Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Why a progressive alliance in Stoke Central might be doomed

135

Comments

  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    edited February 2017
    Patrick said:

    OllyT said:

    felix said:

    felix said:

    Sandpit said:

    It's not ALL about party advantage, some of it is about good governance, fairness and promoting voter involvement.
    So that's why the LDs want a few hundred MPs to ignore the EU referendum result.

    Aren't the LDs calling for voters to be given the opportunity of a second referendum? For some reason, Leavers have stopped trusting the British people and believe that they should not be allowed to vote again once the reality of the Brexit deal becomes known. Sad.
    Silly - even by your usual standards. what next ? best of 3?
    A vote in principle followed by a vote on the actual deal would have been a perfectly logical way to go about Brexit. There are two aspects to every issue of this nature - (A) do you want to stop doing something and (b) what do you want to do instead

    But Leavers know only to well that no specific deal would be likely to command a majority. Which is precisely why during the referendum you could find Leavers promising every type of Brexit and refusing to be nailed down on what Brexit would look like. Don't blame them for that - it was Cameron's fault for structuring the thing in the way he did.

    But the consequences are that we are likely to be leaving on a deal that doesn't even command majority support at the time we leave let alone once it gets played out. We are still in a phony war and political turbulence for Brexiters in general and the Tories in particular I suspect lay ahead of us.

    Except that once Article 50 is triggered it can't be unilaterally untriggered. So we would have a referendum on "accept this deal" or "crash out with no deal". Is that what you really want?
    Absolutely yes. Even if it is no deal at all we will soon enough settle into a perfectly OK M.O. and the sun will still come up in the east. What I cannot accept at all is some process whereby we might fail actually to leave.
    Exactly, any second referendum needs to be on a "Deal or No Deal" basis (with apologies to Noel Edmonds). It's can't possibly be "Deal or just forget about leaving the EU" - that ship sailed on June 23rd 2016.

    Unfortunately it's the secod option that certain people seem to campaigning for now. They should have done a better job of selling the positive case for EU membership a year ago.
  • How will Lords vote?

    I reckon about ~600 may turn up to vote and I'd expect 400-200 or so at 2nd reading.

    It's amendments I'm not sure about.

    I think the Lords will support the £350m per week for the NHS amendment.

    Salisbury-Addison convention here we come.
    They won't because it's a financial and budgetary matter and thus reserved.
  • Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    A local sales tax? Are you sure you're a conservative?
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 8,203

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    If Len says he would like a new Labour leadership election, then there will be one. And if he backs someone different to Corbyn, it's game over.

    Not unless the members change their mind it won't. The unions now have no votes in the leadership election


    Whether you like it or not the memberships' views are changing. To anyone who follows what is going on inside Labour that is absolutely clear.

    There is no polling evidence of that as yet just 5 months after Labour members re elected Corbyn by a landslide

    Yes, I know. That's why you need to be following what is going on inside Labour.

    I've no idea what is going on inside Labour. I can't even keep my fridge stocked with milk. But if Corbyn does go and Labour gets a new leader they won't have much in the way of baggage associating themselves with the failings of the Blair/Brown/Miliband years. So that would be plus.
    Yes... You could argue that if Corbyn steps down or goes by 2018 he's set things up rather nicely.
    Enough time for a new leader to make a mark. A palette cleanser from the Blair/Brown era.
    And has given shadow cabinet experience to a very wide group of new MPs (!)

    He has also re-established a principle of non interference in candidate selection which I think could be very helpful to Labour in the long run if they stick to it. His decision not to oppose A50 I think will work out to Labours benefit... But time will tell.

    Polling is pretty dreadful... But presumably some of that can be turned around by a new leader with a slicker operation.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,769
    edited February 2017

    Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    A local sales tax? Are you sure you're a conservative?
    Wealth tax.

    Encourage people to make productive use of their assets.
    Though thinking about it implementation may well be impossible.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,179

    How will Lords vote?

    I reckon about ~600 may turn up to vote and I'd expect 400-200 or so at 2nd reading.

    It's amendments I'm not sure about.

    I think the Lords will support the £350m per week for the NHS amendment.

    Salisbury-Addison convention here we come.
    They won't because it's a financial and budgetary matter and thus reserved.
    The Umunna amendment was non-budgetary, wasn't it?
  • Mr. Pulpstar, those who try and save despite being on low incomes would just love that. Especially on the back of 0.25% interest rates.

    Interesting implications on pensioners, too. Would houses count?

    Although I'm not wealthy *cough*buymybooks*cough* I think wealth taxes are deranged, and certainly unfair when we have income tax as well. Tax when you earn, tax when you save, tax when you spend, tax when you die. If we legalised prostitution there'd probably be VAT on sex too.
  • weejonnieweejonnie Posts: 3,820


    Except that once Article 50 is triggered it can't be unilaterally untriggered. So we would have a referendum on "accept this deal" or "crash out with no deal". Is that what you really want?

    It's not the Leavers fault this is the case - it is the fault of Gordon Brown's Labour government which with the connivance of the Lib Dems ratified without a referendum the Lisbon Treaty that made this the procedure for anyone leaving. Two years to the day after Article 50 is invoked we are out come what may unless we can get unanimous agreement to postpone our exit and there is no guarantee we will get that. Many on the continent are quite happy now to see us leave.

    Yes I can see Lisbon was all Gordon Brown's fault but for the sake of the slower kids at the back, can you explain what happened to David Cameron's "cast iron guarantee" of a referendum on Lisbon?

    Note:internal quotes excised to meet Vanilla's length limit.
    The "cast iron deal" was that there would be a referendum if Lisbon wasn't ratified by the EU countries. Ratificiation occurred before Cameron was in a position to hold the referendum.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,769
    Pay gap narrowing:

    I seem to be classified as a millenial in this article, http://news.sky.com/story/millennial-men-falling-behind-on-pay-as-they-shift-to-lower-paid-work-10760889?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter though in others I am not.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    edited February 2017
    GIN1138 said:

    It's crazy that the Commons clings to Bercow when there are so many fantastic candidates waiting in the wings. Lindsay Hoyle, Carswell, the Mogster and many others could do the job much better and without the attention seeking grandstanding of Bercow.

    #GetBercow
    Quite. There's three names, from three different parties, all of whom would make a significantly better job of the role of Speaker than the incumbent.

    I like @iSam's comment that it would be a great way for Carswell to quit UKIP without actually having to do it. He set an honest precedent of calling a by-election last time he crossed the floor, I'm not too sure he'd want to put his constituents through that again.
  • ... If we legalised prostitution...

    I thought it was soliciting not actual prostitution that is illegal???
  • Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    A local sales tax? Are you sure you're a conservative?
    It would partially replace VAT at a national level. Hannan, Hilton, Carswell and various others have all proposed it as a solution to local government finance. Plenty of other nations do very well with it.

    (PS: you can troll better than that)
  • Beverley_CBeverley_C Posts: 6,256

    Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    If you want to drive businesses insane then introduce a local sales tax. Try working with US based companies selling things in the USA to other people in the USA. There are literally thousands of tax-rate combinations for many states broken down by state, county, district and town and they vary frequently. Then there are the rules of how they are applied, various exemptions and so forth.

