Because they provide us with intelligence that keeps us safe
The same intelligence they share with their ISIS buddies
Politics at Westminster | BREAKING: UKIP
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Because they provide us with intelligence that keeps us safe
The same intelligence they share with their ISIS buddies
Not sure chatroulette is populated by paragons of virtue tbf!
Have you seen that Chatroulette first person shooter thing?
No. Was is it? Men in balaclavas with their weapon in their hands?They made a kind of interactive game, was pretty good.
Looks weird with the faces boxed out.
As an aside, I just got that annual breakdown of what the Treasury spent the tax it took off me on. Wahoo, I paid over £4k into the benefits system. Bet that paid for a few fecking massive TVs, as Jamie Oliver would say.
As an aside, I just got that annual breakdown of what the Treasury spent the tax it took off me on. Wahoo, I paid over £4k into the benefits system. Bet that paid for a few fecking massive TVs, as Jamie Oliver would say.
You work and make your own contributions to the welfare system!I suppose its you I should thank for my new TV, Amp and Sub then? Cheers mate!
Huge week at Westminster
PLP meeting Monday and presumably some decision about a party stance
Tuesday conservatives testing the water with labour rebels and potentially resignations from the shadow cabinet
Wednesday pmq's and probably the vote if there is going to be one (if not that will definitely be seen as a victory for Corbyn)
Thursday will be the messy aftermath
PLP meeting Monday and presumably some decision about a party stance
Tuesday conservatives testing the water with labour rebels and potentially resignations from the shadow cabinet
Wednesday pmq's and probably the vote if there is going to be one (if not that will definitely be seen as a victory for Corbyn)
Thursday will be the messy aftermath
It also went towards things like tax credits, disability benefits, housing benefit paid directly to private landlords and occupational pensions not covered under the state pension category. The annual breakdown is a pure joke to be fair, seems funny that it was introduced around about the same time when Osborne and Duncan Smith started pushing their "benefits = scum" agenda.
At what cost, I wonder? The Labour Party are tearing one another apart.
Which occupational pensions not covered by the state pensions category, out of interest? I quit like the transparency tbh. The contribution to the EU from me was 0.3pc or £99, so hardly wallet-busting.
If there is not a vote I am working on the assumption that it's because Corbyn employs a three line whip and after sounding out MP's the conservatives don't think enough will rebel.
It would certainly not be friendly but it would at least stave off civil war for the time being
That said i think a free vote is still the most likley
Failing that Corbyn employs the whip but it's clear plenty will rebel and the conservatives hold the vote
The least likley option I see if that the party tow the line and the vote is pulled
I'm assuming (because all it says is...) public sector top ups - the staff pay extra contributions and the government adds a bit more to it. The whole thing is a bit of a mess though to be fair.
Its a decent breakdown for the most part, and it's good to see, but there's definitely some agendas being pushed in places. It's not really "transparent" because it doesn't break down what they class as "welfare". The fact that you, and many others, associate it with the unemployed buying TVs with it shows as much (that sounds cattier than its meant to, sorry). If it were really transparent then it would state that around 6% of your contributions go towards family, children and social inclusion benefits and the rest is disability, housing, old age support and social services.
This is an interesting blog on it if you're interested;
http://commonslibraryblog.com/2014/11/04/hmrcs-new-annual-tax-summary-whats-in-welfare/
Telegraph reckons he's currently minded to impose the whip - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...whipping-MPs-to-block-Syrian-air-strikes.html
Does actually make sense from his perspective. He's a hardline pacifist and merely registering his disagreement with action whilst leader of the party is not going to sit well with him. He's been emboldened by the recent polls showing his support with the membership, he'll likely use the bogus "consultation" as evidence he's just doing the will of the party, and there's enough opposition to intervention from people that aren't his normal supporters that he probably thinks he can get away with it. It could potentially lead to the government pulling the vote, which would be a clear win in his eyes. Basically daring the shadow cabinet to resign so he can fill it with his own people and not be blamed.
I was being objectionable tbf, referencing the TV quote (Caf was quiet today) and am sure winter fuel allowance/pensionrs' free public transport and TV license etc is in there.
For a G7 economy though, you'd hope welfare wouldn't be top. Ideally it would be health and education.
