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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The Blairites offer Ed some advice

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  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Crass tweet of the day.

    Maria Eagle MPVerified account
    @meaglemp
    The people of Liverpool understand what people in Boston are going through.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,316
    @TGOHF

    daftest tweet in ages, if it had been Belfast she may have had a point, assuming we choose to overlook some Bostonians liked to fund bombs in Ireland's second city
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,577
    That pix of Blair reminds me of the Depeche Mode lyric in "Everything Counts":

    "Picture it now, see just how
    The lies and deceit gained a little more power
    Confidence taken in
    By a suntan and a grin"
  • TGOHF said:

    Crass tweet of the day.

    Maria Eagle MPVerified account
    @meaglemp
    The people of Liverpool understand what people in Boston are going through.

    Little known fact.

    Outside of London, Liverpool was the most heavily bombed part of the country during the Second World War.

  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    tim said:

    Allister Heath ‏@AllisterHeath
    Inflation still high, real wages still falling. RPI 3.3%, CPI 2.8%. The slow destruction of incomes and cash continues.

    Inflation, all George has left.

    Inflation, all George has left the nasty trick that all pusillanimous Western governments use when they don't want to do what needs to be done.

    Fixed it for you.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,853

    TGOHF said:

    Crass tweet of the day.

    Maria Eagle MPVerified account
    @meaglemp
    The people of Liverpool understand what people in Boston are going through.

    Little known fact.

    Outside of London, Liverpool was the most heavily bombed part of the country during the Second World War.

    My perception may be coloured by being a Coventrian, but I'd always assumed it was indeed Coventry.

  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,767
    TGOHF said:

    glassfet said:

    On topic

    @patrickwintour: Ed miliband's personal leadership ratings published yesterday were his worst in an ICM-Guardian poll since he became leader.

    Yet all the lefty "experts" on here keep telling us the blank sheet is a smart move.

    Eds real problem is when he starts filling it in.. fun galore awaits..
  • JonCJonC Posts: 67

    @foxinsoxuk and presumably the only way to avoid a collapse in house prices would be by keeping demand ahead of supply, ie by a massive increase in immigration which would most likely lead to a similar increase in benefit costs

    The largest factor in house prices is supply of MONEY in the form of mortgages. That's the reason prices went mental in the 2000s - borrow what ridiculous sum you like, no need to prove your income or pay anything back apart from the interest on the principal. Add to that the firm belief in most people's minds that (a) prices should never go down that is always bad and (b) renting is "dead money" under ANY circumstances, and it's really hard to make house prices fall in this country outside of a depression.

    Bad new for under 35s, great news for over 50s and especially over 60s, who vote most. First time buyers come almost exclusivley fomr families which already own property, and this will perpetuate. Just think how much more disposable income we'd all have if mortgages had always been restricted to provable 3.5x 1 income or 2.5 x joint with the concomitant lid on house prices (and bank profits).
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,853
    tim said:

    Allister Heath ‏@AllisterHeath
    Inflation still high, real wages still falling. RPI 3.3%, CPI 2.8%. The slow destruction of incomes and cash continues.

    Inflation, all George has left.

    Given the marginal streengthening of the pound, and the drops in Brent the near term outlook is mild. And ~ 3% inflation is not that bad.

  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,344
    glassfet said:

    On topic

    @patrickwintour: Ed miliband's personal leadership ratings published yesterday were his worst in an ICM-Guardian poll since he became leader.

    When people have been reflecting on the qualities that make a Prime Minister following the death of Margaret Thatcher, hardly a coincidence....
  • JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    Also @tim on Eastern European immigrants - if just 10,000 of them are claiming JSA (probably a conservative guess) they'll no doubt be claiming at least housing benefit as well, and some of those claims will be for families rather than individuals; I'd guess (again conservatively) the average claim at around £10,000pa. There's another £100m right there. And that's before considering the cost those 10,000 claimants add to the NHS and schools bills.
  • Pulpstar said:

    TGOHF said:

    Crass tweet of the day.

    Maria Eagle MPVerified account
    @meaglemp
    The people of Liverpool understand what people in Boston are going through.

    Little known fact.

    Outside of London, Liverpool was the most heavily bombed part of the country during the Second World War.

    My perception may be coloured by being a Coventrian, but I'd always assumed it was indeed Coventry.