    Frankly - it is a complete mess.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,769

    Mr. Pulpstar, those who try and save despite being on low incomes would just love that. Especially on the back of 0.25% interest rates.

    Interesting implications on pensioners, too. Would houses count?

    Although I'm not wealthy *cough*buymybooks*cough* I think wealth taxes are deranged, and certainly unfair when we have income tax as well. Tax when you earn, tax when you save, tax when you spend, tax when you die. If we legalised prostitution there'd probably be VAT on sex too.

    Perhaps it could replace income tax though ?

    As I have said the implementation would be impossible (I think); in theory it could lead to pensioners downsizing though.

    On a side note if you're earning only 0.25% on your savings (or nil) then you aren't trying particularly hard. The exception is business banking where rates are effectively negative for everyone - but personal finances one should be able to manage a fairly hassle free yield of at least 2 and a bit% or so.
  • EssexitEssexit Posts: 1,956
    Sandpit said:

    Patrick said:

    OllyT said:

    felix said:

    felix said:


    So that's why the LDs want a few hundred MPs to ignore the EU referendum result.

    Aren't the LDs calling for voters to be given the opportunity of a second referendum? For some reason, Leavers have stopped trusting the British people and believe that they should not be allowed to vote again once the reality of the Brexit deal becomes known. Sad.
    Silly - even by your usual standards. what next ? best of 3?
    A vote in principle followed by a vote on the actual deal would have been a perfectly logical way to go about Brexit. There are two aspects to every issue of this nature - (A) do you want to stop doing something and (b) what do you want to do instead

    But Leavers know only to well that no specific deal would be likely to command a majority. Which is precisely why during the referendum you could find Leavers promising every type of Brexit and refusing to be nailed down on what Brexit would look like. Don't blame them for that - it was Cameron's fault for structuring the thing in the way he did.

    But the consequences are that we are likely to be leaving on a deal that doesn't even command majority support at the time we leave let alone once it gets played out. We are still in a phony war and political turbulence for Brexiters in general and the Tories in particular I suspect lay ahead of us.

    Except that once Article 50 is triggered it can't be unilaterally untriggered. So we would have a referendum on "accept this deal" or "crash out with no deal". Is that what you really want?
    Absolutely yes. Even if it is no deal at all we will soon enough settle into a perfectly OK M.O. and the sun will still come up in the east. What I cannot accept at all is some process whereby we might fail actually to leave.
    Exactly, any second referendum needs to be on a "Deal or No Deal" basis (with apologies to Noel Edmonds). It's can't possibly be "Deal or just forget about leaving the EU" - that ship sailed on June 23rd 2016.

    Unfortunately it's the secod option that certain people seem to campaigning for now. They should have done a better job of selling the positive case for EU membership a year ago.
    What positive case for EU membership?

    In all seriousness, Remain's largely negative message on the economy was probably spot-on for winning over the floating voters they needed. It just wasn't quite enough on the night.

    A positive message might have made them feel better, but it would have just played to their core vote and Leave would have won by more.
  • Another poll showing a big move to the SPD in Germany:
    https://twitter.com/electograph/status/829642211553898498
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    edited February 2017

    Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    I'd devolve the majority of the NHS budget to County level, so that health and social care can be integrated and local politicians held accountable - rather than Commons bunfights on the issue like we saw yesterday.

    This could have the side effect of allowing a large cut in NI balanced by large rises in council tax, property taxes being significantly wider in scope and more difficult to avoid than income taxes.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,347
    edited February 2017

    Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    If you want to drive businesses insane then introduce a local sales tax. Try working with US based companies selling things in the USA to other people in the USA. There are literally thousands of tax-rate combinations for many states broken down by state, county, district and town and they vary frequently. Then there are the rules of how they are applied, various exemptions and so forth.

    Frankly - it is a complete mess.
    It is bad enough selling digital goods across europe with 28 different VAT rates and as the seller you are the one who is responsible for ensuring the correct VAT rates are charged (this requires that 2-3 different bits of info correspond ie physical address, ip address, etc).

    Breaking that down to every local council level would be basically impossible to check and actually enforce.
  • EssexitEssexit Posts: 1,956
    Re: Carswell, being an independent MP suits him better than being an uneasy bedfellow with Ukip, or than crawling back to the party of George Osborne. Or perhaps he could join Tendring First, a party that has councillors in these parts.
  • Pulpstar said:

    Mr. Pulpstar, those who try and save despite being on low incomes would just love that. Especially on the back of 0.25% interest rates.

    Interesting implications on pensioners, too. Would houses count?

    Although I'm not wealthy *cough*buymybooks*cough* I think wealth taxes are deranged, and certainly unfair when we have income tax as well. Tax when you earn, tax when you save, tax when you spend, tax when you die. If we legalised prostitution there'd probably be VAT on sex too.

    ... personal finances one should be able to manage a fairly hassle free yield of at least 2 and a bit% or so.
    True if you have a small amount to save but utterly untrue if you want to park your life savings somewhere. Could you direct me to an account yielding even 1.5% for an unlimited balance?
  • JobabobJobabob Posts: 3,807

    PlatoSaid said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Gorsuch is not a fan of Trump's attacks on the judiciary. It will not affect his supreme court judgements.

    I doubt you find any judge who is a fan of presidential abuse about judges.
    Obama was very rude a few years back - but the media loved him so didn't apply the same test.


    Obama Criticizes Supreme Court in State of the Union Address


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiDiHX50zT4

    Criticising judgments and courts is very different to criticising judges as individuals.

    Plato is a spoof poster - I finally realised this a week or two ago. Either laugh or ignore!
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,179
    Sandpit said:

    Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    I'd devolve the majority of the NHS budget to County level, so that health and social care can be integrated and local politicians held accountable - rather than Commons bunfights on the issue like we saw yesterday.
    If the answer is putting the county council in charge of the health service, you're asking the wrong question.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    Patrick said:

    ... If we legalised prostitution...

    I thought it was soliciting not actual prostitution that is illegal???
    Giving a lady money for her time isn't illegal. Lots of related activities are though, such as soliciting, pimping, kerb crawling, brothel keeping etc.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,769
    Patrick said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Mr. Pulpstar, those who try and save despite being on low incomes would just love that. Especially on the back of 0.25% interest rates.

    Interesting implications on pensioners, too. Would houses count?

    Although I'm not wealthy *cough*buymybooks*cough* I think wealth taxes are deranged, and certainly unfair when we have income tax as well. Tax when you earn, tax when you save, tax when you spend, tax when you die. If we legalised prostitution there'd probably be VAT on sex too.

    ... personal finances one should be able to manage a fairly hassle free yield of at least 2 and a bit% or so.
    True if you have a small amount to save but utterly untrue if you want to park your life savings somewhere. Could you direct me to an account yielding even 1.5% for an unlimited balance?
    Zopa Access 2.9%.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,654
    Ishmael_Z said:

    Fake laird.

