Politics at Westminster | BREAKING: UKIP

jeff_goldblum said:
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.
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All they can ask for, and all they can be given, is the ear of their MP. The MP may have a moral and organisational debt to the Labour Party, but they have a legal and democratic debt to their constituents. There's certainly nothing democratic about preferentially listening to people who pay to become members.
 
bishblaize said:
All they can ask for, and all they can be given, is the ear of their MP. The MP may have a moral and organisational debt to the Labour Party, but they have a legal and democratic debt to their constituents. There's certainly nothing democratic about preferentially listening to people who pay to become members.
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Anyone can become a member and it's absolutely correct that those more actively involved in the party have a greater say. This is only an issue because some don't like the new members joining the party.

I'm against the whip because I feel local MPs have to be able to represent their constituency but at the same time you can't say someone who engages with politics once every 5 year deserves the same attention as active members.
 
Wonder how much the Scots are going to pay in income tax from next year?


HMRC writes to Scottish Rate of Income Tax payers
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) - Nov 30, 2015 12:29 GMT
nfghnp1v17bnwdq4mwh1.jpg


HM Revenue and Customs will start sending letters this week to potential Scottish taxpayers as part of the next stage of preparations for the introduction of the Scottish Rate of Income Tax.

The letters are intended to confirm the accuracy of HMRC’s records of taxpayers who live in Scotland and will pay the new rate. They will reassure recipients that they don’t need to take any action if the address details HMRC holds for them are correct. They will go to around 2.6 million people in Scotland who are expected to be taxpayers in the 2016-17 tax year.

The Scottish Rate of Income Tax, which will be announced by the Scottish Government on 16 December, comes into effect on 6 April 2016 and will be paid by UK taxpayers who live in Scotland, regardless of where they work.

Those paying the new rate will see their tax code prefixed by an ‘S’ and their income tax will continue to be collected from pay and pensions in the same way as it is now.

Edward Troup, Tax Assurance Commissioner and Second Permanent Secretary, HMRC said:

“HMRC is taking the next step towards implementing devolution of tax powers to the Scottish Government. The new tax rate will apply to everyone who lives in Scotland. If we’ve got your address right, there’s no need to do anything – the small number who need to change their address details can do so quickly and easily online at www.gov.uk/tell-hmrc-change-of-details.”

From April 2016, the new Scottish Rate of Income Tax, set by the Scottish Government, will replace ten pence of all the main rates of income tax for Scottish taxpayers.

Notes for Editors

1. The Scottish Rate of Income Tax (SRIT) will be announced in the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget on 16 December 2015

2. The SRIT comes into effect on 6 April 2016

3. Notifying HMRC when you move is not a new requirement – all taxpayers should let HMRC know when they change their address.

4. More information can be found at www.gov.uk/scottishincometax

5. Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovuk

6. HMRC’s flickr channel www.flickr.com/hmrcgovuk

Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the UK’s tax authority.

HMRC is responsible for making sure that the money is available to fund the UK’s public services and for helping families and individuals with targeted financial support.
 
Labour now spinning that 75% of responses against bombing from a sample of 1900 (100,000 total responses). So laughable it's ceased to be funny.
 
Smores said:
Anyone can become a member and it's absolutely correct that those more actively involved in the party have a greater say. This is only an issue because some don't like the new members joining the party.

I'm against the whip because I feel local MPs have to be able to represent their constituency but at the same time you can't say someone who engages with politics once every 5 year deserves the same attention as active members.
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The argument isnt new, it tore the party apart 30 years ago. But in the end, the arguments of the CLPD couldnt overcome political reality - in this country everyone gets one vote, member or not. The party can organise its internal decision making process however it likes, but if it fails to represent a wider audience it'll suffer at the ballot box.
 
Jippy said:
Wonder how much the Scots are going to pay in income tax from next year?

.
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If I had to guess Id say basic rate payers the same or possibly a small reduction (probably by increasing tax free allowance)
Higher rate tax payers up by 1 or 2p in the £
And a reintroduction of the 50p rate at around £120k.
 
What a fecking joke! It's farcical! Couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery!

And we are supposed to trust our country to this pillock?!
 
Ubik said:
Labour now spinning that 75% of responses against bombing from a sample of 1900 (100,000 total responses). So laughable it's ceased to be funny.
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YouGov's poll shows 58% of Labour members opposed intervention, and that was some weeks back so that number could have gone up. Regardless, it shows that a clear majority of Labour members want him to oppose another reckless military adventure so he's obliging them.
 
Jippy said:
Wonder how much the Scots are going to pay in income tax from next year?


HMRC writes to Scottish Rate of Income Tax payers
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) - Nov 30, 2015 12:29 GMT
nfghnp1v17bnwdq4mwh1.jpg


HM Revenue and Customs will start sending letters this week to potential Scottish taxpayers as part of the next stage of preparations for the introduction of the Scottish Rate of Income Tax.