    Understandable but it's Liverpool.

    Because of the docks.

    Where a lot of American troops and materiel arrived.

  • Rexel56Rexel56 Posts: 807
    rogerh said:

    Maggie was dead right on the weakness of Labour lead.In May 1995 two years before the 2007 GE, the Labour lead was around 20%, more than doubklle EDs pitiful figure.By the 1997 GE the Labour lead was down to just 11%.A bit of good economic news could easily wipe out the current Labour lead.Labour needs to wake up soon and realise that Millibland is an albatross around their neck.
    Because of Labour,'s inbuilt electoral advantage it is unlikely that the Tories will get an overall majority.However on present polls the SNP would get 30+ seats and could end up holding the balance of power.Nice one!

    Sorry Sir. tim has decreed that 1995 is inappropriate as a comparitor for the current VI polls. As is 1990. From the tim dictionary: evidence [ev-i-duhns] n. that data which supports my world view

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Pulpstar said:

    TGOHF said:

    Crass tweet of the day.

    Maria Eagle MPVerified account
    @meaglemp
    The people of Liverpool understand what people in Boston are going through.

    Little known fact.

    Outside of London, Liverpool was the most heavily bombed part of the country during the Second World War.

    My perception may be coloured by being a Coventrian, but I'd always assumed it was indeed Coventry.

    By Cities attacked, London was in a league of its own - Liverpool/Merseyside are second, with Birmingham not far off:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blitz#Bombing_raid_statistics
  • Here's some more info on the Liverpool blitz

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_Blitz
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    If I were guessing, both Ed Miliband's poor ratings and George Osborne's sharply improved ratings relate to the debate around benefits rather than Margaret Thatcher's death. Of course, we'll never really know.
  • OblitusSumMeOblitusSumMe Posts: 9,143
    edited April 2013
    TGOHF said:

    tim said:



    The big area Blair got wrong, along with all govts over the last 35 years is housing, Miliband will make that the central plank of a growth and benefit cuts programme as the Tories offer an alternative of house price inflation



    If Miliband can sell house price deflation (or at least the deflating of the bubble) he'll be a fine politician indeed.

    The number of owner occupiers is in decline, while the number of private renters increases. The 2011 figures are:

    Owner occupiers = 64.7% - 3.5 (on 2007)
    Private renters = 17.2% + 3.7

    Perhaps Miliband is too far ahead of the game for this to be an election winner, but if that sort of trend continues then the public mood will inevitably follow.
    The percentage may be falling but is that of a larger base ?
    It is of a larger base, but the absolute number is also down.

    The stats are available here.

    The number of owner occupier households is down by 421,000 to 17.746 million.

    For comparison, when Thatcher left office, the percentage of owner occupiers was 66.6%, so we're below that now, and private rentals were 8.5% of the total, just under half the 2011 figure.

    Those are some big changes. Either they are reversed - as ALP believes Osborne will achieve - or they will change politics.
  • tim said:

    @TSE

    I read it more about not knowing whether your relatives are alive or dead at a sporting event

    Yes and that there is now a sporting link between Liverpool and Boston as the Red Sox and LFC have the same owners.
  • JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    tim said:

    @JonnyJimmy

    I'd guess (again conservatively) the average claim at around £10,000pa.

    The average claim for housing benefit in this country is £89 a week.

    You are just making stuff up about Eastern European immigration aren't you.

    The average claim for the uk may be £89 a week but I expect a higher proportion of Eastern European migrants live in London and other prosperous (ie more expensive to rent) areas. And even if they were to claim HB at the national average, and were all single claimants (£71 a week JSA), that would make the average claim £160 per week, so £8320pa. How wrong do you really think I am? Surely your maths ain't that bad?
  • tim said:

    @TSE

    I read it more about not knowing whether your relatives are alive or dead at a sporting event

    Yes and that there is now a sporting link between Liverpool and Boston as the Red Sox and LFC have the same owners.
    And it happening on the 24th Anniversary of Hillsborough.

  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    tim said:

    @TSE

    I read it more about not knowing whether your relatives are alive or dead at a sporting event

    So do the people of Bradford, Glasgow, Leeds, Port Said and Turin.

  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Are we really reduced to bickering about comparisons of grief?