    'Academic touted as Trump’s EU envoy embellished autobiography

    Mr Malloch also wrote that he was “made a laird by Lord Lyon of Scotland and given a personal coat of arms with a fancy Latin inscription”.

    However, the Clerk and Keeper of the Records at the court of the Lord Lyon said: “The Lord Lyon does not, nor could he, create a person a laird . . . It would certainly be incorrect [for Mr Malloch] to say that ‘he was made a laird by the Lord Lyon King of Arms’.” Mr Malloch told the FT that he had a scroll showing his position as laird.'

    http://tinyurl.com/jhejpk5

    He has a scroll!

    Brilliant, Also, Mrs Thatcher called him a genius, he was largely responsible for the end of the Soviet Union, and best of all:

    Mr Malloch also writes that he was “knighted in the Sovereign Order of St John by the Queen, Elizabeth II herself” and “to my family and closest friends, I am therefore known as Sir Ted”

    google "Academic touted as Trump’s EU envoy embellished autobiography" to get through ft paywall.
    There is a market in these largely defunct titles which can be bought and sold. Here is an example: https://www.highlandtitles.com/
    It is of course not an honour but a purchase by those who have far too much money to waste.

    It is possible that as part of the buying process that the Lord Lyon might have confirmed that it was or would be a valid title. It may all be fantasy but it may not in this particular context.
  • Pulpstar said:

    Patrick said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Mr. Pulpstar, those who try and save despite being on low incomes would just love that. Especially on the back of 0.25% interest rates.

    Interesting implications on pensioners, too. Would houses count?

    Although I'm not wealthy *cough*buymybooks*cough* I think wealth taxes are deranged, and certainly unfair when we have income tax as well. Tax when you earn, tax when you save, tax when you spend, tax when you die. If we legalised prostitution there'd probably be VAT on sex too.

    ... personal finances one should be able to manage a fairly hassle free yield of at least 2 and a bit% or so.
    True if you have a small amount to save but utterly untrue if you want to park your life savings somewhere. Could you direct me to an account yielding even 1.5% for an unlimited balance?
    Zopa Access 2.9%.
    Thanks. Will investigate.
  • Beverley_CBeverley_C Posts: 6,256
    edited February 2017
    :):):)

    No surprise really given the tripe that usually turns up in the Mail.
    Wikipedia editors have said they will no longer accept links to Daily Mail stories to support citations because it is too unreliable.
    ...
    The statement added: "The general themes of the support votes centred on the Daily Mail's reputation for poor fact checking, sensationalism, and flat-out fabrication."
    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/wikipedia-editors-ban-daily-mail-source-citation-unreliable-mail-online-a7570856.html
  • :):):)

    No surprise really given the tripe that usually turns up in the Mail.

    Wikipedia editors have said they will no longer accept links to Daily Mail stories to support citations because it is too unreliable.

    ...

    The statement added: "The general themes of the support votes centred on the Daily Mail's reputation for poor fact checking, sensationalism, and flat-out fabrication."
    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/wikipedia-editors-ban-daily-mail-source-citation-unreliable-mail-online-a7570856.html

    But the likes of Russia today are still ok for Wikipedia.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169

    Sandpit said:

    Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    I'd devolve the majority of the NHS budget to County level, so that health and social care can be integrated and local politicians held accountable - rather than Commons bunfights on the issue like we saw yesterday.
    If the answer is putting the county council in charge of the health service, you're asking the wrong question.
    Okay I'm happy to be convinced I'm wrong. What would be your approach to the integration issues between health and social care?
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Carswell speaks well here. Confirms he is basically an Independent

    https://twitter.com/agneschambre/status/828927981582172161
  • On topic, one thing that's striking about the table is how much damage was done to the coalition over something so trivial. The coalition never really recovered from the AV vote, yet only a handful of seats would have been affected: the Tories would still have won their 2015 majority and the Lib Dems would still have been near-annihilated.

    It makes me think that the referendum turned out to be the worst of all worlds: either the Tories should have agreed to AV in return for a greater concession elsewhere, or the Lib Dems should have given up chasing that prize, also in return for some quid pro quo.
  • HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    Patrick said:

    ... If we legalised prostitution...

    I thought it was soliciting not actual prostitution that is illegal???
    Quite so, Mr. Patrick, along with running a brothel and living off immoral earnings. Prostitution per se has never been illegal in England and Wales.
  • danielmawbsdanielmawbs Posts: 96
    edited February 2017
    Sandpit said:

    Patrick said:

    ... If we legalised prostitution...

    I thought it was soliciting not actual prostitution that is illegal???
    Giving a lady money for her time isn't illegal. Lots of related activities are though, such as soliciting, pimping, kerb crawling, brothel keeping etc.
    And as she is carrying on a profession the fee she charges is subject to income tax and if she turns over enough vat too.

    Edit: and she can't live off the money as that would be living off immoral earnings.
  • Patrick said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Patrick said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Mr. Pulpstar, those who try and save despite being on low incomes would just love that. Especially on the back of 0.25% interest rates.

    Interesting implications on pensioners, too. Would houses count?

    Although I'm not wealthy *cough*buymybooks*cough* I think wealth taxes are deranged, and certainly unfair when we have income tax as well. Tax when you earn, tax when you save, tax when you spend, tax when you die. If we legalised prostitution there'd probably be VAT on sex too.

    ... personal finances one should be able to manage a fairly hassle free yield of at least 2 and a bit% or so.
    True if you have a small amount to save but utterly untrue if you want to park your life savings somewhere. Could you direct me to an account yielding even 1.5% for an unlimited balance?
    Zopa Access 2.9%.
    Thanks. Will investigate.
    It's peer to peer lending! Any actual 'accounts' with a bank/BS that is not a spiv outfit?

  • Except that once Article 50 is triggered it can't be unilaterally untriggered. So we would have a referendum on "accept this deal" or "crash out with no deal". Is that what you really want?

    It's not the Leavers fault this is the case - it is the fault of Gordon Brown's Labour government which with the connivance of the Lib Dems ratified without a referendum the Lisbon Treaty that made this the procedure for anyone leaving. Two years to the day after Article 50 is invoked we are out come what may unless we can get unanimous agreement to postpone our exit and there is no guarantee we will get that. Many on the continent are quite happy now to see us leave.

    Yes I can see Lisbon was all Gordon Brown's fault but for the sake of the slower kids at the back, can you explain what happened to David Cameron's "cast iron guarantee" of a referendum on Lisbon?

    Note:internal quotes excised to meet Vanilla's length limit.
    Reading the full article that quote came from. It starts "we are about to have an election" and proceeds to say that if elected he gives a "cast iron guarantee" of a referendum before Lisbon is ratified. Gordon Brown cancelled the election (aka "the election that never was") and ratified Lisbon instead thus voiding pledges made for the election that never was. Cameron upfront said after Brown ratified Lisbon that it was too late now and he would be unable to hold a referendum which he said before the 2010 election.
  • It was only a few weeks ago that Merkel seemed unassailable and about to be re-elected as the German chancellor, yet again. Then the SPD changed its leader, installing the credible, pragmatic Martin Schulz. Suddenly it has all changed. Clearly, SPD members and apparatchiks are way smarter than their Labour counterparts, but it does show what can happen.

    Similarly, a few weeks back it was just a question of Fillon or Le Pen in France. Now Macron has emerged.

    In short, news of the death of the centre left in Europe may have been exaggerated.

    So much depends on leadership.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    Jobabob said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Gorsuch is not a fan of Trump's attacks on the judiciary. It will not affect his supreme court judgements.

    I doubt you find any judge who is a fan of presidential abuse about judges.
    Obama was very rude a few years back - but the media loved him so didn't apply the same test.


    Obama Criticizes Supreme Court in State of the Union Address


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiDiHX50zT4

    Criticising judgments and courts is very different to criticising judges as individuals.

    Plato is a spoof poster - I finally realised this a week or two ago. Either laugh or ignore!
    She isn't a spoof at all, Plato has been posting here for a decade or more.

    She's gone out of her way to give this place an insight into what's going on in US politics right now, and we can either choose to listen and try to understand a different point of view, or ignore and choose not to be informed.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,690
    There's been an explosion at the Flamenville reactor in France. It's not clear whether this is the new EPR or one of the two existing reactors at the site. If it is the EPR, it casts further doubt over Hinkley Point C.
  • Beverley_CBeverley_C Posts: 6,256


    But the likes of Russia today are still ok for Wikipedia.

    Maybe so.... you could always ask Wikipedia and see what they say.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,690
    Sandpit said:

    Jobabob said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Gorsuch is not a fan of Trump's attacks on the judiciary. It will not affect his supreme court judgements.

    I doubt you find any judge who is a fan of presidential abuse about judges.
    Obama was very rude a few years back - but the media loved him so didn't apply the same test.


    Obama Criticizes Supreme Court in State of the Union Address


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiDiHX50zT4

    Criticising judgments and courts is very different to criticising judges as individuals.

    Plato is a spoof poster - I finally realised this a week or two ago. Either laugh or ignore!
    She isn't a spoof at all, Plato has been posting here for a decade or more.

    She's gone out of her way to give this place an insight into what's going on in US politics right now, and we can either choose to listen and try to understand a different point of view, or ignore and choose not to be informed.
    While that's true, she is - as is ScottP, and a few others - also guilty of just reposting tonnes of stuff from Twitter. I'd like to keep the Plato comments, but skip the links.
  • Carolus_RexCarolus_Rex Posts: 1,414

    Mr. Pulpstar, those who try and save despite being on low incomes would just love that. Especially on the back of 0.25% interest rates.

    Interesting implications on pensioners, too. Would houses count?

    Although I'm not wealthy *cough*buymybooks*cough* I think wealth taxes are deranged, and certainly unfair when we have income tax as well. Tax when you earn, tax when you save, tax when you spend, tax when you die. If we legalised prostitution there'd probably be VAT on sex too.

    Mr Dancer, prostitution is legal, and earnings from it are indeed taxable, and no doubt subject to VAT if turnover exceeds the threshold. Needless to say evasion is rife!
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,217

    Mr. Royale, Titus Manlius Torquatus was looked down upon by his father because of a speech impediment, yet went on to become one of the greatest generals of his time.

    Miss Plato, for all the 'fake news' nonsense, a failure to report on politically unhelpful things, like rape committed by recent migrants (or 'cultural sensitive' sex crimes in Rotherham) is the most serious sort. And it erodes public faith in media, police and politicians, making it less likely the authorities are taken seriously later on.

    Mr. 1000, indeed.

    a failure to report on politically unhelpful things, like rape committed by recent migrants (or 'cultural sensitive' sex crimes in Rotherham) is the most serious sort. And it erodes public faith in media, police and politicians

    Note that one of the reasons Rotherham came to light was the persistence of the Times investigative reporting. Blaming the media is a bit harsh.
  • JobabobJobabob Posts: 3,807
    Sandpit said:

    Jobabob said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Gorsuch is not a fan of Trump's attacks on the judiciary. It will not affect his supreme court judgements.

    I doubt you find any judge who is a fan of presidential abuse about judges.
    Obama was very rude a few years back - but the media loved him so didn't apply the same test.


    Obama Criticizes Supreme Court in State of the Union Address


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiDiHX50zT4

    Criticising judgments and courts is very different to criticising judges as individuals.

    Plato is a spoof poster - I finally realised this a week or two ago. Either laugh or ignore!
    She isn't a spoof at all, Plato has been posting here for a decade or more.

    She's gone out of her way to give this place an insight into what's going on in US politics right now, and we can either choose to listen and try to understand a different point of view, or ignore and choose not to be informed.
    No - it's a spoof account. The penny dropped a couple of weeks back
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,690


    Except that once Article 50 is triggered it can't be unilaterally untriggered. So we would have a referendum on "accept this deal" or "crash out with no deal". Is that what you really want?

    It's not the Leavers fault this is the case - it is the fault of Gordon Brown's Labour government which with the connivance of the Lib Dems ratified without a referendum the Lisbon Treaty that made this the procedure for anyone leaving. Two years to the day after Article 50 is invoked we are out come what may unless we can get unanimous agreement to postpone our exit and there is no guarantee we will get that. Many on the continent are quite happy now to see us leave.

    Yes I can see Lisbon was all Gordon Brown's fault but for the sake of the slower kids at the back, can you explain what happened to David Cameron's "cast iron guarantee" of a referendum on Lisbon?

    Note:internal quotes excised to meet Vanilla's length limit.
    Reading the full article that quote came from. It starts "we are about to have an election" and proceeds to say that if elected he gives a "cast iron guarantee" of a referendum before Lisbon is ratified. Gordon Brown cancelled the election (aka "the election that never was") and ratified Lisbon instead thus voiding pledges made for the election that never was. Cameron upfront said after Brown ratified Lisbon that it was too late now and he would be unable to hold a referendum which he said before the 2010 election.
    Absolutely right. You cannot unratify a Treaty. Once Gordon had "done the deed", we had the choice of either leaving the EU, or lunping it.
  • A welcome endorsement from 'I'm not a racist' Farage for 'I'm not a racist' Sessions.

    https://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage/status/829644260488183808
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169

    Sandpit said:

    Patrick said:

    ... If we legalised prostitution...

    I thought it was soliciting not actual prostitution that is illegal???
    Giving a lady money for her time isn't illegal. Lots of related activities are though, such as soliciting, pimping, kerb crawling, brothel keeping etc.
    And as she is carrying on a profession the fee she charges is subject to income tax and if she turns over enough vat too.

    Edit: and she can't live off the money as that would be living off immoral earnings.
    Yes, she should pay her taxes the same as anyone else, and VAT where appropriate. I thought "living off immoral earnings" was aimed at pimps rather than the girls themselves though?
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,302
    rcs1000 said:

    There's been an explosion at the Flamenville reactor in France. It's not clear whether this is the new EPR or one of the two existing reactors at the site. If it is the EPR, it casts further doubt over Hinkley Point C.

    Oooh

    just opposite Guernsey

    sons working there atm
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,769
    @Patrick I've sent you a vanilla message.
  • JobabobJobabob Posts: 3,807

    It was only a few weeks ago that Merkel seemed unassailable and about to be re-elected as the German chancellor, yet again. Then the SPD changed its leader, installing the credible, pragmatic Martin Schulz. Suddenly it has all changed. Clearly, SPD members and apparatchiks are way smarter than their Labour counterparts, but it does show what can happen.

    Similarly, a few weeks back it was just a question of Fillon or Le Pen in France. Now Macron has emerged.

    In short, news of the death of the centre left in Europe may have been exaggerated.

    So much depends on leadership.

    Indeed good post. It's now conceivable (far from guaranteed) that the sane, pragmatic, euro-realistic centre-left sweep in in France and Germany. (But I worry about Russia gaming the election a la Trump and getting the odious Le Pen in)
  • rcs1000 said:


    Except that once Article 50 is triggered it can't be unilaterally untriggered. So we would have a referendum on "accept this deal" or "crash out with no deal". Is that what you really want?

    It's not the Leavers fault this is the case - it is the fault of Gordon Brown's Labour government which with the connivance of the Lib Dems ratified without a referendum the Lisbon Treaty that made this the procedure for anyone leaving. Two years to the day after Article 50 is invoked we are out come what may unless we can get unanimous agreement to postpone our exit and there is no guarantee we will get that. Many on the continent are quite happy now to see us leave.

    Yes I can see Lisbon was all Gordon Brown's fault but for the sake of the slower kids at the back, can you explain what happened to David Cameron's "cast iron guarantee" of a referendum on Lisbon?

    Note:internal quotes excised to meet Vanilla's length limit.
    Reading the full article that quote came from. It starts "we are about to have an election" and proceeds to say that if elected he gives a "cast iron guarantee" of a referendum before Lisbon is ratified. Gordon Brown cancelled the election (aka "the election that never was") and ratified Lisbon instead thus voiding pledges made for the election that never was. Cameron upfront said after Brown ratified Lisbon that it was too late now and he would be unable to hold a referendum which he said before the 2010 election.
    Absolutely right. You cannot unratify a Treaty. Once Gordon had "done the deed", we had the choice of either leaving the EU, or lunping it.
    And the rest as they say is history.
  • Clearly, my knowledge of paying for sex is much less than that of many other PBers :p

    Mr. B, a very good point, and a strong argument against ridiculous regulation of the press.
  • rcs1000 said:

    There's been an explosion at the Flamenville reactor in France. It's not clear whether this is the new EPR or one of the two existing reactors at the site. If it is the EPR, it casts further doubt over Hinkley Point C.

    Reports from France say the explosion at the Flamanville nuclear power station occurred in the turbine hall, and is reported to have caused injuries.

    The local authorities said there was no risk of a radioactive leak and the reactor area had not been compromised.


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-jersey-38844495
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,654

    Mr. Pulpstar, those who try and save despite being on low incomes would just love that. Especially on the back of 0.25% interest rates.

    Interesting implications on pensioners, too. Would houses count?

    Although I'm not wealthy *cough*buymybooks*cough* I think wealth taxes are deranged, and certainly unfair when we have income tax as well. Tax when you earn, tax when you save, tax when you spend, tax when you die. If we legalised prostitution there'd probably be VAT on sex too.

    Mr Dancer, prostitution is legal, and earnings from it are indeed taxable, and no doubt subject to VAT if turnover exceeds the threshold. Needless to say evasion is rife!
    I did a VAT Tribunal case about this once. HMRC were seeking to aggregate the income the girls were receiving to the income the establishment was receiving for providing the facilities. I am pleased to say that they lost and it was accepted that the girls were self-employed and had a duty to account for their own individual earnings. It was a remarkably educational case to be involved in!
  • Beverley_CBeverley_C Posts: 6,256

    It is bad enough selling digital goods across europe with 28 different VAT rates and as the seller you are the one who is responsible for ensuring the correct VAT rates are charged (this requires that 2-3 different bits of info correspond ie physical address, ip address, etc).

    Breaking that down to every local council level would be basically impossible to check and actually enforce.

    There are actually companies in the USA that collate all the tax info across the US into a database and then they sell access to that information for businesses that sell online. The ones that actually work well (because some of them are dreadful) charge prices starting from around £2500 per year depending on the quantity of data needed, the method of access and so on. None of that helps with the levels of documentation the company needs to return to satisfy the IRS.

    I think it is one of the craziest systems I have ever encountered and it gives me some inkling into why so many americans really dislike their tax system.

  • rcs1000 said:

    There's been an explosion at the Flamenville reactor in France. It's not clear whether this is the new EPR or one of the two existing reactors at the site. If it is the EPR, it casts further doubt over Hinkley Point C.

    Oooh

    just opposite Guernsey

    sons working there atm
    The bad news is the wind is from the East:

    http://guernseypress.com/weather/

    The good news is the nuclear section is not involved:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-jersey-38844495
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,302

    rcs1000 said:

    There's been an explosion at the Flamenville reactor in France. It's not clear whether this is the new EPR or one of the two existing reactors at the site. If it is the EPR, it casts further doubt over Hinkley Point C.

    Oooh

    just opposite Guernsey

    sons working there atm
    The bad news is the wind is from the East:

    http://guernseypress.com/weather/

    The good news is the nuclear section is not involved:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-jersey-38844495
    the worse news is its France

    they wouldnt lie would they ? :-)
  • EssexitEssexit Posts: 1,956
    Sandpit said:

    Jobabob said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Gorsuch is not a fan of Trump's attacks on the judiciary. It will not affect his supreme court judgements.

    I doubt you find any judge who is a fan of presidential abuse about judges.
    Obama was very rude a few years back - but the media loved him so didn't apply the same test.


    Obama Criticizes Supreme Court in State of the Union Address


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiDiHX50zT4

    Criticising judgments and courts is very different to criticising judges as individuals.

    Plato is a spoof poster - I finally realised this a week or two ago. Either laugh or ignore!
    She isn't a spoof at all, Plato has been posting here for a decade or more.

    She's gone out of her way to give this place an insight into what's going on in US politics right now, and we can either choose to listen and try to understand a different point of view, or ignore and choose not to be informed.
    I wonder which option Jobabob will choose.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    rcs1000 said:

    There's been an explosion at the Flamenville reactor in France. It's not clear whether this is the new EPR or one of the two existing reactors at the site. If it is the EPR, it casts further doubt over Hinkley Point C.

    Initial reports that one reactor was shut down 'as a precaution' but that the explosion was at another part of the site.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/09/explosion-french-nuclear-reactor-site-several-injured/
  • Pulpstar said:

    @Patrick I've sent you a vanilla message.

    Thank 'ee kindly!
  • Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    If you want to drive businesses insane then introduce a local sales tax. Try working with US based companies selling things in the USA to other people in the USA. There are literally thousands of tax-rate combinations for many states broken down by state, county, district and town and they vary frequently. Then there are the rules of how they are applied, various exemptions and so forth.

    Frankly - it is a complete mess.
    Sales taxes set at non-national level are common worldwide.

    VAT is also messy and contains plenty of exemptions and paperwork. But introducing an element of localisation to the tax offers much more flexibility for local Government.
  • BudGBudG Posts: 711
    A bit worrying for Macron backers. For the second day in a row Macron has dropped one point. Now only leads Fillon by just one point in this rolling poll.

    http://opinionlab.opinion-way.com/opinionlab/832/627/presitrack.html
  • HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Patrick said:

    ... If we legalised prostitution...

    I thought it was soliciting not actual prostitution that is illegal???
    Giving a lady money for her time isn't illegal. Lots of related activities are though, such as soliciting, pimping, kerb crawling, brothel keeping etc.
    And as she is carrying on a profession the fee she charges is subject to income tax and if she turns over enough vat too.

    Edit: and she can't live off the money as that would be living off immoral earnings.
    Yes, she should pay her taxes the same as anyone else, and VAT where appropriate. I thought "living off immoral earnings" was aimed at pimps rather than the girls themselves though?
    It most certainly is, Mr. Pit, the legislation makes clear. E.g. Section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 1957 begins " A man or woman who knowingly lives wholly or inpart on the earnings of prostitution of another ..."

    The keyword being, "Another".

    For completeness, the prostitute can be male or female.
  • On topic, one thing that's striking about the table is how much damage was done to the coalition over something so trivial. The coalition never really recovered from the AV vote, yet only a handful of seats would have been affected: the Tories would still have won their 2015 majority and the Lib Dems would still have been near-annihilated.

    It makes me think that the referendum turned out to be the worst of all worlds: either the Tories should have agreed to AV in return for a greater concession elsewhere, or the Lib Dems should have given up chasing that prize, also in return for some quid pro quo.

    But no-one knew that at the time.

    In those days, electoral reform was all the Lib Dems cared about as they (and, to be fair, most Tories too) thought it would lead to them perpetually being the powerbrokers in Government.

    Something, anything, other than FPTP was worth going for in their view.

    They are much quieter these days (a) because they got thumped (b) because they have bigger things on their minds - i.e. the EU and (c) because the Right has an absolute majority.
  • rcs1000 said:

    There's been an explosion at the Flamenville reactor in France. It's not clear whether this is the new EPR or one of the two existing reactors at the site. If it is the EPR, it casts further doubt over Hinkley Point C.

    Oooh

    just opposite Guernsey

    sons working there atm
    The bad news is the wind is from the East:

    http://guernseypress.com/weather/

    The good news is the nuclear section is not involved:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-jersey-38844495
    the worse news is its France

    they wouldnt lie would they ? :-)
    Mixed messages:

    Flamanville blast caused by fire in Reactor 1

    Reuters
    Posted at
    18:20
    The French utility company which operates the Flamanville nuclear plant has confirmed that a fire in Reactor 1 led to a blast at 08:40, Reuters reports.

    The 1,300 MW reactor has been taken offline following the blast.

    The explosion caused minor injuries but happened outside the nuclear zone and posed no risk of contamination, authorities said.

    The nuclear safety authority ASN said it had no information and could not immediately comment.
  • On topic, one thing that's striking about the table is how much damage was done to the coalition over something so trivial. The coalition never really recovered from the AV vote, yet only a handful of seats would have been affected: the Tories would still have won their 2015 majority and the Lib Dems would still have been near-annihilated.

    It makes me think that the referendum turned out to be the worst of all worlds: either the Tories should have agreed to AV in return for a greater concession elsewhere, or the Lib Dems should have given up chasing that prize, also in return for some quid pro quo.

    The worst thing was we were denied the greatest voting system in the world because the electorate decided to give Nick Clegg a kicking.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,690
    BudG said:

    A bit worrying for Macron backers. For the second day in a row Macron has dropped one point. Now only leads Fillon by just one point in this rolling poll.

    http://opinionlab.opinion-way.com/opinionlab/832/627/presitrack.html

    That's showing a very different set of trends to the Ifop daily, which has Le Pen two points higher, and has Hamon losing share fast.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    Jobabob said:

    Sandpit said:

    Jobabob said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Gorsuch is not a fan of Trump's attacks on the judiciary. It will not affect his supreme court judgements.

    I doubt you find any judge who is a fan of presidential abuse about judges.
    Obama was very rude a few years back - but the media loved him so didn't apply the same test.


    Obama Criticizes Supreme Court in State of the Union Address


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiDiHX50zT4

    Criticising judgments and courts is very different to criticising judges as individuals.

    Plato is a spoof poster - I finally realised this a week or two ago. Either laugh or ignore!
    She isn't a spoof at all, Plato has been posting here for a decade or more.

    She's gone out of her way to give this place an insight into what's going on in US politics right now, and we can either choose to listen and try to understand a different point of view, or ignore and choose not to be informed.
    No - it's a spoof account. The penny dropped a couple of weeks back
    You can think what you wish. I think she's tried to give us an understanding of why the US elected Trump last year, although I skip quickly over 20 minute videos in a quick comments format such as this. A number of posters here have met Ms Plato in person.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,207
    Jobabob said:

    Sandpit said:

    Jobabob said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Gorsuch is not a fan of Trump's attacks on the judiciary. It will not affect his supreme court judgements.

    I doubt you find any judge who is a fan of presidential abuse about judges.
    Obama was very rude a few years back - but the media loved him so didn't apply the same test.


    Obama Criticizes Supreme Court in State of the Union Address


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiDiHX50zT4

    Criticising judgments and courts is very different to criticising judges as individuals.

    Plato is a spoof poster - I finally realised this a week or two ago. Either laugh or ignore!
    She isn't a spoof at all, Plato has been posting here for a decade or more.

    She's gone out of her way to give this place an insight into what's going on in US politics right now, and we can either choose to listen and try to understand a different point of view, or ignore and choose not to be informed.
    No - it's a spoof account. The penny dropped a couple of weeks back
    We can get more insight in one Plato post than in your entire pb.com posting history....
  • Sandpit said:

    Does anyone know when the council tax valuations will be updated.

    I know back in 1991 ours was a band D, and I'm fairly certain houses prices have increased a bit since then, even before all the extensions we've had.

    Never.

    Perhaps once we've left the EU we might introduce a better method of local government revenue raising, including local sales taxes etc., in the 2020s.

    But not holding my breath.
    I'd devolve the majority of the NHS budget to County level, so that health and social care can be integrated and local politicians held accountable - rather than Commons bunfights on the issue like we saw yesterday.

    This could have the side effect of allowing a large cut in NI balanced by large rises in council tax, property taxes being significantly wider in scope and more difficult to avoid than income taxes.
    We really need a constitutional convention post Brexit to agree all this stuff.

    We won't get one.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,769
    edited February 2017
    rcs1000 said:

    BudG said:

    A bit worrying for Macron backers. For the second day in a row Macron has dropped one point. Now only leads Fillon by just one point in this rolling poll.

    http://opinionlab.opinion-way.com/opinionlab/832/627/presitrack.html

    That's showing a very different set of trends to the Ifop daily, which has Le Pen two points higher, and has Hamon losing share fast.
    Macron is pulling decent crowds is he not ?

    Potentially a sign of outperforming.
  • BudG said:

    A bit worrying for Macron backers. For the second day in a row Macron has dropped one point. Now only leads Fillon by just one point in this rolling poll.

    http://opinionlab.opinion-way.com/opinionlab/832/627/presitrack.html

    I did suggest to punters on here yesterday that they took up the 5.4 on offer on BF for Fillon. Drifted down to 4.7 today.

    As ever DYOR.
  • O/T Apart from a wobble over her Conference speech, Amber Rudd is proving to be rather effective as one of the most senior members of the government. This will surprise some people, but I've long rated her.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,122
    BudG said:

    A bit worrying for Macron backers. For the second day in a row Macron has dropped one point. Now only leads Fillon by just one point in this rolling poll.

    http://opinionlab.opinion-way.com/opinionlab/832/627/presitrack.html

    Interesting that 35% of respondents think that Macron will win, though that too is down from 40% a couple of days ago.
  • BudGBudG Posts: 711
    edited February 2017
    rcs1000 said:

    BudG said:

    A bit worrying for Macron backers. For the second day in a row Macron has dropped one point. Now only leads Fillon by just one point in this rolling poll.

    http://opinionlab.opinion-way.com/opinionlab/832/627/presitrack.html

    That's showing a very different set of trends to the Ifop daily, which has Le Pen two points higher, and has Hamon losing share fast.
    Yes, this one also shows Fillon stubbornly stable at 20% every day, whereas ifop has him falling to around 18% I think it was yesterday.

    Never having been involved in french elections before, I am not sure which is the more reliable.
  • On topic, one thing that's striking about the table is how much damage was done to the coalition over something so trivial. The coalition never really recovered from the AV vote, yet only a handful of seats would have been affected: the Tories would still have won their 2015 majority and the Lib Dems would still have been near-annihilated.

    It makes me think that the referendum turned out to be the worst of all worlds: either the Tories should have agreed to AV in return for a greater concession elsewhere, or the Lib Dems should have given up chasing that prize, also in return for some quid pro quo.

    The worst thing was we were denied the greatest voting system in the world because the electorate decided to give Nick Clegg a kicking.
    Hmm. Bit more than that. The AV campaign was awful iirc. Absolutely pants, with Eddie Izzard in the driving seat. Tories completely out manoeuvred Libs over the whole process. What a wasted opportunity.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    edited February 2017

    It is bad enough selling digital goods across europe with 28 different VAT rates and as the seller you are the one who is responsible for ensuring the correct VAT rates are charged (this requires that 2-3 different bits of info correspond ie physical address, ip address, etc).

    Breaking that down to every local council level would be basically impossible to check and actually enforce.

    There are actually companies in the USA that collate all the tax info across the US into a database and then they sell access to that information for businesses that sell online. The ones that actually work well (because some of them are dreadful) charge prices starting from around £2500 per year depending on the quantity of data needed, the method of access and so on. None of that helps with the levels of documentation the company needs to return to satisfy the IRS.

    I think it is one of the craziest systems I have ever encountered and it gives me some inkling into why so many americans really dislike their tax system
    I worked on a project that involved US sales tax a few years back, to say it's complicated is an understatement. Not only are there several taxes to apply to a transaction, but they have to be applied in a specific order, some include tax-on-tax and some work from the net figure, some include tax on only certain products or service charges (in an hotel or restaurant) etc.

    India is more complicated though. Their system is completely unfathomable unless you're an Indian accountant or point of sale system integrator.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,207

    O/T Apart from a wobble over her Conference speech, Amber Rudd is proving to be rather effective as one of the most senior members of the government. This will surprise some people, but I've long rated her.

    She didn't cover herself in glory in the Referendum debate. Early days....
  • HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098

    Clearly, my knowledge of paying for sex is much less than that of many other PBers :p

    I should hope so too! A clean living young man like you in the Yorkshire should be more interested in healthy brisk walks across the Dales and cold showers.

    In my younger days things were different. Clean, healthy, living was not something we were interested in. My only real claim to fame was to be chucked out of a brothel in Macao for singing Jerusalem in the bar whilst waiting for the third member of our party to finish with his two chosen young ladies.
  • BudG said:

    A bit worrying for Macron backers. For the second day in a row Macron has dropped one point. Now only leads Fillon by just one point in this rolling poll.

    http://opinionlab.opinion-way.com/opinionlab/832/627/presitrack.html

    Interesting that candidates on the centre and left take 50% of the vote, while those on the right take 40%. Macron's challenge is clearly to persuade a few Hamon and Melenchon supporters to lend him their votes in the first round. If he can do that he will President.

  • THE word ‘Corbyn’ has become a popular idiom for something that is utterly fucking useless.

    The Labour leader’s surname has replaced ‘chocolate fireguard’, ‘chocolate teapot’ and ‘tits on a boar hog’ as the go-to phrase for comically describing something devoid of function.

    http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/corbyn-now-a-slang-term-for-useless-thing-20170209121867
  • Mr. Llama, it's true, I'm practically a modern day Buddha.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,169
    tlg86 said:

    BudG said:

    A bit worrying for Macron backers. For the second day in a row Macron has dropped one point. Now only leads Fillon by just one point in this rolling poll.

    http://opinionlab.opinion-way.com/opinionlab/832/627/presitrack.html

    Interesting that 35% of respondents think that Macron will win, though that too is down from 40% a couple of days ago.
    Win the election or win the first round? In other words how well do the electorate understand the nuances of their electoral system, how much tactical voting goes on apart from vs Le Pen in the second round?
  • Mr. Llama, it's true, I'm practically a modern day Buddha.

    If you are ever caught with a prostitute by the rozzers tell them she's a condom seller who was providing you with a free demonstration on how to use her product.
  • https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-08/schaeuble-rules-out-greek-debt-cut-as-violation-of-eu-rules-iyxc58e4

    Dr Strangelove is at it again I see.

    What hope for Greece other than leaving the Euro and debt default? The status quo is a disaster for the Greek people, grinding austerity, high unemployment and absolutely no prospects for the young and clever.
  • All the talk about the health service is how quckly treatment is provided.

    Surely the emphasis should be on how well that treatment is provided?

    Of course measuring 'how well' takes more effort than measuring 'how quickly', so the media only talk about 'how quickly'.
  • Mr. Eagles, why? Given it's not a criminal offence?

    [Not that I have, or intend to, avail myself of the services of such a lady].
  • Beverley_CBeverley_C Posts: 6,256


    Sales taxes set at non-national level are common worldwide.

    Indeed they are but that does not mean that they are either a good way to do things or even the best way - just that they are common.

    VAT is also messy and contains plenty of exemptions and paperwork. But introducing an element of localisation to the tax offers much more flexibility for local Government.