The letters are intended to confirm the accuracy of HMRC’s records of taxpayers who live in Scotland and will pay the new rate. They will reassure recipients that they don’t need to take any action if the address details HMRC holds for them are correct. They will go to around 2.6 million people in Scotland who are expected to be taxpayers in the 2016-17 tax year.

The Scottish Rate of Income Tax, which will be announced by the Scottish Government on 16 December, comes into effect on 6 April 2016 and will be paid by UK taxpayers who live in Scotland, regardless of where they work.

Those paying the new rate will see their tax code prefixed by an ‘S’ and their income tax will continue to be collected from pay and pensions in the same way as it is now.

Edward Troup, Tax Assurance Commissioner and Second Permanent Secretary, HMRC said:

“HMRC is taking the next step towards implementing devolution of tax powers to the Scottish Government. The new tax rate will apply to everyone who lives in Scotland. If we’ve got your address right, there’s no need to do anything – the small number who need to change their address details can do so quickly and easily online at www.gov.uk/tell-hmrc-change-of-details.”

From April 2016, the new Scottish Rate of Income Tax, set by the Scottish Government, will replace ten pence of all the main rates of income tax for Scottish taxpayers.

Notes for Editors

1. The Scottish Rate of Income Tax (SRIT) will be announced in the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget on 16 December 2015

2. The SRIT comes into effect on 6 April 2016

3. Notifying HMRC when you move is not a new requirement – all taxpayers should let HMRC know when they change their address.

4. More information can be found at www.gov.uk/scottishincometax

5. Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovuk

6. HMRC’s flickr channel www.flickr.com/hmrcgovuk

Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the UK’s tax authority.

HMRC is responsible for making sure that the money is available to fund the UK’s public services and for helping families and individuals with targeted financial support.
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Is it a tenner a month? I hope it's a tenner a month.
 
Kaos said:
YouGov's poll shows 58% of Labour members opposed intervention, and that was some weeks back so that number could have gone up. Regardless, it shows that a clear majority of Labour members want him to oppose another reckless military adventure so he's obliging them.
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Indeed it did, so why didn't he just quote that rather than doing this voodoo poll? Most obvious answer is firstly that if he accepted that YouGov he'd also have to acknowledge that Labour voters on the whole were in favour by 2-1, which would trouble him, and secondly the inevitable Stop the War and Momentum spamming gets him up to a much higher figure of 75%.

Straight forward, honest politics!
 
Ubik said:
Indeed it did, so why didn't he just quote that rather than doing this voodoo poll? Most obvious answer is firstly that if he accepted that YouGov he'd also have to acknowledge that Labour voters on the whole were in favour by 2-1, which would trouble him, and secondly the inevitable Stop the War and Momentum spamming gets him up to a much higher figure of 75%.

Straight forward, honest politics!
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Power to the people
Woolfie-Corbyn.jpg

Obviously not all the people
 
Ubik said:
Indeed it did, so why didn't he just quote that rather than doing this voodoo poll? Most obvious answer is firstly that if he accepted that YouGov he'd also have to acknowledge that Labour voters on the whole were in favour by 2-1, which would trouble him, and secondly the inevitable Stop the War and Momentum spamming gets him up to a much higher figure of 75%.

Straight forward, honest politics!
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Because straight forward politics is posing a very direct question to Labour members to which he's managed to gauge a response. He's done it earlier for his PMQs so there's no reason why he shouldn't do it now. He's picked a sample size of 1900 because this isn't a referendum, but rather he's asked for written responses, and you'd imagine it would take a fair bit of time trying to digest 100,000 written responses. Its also pretty much how statistics works - 1900 is actually a sensible sample when you factor in a reasonable confidence interval and margin of error %. Most pollings actually use a smaller sample size.
 
Kaos said:
Because straight forward politics is posing a very direct question to Labour members to which he's managed to gauge a response. He's done it earlier for his PMQs so there's no reason why he shouldn't do it now. He's picked a sample size of 1900 because this isn't a referendum, but rather he's asked for written responses, and you'd imagine it would take a fair bit of time trying to digest 100,000 written responses. Its also pretty much how statistics works - 1900 is actually a sensible sample when you factor in a reasonable confidence interval and margin of error %. Most pollings actually use a smaller sample size.
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And he has then given his elected MPs a free vote.

But he is both incompetent and a dictator (Hitler, even, from the post above yours).
 
Kaos said:
Because straight forward politics is posing a very direct question to Labour members to which he's managed to gauge a response. He's done it earlier for his PMQs so there's no reason why he shouldn't do it now. He's picked a sample size of 1900 because this isn't a referendum, but rather he's asked for written responses, and you'd imagine it would take a fair bit of time trying to digest 100,000 written responses. Its also pretty much how statistics works - 1900 is actually a sensible sample when you factor in a reasonable confidence interval and margin of error %. Most pollings actually use a smaller sample size.
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On voodoo polls

Numbers alone do not make a poll representative. A common error is to see a professionally conducted poll of a 1000 people and a bigger open-access “poll” of 10,000 people and think that the latter is therefore more meaningful. This is wrong – it’s how representative the sample is that matters, not how big it is.
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http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/9559

The entire 'poll' is self selecting, and therefore pretty worthless.
 
berbatrick said:
And he has then given his elected MPs a free vote.

