.....
Front page of the Sun - First decent headline for the conservatives in ages. Cameron vowing to 'cut the green crap' I reckon there'll be a ~ 3 pt swing from UKIP -> Con in the next few opinion polls.
Just my thoughts !
I doubt Kippers will believe him, they'll just think all his fake stances on all sides of that argument are the same as his fake stances on all sides of the Europe issue.
From a warmist perspective, intervening in the (almost entirely fossil) fuel energy market to drive prices down, hence consumption up, is quite literally tantamount to murdering your own children. And Cameron's alleged advice to put on sweaters instead is gospel. So who has really sold out on this, Cameron for reversing a bit of PR tossery or ed for hastening Armageddon?
Absolutely stunning figures there. There are ever more indications that growth is still accelerating and I expect Q3 to be increased at some point. Q4 may well push 1%.
Experts now forecasting £105bn for the year. I suspect George will try pretty hard to get it under the £100bn if he can but that will be stretched by the implications of getting rid of the green crap as our PM might have put it.
What is remarkable about the Osborne Recovery is that we are achieving escape velocity DESPITE the eurozone - a huge market for us - still being largely mired in stagnation and decay.
It's so unexpected I don't quite trust it. And yet London - at least - in the last few months has certainly felt like a boomtown - almost like the late 80s or mid noughties.
We have been driving with our foot flat to the floor on monetary policy and fiscal policy for the last 5 years. Given the absolutely unprecedented levels of stimulus in interest rates, public borrowing, QE and devaluation only an economy that was near death would not be running the 100m in a time that left drug fuelled Jamaicans in the dust.
The problem will be when do we need to start to find a brake?
Front page of the Sun - First decent headline for the conservatives in ages. Cameron vowing to 'cut the green crap' I reckon there'll be a ~ 3 pt swing from UKIP -> Con in the next few opinion polls.
Just my thoughts !
I doubt Kippers will believe him, they'll just think all his fake stances on all sides of that argument are the same as his fake stances on all sides of the Europe issue.
Ah, but what if he gives a Cast Iron Guarantee to cut the green crap? We all know just how gullible tory eurosceptics are when it comes to Cammie's endless 'jam tomorrow' promises even if kippers aren't quite so easily fooled.
Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn 2m Why did no-one in the senior Labour leadership know about Rev Paul Flowers? “It’s a good question,” replied @edballsmp to #c4news.
well personal anecdote alert on the economy from a firstlight40 point of view. Firstlight40's small company was purchased by a massive multinational 2 weeks ago, Mrs firstlight is currently spending the ill gotten gains on holidays and champagne.
At this point it grates me to say that I also have to be thankful to one Mr. Gordon Brown who introduced entrepreneur's tax relief in 2008; a decision taken in one of his more lucid moments.
More serious point is that this is a sign that mergers and acquisitions activity is up ; a sign that large companies are beginning to open up their cash reserves which will have a big economic impact. Certainly firstlight40's corporate advisers have done well out of the deal...
The Court of Appeal (Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd CJ, Flaux & MacDuff JJ) is to sit in Nottingham next Friday to hear and determine renewed applications, made by Mairead Philpott and Paul Mosley, for leave to appeal against sentences passed by Thirwall J in the Crown Court on 4th April 2013. Providing it is technically possible to do so, it is likely that the hearing will be televised. Are we in store for another round of contrived political debate about this case?
Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn 2m Why did no-one in the senior Labour leadership know about Rev Paul Flowers? “It’s a good question,” replied @edballsmp to #c4news.
Didn't know what Flowers was up to, didn't know what the banks were up to, didn't know what McBride...
This claim is often made but is it not the case that the cost of government subsidies and guarantees to the financial sector since 2008 must be well in excess of the taxes paid by banks? Not to mention the cost to the economy of the output that has been lost through the banking failures which were a key cause of the recession.
Oh gosh! Mor0n alert should have been applied....
So Uk banks did not pay anything in tax after McBruin's incomepetence you suggest? I assume they paid nought prior aswell! Your charge-sheet is one-sided son....
Sounds about right, but the target culture and kick down management was a new Labour invention. The biggest problem of Lansley was the failure to change it.
Ed Conway @EdConwaySky Remember those coalition commitments to keep health spending rising in real terms? They haven't been met, says OECD http://bit.ly/17sI2L8
You can sum up David Camerons oh so personal commitment to the NHS in three letters, LIE
tim you should really read stuff Ed "tickets please" Conway posts before getting excited.
it's health spending per capita - do you really think an examination of the Labour years will prove fruitful ?
And as the OECD mentions..
"A public sector pay freeze in the UK has been a major factor "
Anecdote time - I met a former NHS finance director at a conference earlier this week. He regaled a group of us with a story of total organisational chaos - huge amounts of resources (he said) are being put into monitoring and auditing. Apparently trusts are audited on a range of indicators four times a year and whole swathes of managers are dedicated not to improving healthcare but servicing audits. The targeting regime has become so rigid that it is leading to worse outcomes (ie patients with minor complaints in A&E are being treated before those with more urgent problems purely in order to meet the 4-hour target - staff are under threat of the sack if this target slips, he said). There is a system of financial penalties if hospitals do not meet targets (eg on readmissions) but the only outcome of applying financial penalties to underperforming trusts is to cut their budgets and make it even more difficult for them to improve.
