Afternoon all. One of the benefits of doing Dry January ...snip...
change of your PB name for the duration?
I still go there in the evening for the social aspect. Just soft drinks for the duration although as there are 5 weekends this month, it's a bit of a killer.
@SkyNewsBreak: British Medical Association says #JuniorDoctors in England will strike next Tuesday after talks with Government failed to reach an agreement
@TheJoshuaLovell: Rumors that Hilary Benn could stay.... #reshuffle
Which would mean that he is more interested in having somebody in Defence who wants to abolish Trident. Get your bets on for who will win Barrow in 2020.
@SkyNewsBreak: British Medical Association says #JuniorDoctors in England will strike next Tuesday after talks with Government failed to reach an agreement
My biggest fear for this year and 2020 for the Tory party is that we revert back to the 90s and are obsessed by the EU and destroy our electoral prospects.
The only way to unite the party is have the PM campaign for Leave. The Europhile headbangers can f*** off to the Lib Dems then.
You sound like a Corbynite true believer.
You sound like a europhile who would sell this country down a river to win this referendum. Oh wait, you are one.
Errr no. I'm likely to vote leave, but you keep up hiking up Mount Wrongness
I do wish my fellow Leavers would stop doing this.
I'm taking the Churchillian view. There should be a United States of Europe but Le Royaume-Uni should have nothing to do with it.
Allows me to be consistent to my Pro-EU position yet allows me to vote to leave.
The EU going forward is going to be dominated by the Eurozone and the only way we'd have any influence is if we join the Euro and I'd rather have Corbyn as PM than join the Euro.
As I've been saying for some time: I think Brexit is in the best interests of both the UK and the European Union.
The Eurozone is the splitter between us and the EU and its that issue which needs to be determined. Logic suggests there should be 2 orbits to the EU solar system.
Could you see yourself voting to leave if the Eurozone/Non-Eurozone issue is not adequately resolved?
@TheJoshuaLovell: Rumors that Hilary Benn could stay.... #reshuffle
Which would mean that he is more interested in having somebody in Defence who wants to abolish Trident. Get your bets on for who will win Barrow in 2020.
John Woodcock said he would resign if Labour didn't build four submarines didn't he, but as they are not in government it doesn't commit him? Looking forward to his speech in the Trident debate though.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight Harriet Harman, who was acting Labour leader for four months after the party lost the 2015 election, said: "We can't have a men-only leadership when we are party for women and equality.
"Women expect to see men and women working together and we can't have an all-male leadership again and therefore we need to change the rules."
Calm down dear...
To be honest, if Labour had an all-female front bench it might help. With the (admittedly sizeable) exception of Abbott, the complete and utter disaster areas are all men, no?
There is Lucy Powell - is she currently in the shadow cabinet or not?
'fixed' is one way to put it, but I for one am grateful for you pointing out a few facts. From what I read net borrowing reached a peak in 2009/10 wth £167.4bn. It would be interesting to see how critics would sustain the economy and cut that deficit at the same time. In fact the govt made a good job of for instance making welfare cuts in its first 5 years.
If people want to look at the real cause of all our problems then at 20011/12 prices total managed govt expenditure was 439bn in 94/95, 444bn in 2000/01, but 707bn in 2009/10. Just work out what an increase of 268 is on top of 439 !! A massive increase and pulling the rug from under that is not easy. Just take a look at what happens when welfare cuts are threatened.
These figures in fact substantially understate the extent of our problems. By 2010 public spending was not only increasing at a completely unsustainable rate, it had several drivers built into it which meant that it was likely to increase into the future whether the tax revenue was there or not.
So we had major problems in funding public sector pensions which were prohibitively generous with the result that even those in the public sector who contributed were in fact paying less and less of the costs.
We had huge "off balance" sheet liabilities for PFI that had major negative implications for future spending in both health and education.
We had allowed Housing Benefit to run completely out of control, not just in London but elsewhere. As generation rent increased so did the drain on the public purse.
We had eliminated all of the benefits that the public purse would normally get from increased employment. In fact increased employment increased benefit spending as the next 5 years showed all too clearly.
Biggest mistake ever was selling social housing , at worst they should at least have ploughed the proceeds into building new smaller social houses. They have to start building sensible social housing instead of just wasting ever growing amounts on private rental.
@SkyNewsBreak: British Medical Association says #JuniorDoctors in England will strike next Tuesday after talks with Government failed to reach an agreement
Sack em all.
Indeed - And then make em pay the full whack for their tax payer supplemented education.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight Harriet Harman, who was acting Labour leader for four months after the party lost the 2015 election, said: "We can't have a men-only leadership when we are party for women and equality.
"Women expect to see men and women working together and we can't have an all-male leadership again and therefore we need to change the rules."
Calm down dear...
To be honest, if Labour had an all-female front bench it might help. With the (admittedly sizeable) exception of Abbott, the complete and utter disaster areas are all men, no?
There is Lucy Powell - is she currently in the shadow cabinet or not?
You have a point.
I was imagining something like an advert along the lines of "Men: The sex that brought you Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ken Livingstone and George Galloway. Can something that feels so right be so wrong?"
I think another large factor will be the timing of the referendum, if it is going to be in September then it will come after a summer of a refugee crisis in Europe that we will be asked to chip into.
While that's probably true, one thing the Eurozone has done quite well is to insulate itself from Grexit. The debts have been taken off the balance sheets of Europe's banks, and put in to a series of long-term funded supra-national entities. Should Greece go *pop*, then the actual near-term financial impact will be pretty small.
I'd also point out that most of the other PIIGS debt-to-GDP has peaked, and will continue to decline as 'bad banks' are unwound.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight Harriet Harman, who was acting Labour leader for four months after the party lost the 2015 election, said: "We can't have a men-only leadership when we are party for women and equality.
"Women expect to see men and women working together and we can't have an all-male leadership again and therefore we need to change the rules."
Calm down dear...
To be honest, if Labour had an all-female front bench it might help. With the (admittedly sizeable) exception of Abbott, the complete and utter disaster areas are all men, no?
There is Lucy Powell - is she currently in the shadow cabinet or not?
Edukashun, I think.
And she is as big a disaster area as you could ever wish to hope for in a Shadow minister.
I think the best argument for leaving is that there is no "status quo" any more. If we win then it will be by convincing people that voting to stay in will mean we stay on the path to a superstate with President Merkel or something like that. Unless Dave can convince them to give us the "associate" membership that some have talked about then there is a good chance a leave vote can be achieved. I've heard that the EU has no appetite for formalising "associate" membership though as they feel the Scandinavian countries would follow us into that group, but probably wouldn't follow us out of the EU if we left.
Quite.
To win, 'Leave' must use uncertainty/fear about the future. It's just as potent weapon in their hands as it is in the 'Remain' camps hands. Far more so in fact, as at least out of the EU the country can make its own decisions.
We can't afford it any more. It's too risky. It's falling apart. This is the last bus stop on the highway to Lord knows where. If not 'No', when? (Though I have to revise that slogan in light of the name change)
These are the arguments. Allied to which, Leave must cultivate mistrust in the business and authority figures who recommend 'Remain'. I would suggest the simplest notion is one of pecuniary advantage - cushy Brussels jobs. There is a strong element of European patronage, though of course the whole picture is far more complex, which is why explaining it shouldn't be attempted. Simple, graspable concepts that chime with existing belief are the way to go.
Being asked for a detailed roadmap of the future outside the EU is simply a debating ploy by the Remain side. Leave should provide as detailed a roadmap as Remain are prepared to provide of a future within the EU. Which according to those I've challenged on this is nonexistent.
These figures in fact substantially understate the extent of our problems. By 2010 public spending was not only increasing at a completely unsustainable rate, it had several drivers built into it which meant that it was likely to increase into the future whether the tax revenue was there or not.
So we had major problems in funding public sector pensions which were prohibitively generous with the result that even those in the public sector who contributed were in fact paying less and less of the costs.
We had huge "off balance" sheet liabilities for PFI that had major negative implications for future spending in both health and education.
We had allowed Housing Benefit to run completely out of control, not just in London but elsewhere. As generation rent increased so did the drain on the public purse.
We had eliminated all of the benefits that the public purse would normally get from increased employment. In fact increased employment increased benefit spending as the next 5 years showed all too clearly.
Biggest mistake ever was selling social housing , at worst they should at least have ploughed the proceeds into building new smaller social houses. They have to start building sensible social housing instead of just wasting ever growing amounts on private rental.
The problem was that the original social housing was built on the never never sustained by debt and with rents low enough to barely cover the maintenance costs so using any capital paid to repay some of that debt was logical.
But yes, we clearly need a lot more better quality social housing. The government announcement about that today was a welcome, if somewhat belated start on that.
I may say that during the referendum campaign I saw a lot of public sector housing that I normally wouldn't. The state of repair, cleanliness and facilities was deeply depressing.
'fixed' is one way to put it, but I for one am grateful for you pointing out a few facts. From what I read net borrowing reached a peak in 2009/10 wth £167.4bn. It would be interesting to see how critics would sustain the economy and cut that deficit at the same time. In fact the govt made a good job of for instance making welfare cuts in its first 5 years.
If people want to look at the real cause of all our problems then at 20011/12 prices total managed govt expenditure was 439bn in 94/95, 444bn in 2000/01, but 707bn in 2009/10. Just work out what an increase of 268 is on top of 439 !! A massive increase and pulling the rug from under that is not easy. Just take a look at what happens when welfare cuts are threatened.
These figures in fact substantially understate the extent of our problems. By 2010 public spending was not only increasing at a completely unsustainable rate, it had several drivers built into it which meant that it was likely to increase into the future whether the tax revenue was there or not.
So we had major problems in funding public sector pensions which were prohibitively generous with the result that even those in the public sector who contributed were in fact paying less and less of the costs.
We had huge "off balance" sheet liabilities for PFI that had major negative implications for future spending in both health and education.
We had allowed Housing Benefit to run completely out of control, not just in London but elsewhere. As generation rent increased so did the drain on the public purse.
We had eliminated all of the benefits that the public purse would normally get from increased employment. In fact increased employment increased benefit spending as the next 5 years showed all too clearly.
Biggest mistake ever was selling social housing , at worst they should at least have ploughed the proceeds into building new smaller social houses. They have to start building sensible social housing instead of just wasting ever growing amounts on private rental.
The average housing benefit bill for private rental is little over a tenner a week more than social housing.
The private landlord's income is subject to tax and they pick up the admin and maintenance tab.
Moody Slayer Diane Abbott and Jess Phillips have arrived in Corbyn's office. #LabourReshuffle https://t.co/h6dN2UlCvJ
Maybe something sexual is afoot?
Benn oot is what is afoot.
Quite right. What is the point of everyone in the party electing a Marxist antiwar tramp with terrorist chums to lead and then letting some Johnny-come-lately fake Tory be shadow Foreign Secretary. I hope he delivers for the members. Let's pray it is Ken Livingstone or Diane Abbott.
Exactly Partrick, he needs to purge Labour of the Tory infiltrators, champagne swilling faux socialists
'fixed' is one way to put it, but I for one am grateful for you pointing out a few facts. From what I read net borrowing reached a peak in 2009/10 wth £167.4bn. It would be interesting to see how critics would sustain the economy and cut that deficit at the same time. In fact the govt made a good job of for instance making welfare cuts in its first 5 years.
If people want to look at the real cause of all our problems then at 20011/12 prices total managed govt expenditure was 439bn in 94/95, 444bn in 2000/01, but 707bn in 2009/10. Just work out what an increase of 268 is on top of 439 !! A massive increase and pulling the rug from under that is not easy. Just take a look at what happens when welfare cuts are threatened.
These figures in fact substantially understate the extent of our problems. By 2010 public spending was not only increasing at a completely unsustainable rate, it had several drivers built into it which meant that it was likely to increase into the future whether the tax revenue was there or not.
So we had major problems in funding public sector pensions which were prohibitively generous with the result that even those in the public sector who contributed were in fact paying less and less of the costs.
We had huge "off balance" sheet liabilities for PFI that had major negative implications for future spending in both health and education.
We had allowed Housing Benefit to run completely out of control, not just in London but elsewhere. As generation rent increased so did the drain on the public purse.
We had eliminated all of the benefits that the public purse would normally get from increased employment. In fact increased employment increased benefit spending as the next 5 years showed all too clearly.
Biggest mistake ever was selling social housing , at worst they should at least have ploughed the proceeds into building new smaller social houses. They have to start building sensible social housing instead of just wasting ever growing amounts on private rental.
The average housing benefit bill for private rental is little over a tenner a week more than social housing.
The private landlord's income is subject to tax and they pick up the admin and maintenance tab.
Hard to believe it is only a tenner , but even so it is a lot of tenners every week.
I think another large factor will be the timing of the referendum, if it is going to be in September then it will come after a summer of a refugee crisis in Europe that we will be asked to chip into.
I do think it better than odds on that there is going to be another wave of panic/sovereign debt crisis by the summer. I used to think Italy was the obvious target given its fairly horrendous performance but it may be that we will get a re-run of Greece or a copy cat crisis in Portugal where a new government is going to be unstable and reluctant to follow the script.
I am less convinced this will have any material affect on our referendum.
Portugal is probably the most troubled of the PIIS (the PIIGS minus Greece...):
The Irish economy is growing at c. 7% per year right now, and debt to GDP has gone from 115% to 100% in 18 months. As NAMA is unwound, and the banks are privatised, this will probably drop to 80% or so in fairly short order.
Spain will have GDP growth of north of 3% last year, and its debt-to-GDP probably peaked in the second quarter of last year. Political instability is the issue there, with the possible secession of Catalonia, and/or a government containing Podemos.
Italy seems to have picked itself up off the floor. GDP growth - which had been utterly moribund - has been improving, and unemployment is coming down, albeit very slowly. The country now runs a fairly sizeable primary budget surplus, and government debt-to-GDP (while still horrendously high) is probably going to start coming down. (If only because the Italian government can now borrow at 1.7% or so, and is essentially swapping higher coupon debt for lower coupon.)
Portugal is the biggest issue, because it has an unpleasant troika of issues: high government debt to GDP, low potential GDP growth, and high private sector debt. The election of a fractious coalition of left wing parties is also a major issue. If there is to be a Eurozone sovereign debt crisis in 2016, it would probably be here.
@LucyMPowell: “@britainelects: Best party to handle education: CON: 28% LAB: 27% LDEM: 8% UKIP: 5% (via YouGov)” - I will do my best to lift our ratings
How much longer do we have to wait before the news of the promotion of Richard Burgon? Does Jeremy Corbyn not recognise outstanding talent when he sees it?
I think another large factor will be the timing of the referendum, if it is going to be in September then it will come after a summer of a refugee crisis in Europe that we will be asked to chip into.
While that's probably true, one thing the Eurozone has done quite well is to insulate itself from Grexit. The debts have been taken off the balance sheets of Europe's banks, and put in to a series of long-term funded supra-national entities. Should Greece go *pop*, then the actual near-term financial impact will be pretty small.
As expedient as it was for EU banks, I'm still not sure that this was the best thing for Greece.
Surely pulling out of the Euro, refusing to pay back debt and re-denominating would have been the simplest route.
They'd likely be back in the capital markets by now, no?
These figures in fact substantially understate the extent of our problems. By 2010 public spending was not only increasing at a completely unsustainable rate, it had several drivers built into it which meant that it was likely to increase into the future whether the tax revenue was there or not.
So we had major problems in funding public sector pensions which were prohibitively generous with the result that even those in the public sector who contributed were in fact paying less and less of the costs.
We had huge "off balance" sheet liabilities for PFI that had major negative implications for future spending in both health and education.
We had allowed Housing Benefit to run completely out of control, not just in London but elsewhere. As generation rent increased so did the drain on the public purse.
We had eliminated all of the benefits that the public purse would normally get from increased employment. In fact increased employment increased benefit spending as the next 5 years showed all too clearly.
Biggest mistake ever was selling social housing , at worst they should at least have ploughed the proceeds into building new smaller social houses. They have to start building sensible social housing instead of just wasting ever growing amounts on private rental.
The problem was that the original social housing was built on the never never sustained by debt and with rents low enough to barely cover the maintenance costs so using any capital paid to repay some of that debt was logical.
But yes, we clearly need a lot more better quality social housing. The government announcement about that today was a welcome, if somewhat belated start on that.
I may say that during the referendum campaign I saw a lot of public sector housing that I normally wouldn't. The state of repair, cleanliness and facilities was deeply depressing.
Have to say they should be much tougher on inspections and tenants looking after the houses. It is typical of giving people something for nothing , many just abuse it rather than showing respect and appreciating their good fortune. I would be a lot tougher on the miscreants , even to putting them in tents if they cannot look after the properties properly and respectfully.
PS: A bit of horse whipping or public stocks would also help.
@LucyMPowell: “@britainelects: Best party to handle education: CON: 28% LAB: 27% LDEM: 8% UKIP: 5% (via YouGov)” - I will do my best to lift our ratings
@theobertram: We had a grid in my day. Simple idea: coordinate one big story a day. Today is trains. It's trains. TRAINS. GODDAM YOU ALL I WAS UP AT 5!
Huh? 1% increase in rail fares? Thats a story?
My normal ticket to and from Coventry (open off-peak return) rose by a truly MASSIVE 40p to £48.40.
I think another large factor will be the timing of the referendum, if it is going to be in September then it will come after a summer of a refugee crisis in Europe that we will be asked to chip into.
I do think it better than odds on that there is going to be another wave of panic/sovereign debt crisis by the summer. I used to think Italy was the obvious target given its fairly horrendous performance but it may be that we will get a re-run of Greece or a copy cat crisis in Portugal where a new government is going to be unstable and reluctant to follow the script.
I am less convinced this will have any material affect on our referendum.
Portugal is probably the most troubled of the PIIS (the PIIGS minus Greece...):
The Irish economy is growing at c. 7% per year right now, and debt to GDP has gone from 115% to 100% in 18 months. As NAMA is unwound, and the banks are privatised, this will probably drop to 80% or so in fairly short order.
Spain will have GDP growth of north of 3% last year, and its debt-to-GDP probably peaked in the second quarter of last year. Political instability is the issue there, with the possible secession of Catalonia, and/or a government containing Podemos.
Italy seems to have picked itself up off the floor. GDP growth - which had been utterly moribund - has been improving, and unemployment is coming down, albeit very slowly. The country now runs a fairly sizeable primary budget surplus, and government debt-to-GDP (while still horrendously high) is probably going to start coming down. (If only because the Italian government can now borrow at 1.7% or so, and is essentially swapping higher coupon debt for lower coupon.)
Portugal is the biggest issue, because it has an unpleasant troika of issues: high government debt to GDP, low potential GDP growth, and high private sector debt. The election of a fractious coalition of left wing parties is also a major issue. If there is to be a Eurozone sovereign debt crisis in 2016, it would probably be here.
Moody Slayer Diane Abbott and Jess Phillips have arrived in Corbyn's office. #LabourReshuffle https://t.co/h6dN2UlCvJ
Maybe something sexual is afoot?
Benn oot is what is afoot.
Quite right. What is the point of everyone in the party electing a Marxist antiwar tramp with terrorist chums to lead and then letting some Johnny-come-lately fake Tory be shadow Foreign Secretary. I hope he delivers for the members. Let's pray it is Ken Livingstone or Diane Abbott.
Exactly Partrick, he needs to purge Labour of the Tory infiltrators, champagne swilling faux socialists
Infiltrators who have been in the party for decades? That's practically soviet levels of dedicated infiltration.
Hard to believe it is only a tenner , but even so it is a lot of tenners every week.
The real problem isn't private v social, it's London v The Rest of the UK.
About £1 in every £4 in housing benefit is spent on London, I believe.
And given most of the media is London based, that is what they see and report on i.e. these stories of just eye watering housing benefit payments made for renting a 3 bed house in parts of London.
Moody Slayer Diane Abbott and Jess Phillips have arrived in Corbyn's office. #LabourReshuffle https://t.co/h6dN2UlCvJ
Maybe something sexual is afoot?
Benn oot is what is afoot.
Quite right. What is the point of everyone in the party electing a Marxist antiwar tramp with terrorist chums to lead and then letting some Johnny-come-lately fake Tory be shadow Foreign Secretary. I hope he delivers for the members. Let's pray it is Ken Livingstone or Diane Abbott.
Exactly Partrick, he needs to purge Labour of the Tory infiltrators, champagne swilling faux socialists
Infiltrators who have been in the party for decades? That's practically soviet levels of dedicated infiltration.
How much longer do we have to wait before the news of the promotion of Richard Burgon? Does Jeremy Corbyn not recognise outstanding talent when he sees it?
Hard to believe it is only a tenner , but even so it is a lot of tenners every week.
The real problem isn't private v social, it's London v The Rest of the UK.
About £1 in every £4 in housing benefit is spent on London, I believe.
And given most of the media is London based, that is what they see and report on i.e. these stories of just eye watering housing benefit payments made for renting a 3 bed house in parts of London.
And Labour's leadership is from Hackney, Islington, Brent. Edmonton etc.
They will never tackle it because it's their vote.
Social housing HB subsidies are touching £200 a week for some properties in parts of London plus management and maintenance costs.
How much longer do we have to wait before the news of the promotion of Richard Burgon? Does Jeremy Corbyn not recognise outstanding talent when he sees it?
PBTories4Burgon
He is currently occupied meeting with representatives from the city....
I think another large factor will be the timing of the referendum, if it is going to be in September then it will come after a summer of a refugee crisis in Europe that we will be asked to chip into.
I do think it better than odds on that there is going to be another wave of panic/sovereign debt crisis by the summer. I used to think Italy was the obvious target given its fairly horrendous performance but it may be that we will get a re-run of Greece or a copy cat crisis in Portugal where a new government is going to be unstable and reluctant to follow the script.
I am less convinced this will have any material affect on our referendum.
Portugal is probably the most troubled of the PIIS (the PIIGS minus Greece...):
The Irish economy is growing at c. 7% per year right now, and debt to GDP has gone from 115% to 100% in 18 months. As NAMA is unwound, and the banks are privatised, this will probably drop to 80% or so in fairly short order.
Spain will have GDP growth of north of 3% last year, and its debt-to-GDP probably peaked in the second quarter of last year. Political instability is the issue there, with the possible secession of Catalonia, and/or a government containing Podemos.
Italy seems to have picked itself up off the floor. GDP growth - which had been utterly moribund - has been improving, and unemployment is coming down, albeit very slowly. The country now runs a fairly sizeable primary budget surplus, and government debt-to-GDP (while still horrendously high) is probably going to start coming down. (If only because the Italian government can now borrow at 1.7% or so, and is essentially swapping higher coupon debt for lower coupon.)
Portugal is the biggest issue, because it has an unpleasant troika of issues: high government debt to GDP, low potential GDP growth, and high private sector debt. The election of a fractious coalition of left wing parties is also a major issue. If there is to be a Eurozone sovereign debt crisis in 2016, it would probably be here.
How much longer do we have to wait before the news of the promotion of Richard Burgon? Does Jeremy Corbyn not recognise outstanding talent when he sees it?
PBTories4Burgon
He is currently occupied meeting with representatives from the city....
He just isn't sure which city... probably Caracas...
Biggest mistake ever was selling social housing , at worst they should at least have ploughed the proceeds into building new smaller social houses. They have to start building sensible social housing instead of just wasting ever growing amounts on private rental.
The problem was that the original social housing was built on the never never sustained by debt and with rents low enough to barely cover the maintenance costs so using any capital paid to repay some of that debt was logical.
But yes, we clearly need a lot more better quality social housing. The government announcement about that today was a welcome, if somewhat belated start on that.
I may say that during the referendum campaign I saw a lot of public sector housing that I normally wouldn't. The state of repair, cleanliness and facilities was deeply depressing.
Have to say they should be much tougher on inspections and tenants looking after the houses. It is typical of giving people something for nothing , many just abuse it rather than showing respect and appreciating their good fortune. I would be a lot tougher on the miscreants , even to putting them in tents if they cannot look after the properties properly and respectfully.
PS: A bit of horse whipping or public stocks would also help.
Not sure that is quite Nicola's style!
But having neighbours who just leave junk everywhere, don't look after their garden and refuse to do their share of cleaning of the common parts must be deeply frustrating. There is a direct application of the broken window theory too. Once one starts standards can fall sharply.
The differences between the blocks in Menzieshill in Dundee which were outwardly identical had to be seen to be believed. Some had flowers, mats and were spotless. Some were getting close to dangerous, especially for younger children.
Hard to believe it is only a tenner , but even so it is a lot of tenners every week.
The real problem isn't private v social, it's London v The Rest of the UK.
About £1 in every £4 in housing benefit is spent on London, I believe.
And given most of the media is London based, that is what they see and report on i.e. these stories of just eye watering housing benefit payments made for renting a 3 bed house in parts of London.
And Labour's leadership is from Hackney, Islington, Brent. Edmonton etc.
They will never tackle it because it's their vote.
Social housing HB subsidies are touching £200 a week for some properties in parts of London plus management and maintenance costs.
For any Tory election strategists reading, some post-2016 election posters for the provincial towns and cities might want to feature the fact that Corbyn is a Londoner through and through, and his top team might very well be entirely London based. And that his concerns are generally London-centric, too.
Would work a treat in the Midlands and Welsh marginals.
How much longer do we have to wait before the news of the promotion of Richard Burgon? Does Jeremy Corbyn not recognise outstanding talent when he sees it?
PBTories4Burgon
He is currently occupied meeting with representatives from the city....
He just isn't sure which city... probably Caracas...
Jesus wept. Just seen the entrails of that YouGov poll
The latest @YouGov poll is to picture The Hindenberg meets Chernobyl meets Hiroshima meets The Battle of Zama meets Attack of the Clones. Awful for Labour
Mr. Mortimer, would also put off a lot in northern parts (in some areas, like West Yorkshire, they could go straight blue, but elsewhere they might go purple or just not bother turning out).
Edited extra bit: Dr. Prasannan, not sure this is as bad as Attack of the Clones.
A lot of people are making the mistake of thinking that Corbynistas give a flying f*** about how the great leaders' reshuffle will be perceived by the PLP, the media or the voting public. They have no interest in winning elections, they want to control the Labour party. If the reshuffle advances that, it will be deemed a success.
Mr. Mortimer, would also put off a lot in northern parts (in some areas, like West Yorkshire, they could go straight blue, but elsewhere they might go purple or just not bother turning out).
A good point - would help the Blues by finally turning UKIP into the Northern WC party it really ought to be. This Southern strategy they have isn't working for them.
How much longer do we have to wait before the news of the promotion of Richard Burgon? Does Jeremy Corbyn not recognise outstanding talent when he sees it?
PBTories4Burgon
He is currently occupied meeting with representatives from the city....
He just isn't sure which city... probably Caracas...
A lot of people are making the mistake of thinking that Corbynistas give a flying f*** about how the great leaders' reshuffle will be perceived by the PLP, the media or the voting public. They have no interest in winning elections, they want to control the Labour party. If the reshuffle advances that, it will be deemed a success.
Have you seen the latest from Catalonia? The CUP is refusing to back Artur Mas for regional president. This makes new elections in the province look a near certainty.
I'd not noticed the political force that is Richard Burgon before. I imagine Corbyn thinks very highly of him.
Mind you Corbyn's continued cold-shouldering of the equally awesome David Lammy suggests that he may want to keep possible challengers out of the running. Perhaps there's only room for one complete fool at the top of the Labour party.
A lot of people are making the mistake of thinking that Corbynistas give a flying f*** about how the great leaders' reshuffle will be perceived by the PLP, the media or the voting public. They have no interest in winning elections, they want to control the Labour party. If the reshuffle advances that, it will be deemed a success.
Unfortunately for the Labour Party you're right.
From the other side of the fence it's hilarious on one hand to watch opposition tear themselves apart, yet on the other hand sad to watch what the party of Kinnock and Blair, and of government only six years ago, has now become.
Before someone tweets the Scots crosstab showing CON ahead of LAB, remember tiny sample size and weighting issues d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_upload…
A lot of people are making the mistake of thinking that Corbynistas give a flying f*** about how the great leaders' reshuffle will be perceived by the PLP, the media or the voting public. They have no interest in winning elections, they want to control the Labour party. If the reshuffle advances that, it will be deemed a success.
Absolutely spot on. But they want control of the Labour party because they really believe that the voters will flock to Labour once a full-on hard left agenda is presented to them.
Hard to believe it is only a tenner , but even so it is a lot of tenners every week.
The real problem isn't private v social, it's London v The Rest of the UK.
About £1 in every £4 in housing benefit is spent on London, I believe.
And given most of the media is London based, that is what they see and report on i.e. these stories of just eye watering housing benefit payments made for renting a 3 bed house in parts of London.
And Labour's leadership is from Hackney, Islington, Brent. Edmonton etc.
They will never tackle it because it's their vote.
Social housing HB subsidies are touching £200 a week for some properties in parts of London plus management and maintenance costs.
For any Tory election strategists reading, some post-2016 election posters for the provincial towns and cities might want to feature the fact that Corbyn is a Londoner through and through, and his top team might very well be entirely London based. And that his concerns are generally London-centric, too.
Would work a treat in the Midlands and Welsh marginals.
Probably work a treat anywhere outside the M25. As an example, Labour aren't winning back Plymouth seats on that strategy.
Mr. Mortimer, I was surprised how many second places the purples got in the north. The election strategy remains bloody hopeless, though.
Isn't it about 70 or 80? It is huge.
You're bang on about UKIP election strategy. If 2015 strategy was Fortress England and a plague on all LD marginals, 2020/5 strategy ought to be using a line that shows how hopelessly OOT/pro-hand wringing/pro-nanny state/upper middle class guardianista Labour have become.
Mr. Borough, before Corbyn, I would've been confident the purple tide would recede (not least because of Farage's comedy hokey-cokey).
But with Corbyn... even with Farage, UKIP has an opportunity to make gains. If they don't bugger it up. Yet again.
Hard to imagine Labour having a worse leader than Corbyn. Mind you, people probably said that about Ed Miliband.
It's difficult to imagine a worse leader because he combines, in exquisite detail, full-on incompetence with 1970s hard left policy thinking in one package.
He's saving grace seems to be that everyone agrees he is a polite and pleasant chap. So maybe a worse leader would be a right bast**d who is also incompetent and stalinist.
I don't know the 2015 intake, but maybe there is one?
A lot of people are making the mistake of thinking that Corbynistas give a flying f*** about how the great leaders' reshuffle will be perceived by the PLP, the media or the voting public. They have no interest in winning elections, they want to control the Labour party. If the reshuffle advances that, it will be deemed a success.
Absolutely spot on. But they want control of the Labour party because they really believe that the voters will flock to Labour once a full-on hard left agenda is presented to them.
That sort of delusion probably requires the assistance of mental health professional... but I doubt any of them will seek it without an intervention being staged.
I'd not noticed the political force that is Richard Burgon before. I imagine Corbyn thinks very highly of him.
Mind you Corbyn's continued cold-shouldering of the equally awesome David Lammy suggests that he may want to keep possible challengers out of the running. Perhaps there's only room for one complete fool at the top of the Labour party.
Hard to believe it is only a tenner , but even so it is a lot of tenners every week.
The real problem isn't private v social, it's London v The Rest of the UK.
About £1 in every £4 in housing benefit is spent on London, I believe.
And given most of the media is London based, that is what they see and report on i.e. these stories of just eye watering housing benefit payments made for renting a 3 bed house in parts of London.
And Labour's leadership is from Hackney, Islington, Brent. Edmonton etc.
They will never tackle it because it's their vote.
Social housing HB subsidies are touching £200 a week for some properties in parts of London plus management and maintenance costs.
For any Tory election strategists reading, some post-2016 election posters for the provincial towns and cities might want to feature the fact that Corbyn is a Londoner through and through, and his top team might very well be entirely London based. And that his concerns are generally London-centric, too.
Would work a treat in the Midlands and Welsh marginals.
I think that could be effective for the Tories. Needs not to be overplayed though. Or, rather, make sure you don't end up suggesting people outside London are yokels.
Comments
Just soft drinks for the duration although as there are 5 weekends this month, it's a bit of a killer.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3382715/Queen-s-neighbour-flees-home-historic-450-year-old-castle-threatened-rising-flood-waters-leaving-teetering-brink.html
What a shame. Not the best Scottish tower castle, but it'll still be a loss.
Percentage of voters who think Labour can handle the economy is now the same as think polygamy is morally acceptable
I was imagining something like an advert along the lines of "Men: The sex that brought you Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ken Livingstone and George Galloway. Can something that feels so right be so wrong?"
@gsoh31: By the way everyone, Cons lead Labour on *Education*... https://t.co/XoVUfigmif
I'd also point out that most of the other PIIGS debt-to-GDP has peaked, and will continue to decline as 'bad banks' are unwound.
And she is as big a disaster area as you could ever wish to hope for in a Shadow minister.
To win, 'Leave' must use uncertainty/fear about the future. It's just as potent weapon in their hands as it is in the 'Remain' camps hands. Far more so in fact, as at least out of the EU the country can make its own decisions.
We can't afford it any more.
It's too risky.
It's falling apart.
This is the last bus stop on the highway to Lord knows where.
If not 'No', when? (Though I have to revise that slogan in light of the name change)
These are the arguments. Allied to which, Leave must cultivate mistrust in the business and authority figures who recommend 'Remain'. I would suggest the simplest notion is one of pecuniary advantage - cushy Brussels jobs. There is a strong element of European patronage, though of course the whole picture is far more complex, which is why explaining it shouldn't be attempted. Simple, graspable concepts that chime with existing belief are the way to go.
Being asked for a detailed roadmap of the future outside the EU is simply a debating ploy by the Remain side. Leave should provide as detailed a roadmap as Remain are prepared to provide of a future within the EU. Which according to those I've challenged on this is nonexistent.
But yes, we clearly need a lot more better quality social housing. The government announcement about that today was a welcome, if somewhat belated start on that.
I may say that during the referendum campaign I saw a lot of public sector housing that I normally wouldn't. The state of repair, cleanliness and facilities was deeply depressing.
The private landlord's income is subject to tax and they pick up the admin and maintenance tab.
Other than Ken Dodd of course:
"I praise the Lord
That I'm possessed
Of more than my share of
A penis...."
Wot? Isn't that he sings?
The Irish economy is growing at c. 7% per year right now, and debt to GDP has gone from 115% to 100% in 18 months. As NAMA is unwound, and the banks are privatised, this will probably drop to 80% or so in fairly short order.
Spain will have GDP growth of north of 3% last year, and its debt-to-GDP probably peaked in the second quarter of last year. Political instability is the issue there, with the possible secession of Catalonia, and/or a government containing Podemos.
Italy seems to have picked itself up off the floor. GDP growth - which had been utterly moribund - has been improving, and unemployment is coming down, albeit very slowly. The country now runs a fairly sizeable primary budget surplus, and government debt-to-GDP (while still horrendously high) is probably going to start coming down. (If only because the Italian government can now borrow at 1.7% or so, and is essentially swapping higher coupon debt for lower coupon.)
Portugal is the biggest issue, because it has an unpleasant troika of issues: high government debt to GDP, low potential GDP growth, and high private sector debt. The election of a fractious coalition of left wing parties is also a major issue. If there is to be a Eurozone sovereign debt crisis in 2016, it would probably be here.
@LucyMPowell: “@britainelects: Best party to handle education:
CON: 28%
LAB: 27%
LDEM: 8%
UKIP: 5%
(via YouGov)” - I will do my best to lift our ratings
But this is sublime
@GOsborneGenius: @LucyMPowell @britainelects You are irrelevant while the party is lead by cultists.
NewsSense™
Surely pulling out of the Euro, refusing to pay back debt and re-denominating would have been the simplest route.
They'd likely be back in the capital markets by now, no?
PS: A bit of horse whipping or public stocks would also help.
Think it's 0.83%
About £1 in every £4 in housing benefit is spent on London, I believe.
But yes, Portugal has dropped to the back of the pack and is in danger of dropping off altogether.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGBloowv3f8
Just like myself.
The latest @YouGov poll is to picture The Hindenberg meets Chernobyl meets Hiroshima meets The Battle of Zama meets Tron 2. Awful for Labour
They will never tackle it because it's their vote.
Social housing HB subsidies are touching £200 a week for some properties in parts of London plus management and maintenance costs.
But having neighbours who just leave junk everywhere, don't look after their garden and refuse to do their share of cleaning of the common parts must be deeply frustrating. There is a direct application of the broken window theory too. Once one starts standards can fall sharply.
The differences between the blocks in Menzieshill in Dundee which were outwardly identical had to be seen to be believed. Some had flowers, mats and were spotless. Some were getting close to dangerous, especially for younger children.
Would work a treat in the Midlands and Welsh marginals.
I agree the strategic impact of the two varies significantly, but in terms of crushing woe, Cannae was the worse battlefield defeat. By a mile.
Buggering up a reshuffle won't be the end of Corbyn [although he does seem to be giving it a crack].
@MrHarryCole · 7m7 minutes ago
Simon Danczuk does not rule out running against the Labour Party in 2020 in Rochdale if they boot him out of the party.
More relevantly, he obviously isn't thinking of provoking a by-election if he's thinking about 2020.
Edited extra bit: Dr. Prasannan, not sure this is as bad as Attack of the Clones.
;-)
Labour 26 points behind on best PM and 21 pts behind on economy with @YouGov
http://www.fabians.org.uk/the-ukip-tipping-point/
If they weren't all too busy fighting each other. Pass the popcorn.
Mind you Corbyn's continued cold-shouldering of the equally awesome David Lammy suggests that he may want to keep possible challengers out of the running. Perhaps there's only room for one complete fool at the top of the Labour party.
From the other side of the fence it's hilarious on one hand to watch opposition tear themselves apart, yet on the other hand sad to watch what the party of Kinnock and Blair, and of government only six years ago, has now become.
On balance, more popcorn please!
Before someone tweets the Scots crosstab showing CON ahead of LAB, remember tiny sample size and weighting issues d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_upload…
But with Corbyn... even with Farage, UKIP has an opportunity to make gains. If they don't bugger it up. Yet again.
Hard to imagine Labour having a worse leader than Corbyn. Mind you, people probably said that about Ed Miliband.
But in the fifth the Empire was riddled with division and weak emperors, and finally fell.
FPTP protects Labour to a strong degree, but it's not an insurmountable barrier.
Did Corbyn have a plan for the reshuffle or is he just making it up as he goes along ?
You're bang on about UKIP election strategy. If 2015 strategy was Fortress England and a plague on all LD marginals, 2020/5 strategy ought to be using a line that shows how hopelessly OOT/pro-hand wringing/pro-nanny state/upper middle class guardianista Labour
have become.
It would probably guarantee Tory govt until 2030.
He's saving grace seems to be that everyone agrees he is a polite and pleasant chap. So maybe a worse leader would be a right bast**d who is also incompetent and stalinist.
I don't know the 2015 intake, but maybe there is one?
UKIP could take the first step to supplanting Labour in 2020, if it focuses on hitting the reds.
As an aside, it's only 9 years since the 2007 Conservative conference. Before that, it seemed the blues might disappear forever.
Ok its still quite funny.