Will have a look at the blog. Here's my breakdown fwiw.
I was being objectionable tbf, referencing the TV quote (Caf was quiet today) and am sure winter fuel allowance/pensionrs' free public transport and TV license etc is in there.
For a G7 economy though, you'd hope welfare wouldn't be top. Ideally it would be health and education.
Will have a look at the blog. Here's my breakdown fwiw.
Completely agree.
And bloody hell dude, someone's a rich fecker
Does he have enough credible people to fill positions that would serve in his shadow cabinet?
Though if it gets Dennis skinner a shadow ministers job it will all be worth it
I've read that blog before. It's not a perfect breakdown, but not sure it's wilfully misleading. Lot of categories to make digestible tbf.Completely agree.
And bloody hell dude, someone's a rich fecker
I'm not rich. I know @Phurry, @Vidic_In_Moscow (Audi/BMW owner) and @sun_tzu would scoff at my contribution to society!
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Guess it depends on the number that are dissuaded by the whip from voting in favour. Most of those with leadership ambitions are probably going to vote against with the membership in mind. If the shadow cabinet really is 25-5 in favour then he probably wouldn't have a choice but to hold the free vote, but if doubts have crept in and it's a more even split then I'm not so sure. It's hard to ignore the fact that allowing the free vote makes it highly likely the motion will pass, and Corbyn doesn't want to make it any easier. I'm increasingly getting the feeling that the government will pull the vote to be honest.
Rent controls would surely lower it a fair bit. It's absurd that landlords can pay off an entire mortgage with other peoples money.I was being objectionable tbf, referencing the TV quote (Caf was quiet today) and am sure winter fuel allowance/pensionrs' free public transport and TV license etc is in there.
For a G7 economy though, you'd hope welfare wouldn't be top. Ideally it would be health and education.
Will have a look at the blog. Here's my breakdown fwiw.
Rent controls don't work. In the budget and subsequent autumn statement, the Tories have decimated the BTL industry. Weird they've gunned so hard against part of their heartland tbh.
I doubt they've decimated it, I'm guessing they'll change it before it actually takes effect. If they don't the house will just wind up in the hands of even richer people who are even further removed from the average joe who needs a place to sleep.
Still though, there's really no reason why a mortgage should be cheaper than renting a place. It's absurd. Costs a grand upwards a month to get a rent a studio here in Oxford. That's fecking stupid, young people (which should be the main demographic in tiny apartments) rarely get paid that much here. We're being asked to live lives we can't afford.
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Whilst interest rates are at record lows... If you do very little maintenance on the property, and you have tennents who pay in full on time plus when they leave you get someone in almost instantly.
(based on people not declaring income and lying about buy to let and getting a standard mortgage)
I had one house that would just about covered it's self but sold it when a good offer came in.
Looking at suggested rental rates on four properties I own now none of them would actually cover even a 75% buy to let mortgage -and that assumes 100% occupancy, and no maintenance
middle east debate this afternoon / evening... I suspect it will be a rather fraught session with labour MP's going on the naughty list should they deviate from script...
The renting/mortgage cost issue moves in cycles based on supply and demand I guess. The more stringent deposit requirements must be a factor too, delaying when people can afford to buy.
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/nov/28/stamp-duty-buy-to-let-autumn-statement
The Guardian's Pat Collinson will be happy- he's been waging war on BTL for years.
Corbyn's now gone for a consultation with the Labour NEC, another he knows he'll win. He's not bad at this politics lark when it comes to intra-Labour stuff. Abbott also saying the vote should be whipped on the radio this morning.
possibly - though labour hardly seems like a steady ship at the moment
what he is bad at though is looking outside the labour bubble at the votes he needs to win back from other parties to have any chance of getting in power
Whilst I don't believe it should be a whipped vote I fail to see the issue with him consulting the NEC or Labour members for that matter.
I find it amusing to hear the PLP are frustrated because he's actually consulting with Labour members. Why can't he just let them go to war we without any consultation like the good old days eh!
Well for one, he's not consulting Labour members, there's an online form that anyone can fill out an unlimited amount of times, which then won't be processed properly by Labour hq because they have neither the time nor the manpower. The NEC is populated by a majority of Corbyn supporters. Ironically I seem to remember that he removed Hilary Benn to put one of them on recently.
I think its partially because the elected MP's represent constituencies and people far beyond the remit of a narrow band of core labour supporters and if it becomes apparent - or even seems apparent that votes on issues like this will be determined in this way then the MP's know that come election time the party will see a massive drop in support.
If Cameron and Osbourne were seen to consult with the conservative members on decisions it would not look great and there would be outcry from the rest of the country that these people are supposed to govern for the whole of the country and not just a few people with what the majority see as polarised views.
Thats not to say that consultation should not take place... but to conduct it in the way he has virtually in public and being quite dismissive I think of his own shadow cabinets views then I can see why the PLP are pretty annoyed.
Trident will be the big one though as MP's were voted in on a manifesto that pledged to renew
Given the leaks to undermine Corbyn, how do you expect any of this not to be made public? The shadow cabinet discussion is yet to take place, they can't complain because he's collecting the opinion of groups who may disagree with them.
Anyway I find your point about the tories rather far stretched. They have the CPF and several donor clubs, let's not pretend that they don't consult a narrow band of people when deciding policy.
Corbyn is being attacked for his new more democratic approach as it removes some of the power that the MPs see as their privilege and is working against them in this case. We all know quite a few will vote to bomb for the sole purpose of undermining Corbyn.
not sure how to embed a tweet but as I say I think its important to understand MP's represent far more than just the most left wing elements of labours support
John MannVerified account@JohnMannMPI called last week for a free vote on Syria. I repeat this today. I can assure Bassetlaw residents, that I will be making my own mind up.
I don't believe Corbyn voted against Iraq just to undermine Tony Blair and to suggest other people don't think about things with care and diligence just because they come to a different conclusion is if I am being generous, disingenuous of you.
One thing I don't really get is why no one is having a go at Benn for speaking to the BBC and saying he agrees with strikes before Corbyn even sent his letter to the party.
Benn says he did so once he knew the letter was going out to MPs. Anyway, Benn isn't the leader and he didn't spend all summer going on about consensus politics. No-one comes out of this with much credit, but at least Benn doesn't have hypocrisy on his charge sheet.
Because its his personal view... Just like nobody minds about Corbyn having a personal view
But to end the shadow cabinet meeting and say ok we will go away over the weekend then re-convene to decide a collective course of action - that process has been somewhat undermined - afteral you didn't see Hilliary Benn sending out emails to party members or setting up a website so anybody could write in to support action.
I think you can drop the 'most left wing element' bit. 60% of the party voted for Corbyn (and polls taken since suggest that he has more internal support amongst members now than he did when he was elected), he didn't get in on a technicality or because of a coup organised by a radical minority within the party.
And yes, MPs represent their constituency but let's not kid ourselves - in British politics most voters are voting for a party, not for an individual MP. If you're happy to wear a red rosette, have 'Labour' next to your name on the ballot and benefit from a dedicated team working to get you elected, you can't complain when the party asks for something back.
And before you pull out the - 'but Corbyn was a serial rebel' line, Corbyn' record for consulting his CLP, and other groups within his constituency for that matter, has been very strong. For all the disagreements he's had with the top brass, he's always been incredibly visible in his constituency, and very popular among local members and constituents.
Pre-emptive strike eh. I guess we will have to take his word for it considering the public timeline of events.
I thought the letter was a complete shock to MPs until they received it/saw it on Twitter and they had no idea about it. Did they find out about the letter before or after they started briefing journalists about the outcome of the meeting I wonder.
Ok lets get this straight
59.5% of people who voted did vote for him... but 23.7% of people did not vote at all so that is more like 45% of people in the labour party.
He secured less than 50% of the first votes from Full labour members whilst securing 83% of votes from people who were registered supporters.
To suggest that because less than half the membership of the Labour Party actually bothered to vote for him and much less than 50% of people were were members before the election started is some all encompassing mandate that completely overrides the conscience of MP's or the manifesto they were elected on is crazy.
Backbenchers in their constituencies didnt know til it arrived, but I'd be very surprised if people in and around the shadow cabinet & westminster had no idea.