I'm sure there was a certain amount of poetic licence in this account, but it certainly didn't inspire much confidence in the post-Lansley NHS.
Comments
Allan, Dr Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Brown, Gavin (Lothian) (Con)
Cunningham, Roseanna (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
Don, Nigel (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP)
Fergusson, Alex (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Johnstone, Alex (North East Scotland) (Con)
Lyle, Richard (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
McGrigor, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Milne, Nanette (North East Scotland) (Con)
Mitchell, Margaret (Central Scotland) (Con)
Smith, Elaine (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab)
Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Those who abstained:
Brodie, Chic (South Scotland) (SNP)
MacDonald, Angus (Falkirk East) (SNP)
Malik, Hanzala (Glasgow) (Lab)
McMahon, Michael (Uddingston and Bellshill) (Lab)
McMahon, Siobhan (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Full result
For 98
Against 15
Abstentions 5.
The growth is also feeding into the borrowing figures too although slightly less dramatically than might have been hoped: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25030293
Experts now forecasting £105bn for the year. I suspect George will try pretty hard to get it under the £100bn if he can but that will be stretched by the implications of getting rid of the green crap as our PM might have put it.
To argue that the unionised set were unambiguously better than the others is fatuous.
??????
I remember reading that Lloyds and RBS paid back the last of their loans some time ago, and the taxpayer in the event made money because both banks paid an arrangement fee (more than a billion if I remember correctly).
Banks were given billions in loan guarantees, to be sure, but in the event those loans guarantees were never used, because they were never needed.
The notion the banks 'cost' the taxpayer anything is a complete myth, especialy with lloyds shares now at or through break even...
"Activity in Britain's factories was also up, with order numbers at the highest level since March 1995, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
The CBI's industrial trends survey's total orders showed a positive balance of 11 in November from minus four in October, beating predictions of zero and the average of minus 17.
Total output for the three months to November was at its highest level since January 1995."
it might be thought achieving a level of industrial output that we last achieved in 1995 is nothing to write home about but that is only because we had the worst government in history in the intervening period.
However, are they shouting out about this in the Working Mens Clubs and the Mosques? I used to be a member of a WMC , my Dad was club secretary. They didn't like it up 'em there, or up anyone else for that matter.
The point of outsourcing was undoubtedly to reduce the cost to the taxpayer, but the notion that this means just hiring people on 'worse T&C' is so far from reality that your ignorance is embarrassing.
The outsourcing companies recruited people from their global organisations around the World to staff these contracts. These people were clearly not on worse T&C with respect to the local TUPE staff.
Now last night I was somewhat criticised for saying Cameron shouldn't be pursuing the story, but I'm damn sure the press should. The particular circumstances are somewhat irrelevant, but the theme that somehow an individual can get into an inner circle of trust which means that you are happy for him to run banks if that's what he tells you he can do... well that isn't to be ignored. This is totally along the lines of the 'old boys club' much quoted about progression of those who went to an elite school or university, but this shows that precisely the same effect is at work within the wheels of the left. What I think is really disturbing is that this jobs network has no regard whatsoever for ability, experience, or knowledge.
The Charities commission, the FSA/Old Lady, the Methodist church, and the Labour party have all demonstrated for all to see that they are not responsible organisations. It seems they should all be trying to correct that.
Why do the more foolishly challenged amongst us consider "Wee Fr'Eck" a gifted politician? Are they heart-led and mind-less...? [Src.: http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21590592-new-report-finances-north-border-headache-nationalists-scotch-rocks ]
Is it navel-gazing or wet-dreams about the Scots [sic] Naval Defence Force from "Our Progressives"? Who cares? England would probably support the muppet followers out of our nation-union: Good-bye Scotland.....
The problem will be when do we need to start to find a brake?
We all know just how gullible tory eurosceptics are when it comes to Cammie's endless 'jam tomorrow' promises even if kippers aren't quite so easily fooled.
Was Flowers in attendance, or too busy partying in Canal Street?
Why did no-one in the senior Labour leadership know about Rev Paul Flowers? “It’s a good question,” replied @edballsmp to #c4news.
With Eric Pickles??? How DARE you!
LOL
Have any of the tabloids gone with
METH HEAD DISSED CHURCH
For the Paul Flowers co-op story ??
•Ted Cruz 19%
•Chris Christie 17%
•Jeb Bush 16%
•Rand Paul 12%
•Bobby Jindal 8%
•Marco Rubio 8%
•Rick Santorum 5%
•Paul Ryan 4%
•Scott Walker 1%
•Someone else/Not sure 10%
At this point it grates me to say that I also have to be thankful to one Mr. Gordon Brown who introduced entrepreneur's tax relief in 2008; a decision taken in one of his more lucid moments.
More serious point is that this is a sign that mergers and acquisitions activity is up ; a sign that large companies are beginning to open up their cash reserves which will have a big economic impact. Certainly firstlight40's corporate advisers have done well out of the deal...
There's a pattern.
So Uk banks did not pay anything in tax after McBruin's incomepetence you suggest? I assume they paid nought prior aswell! Your charge-sheet is one-sided son....
:twunt-alert: