Reform are going to sweep to victory in the GE. Unless something radical changes
Labour AND the Tories will be destroyed. Deservedly
I would somewhat prefer a Refcon coalition. I am all for gutting the system, but only 4 of Reforms MPs will even have been MPs before let alone Ministers. That will present a very real challenge.
They might stand other ex-MP candidates, who then win, e.g. Marco Longhi. There could be a dozen Reform MPs with prior experience! If Andrea Jenkyns wants to give up being mayor, there's some ministerial experience.
They could always recruit ex-ministers, like Brooks Newmark, Owen Paterson, Nadine Dorries, and Grant Shapps, to show them how things should be done.
It would have saved so much time if John Redwood had won the Tory leadership in 1995.
It would have saved the country.
Gotta love the humour.
Even if you regard the idea of Redwood as PM as a bit of a joke, that alternative timeline would have been so much better. Blair wouldn't have won a bigger landslide and the Tories would have avoided the wasted years of Hague and IDS.
Why do you think that? Blair would have one a massive landslide and the Tories would have junked Redwood after the election. If anything it would probably have resulted in an ultra moderate Europhile taking the leadership after 1997 as the defeat would be pinned on Redwood.
If Ken Clarke had become leader of the opposition in 1997 after Redwood lost to Blair, he'd have provided much more effective opposition to the Blair government than Hague did. Europe was a red herring in many ways.
Ken Clarke was a far bigger red herring in many other ways.
Reform are going to sweep to victory in the GE. Unless something radical changes
Labour AND the Tories will be destroyed. Deservedly
I would somewhat prefer a Refcon coalition. I am all for gutting the system, but only 4 of Reforms MPs will even have been MPs before let alone Ministers. That will present a very real challenge.
They might stand other ex-MP candidates, who then win, e.g. Marco Longhi. There could be a dozen Reform MPs with prior experience! If Andrea Jenkyns wants to give up being mayor, there's some ministerial experience.
They could always recruit ex-ministers, like Brooks Newmark, Owen Paterson, Nadine Dorries, and Grant Shapps, to show them how things should be done.
It would have saved so much time if John Redwood had won the Tory leadership in 1995.
It would have saved the country.
Sometimes I like your posts but I’m afraid it’s because they are so ludicrous they cheer me up.
Normal people, from all ends of the country, can say "ability"
Why can't he speak like a human being?
You mean why can't he speak like you and people you know?
I think the horseshoe theory of left and right wing politics applies to the working class and the landed gentry as well. Both extremes find common ground in disliking middle manager types.
Persusing the 2024 GE polling, it seems to me absolutely incredible that not one poll from Sep 22 to Election day in Jul 25 had a Labour lead in single figures, despite the result being 10. A statistical minor miracle
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
Why do we need to dress this up as being because it unfairly targets one group or the other? Whatever the merits of that, the reason we shouldn’t have a license fee is that the funding model is deeply anachronistic.
If they want to fund it through taxation, they should break up the BBC into commercial and public service wings. The BBC’s commercial arm should not be funded through general taxation. I can at least see some merit to funding some of the other things it does that way, but only if those elements are properly governed and regulated and managed.
The BBC's commercial arm is not funded by the license fee and wouldn't be funded by general taxation. You don't need to break up the BBC.
Actually it is much more complicated these days. The two are heavily intertwined. The licence fee is used to commission programmes which are then made by BBC Studios or further outsourced. But BBC Studios will hold the rights to those to be able to commercially exploit internationally. Sometimes the programmes are 100% licence fee, sometimes it is in partnership with another media company e.g. Disney with Doctor Who.
The "outsourcing" of even regular programming to BBC Studio is why lots of very high profile talent aren't on the list of pay released by the BBC every year or even if they are on it, it isn't their entire pay packet from shows on the BBC e.g. Graham Norton was most likely at one point to be the highest earner at the BBC, but everything was paid for by licence fee to BBC Studios that then commissioned Norton's own production company to actually make the content.
Another example BBC Studios handling advertising for BBC News. We pay for BBC news, but in foreign markets it is stuffed with ads whose revenue goes to BBC Studios.
They are intertwined, yes. That doesn't mean the license fee goes to the BBC's commercial arm. The BBC's commercial arm, as the name implies, makes money that funds other parts of the BBC.
Normal people, from all ends of the country, can say "ability"
Why can't he speak like a human being?
You mean why can't he speak like you and people you know?
I think the horseshoe theory of left and right wing politics applies to the working class and the landed gentry as well. Both extremes find common ground in disliking middle manager types.
Middle manager as in The Office - why would anyone not love such people?
It rather depends what if anything the judge actually did. You can't have judges actively working to defy ICE when they present all the legal paperwork in advance to arrest somebody.
However, in the crazy world of the US, its just as likely that the suspect just legged it and the FBI are totally in the wrong, which then is a very dangerous situation.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
Why do we need to dress this up as being because it unfairly targets one group or the other? Whatever the merits of that, the reason we shouldn’t have a license fee is that the funding model is deeply anachronistic.
If they want to fund it through taxation, they should break up the BBC into commercial and public service wings. The BBC’s commercial arm should not be funded through general taxation. I can at least see some merit to funding some of the other things it does that way, but only if those elements are properly governed and regulated and managed.
The BBC's commercial arm is not funded by the license fee and wouldn't be funded by general taxation. You don't need to break up the BBC.
Actually it is much more complicated these days. The two are heavily intertwined. The licence fee is used to commission programmes which are then made by BBC Studios or further outsourced. But BBC Studios will hold the rights to those to be able to commercially exploit internationally. Sometimes the programmes are 100% licence fee, sometimes it is in partnership with another media company e.g. Disney with Doctor Who.
The "outsourcing" of even regular programming to BBC Studio is why lots of very high profile talent aren't on the list of pay released by the BBC every year or even if they are on it, it isn't their entire pay packet from shows on the BBC e.g. Graham Norton was most likely at one point to be the highest earner at the BBC, but everything was paid for by licence fee to BBC Studios that then commissioned Norton's own production company to actually make the content.
Another example BBC Studios handling advertising for BBC News. We pay for BBC news, but in foreign markets it is stuffed with ads whose revenue goes to BBC Studios.
They are intertwined, yes. That doesn't mean the license fee goes to the BBC's commercial arm. The BBC's commercial arm, as the name implies, makes money that funds other parts of the BBC.
"That doesn't mean the license fee goes to the BBC's commercial arm"
No you are wrong, it absolutely does go to the BBC Studios. I gave you clear examples in my post. I am not saying they shouldn't be able to do, but over time it has changed from simply where to put IP rights so they can sell toys etc, to something much more complicated.
The legal entity the BBC we pay the licence fee to makes very little content itself these days.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Reform are going to sweep to victory in the GE. Unless something radical changes
Labour AND the Tories will be destroyed. Deservedly
Then what ?
Do you think Reform have all the answers to this country's problems and are competent enough to apply them even if they have ?
Farage hasn't even been able to lead a party of five MPs in opposition.
A reform government could easily collapse quickly followed by the collapse of the entire party.
The risk for Reform isn't so much that they have to run councils and turn out to not be up to the job, rather that they struggle to agree with each other, and end up splitting into some more grouplets who oppose each other. The sort of thing the left has basically done forever.
I think that he has a uniquiely weird, and annoying, voice
He peppers and whines
Someone called R5 today to say that he'd played football against SKS, who he remembered whinging and whining
He does have a uniquely weird, and annoying, voice. Matt Forde, a big fan of Sir Keir's, does a really good impression of him. If you look at videos of him when he was in his twenties and thirties, he doesn't talk like he does now at all, he sounds quite normal.
"Furthermore, I expect the German legal profession to understand that the nation is not here for them, but that they are here for the nation"
Hitler, 1942
Bondi declares war on the courts: "What has happened to our judiciary is beyond me ... they are deranged ... we are sending a very strong message today ... we will come after you and we will prosecute you. We will find you."
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
There is in theory the ability after a sustained period of not willing to interact with Capita and if they have gathered sufficient evidence that you are watching a tv without a licence that they can gain a warrant from the courts. However, this basically never happens, as how do they find the evidence of your viewing live tv when they aren't allowed to look through your windows e.g. the mythical detector vans (which nobody has ever found their evidence presented in a court of law). Just having a tv aerial or even a satellite dish isn't enough evidence.
All letters that imply such things are just scare tactics.
The people who are caught are basically always people who admit to something accidentally when interacting with Capita or they allow access to Capita employee who then sees the telly on etc.
I think the rare case of the court granting a warrant is when individuals have been physically aggressive / threatening and the court then grants the ability for the police to enter your property along with the Capita employee.
Reform are going to sweep to victory in the GE. Unless something radical changes
Labour AND the Tories will be destroyed. Deservedly
I would somewhat prefer a Refcon coalition. I am all for gutting the system, but only 4 of Reforms MPs will even have been MPs before let alone Ministers. That will present a very real challenge.
They might stand other ex-MP candidates, who then win, e.g. Marco Longhi. There could be a dozen Reform MPs with prior experience! If Andrea Jenkyns wants to give up being mayor, there's some ministerial experience.
They could always recruit ex-ministers, like Brooks Newmark, Owen Paterson, Nadine Dorries, and Grant Shapps, to show them how things should be done.
It would have saved so much time if John Redwood had won the Tory leadership in 1995.
It would have saved the country.
Gotta love the humour.
Even if you regard the idea of Redwood as PM as a bit of a joke, that alternative timeline would have been so much better. Blair wouldn't have won a bigger landslide and the Tories would have avoided the wasted years of Hague and IDS.
Why do you think that? Blair would have one a massive landslide and the Tories would have junked Redwood after the election. If anything it would probably have resulted in an ultra moderate Europhile taking the leadership after 1997 as the defeat would be pinned on Redwood.
If Ken Clarke had become leader of the opposition in 1997 after Redwood lost to Blair, he'd have provided much more effective opposition to the Blair government than Hague did. Europe was a red herring in many ways.
Ken Clarke was a far bigger red herring in many other ways.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
How do they know if you need a TV licence or not? It's not mandatory. You don't have to engage with TV licence enforcement at all. They have to prove you're watching broadcast TV without a licence. They can only prove that by knocking on you're door and you telling them or they clearly see you watching it from the door. They then caution you and your goose is cooked. There is no way you get a letter out of the blue telling you you're being prosecuted.
Reform are going to sweep to victory in the GE. Unless something radical changes
Labour AND the Tories will be destroyed. Deservedly
Then what ?
Do you think Reform have all the answers to this country's problems and are competent enough to apply them even if they have ?
Farage hasn't even been able to lead a party of five MPs in opposition.
A reform government could easily collapse quickly followed by the collapse of the entire party.
The risk for Reform isn't so much that they have to run councils and turn out to not be up to the job, rather that they struggle to agree with each other, and end up splitting into some more grouplets who oppose each other. The sort of thing the left has basically done forever.
That didn't seem to negatively impact the Greens or LibDems much.
Beyond the widespread use of intemperate language and the airing of unlikely solutions which I then fail to refute convincingly, I have few expectations.
Reform are going to sweep to victory in the GE. Unless something radical changes
Labour AND the Tories will be destroyed. Deservedly
I would somewhat prefer a Refcon coalition. I am all for gutting the system, but only 4 of Reforms MPs will even have been MPs before let alone Ministers. That will present a very real challenge.
They might stand other ex-MP candidates, who then win, e.g. Marco Longhi. There could be a dozen Reform MPs with prior experience! If Andrea Jenkyns wants to give up being mayor, there's some ministerial experience.
They could always recruit ex-ministers, like Brooks Newmark, Owen Paterson, Nadine Dorries, and Grant Shapps, to show them how things should be done.
It would have saved so much time if John Redwood had won the Tory leadership in 1995.
It would have saved the country.
Gotta love the humour.
Even if you regard the idea of Redwood as PM as a bit of a joke, that alternative timeline would have been so much better. Blair wouldn't have won a bigger landslide and the Tories would have avoided the wasted years of Hague and IDS.
Why do you think that? Blair would have one a massive landslide and the Tories would have junked Redwood after the election. If anything it would probably have resulted in an ultra moderate Europhile taking the leadership after 1997 as the defeat would be pinned on Redwood.
If Ken Clarke had become leader of the opposition in 1997 after Redwood lost to Blair, he'd have provided much more effective opposition to the Blair government than Hague did. Europe was a red herring in many ways.
Maybe but he'd still have been facing a popular government with a massive majority enjoying a relatively benign economic environment. Hague was pretty effective at taking Blair on in the Commons. It's possible that Clarke's more attractive public persona would have won a few more votes in 2001 but memories of the long fag end of Tory rule would still have been strong. He'd also have faced significant internal difficulties with his position on Europe which would have left the Tories looking more divided than they did under Hague. I'd be much more inclined to agree that they should have gone with him over IDS after 2001 though.
I'm not saying that it would necessarily have meant a rapid return to power for the Tories, just that the overall political climate would have been healthier. The most obvious example is that someone like Clarke wouldn't have been such a cheerleader for Blair's pro-Iraq War position.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
I'd really like to believe that, but I no longer throw TV licence letters away unopened. (I came across the info on one of the YouTube channels that deal with them.)
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
One other common falsehood is people get banged up for not paying tv licence. It is actually non-payment of the court imposed fine, which despite threats of up to £1000s, on average is the cost of a years licence.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
There is in theory the ability after a sustained period of not willing to interact with Capita and if they have gathered sufficient evidence that you are watching a tv without a licence that they can gain a warrant from the courts. However, this basically never happens, as how do they find the evidence of your viewing live tv when they aren't allowed to look through your windows e.g. the mythical detector vans (which nobody has ever found their evidence presented in a court of law). Just having a tv aerial or even a satellite dish isn't enough evidence.
All letters that imply such things are just scare tactics.
The people who are caught are basically always people who admit to something accidentally or they allow access to Capita employee who then sees the telly on etc.
They don't gather evidence, though. They're not investigating you. They knock on the door, you tell them "no ta" and it's done. They move on to the next address and hope the next person is more easily intimidated. Sure, they send more letters, but they don't have the budget or staff to lurk outside a house with binoculars and they legally can't go snooping about your house. They need a court to sign off on a warrant and that very, very rarely happens. They go after low hanging fruit.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
I've been summoned to the Magistrates Court for non-payment of Council Tax and that was literally the first I knew about it. So why would it be different for TV licence?
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
There is in theory the ability after a sustained period of not willing to interact with Capita and if they have gathered sufficient evidence that you are watching a tv without a licence that they can gain a warrant from the courts. However, this basically never happens, as how do they find the evidence of your viewing live tv when they aren't allowed to look through your windows etc e.g. the mythical detector vans (which nobody has ever found their evidence presented in a court of law). Just having a tv aerial or even a satellite dish isn't enough evidence.
All letters that imply such things are just scare tactics.
I have a large collection of harassment letters going back about 15 years. I'm not quite sure why I keep them but they are a source of amusement.
They've been much less frequent recently - I wonder if they are finding it too expensive or whether they are losing the will.
I have never responded or filled in any 'I do not require a TV licence' statements as there is absolutely no compulsion to do so.
I don't watch anything but if I really really wanted to I could VPN to my father in law's house and stream iPlayer from there. He does have a licence. How would they know?
The whole thing is an anachronism and has to end, preferably not involving the taxpayer except for the World Service.
It is a shame they've fought against change for so long as they could have been a major world player.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
I've been summoned to the Magistrates Court for non-payment of Council Tax and that was literally the first I knew about it. So why would it be different for TV licence?
Because that isn't the law for tv licence. Capita and their "inspectors" are granted very little in the way of powers. They can't really investigate you, they can only ask you to volunteer to speak to them, if you want you can even legally withdraw their right to every step onto your property and there is nothing they can do.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
I've been summoned to the Magistrates Court for non-payment of Council Tax and that was literally the first I knew about it. So why would it be different for TV licence?
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
I'd really like to believe that, but I no longer throw TV licence letters away unopened. (I came across the info on one of the YouTube channels that deal with them.)
Anne, you can only be prosecuted if a Capita employee has sufficient evidence you are watching broadcast TV illegally, and that will happen only if you tell them. No one has been prosecuted by post without such an interaction. Most people don't turn up to court, so they do get found guilty in their absence, but they absolutely would have known they were being prosecuted.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
I've been summoned to the Magistrates Court for non-payment of Council Tax and that was literally the first I knew about it. So why would it be different for TV licence?
Because it isn't illegal to not have a TV licence, but it is mandatory to pay your council tax.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
How do they know if you need a TV licence or not? It's not mandatory. You don't have to engage with TV licence enforcement at all. They have to prove you're watching broadcast TV without a licence. They can only prove that by knocking on you're door and you telling them or they clearly see you watching it from the door. They then caution you and your goose is cooked. There is no way you get a letter out of the blue telling you you're being prosecuted.
How about if they see you watching through your front window
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
There is in theory the ability after a sustained period of not willing to interact with Capita and if they have gathered sufficient evidence that you are watching a tv without a licence that they can gain a warrant from the courts. However, this basically never happens, as how do they find the evidence of your viewing live tv when they aren't allowed to look through your windows e.g. the mythical detector vans (which nobody has ever found their evidence presented in a court of law). Just having a tv aerial or even a satellite dish isn't enough evidence.
All letters that imply such things are just scare tactics.
The people who are caught are basically always people who admit to something accidentally or they allow access to Capita employee who then sees the telly on etc.
They don't gather evidence, though. They're not investigating you. They knock on the door, you tell them "no ta" and it's done. They move on to the next address and hope the next person is more easily intimidated. Sure, they send more letters, but they don't have the budget or staff to lurk outside a house with binoculars and they legally can't go snooping about your house. They need a court to sign off on a warrant and that very, very rarely happens. They go after low hanging fruit.
Sure they it absolutely the reality, it unfortunately the most vulnerable that will fall into the trap and admit their own guilt.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
How do they know if you need a TV licence or not? It's not mandatory. You don't have to engage with TV licence enforcement at all. They have to prove you're watching broadcast TV without a licence. They can only prove that by knocking on you're door and you telling them or they clearly see you watching it from the door. They then caution you and your goose is cooked. There is no way you get a letter out of the blue telling you you're being prosecuted.
How about if they see you watching through your front window
They aren't allowed to spy in through your windows. Its a breach of your privacy. Also with all VOD / streaming just having a tv on showing something is far from evidence.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
I'd really like to believe that, but I no longer throw TV licence letters away unopened. (I came across the info on one of the YouTube channels that deal with them.)
Anne, you can only be prosecuted if a Capita employee has sufficient evidence you are watching broadcast TV illegally, and that will happen only if you tell them. No one has been prosecuted by post without such an interaction. Most people don't turn up to court, so they do get found guilty in their absence, but they absolutely would have known they were being prosecuted.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
How do they know if you need a TV licence or not? It's not mandatory. You don't have to engage with TV licence enforcement at all. They have to prove you're watching broadcast TV without a licence. They can only prove that by knocking on you're door and you telling them or they clearly see you watching it from the door. They then caution you and your goose is cooked. There is no way you get a letter out of the blue telling you you're being prosecuted.
How about if they see you watching through your front window
Then your goose is close to the oven, but only if they could reasonably see your TV from a reasonable approach to your door. They can't look through your side windows or nip round the back garden.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
I've been summoned to the Magistrates Court for non-payment of Council Tax and that was literally the first I knew about it. So why would it be different for TV licence?
Because it isn't illegal to not have a TV licence, but it is mandatory to pay your council tax.
Not necessarily, and in my case, I wasn't liable to pay council tax. I got advice from a lawyer friend, went to court and explained the situation and I was in and out in about 10 minutes.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
I've been summoned to the Magistrates Court for non-payment of Council Tax and that was literally the first I knew about it. So why would it be different for TV licence?
Slightly different legislation. You can go to prison for avoiding paying CT but other solutions are used. Avoiding paying TV licence is a Civil Penalty so just monetary sanction.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
I'd really like to believe that, but I no longer throw TV licence letters away unopened. (I came across the info on one of the YouTube channels that deal with them.)
Anne, you can only be prosecuted if a Capita employee has sufficient evidence you are watching broadcast TV illegally, and that will happen only if you tell them. No one has been prosecuted by post without such an interaction. Most people don't turn up to court, so they do get found guilty in their absence, but they absolutely would have known they were being prosecuted.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
Licence Fee evasion goes to the Magistrates Court where the burden of proof is higher than in the County Court. They can't just issue summons unless there is something to present to the court such as an admission. Have helped people with such convictions but they had usually opened the door and said something that was recorded.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
I've been summoned to the Magistrates Court for non-payment of Council Tax and that was literally the first I knew about it. So why would it be different for TV licence?
Because it isn't illegal to not have a TV licence, but it is mandatory to pay your council tax.
Not necessarily, and in my case, I wasn't liable to pay council tax. I got advice from a lawyer friend, went to court and explained the situation and I was in and out in about 10 minutes.
Fair enough, but the TV licence is definitely not mandatory!
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
How do they know if you need a TV licence or not? It's not mandatory. You don't have to engage with TV licence enforcement at all. They have to prove you're watching broadcast TV without a licence. They can only prove that by knocking on you're door and you telling them or they clearly see you watching it from the door. They then caution you and your goose is cooked. There is no way you get a letter out of the blue telling you you're being prosecuted.
How about if they see you watching through your front window
They aren't allowed to spy in through your windows. Its a breach of your privacy. Also with all VOD / streaming just having a tv on showing something is far from evidence.
That's why you should never let them in. Even without a telly, they'll look for tablets, computers and even phones. Any device that can access broadcast TV is fair game.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yeah, she lives abroad but still gets a gig slagging off the UK
We were discussing squirrels yesterday. I've just seen this little fellow while walking my dog near Seagrove Bay. No dog for scale, sorry.
If you had a dog for scale it would have chased the squirrel away and you wouldn’t have got the photo.
Yes my little hound chases squirrels and other similar sized mammals with great enthusiasm, but I only allow him to do so in Leicsestershire, not the reds on the IoW.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
You genuinely don't think there's any danger of communal violence in the UK if the situation in India and Pakistan deteriorates, then?
(Don't get me wrong, I think Oakeshott is a loon,but this seems like a strange thing to be breezily dismissive of)
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yeah, she lives abroad but still gets a gig slagging off the UK
This is no way to describe the partner of the next deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
Safer, nicer, cleaner, sweeter than many Western European cities. How can this be? What have we done to our own civilisation?
Muslim countries tend to be quite safe in terms of street crime, at least for men.
Like much of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan forcefully represses all forms of radical Islam
The niqab is banned, for instance, as of February this year
“Kyrgyzstan has become the latest country in Muslim-majority Central Asia to ban the Islamic niqab, a long garment that covers the body, hair, and face, except the eyes.”
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
There's citizens of nowhere she likes and those she does not like.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
You genuinely don't think there's any danger of communal violence in the UK if the situation in India and Pakistan deteriorates, then?
(Don't get me wrong, I think Oakeshott is a loon,but this seems like a strange thing to be breezily dismissive of)
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yeah, she lives abroad but still gets a gig slagging off the UK
All these ardent Brexiteers seem to have hunkered down on exotic far off shores while we had to run the gauntlet of Johnson's oven ready Brexit.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
Is she demanding the right to vote there?
She has exactly the same voting rights an ordinary Dubai citizen.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
Is she demanding the right to vote there?
It's not a democracy.
Then her presence there doesn’t have the same significance. She’s not changing the balance of political power.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
Is she demanding the right to vote there?
It's not a democracy.
Then her presence there doesn’t have the same significance. She’s not changing the balance of political power.
So if we get rid of the vote open borders to all is ok?
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
Reminds me of an old Guardian piece which came across as lauding the business savvy of Albanian cocaine traffikers, forging good relationships, leveraging a violent reputation, and delivering higher quality for lower prices. Good to see they are still delivering.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
I'd really like to believe that, but I no longer throw TV licence letters away unopened. (I came across the info on one of the YouTube channels that deal with them.)
Anne, you can only be prosecuted if a Capita employee has sufficient evidence you are watching broadcast TV illegally, and that will happen only if you tell them. No one has been prosecuted by post without such an interaction. Most people don't turn up to court, so they do get found guilty in their absence, but they absolutely would have known they were being prosecuted.
That what I used to believe.
Keep believing it.
I prefer the fail-safe option of opening the letters before chucking them. Peace of mind.
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
Why do we need to dress this up as being because it unfairly targets one group or the other? Whatever the merits of that, the reason we shouldn’t have a license fee is that the funding model is deeply anachronistic.
If they want to fund it through taxation, they should break up the BBC into commercial and public service wings. The BBC’s commercial arm should not be funded through general taxation. I can at least see some merit to funding some of the other things it does that way, but only if those elements are properly governed and regulated and managed.
The BBC's commercial arm is not funded by the license fee and wouldn't be funded by general taxation. You don't need to break up the BBC.
Actually it is much more complicated these days. The two are heavily intertwined. The licence fee is used to commission programmes which are then made by BBC Studios or further outsourced. But BBC Studios will hold the rights to those to be able to commercially exploit internationally. Sometimes the programmes are 100% licence fee, sometimes it is in partnership with another media company e.g. Disney with Doctor Who.
The "outsourcing" of even regular programming to BBC Studio is why lots of very high profile talent aren't on the list of pay released by the BBC every year or even if they are on it, it isn't their entire pay packet from shows on the BBC e.g. Graham Norton was most likely at one point to be the highest earner at the BBC, but everything was paid for by licence fee to BBC Studios that then commissioned Norton's own production company to actually make the content.
Another example BBC Studios handling advertising for BBC News. We pay for BBC news, but in foreign markets it is stuffed with ads whose revenue goes to BBC Studios.
They are intertwined, yes. That doesn't mean the license fee goes to the BBC's commercial arm. The BBC's commercial arm, as the name implies, makes money that funds other parts of the BBC.
"That doesn't mean the license fee goes to the BBC's commercial arm"
No you are wrong, it absolutely does go to the BBC Studios. I gave you clear examples in my post. I am not saying they shouldn't be able to do, but over time it has changed from simply where to put IP rights so they can sell toys etc, to something much more complicated.
The legal entity the BBC we pay the licence fee to makes very little content itself these days.
But if the profits from the commercial arm are recycled back to the BBC why does it matter?
Looks like will be some good results in the Mayoral races for Reform, winning 2 and OK for the Greens as well winning 1. Tories will at least win Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with ex MP Paul Bristow and terrible for Labour who will win 0
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
You genuinely don't think there's any danger of communal violence in the UK if the situation in India and Pakistan deteriorates, then?
(Don't get me wrong, I think Oakeshott is a loon,but this seems like a strange thing to be breezily dismissive of)
Yes, I think it quite likely.
I think we can expect a little bit of argy bargy in Leicester. There are hotheaded loons on both sides in the city and I've been to a few incidents back in the day. If there's cricket involved, it could get tasty! Mind you, I got chased to within an inch of my life by Leeds fans back in the 90s, so it's nowt out of the ordinary!
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
I thought she'd f***** off to some fash haven like Dubai.
Yes she is an immigrant in a country with Sharia law, and I don't think has converted to Islam. So she does like multiculturalism.
Is she demanding the right to vote there?
It's not a democracy.
Then her presence there doesn’t have the same significance. She’s not changing the balance of political power.
Is she no longer the squeeze of a famous Reformer?
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Why can’t you have a summons out of the blue? Or is this something specific to the license fee?
How do they know if you need a TV licence or not? It's not mandatory. You don't have to engage with TV licence enforcement at all. They have to prove you're watching broadcast TV without a licence. They can only prove that by knocking on you're door and you telling them or they clearly see you watching it from the door. They then caution you and your goose is cooked. There is no way you get a letter out of the blue telling you you're being prosecuted.
How about if they see you watching through your front window
There was an old joke about this
"A TV detector van stopped at a house and a man got out and knocked on the door. "Good morning, madam," he said as the door opened. "Could I see your TV licence?" "I'm just on my way out," the woman replied. "But tell my husband it's behind the clock on the mantelpiece."
Moments later the woman's husband appeared. "Good morning, sir," said the man from the van. "Could I see your TV licence? You'll find it behind the clock on your mantelpiece." "My God!" said the husband. "That sure is some van you've got there."
In her strongest criticisms of the tax to date, Ms Nandy went on to insist that a “fairer” and “more sustainable” funding model must be found, declaring the current system “unenforceable”.
When a politician talks about fairer, that normally results in anything but and at increased cost...her comments scream some sort of media tax on your council tax bill.
They'll just kick the can down the road by announcing some sort of extension to the existing model while a commission is set up to explore other options. In related news, I've had my 7th letter in 6 months in our new house. "The Legal Occupier" is under the final stages of investigation. What investigation? If they ever do send round a telly licence sales assistant, I'll just say "no thanks" and that'll be it. It's just a never ending harrassment, but fortunately I know I'm doing nothing illegal and they just spend licence payers money for nowt.
We've been getting letters like that for ten years. I think they'll twig one day (or maybe not).
The letters can just go unopened into the recycling. You're under no obligation to even read them. Unfortunately, most people don't know that, and think the BBC is an arm of the state with actual enforcement powers. People only get prosecuted because they admit to watching it or let Capita into their house and the sales assistant bullies them into to admitting something. There is no other way they can find out. They mostly prosecute women and the elderly.
I understand that one of the letters they may send informs you that you are being charged in court. If you throw that in the bin unopened you won't reply to refute the charge and you will be found guilty in absentia.
Sorry I don't have a link.
That's just not true. You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence. Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly. You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
I'd really like to believe that, but I no longer throw TV licence letters away unopened. (I came across the info on one of the YouTube channels that deal with them.)
Anne, you can only be prosecuted if a Capita employee has sufficient evidence you are watching broadcast TV illegally, and that will happen only if you tell them. No one has been prosecuted by post without such an interaction. Most people don't turn up to court, so they do get found guilty in their absence, but they absolutely would have known they were being prosecuted.
That what I used to believe.
Keep believing it.
I prefer the fail-safe option of opening the letters before chucking them. Peace of mind.
As long as you don't let the letters worry you, that's all that matters.
Looks like will be some good results in the Mayoral races for Reform, winning 2 and OK for the Greens as well winning 1. Tories will at least win Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with ex MP Paul Bristow and terrible for Labour who will win 0
Reminds me of an old Guardian piece which came across as lauding the business savvy of Albanian cocaine traffikers, forging good relationships, leveraging a violent reputation, and delivering higher quality for lower prices. Good to see they are still delivering.
The Hellbanianz
"How Albanians came to conquer the UK’s cocaine market is a lesson in criminal savvy; the value of making friends with the world’s most dangerous mafias; and the absolute threat of violence.
It began with a business model that was simple in concept, but sufficiently bold to subvert the existing order. For years cocaine’s international importers worked separately from its wholesalers and the gangs. Pricing structure varied, depending on the drug’s purity; the higher it was, the more it cost.
The Albanians ditched the entire model. They began negotiating directly with the Colombian cartels who control coca production. Huge shipments were arranged direct from South America. Supply chains were kept in-house."
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
and the attached video doesn't show any battling, just a line of cops looking at the Indian supporters standing around on one side of the street and a line of cops looking at the Pakistani supporters standing around on the other. I can't imagine what she would call an actual riot.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
You genuinely don't think there's any danger of communal violence in the UK if the situation in India and Pakistan deteriorates, then?
(Don't get me wrong, I think Oakeshott is a loon,but this seems like a strange thing to be breezily dismissive of)
Yes, I think it quite likely.
I think we can expect a little bit of argy bargy in Leicester. There are hotheaded loons on both sides in the city and I've been to a few incidents back in the day. If there's cricket involved, it could get tasty! Mind you, I got chased to within an inch of my life by Leeds fans back in the 90s, so it's nowt out of the ordinary!
Ah, so the government does have some water cannon up their sleeve
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
Pakistani vs Indian violence will be the centrist's new Tavistock Centre - nothing to see here
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
Trump leaves for the pope funeral saying it gives him the chance to talk to load of world leaders about their tariffs and none of this (not defined what - possibly Francis dying?) would have happened under Joe Biden.
Reform are going to sweep to victory in the GE. Unless something radical changes
Labour AND the Tories will be destroyed. Deservedly
Most polls bar FON have a hung parliament and Reform still needing Tory support for a majority, with a few giving Labour, LDs and SNP a majority
The drift of history is towards Reform
Perhaps so - the drift of insanity certainly. I'm really quite worried that they might finish up in charge. It'll be far worse that what the SNP did to Scotland.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
Omg you flagged this, you utter flake
You shouldn't be so abusive then.
lol. I don’t mind being flagged, just as I don’t mind abuse
I dish it out and I happily take it, with no complaints
It’s the feeble effeminacy of the flagger I am noting
Trump leaves for the pope funeral saying it gives him the chance to talk to load of world leaders about their tariffs and none of this (not defined what - possibly Francis dying?) would have happened under Joe Biden.
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
A fucking stupid remark, even by your dismal standards of rank stupidity
Pakistani vs Indian violence will be the centrist's new Tavistock Centre - nothing to see here
Reform are going to sweep to victory in the GE. Unless something radical changes
Labour AND the Tories will be destroyed. Deservedly
Most polls bar FON have a hung parliament and Reform still needing Tory support for a majority, with a few giving Labour, LDs and SNP a majority
The drift of history is towards Reform
For now but this is Farage's last chance probably to become PM. He missed it against Ed Miliband and Cameron in 2015, more narrowly missed it with a few MPs but still miles off in 2024 against Sunak and Starmer and against a now unpopular Starmer and not very visible Badenoch has an open goal to sweep the white working class vote and strong Leave vote. If he misses it and Reform still fail to win most seats then the Tories will likely replace a losing Badenoch with Jenrick backed by Rees Mogg who will hoover back some of the Tory votes lost to Reform and Burnham or Rayner will likely replace North London Starmer too in due course and have more appeal in the redwall seats
A genuine question for the floor as I've never looked at any of their manifestos etc.
Do Reform actually know with any level of clarity what it is they're going to reform and how they're going to reform it, or are they going to do a Starmer Labour and suddenly wake up in power but with no apparent idea of what they're actually going to do with it?
Comments
Greater Lincolnshire also includes North Lincolnshire (greater Scunthorpe) and North-East Lincolnshire (greater Grimsby).
It's not, as far as I know, a regional accent anywhere
Do you think Reform have all the answers to this country's problems and are competent enough to apply them even if they have ?
Farage hasn't even been able to lead a party of five MPs in opposition.
A reform government could easily collapse quickly followed by the collapse of the entire party.
Sometimes I like your posts but I’m afraid it’s because they are so ludicrous they cheer me up.
( Redwood is totally bonkers. )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2024_United_Kingdom_general_election
I think that he has a uniquiely weird, and annoying, voice
He peppers and whines
Someone called R5 today to say that he'd played football against SKS, who he remembered whinging and whining
However, in the crazy world of the US, its just as likely that the suspect just legged it and the FBI are totally in the wrong, which then is a very dangerous situation.
Sorry I don't have a link.
No you are wrong, it absolutely does go to the BBC Studios. I gave you clear examples in my post. I am not saying they shouldn't be able to do, but over time it has changed from simply where to put IP rights so they can sell toys etc, to something much more complicated.
The legal entity the BBC we pay the licence fee to makes very little content itself these days.
You can't be charged with not having a TV licence unless a Capita employee has knocked on your door and you've told them you watch telly without a licence.
Any correspondence after that obviously has to be dealt with properly.
You can't just have a letter turn up out of the blue saying you're being prosecuted.
Hitler, 1942
Bondi declares war on the courts: "What has happened to our judiciary is beyond me ... they are deranged ... we are sending a very strong message today ... we will come after you and we will prosecute you. We will find you."
US, 2025
https://bsky.app/profile/markzaidesq.bsky.social/post/3lnnqr35rzc2l
All letters that imply such things are just scare tactics.
The people who are caught are basically always people who admit to something accidentally when interacting with Capita or they allow access to Capita employee who then sees the telly on etc.
I think the rare case of the court granting a warrant is when individuals have been physically aggressive / threatening and the court then grants the ability for the police to enter your property along with the Capita employee.
There is no way you get a letter out of the blue telling you you're being prosecuted.
Beyond the widespread use of intemperate language and the airing of unlikely solutions which I then fail to refute convincingly, I have few expectations.
If I get in it will be most diverting.
Throwing sh*t to see what sticks (as happens in County Court) wouldn't cut it in the Mags.
Safer, nicer, cleaner, sweeter than many Western European cities. How can this be? What have we done to our own civilisation?
They've been much less frequent recently - I wonder if they are finding it too expensive or whether they are losing the will.
I have never responded or filled in any 'I do not require a TV licence' statements as there is absolutely no compulsion to do so.
I don't watch anything but if I really really wanted to I could VPN to my father in law's house and stream iPlayer from there. He does have a licence. How would they know?
The whole thing is an anachronism and has to end, preferably not involving the taxpayer except for the World Service.
It is a shame they've fought against change for so long as they could have been a major world player.
https://freedomhouse.org/country/kyrgyzstan/freedom-world/2024
@IsabelOakeshott
🛑TONIGHT dozens of @metpoliceuk are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protestors as they hurl abuse at each other. UK Multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!
Has she never seen football fans?
It's always been a cheek by jowl glorious mess of humanity.
Especially Camden.
(Don't get me wrong, I think Oakeshott is a loon,but this seems like a strange thing to be breezily dismissive of)
The niqab is banned, for instance, as of February this year
“Kyrgyzstan has become the latest country in Muslim-majority Central Asia to ban the Islamic niqab, a long garment that covers the body, hair, and face, except the eyes.”
https://www.rferl.org/a/niqab-ban-kyrgyzstan-islam-hijab-central-asia/33297197.html
In economics, that's known a revealed preference.
Mind you, I got chased to within an inch of my life by Leeds fans back in the 90s, so it's nowt out of the ordinary!
"A TV detector van stopped at a house and a man got out and knocked on the door. "Good morning, madam," he said as the door opened. "Could I see your TV licence?" "I'm just on my way out," the woman replied. "But tell my husband it's behind the clock on the mantelpiece."
Moments later the woman's husband appeared. "Good morning, sir," said the man from the van. "Could I see your TV licence? You'll find it behind the clock on your mantelpiece." "My God!" said the husband. "That sure is some van you've got there."
"How Albanians came to conquer the UK’s cocaine market is a lesson in criminal savvy; the value of making friends with the world’s most dangerous mafias; and the absolute threat of violence.
It began with a business model that was simple in concept, but sufficiently bold to subvert the existing order. For years cocaine’s international importers worked separately from its wholesalers and the gangs. Pricing structure varied, depending on the drug’s purity; the higher it was, the more it cost.
The Albanians ditched the entire model. They began negotiating directly with the Colombian cartels who control coca production. Huge shipments were arranged direct from South America. Supply chains were kept in-house."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/13/kings-of-cocaine-albanian-mafia-uk-drugs-crime
I dish it out and I happily take it, with no complaints
It’s the feeble effeminacy of the flagger I am noting
Do Reform actually know with any level of clarity what it is they're going to reform and how they're going to reform it, or are they going to do a Starmer Labour and suddenly wake up in power but with no apparent idea of what they're actually going to do with it?