    Anyone expecting anything profound from twitter is an idiot. Whatever she meant, the tweeter seems to have been well-intentioned and trying to express empathy, and should be given leeway accordingly.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,796


    Where a lot of American troops

    To be pedantic (which is what this site is for after all), not in 1940-41 when the Blitz took place. I know they were our senior partner in 1940 and everything...
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,297
    edited April 2013


    Where a lot of American troops

    To be pedantic (which is what this site is for after all), not in 1940-41 when the Blitz took place. I know they were our senior partner in 1940 and everything...
    My mistake.

    Mea Culpa.

    Edit: I do have mitigation, the documentary I saw in Liverpool, the Germans believed the Americans were sending troops as well as materiel.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    The Sun claiming both Blair and Brown signed off on the arrangements for Fatcha funeral.

    Will that silence the whiners ?
  • FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916

    F1: less furore about Bahrian this year, and a couple of
    interesting pieces on the political situation there and the impact of F1:
    http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/perceptions-and-realities-in-bahrain/

    http://blogs.espnf1.com/The_Inside_Line/archives/2013/04/reflections_on_bahrain.php

    MD: After last week's tyres' controversy, can you comment on the effect of Bahrain on tyres, plus the influence of errant sand.

    BTW: I have been diverted to Aruba for a weekend trip and so will not be able to attend the get-together at DDs. And yes it is business and not a beach break.
  • O/T
    Just been VI'd by You Gov.
    A number of assorted questions on Maggie.
    And one that I wasn't expecting.

    If you had to choose one of these super-powers, which would you prefer to have?
    Reading minds
    Invisibility
    Time travel
    Ability to fly
    None of these/ don't know

    I chose Time Travel
  • BenMBenM Posts: 1,795
    I think if Ed observes Tories getting as complacent as this piece suggests they are, then he'll be satisfied.

    The economy is going nowhere, debt numbers are going to be revised up again in the autumn, a potential triple dip (although I suspect anaemic growth) in Q1 and Fitch and S&P downgrades to come.

    These are treacherous waters for Tories.
  • O/T
    Just been VI'd by You Gov.
    A number of assorted questions on Maggie.
    And one that I wasn't expecting.

    If you had to choose one of these super-powers, which would you prefer to have?
    Reading minds
    Invisibility
    Time travel
    Ability to fly
    None of these/ don't know

    I chose Time Travel

    Invisibility or Time Travel for me.
  • JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    tim said:

    I read it more about not knowing whether your relatives are alive or dead at a sporting event

    Think you're right but she could easily have made that clearer by saying 'Hillsborough families" rather than Liverpool..
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,555
    Interesting article. Think the ICM poll yesterday suggests that Labour has some thinking todo. 38% at this stage is not enough to guarantee Labour a working a majority.

    It should be no comfort that the Tories are further away from that goal.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,700
    Mr. Financier, Bahrian should be drastically different for several reasons.

    China had soft and medium compound tyres. However, Bahrain has soft and hard. The soft tyre should work better in the higher temperature, I think.

    In addition, China's a bit odd in that the front tyres get more wear than the rear, whereas Bahrain is more usual in that the reverse is true. This should help Red Bull out a little.

    Wear rates are expected to be highish. I read somewhere that 3 stops are expected. I briefly checked the post-race analysis from last year on pb2 and it seems only one chap (Di Resta) managed to make a 2 stop work then.

    Not sure how much of a factor sand will be. It depends to an extent on the wind. Safety car is probably unlikely due to the large run-off areas (which also help stop sand getting onto the track).
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,700
    And don't forget that the early discussion thread for Bahrain is up here:
    http://politicalbetting.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bahrain-early-discussion.html
  • OblitusSumMeOblitusSumMe Posts: 9,143

    ..
    If you had to choose one of these super-powers, which would you prefer to have?
    Reading minds
    Invisibility
    Time travel
    Ability to fly
    None of these/ don't know

    I chose Time Travel

    Ability to fly by a country mile.

    Time travel would get too confusing to keep track of.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,577

    O/T
    Just been VI'd by You Gov.
    A number of assorted questions on Maggie.
    And one that I wasn't expecting.

    If you had to choose one of these super-powers, which would you prefer to have?
    Reading minds
    Invisibility
    Time travel
    Ability to fly
    None of these/ don't know

    I chose Time Travel

    Me too! History was a very close second favourite subject at school behind Chemistry.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,706
    edited April 2013
    Ehhh...Is there a big market in super powers that I have missed? Are they about to come to market?

    Who paid for such a pointless question?

    Edit. Having seem MIB3 again at the weekend I would have to go with time travel too.

    I also watched Argo on DVD. How can films which you know the ending of (Apollo 13 for example) create such tension? Really amazing.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    KP unfit for matches v NZ.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,753
    @Hertsmere_Pubgoer

    Too fraught with problems haven't you seen the raft of recent films about it? You would end up bumping into your father on Oxford Street thus diverting him from meeting your mother thus putting yourself in all kinds of temporal paradoxes.

  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    dr_spyn said:

    KP unfit for matches v NZ.

    Should help boost ticket sales - apparently they can't give away the Headingly ones.

  • Superheroes are proof that capitalism works.

    Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark had no powers they had money and used it well.

    Take note Bill Gates.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Charles said:

    antifrank said:

    Ed Miliband has been very lucky. No one has yet noticed that a Greek chorus has walked on stage, offering a commentary on the hero's actions, thanks to the audience's attention being fixed on tomorrow's funeral.

    This seems to have been a pretty concerted push, with Tony Blair, David Blunkett, Alan Milburn, Tessa Jowell, John Reid and Peter Mandelson all breaking cover in the last few days. Are we going to get regular commentaries from them, or is this a one-off? Time will tell.

    That's what I was wondering. It seems a concerted push - but why this week when it will get little attention?

    Cynically I thought they were trying to put their objections on the record so that if it all goes wrong at the next election they can said 'we told you so, only a Blairite can win'
    I was wondering if it was because DMili is standing down as a MP and pushing off to the USA so is no longer the King Over The Water in the same way as he was. He's the last of the prominent Blairites left.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    tim said:

    @JonnyJimmy

    I'd guess (again conservatively) the average claim at around £10,000pa.

    The average claim for housing benefit in this country is £89 a week.

    You are just making stuff up about Eastern European immigration aren't you.

    Without taking a view on JonnyJimmy's comment I'd just point out that you are misrepresenting his position on the statistics.

    He was referring to total benefits on an annual basis. You replied with one specific benefit on a weekly basis to make comparisons difficult.

    In fact JSA for an over 25 year old is £71.70 per week and housing benefit average (haven't checked your figure) is £89 per week. £160.70 per week * 52 = £8,356.40 per year. This is before any other benefits are considered.

    A working estimate of £10K p.a. is not an unreasonable assumption therefore.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,706

    Superheroes are proof that capitalism works.

    Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark had no powers they had money and used it well.

    Take note Bill Gates.

    In fairness the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation will do far, far more good in the real world than Bruce Wayne etc did in the pretend one: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    This will be entertaining food-fighting:

    Working families would have to earn more than £41,000 a year to get the same as many living on state benefits if the Labour Party was in charge of the welfare system, the Tories claimed last night.

    The Government’s benefit cap – introduced yesterday – limits the amount of money a household can claim in welfare payments to £26,000 a year, the before-tax income of the average working family.

    Ed Miliband’s party opposes the cap and voted against it in the Commons, even though opinion polls show that it is hugely popular with the public.

    Official figures, contained in an impact assessment of the policy, show that on average those who will see their benefits capped will lose £4,836 a year: about £93 a week.

    A working family would need a pre-tax salary of £32,000 to match the £26,000 a year in state handouts allowed under the cap.

    But if nothing had changed and Labour got its way, the benefits claimants hit by the cap would have been given nearly £31,000 and a working family would need £41,000 before tax to match them. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309687/41-000-What-average-working-family-need-earn-match-benefits-Labour-wants.html#ixzz2Qc0q4lNo
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    DavidL said:

    Superheroes are proof that capitalism works.

    Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark had no powers they had money and used it well.

    Take note Bill Gates.

    In fairness the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation will do far, far more good in the real world than Bruce Wayne etc did in the pretend one: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/

    I come across the Gates Foundation quite a lot, both professionally and in my philanthropic roles. It truly is a fabulous organisation. All power to them (although I believe Melinda was the driving force behind the idea)
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    glassfet said:
    Did this whole meme come from him tweeting his own name? I saw it and thought Eh?
  • Edin_RokzEdin_Rokz Posts: 516

    O/T
    Just been VI'd by You Gov.
    A number of assorted questions on Maggie.
    And one that I wasn't expecting.

    If you had to choose one of these super-powers, which would you prefer to have?
    Reading minds
    Invisibility
    Time travel
    Ability to fly
    None of these/ don't know

    I chose Time Travel

    Personally, I would like China :^)
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    tim said:

    @Charles

    I'll leave you and JonnyJimmy to concentrate on the tiny percentage of the benefit bill accounted for by A8 immigrants.

    it's the equivalent of looking for savings in the health budget on IVF and tattoo removal.
    A sideshow, but one which exposes prejudice quite nicely.

    Nice. Smear me by implication. You should apologise for that.

    My comment was on your abuse of statistics not on the substantive topic.
  • JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    edited April 2013
    tim said:

    @Charles

    I'll leave you and JonnyJimmy to concentrate on the tiny percentage of the benefit bill accounted for by A8 immigrants.

    it's the equivalent of looking for savings in the health budget on IVF and tattoo removal.
    A sideshow, but one which exposes prejudice quite nicely.

    You might dismiss over £100m pa as a tiny percentage of the total bill, but it's still £100m pa that can be saved from the immigrants least likely to claim benefits! No wonder our national finances are screwed with thinking like yours.

    And I presume you'll "leave us to concentrate on" it because, again, I've shown how wrong you are and you hate to admit it.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,464
    edited April 2013

    Here's some more info on the Liverpool blitz

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_Blitz


    My grandad's local The Jolly Miller was bombed in Liverpool. He never did forgive them. Think it's now (or became at one point) a Harvester. I'm sure he wouldn't have forgiven that either.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Charles said:

    DavidL said:

    Superheroes are proof that capitalism works.

    Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark had no powers they had money and used it well.

    Take note Bill Gates.

    In fairness the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation will do far, far more good in the real world than Bruce Wayne etc did in the pretend one: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/

    I come across the Gates Foundation quite a lot, both professionally and in my philanthropic roles. It truly is a fabulous organisation. All power to them (although I believe Melinda was the driving force behind the idea)
    I'd imagine any foundation run by the likes of the Gates or Buffets of this world would do more effective good than the collective aid budget of most national governments. They both have a rare talent and enough ruthlessness - but not so much that they sow their own downfall with hubris.
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    Plato said:


    Ed Miliband’s party opposes the cap and voted against it in the Commons, even though opinion polls show that it is hugely popular with the public.

    Good to see a party taking a principled stand against the weight of public opinion.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    RT @JackofKent: #McAlpine is applying for split trial, with seperate hearings for meaning and quantum. #Bercow opposes, and wants speedy full trial.

    Can Mr TSE or DavidL advise on what this means?
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,577
    DavidL said:

    Superheroes are proof that capitalism works.

    Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark had no powers they had money and used it well.

    Take note Bill Gates.

    In fairness the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation will do far, far more good in the real world than Bruce Wayne etc did in the pretend one: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/

    "Peace has cost you your strength. Victory has defeated you!"
  • glassfetglassfet Posts: 220
    @Plato
    Plato said:

    Did this whole meme come from him tweeting his own name? I saw it and thought Eh?

    Yes.

    @OliverCooper: BREAKING: Ed Balls calls for an independent judge-led public inquiry into Ed Balls.

    @MShapland
    Just been sent this by a Labour researcher - ouch! #EDBALLS http://pic.twitter.com/aFII3tQP9z

    Ed Balls #edballs http://pic.twitter.com/nD8hiRlPPr
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053

    Roger said:

    Labour should nationalize all land with limited compensation

    Hallelujah! The Left is risen! Go for it Ed!
    I hope you were being sarcastic, Carlotta, were you?

    BTW, you aren't a sister to carl, are you?

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    I loved this - and those steps look like a scratching post stairway to heaven

    RT @MYSADCAT: Because another NME photo shoot for his all-cat indie band has been ruined by the sullen attitude of the guitarist. http://twitter.com/MYSADCAT/status/323806448347906049/photo/1
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited April 2013
    Test
  • Plato this guardian piece gives an outline re McAlpine and Bercow



    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/apr/12/sally-bercow-twitter-libel-battle
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,577
    glassfet said:
    LOL! I actually quite liked the original (Being John Malkovich). Very surreal!
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    I'd be interested in time travel, provided I could travel both forward and back in time. If not, I think I'd prefer the ability to read minds.
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053

    @Roger

    We could always annexe Poland and kill two birds with one stone, loads of cheap coal and lots of housebuilding. plenty of space there to resettle miners.