    VAT is an absolute diddle in comparison. Having worked with both systems VAT is way, way easier and it has one other advantage as well - for consumers, the upfront price is what you pay because it includes the tax. In the US all prices are shown as tax exempt because the tax you pay depends on location. I cannot see UK shoppers happily adapting to a system where they buy something priced at £10 and then have to dig out an addition 76p for local tax when they get to the checkout.

    If you really want to shake up the UK tax system then make it honest. Rename "National Insurance" as "Pension tax" and combine 'EEs and 'ERs together so that people really get to see the tax they pay and abolish this nonsense that paying NI goes toward your future pension.

  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,769

    Mr. Llama, it's true, I'm practically a modern day Buddha.

    If you are ever caught with a prostitute by the rozzers tell them she's a condom seller who was providing you with a free demonstration on how to use her product.
    Decriminalise it, just send letters with the facts as to what happened round to the perpetrator's address.
  • AlsoIndigoAlsoIndigo Posts: 1,852
    edited February 2017

    How will Lords vote?

    I reckon about ~600 may turn up to vote and I'd expect 400-200 or so at 2nd reading.

    It's amendments I'm not sure about.

    I think the Lords will support the £350m per week for the NHS amendment.

    Salisbury-Addison convention here we come.
    Wouldnt that make it a financial bill which the Lord would then be unable to oppose owing to the The Parliament Act 1911 ?
  • rcs1000 said:

    There's been an explosion at the Flamenville reactor in France. It's not clear whether this is the new EPR or one of the two existing reactors at the site. If it is the EPR, it casts further doubt over Hinkley Point C.

    Oooh

    just opposite Guernsey

    sons working there atm
    Tax avoidance?
  • PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    GIN1138 said:
    It's crazy that the Commons clings to Bercow when there are so many fantastic candidates waiting in the wings. Lindsay Hoyle, Carswell, the Mogster and many others could do the job much better and without the attention seeking grandstanding of Bercow.

    #GetBercow



    :+1:
  • Via Patrick Wintour, a speech by the Czech Europe Minister on how Czechia sees Brexit:

    http://www.prouza.cz/blog/projev-na-konferenci-brexit-vyzvy-pro-evropskou-unii-a-spojene-kralovstvi/

    Not very compromising. Two passages stood out:

    "The UK’s ambitions to have trade relations as close as possible without being a part of the single market and the customs union are frankly speaking unrealistic. The EU cannot undermine the very principles on which the internal market was established and has to ensure a level playing field.

    The possibility of cherry-picking is the biggest danger that would devalue the existing efforts of all Member States. We cannot allow unhindered access to the single market in areas that suit the UK and limit access to the UK market for European companies. There must be some “Give” for all the UK’s “Take”."

    And:

    "Our legacy for future generations cannot be a world where the clock turned back a century and everybody is an enemy. However, we cannot achieve this if we continue to make unfounded claims about each other. I am speaking about the continuing and growing aggression towards other nationals, especially citizens from central Europe, in the UK."
  • THE word ‘Corbyn’ has become a popular idiom for something that is utterly fucking useless.

    The Labour leader’s surname has replaced ‘chocolate fireguard’, ‘chocolate teapot’ and ‘tits on a boar hog’ as the go-to phrase for comically describing something devoid of function.

    http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/corbyn-now-a-slang-term-for-useless-thing-20170209121867

    Still, the fightback starts here.

    https://twitter.com/dan_kieran/status/829446260553871361
  • DadgeDadge Posts: 2,052

    On topic, one thing that's striking about the table is how much damage was done to the coalition over something so trivial. The coalition never really recovered from the AV vote, yet only a handful of seats would have been affected: the Tories would still have won their 2015 majority and the Lib Dems would still have been near-annihilated.

    It makes me think that the referendum turned out to be the worst of all worlds: either the Tories should have agreed to AV in return for a greater concession elsewhere, or the Lib Dems should have given up chasing that prize, also in return for some quid pro quo.

    But no-one knew that at the time.

    In those days, electoral reform was all the Lib Dems cared about as they (and, to be fair, most Tories too) thought it would lead to them perpetually being the powerbrokers in Government.

    Something, anything, other than FPTP was worth going for in their view.

    They are much quieter these days (a) because they got thumped (b) because they have bigger things on their minds - i.e. the EU and (c) because the Right has an absolute majority.
    It didn't really do that much damage to the coalition (it was a car crash but it was hardly the Titanic) but the decision to accept the AV referendum was a big mistake on the part of Clegg and co. Virtually no-one in the LDs wanted AV (it wasn't a prize unless one counts a good bowel movement after a week's constipation as a prize) but it was all the Tories would put on the table. Like a lot of supporters of PR I couldn't bring myself to campaign for it - it was dead in the water.
  • PongPong Posts: 4,693
    edited February 2017
    isam said:



    His twitter bio doesn't mention Ukip, he is already an independent MP to all intents and purposes.

    Is he not up in Stoke campaigning?
  • PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    rcs1000 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Jobabob said:

    PlatoSaid said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Gorsuch is not a fan of Trump's attacks on the judiciary. It will not affect his supreme court judgements.

    I doubt you find any judge who is a fan of presidential abuse about judges.
    Obama was very rude a few years back - but the media loved him so didn't apply the same test.


    Obama Criticizes Supreme Court in State of the Union Address


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiDiHX50zT4

    Criticising judgments and courts is very different to criticising judges as individuals.

    Plato is a spoof poster - I finally realised this a week or two ago. Either laugh or ignore!
    She isn't a spoof at all, Plato has been posting here for a decade or more.

    She's gone out of her way to give this place an insight into what's going on in US politics right now, and we can either choose to listen and try to understand a different point of view, or ignore and choose not to be informed.
    While that's true, she is - as is ScottP, and a few others - also guilty of just reposting tonnes of stuff from Twitter. I'd like to keep the Plato comments, but skip the links.
    You aren't perfect either and rubbish stuff you don't like - I refrain from criticising you because of the uber ban hammer power you have. I doubt I'm alone.
  • We cannot allow unhindered access to the single market in areas that suit the UK and limit access to the UK market for European companies.

    Where has this been suggested?
  • GeoffMGeoffM Posts: 6,071

    A welcome endorsement from 'I'm not a racist' Farage for 'I'm not a racist' Sessions.

    https://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage/status/829644260488183808

    Thank you for retweeting that, "I'm not a racist" Theuniondivie
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,122

    Clearly, my knowledge of paying for sex is much less than that of many other PBers :p

    I should hope so too! A clean living young man like you in the Yorkshire should be more interested in healthy brisk walks across the Dales and cold showers.

    In my younger days things were different. Clean, healthy, living was not something we were interested in. My only real claim to fame was to be chucked out of a brothel in Macao for singing Jerusalem in the bar whilst waiting for the third member of our party to finish with his two chosen young ladies.
    Former grand prix motorcycle racer Steve "Funnyman" Parrish is barred from Macau after he blew up a brothel whilst some of his fellow racers were inside being serviced:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Parrish
This discussion has been closed.