    What are you guy's talking about? Britain couldn't annexe Canvey Island at the moment if she had to.

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    RT @ShippersUnbound: Stunning figures mysteriously buried in this Guardian poll. Miliband's personal approval rating is at all time low: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/15/margaret-thatcher-death-polling-cameron
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,577
    welshowl said:

    Here's some more info on the Liverpool blitz

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_Blitz


    My grandad's local The Jolly Miller was bombed in Liverpool. He never did forgive them. Think it's now (or became at one point) a Harvester. I'm sure he wouldn't have forgiven that either.
    The nearest pub to me The Green Gate became a McDonald's years ago. My second nearest, the Horns Tavern is now Costcutter which only opened a couple of weeks ago...
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,796
    edited April 2013
    Plato said:

    He's the last of the prominent Blairites left.

    Despite his chameleon-like tendencies, Jim Murphy is essentially a Blairite, and I'm sure in his own opinion he's prominent.

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    antifrank said:

    I'd be interested in time travel, provided I could travel both forward and back in time. If not, I think I'd prefer the ability to read minds.

    Can you imagine what it'd be like to read minds? I can't think of anything worse - unless it was my mind that could be read instead ;^ )
  • @TGOHF

    daftest tweet in ages, if it had been Belfast she may have had a point, assuming we choose to overlook some Bostonians liked to fund bombs in Ireland's second city

    That has been the topic for the usual way that Old Firm fans find any reason to spout off at each other.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,528
    tim said:

    @Neil

    Did you notice the glaring error in the Tories stats?

    A working family would need a pre-tax salary of £32,000 to match the £26,000 a year in state handouts allowed under the cap.

    I assume they've deliberately left out the in work benefits available to a working family.

    What working tax credits would be available to a household on £32k? That's right, none.

    Go peddle your crap elsewhere and save Mike some bandwidth costs.
  • MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    edited April 2013
    Good morning all . So far here in Worthing Pier I have had 3 local election leaflets . Lib Dem focus , a very large multi folded glossy Conservative leaflet which says far too much to take in before it enters the bin and a small glossy UKIP leaflet . This in essence says 29 million Bulgarians and Roumanians are coming so we need UKIP County Councillors to cut taxes and crime stop wind farms save the Green Belt and spend more on local services .
    Strangely the UKIP leaflet is for the wrong ward as it is for Worthing West which starts on the other side of Grand Avenue .
  • john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    @Plato

    Ed's having a good year.

    'Worse, his personal ratings are sinking deeper into negative territory – a majority of 51% say he is doing a bad job, as against just 28% who think he is doing well.

    That gives a net approval rating of -23, almost double his negative May 2012 score of -12, and worse even than the -17 he notched up in December 2011, when his party was behind in the polls overall and his leadership appeared insecure.'
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,269
    @Plato: a split trial is more expensive. If the court decides that the tweet was not libellous, there is no need to determine damages. Presumably McAlpine wants to determine that question first so that, if he wins, Sally Bercow will settle the damages point without the need for a trial.

    However it is organised the first point the court will need to decide is whether the words used were or were capable of being defamatory. Sally Bercow has always said that while she apologises she does not believe that she libelled Lord MacAlpine. So there will be much argument about the meaning of "trending" and "innocent face" and smileys.
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    MaxPB said:


    What working tax credits would be available to a household on £32k? That's right, none.

    tim didnt say working tax credits. He said "in work benefits". And the answer isnt "none".
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Are these different banking licences? Are Gordon's like the wrong sort of snow?

    RT @tangentreality: Labour are calling for 'banking licences'. Shame that under FSMA 2000 - legislation introduced by Gordon Brown - they already exist.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,853
    edited April 2013
    Neil said:

    MaxPB said:


    What working tax credits would be available to a household on £32k? That's right, none.

    tim didnt say working tax credits. He said "in work benefits". And the answer isnt "none".
    Depends on the household. Certainly its been 'none' for me !

  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Nobody on £32k should be getting these benefits whilst paying tax back the other way.

    Stupid relic of Gordon Brown the worst PM and CoTE ever.





  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited April 2013
    Classy

    RT @thetimes: Thatcher’s death certificate poignantly describes her occupation as Stateswoman (retired) http://t.co/DgO9GVML24 (picture not paywalled > http://t.co/yWpdS3E8L6
  • john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    edited April 2013
    @Tim

    So a couple with four children that clear £26,000 after tax, can then claim another £22,000 off the state? amazing.
  • glassfetglassfet Posts: 220
    @tnewtondunn: Decent twitter spat between @DPJHodges and @MichaelDugherMP. Ed Mili's lot really don't like this 35% thing.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,853
    tim said:

    @MaxPB.


    You need to read more carefully, I said "in work benefits"


    For instance, a couple with four children earning £26,000 after tax and with rent and council tax liabilities of £400 a week is entitled to around £15,000 a year in housing benefit and council tax support, (£3,146 in child benefit) and more than £4,000 in tax credits.

    http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/04/five-reasons-why-benefit-cap-wrong

    The Tories figures are a nonsense.

    And if you're going to embarrass yourself with a really dim post then perhaps it's best not to tag

    Go peddle your crap elsewhere and save Mike some bandwidth costs.

    at the end of it, as correcting your ignorance will inevitably generate a further use of bandwidth.

    Ah so thats where I've been going wrong, shouldn't have bought my small house should have just had 4 kids and rented...
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,593
    The CJEU has this morning confirmed that Enhanced Cooperation is legal under European law. It rejected claims by Spain and Italy that in using it to create the Unified Patent Court other member states had acted unlawfully. As discussed previously, this ruling could severely limit the UK's bargaining position vis a vis linking repatriation of powers to a Eurozone deal on closer cooperation. Basically, the CJEU has said that Enhanced Cooperation means that Eurozone members can agree something without the UK (or anyone else) having to OK it.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    tim said:

    @TGOHF

    Stupid relic of Gordon Brown the worst PM and CoTE ever.


    Council Tax Benefit was introduced in 1993.
    Housing Benefit in 1992

    Silly diversion stuff tim - answering the wrong questions.

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    For followers of Bitcoin or Anonymous - the latest episode of The Good Wife features both. Mr Bitcoin appeared in a much earlier series as the supposed lawyer for the mysterious creator.
  • MillsyMillsy Posts: 900
    TGOHF said:

    Nobody on £32k should be getting these benefits whilst paying tax back the other way.

    Stupid relic of Gordon Brown the worst PM and CoTE ever.

    You can still get HB on £30k with 2 kids
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    glassfet said:

    @tnewtondunn: Decent twitter spat between @DPJHodges and @MichaelDugherMP. Ed Mili's lot really don't like this 35% thing.


    TSE is going to be in big trouble for starting a rEd is crap thread ....
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,853
    tim said:

    @Pulpstar

    Thats the point I'm trying to make to the people who are salivating over a cap that "may" save £110 million per year, revised down from £270 million

    It's a drop in the bucket compared to what goes to landlords.

    It may have been but the statistics you highlight are fascinating and intriguing.

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited April 2013
    TGOHF said:

    glassfet said:

    @tnewtondunn: Decent twitter spat between @DPJHodges and @MichaelDugherMP. Ed Mili's lot really don't like this 35% thing.


    TSE is going to be in big trouble for starting a rEd is crap thread ....
    When ICM tweets results like this - EdM's:Labour is on a sticky wicket.

    RT @ICMResearch: Guardian/ICM - 6 point Lab lead would be wiped out if a young #Thatcher were leader now http://ow.ly/k6xY7 http://ow.ly/k6y6y #mrx
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited April 2013
    I'm all in favour of creative ways to engage with potential voters but this seems a little off beam to say the least - Mr Dancer's space cannon would surely be a better option? I suspect they actually spent the entire £55k on LSD...

    "It may seem like a drop in the ocean considering the vast amount of waste in Britain's public sector, but the Electoral Commission, tasked primarly with regulating political parties and their financing, has revealed that it has spent almost £55,000 on a new website encouraging people to register to vote.

    The initiative, known as ItsYourVote.org.uk went live earlier this year and uses some bizarre methods to seek to convince people to register to vote. The site asks you for your postcode, upon which a selection screen launches, asking you to choose between an ice cream scoop, a cat and a fairground game. Once you've chosen, disaster is brought forth upon your neighboured, as the ice cream scoop digs you away, the cat burns you to cinders or the winch from a fairground game lifts you into the air.

    Supposedly, the website is supposed to convince you not registering to vote is a similar fate to one of these bizarre situations. After a cat has burned your neighbourhood, the website reads, "Register to vote now or come election time, you may as well be vaporised by Catzilla's rainbow lasers"... http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3258/electoral_commission_spends_55_000_on_ice_cream_scoops_and_cats#.UW0m8iktuTY.twitter
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    The main benefit of having a cap of course is that once a year the CoTE can decide to raise it by less than inflation.

    Only short sighted static analysists and Milibands fail to grasp the medium to long term importance of this.
  • MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    TGOHF said:

    tim said:

    @TGOHF

    Stupid relic of Gordon Brown the worst PM and CoTE ever.


    Council Tax Benefit was introduced in 1993.
    Housing Benefit in 1992

    Silly diversion stuff tim - answering the wrong questions.

    Translation " Stop making factual posts that show I am an idiot " .

  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    TGOHF said:

    tim said:

    @TGOHF

    Stupid relic of Gordon Brown the worst PM and CoTE ever.


    Council Tax Benefit was introduced in 1993.
    Housing Benefit in 1992

    Silly diversion stuff tim - answering the wrong questions.

    Translation " Stop making factual posts that show I am an idiot " .

    Have you not got a case of the UKIP leaflet delivered to the wrong house to solve ?
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    edited April 2013
    .....
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    RT @LordAshcroft: So Ed Miliband is pursuing a "35% strategy". Here's what my polling found about Labour's strategic dilemma http://bit.ly/ZxstJQ
  • MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    TGOHF said:

    .....

    OH Gawd !! An intelligent post from you .
  • NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    TGOHF said:


    Only short sighted static analysists and Milibands fail to grasp the medium to long term importance of this.

    Surely Miliband realised this when voting against it?

  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,853
    Plato said:

    I'm all in favour of creative ways to engage with potential voters but this seems a little off beam to say the least - Mr Dancer's space cannon would surely be a better option? I suspect they actually spent the entire £55k on LSD...

    "It may seem like a drop in the ocean considering the vast amount of waste in Britain's public sector, but the Electoral Commission, tasked primarly with regulating political parties and their financing, has revealed that it has spent almost £55,000 on a new website encouraging people to register to vote.

    The initiative, known as ItsYourVote.org.uk went live earlier this year and uses some bizarre methods to seek to convince people to register to vote. The site asks you for your postcode, upon which a selection screen launches, asking you to choose between an ice cream scoop, a cat and a fairground game. Once you've chosen, disaster is brought forth upon your neighboured, as the ice cream scoop digs you away, the cat burns you to cinders or the winch from a fairground game lifts you into the air.

    Supposedly, the website is supposed to convince you not registering to vote is a similar fate to one of these bizarre situations. After a cat has burned your neighbourhood, the website reads, "Register to vote now or come election time, you may as well be vaporised by Catzilla's rainbow lasers"... http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3258/electoral_commission_spends_55_000_on_ice_cream_scoops_and_cats#.UW0m8iktuTY.twitter


    The cat one looks like my Ginger Tom ! Have you tried the website, its quite amusing actually ;)
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,706
    Cyclefree said:

    @Plato: a split trial is more expensive. If the court decides that the tweet was not libellous, there is no need to determine damages. Presumably McAlpine wants to determine that question first so that, if he wins, Sally Bercow will settle the damages point without the need for a trial.

    However it is organised the first point the court will need to decide is whether the words used were or were capable of being defamatory. Sally Bercow has always said that while she apologises she does not believe that she libelled Lord MacAlpine. So there will be much argument about the meaning of "trending" and "innocent face" and smileys.



    I wonder if her lawyers also think that Lord McAlpine might have difficulty in showing actual loss arising from this given the many other tweets etc that were going around. Did her rather silly tweets of themselves actually damage Lord McAlpine's reputation? It might give them a second bite at the cherry.
  • TGOHF said:

    glassfet said:

    @tnewtondunn: Decent twitter spat between @DPJHodges and @MichaelDugherMP. Ed Mili's lot really don't like this 35% thing.


    TSE is going to be in big trouble for starting a rEd is crap thread ....
    *Innocent face*

This discussion has been closed.