But he is both incompetent and a dictator (Hitler, even, from the post above yours).
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erm that aint hitler...
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
Citizen%20Smith.jpg
 
No doubt Gloria De Pierio will be called undemocratic blairite scum for asking her constituents

Dear friend,


As you know, the House of Commons will soon vote on whether to join our allies and launch airstrikes againstISIL/Daesh targets in Syria. This will be the most important decision that Parliament has taken in some time. I am still considering the Government’s case for military action. I know there are very strong views on both sides of the argument, but I am committed to listening to you and to considering every point you make.


My fellow Labour MPs and I voted against air strikes in Syria in 2013 when the Prime Minister pushed for action against Assad. We stopped airstrikes taking place then, which I believe was the right decision at the time, in the absence of a clear plan.


However, in 2014 the Government, with cross-party support, took military action against ISIL/Daesh in Northern Iraq. This approach has had some success. The terrorist group had been rapidly advancing, particularly in Kurdish areas. While ISIL/Daesh remains a serious threat in Northern Iraq, its spread has largely been halted and air strikes prevented a near certain genocide of tens of thousands of Yazidi Christians around Mount Sinai. The crucial thing in Northern Iraq is that allied air strikes have supported Kurdish and Yazidi ground forces.


It is now clear that ISIL/Daesh pose an extremely serious and growing threat, both to the people of Iraq and Syria, and to British citizens at home and abroad. Originally, ISIL/Daesh’s focus was purely on territory in the Middle East but this has changed. The attack on the Tunisian beach, the downing of a Russian passenger plane, the bomb attack in Beirut and the dreadful scenes in Paris have shown that ISIL/ Daesh are willing to launch attacks across the globe.


Labour has previously been critical of the Government’s narrow focus on possible UK involvement in air strikes in previous months and has called for a more comprehensive plan to end the civil war in Syria and to defeat ISIL/Daesh.


It is essential that every effort to secure an international agreement on a peace plan to end the civil war in Syria that is providing the vacuum of governance in which ISIL/Daesh thrives. It is important to note that over 90% of all civilian deaths in Syria are attributable to forces controlled by or loyal to President Assad. We also have to accept that a peace process will not bring an end to ISIL/Daesh. This will require a military solution and it will require military support for moderate Syrian groups and measures to cut off the finances to ISIL/Daesh.


I think our allies look to us – particularly France as President Hollande made clear, after the grievous blow they have suffered in Paris. They want to feel we are with them in solidarity and I think we should be but I do have serious concerns about the plans for ground forces to take on ISIL/Daesh. I do not believe bombing can work unless it is accompanied by ground forces to tackle ISIL/Daesh and a group who can take administrative control. Troops from outside Syria could inflame the situation and become a rallying point for ISIL/Daesh.


The Prime Minister claims that there were 70,000 moderate Syrian ground troops who could act against ISIL/Daesh. I have reservations about this figure, which was challenged by the Tory Chair of the Commons’ Defence Select Committee, Julian Lewis MP. I would like the Prime Minister to give more information on the claim that so many non-extremist Syrian opposition fighters are ready to combat ISIL/Daesh on the ground.


The truth is that the arguments for and against intervention in places like Syria are very difficult. Intervention can have very different consequences depending on the situation, and you can see this just from looking at cases where Britain has intervened in recent history to protect people. British intervention in Kosovo and Sierra Leone prevented innocent people being slaughtered. In Libya western air forces acted to prevent the killing of innocent people, but without help and support afterwards the country still faces huge problems today.


Ultimately there is never an easy course and just as there are consequences of taking action, there are also consequences of inaction. While remembering the lessons of Iraq we mustn’t forget the lessons of intervening in Bosnia or Rwanda where British action saved people in those countries from facing certain death.


There is no more important decision a country can take than commit our armed forces to military action and I can assure you that it is not a decision that I will take lightly.


Please email your views and comments to me - gloria.depiero.mp@parliament.uk within the next 24 hours if possible. These will come directly to me and will not made public. I am keen to know what you think and I will bear in mind all of the points you raise.


Yours sincerely,


Gloria De Piero
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I think Im going to give her the same response I gave to Jez and quote Mao

War can only be abolished through war, and in order to get rid of the gun it is necessary to take up the gun.
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bishblaize said:
Because you were saying the size made it reliable, when it not being representative is more important?
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I was simply referring to you and Ubik's allegation that Corbyn was 'spinning' the poll because of his sample size. Which is bollocks.
 
bishblaize said:
The entire 'poll' is self selecting, and therefore pretty worthless.
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It's self-selecting in the sense that Labour members (or supporters) who have strong opinions on the prospect of war in Syria will be most likely to respond.

Would it make you happier if there were a few thousand more responses saying 'I don't care', or 'I don't know', in order to reduce the 75% number?
 
sun_tzu said:
No doubt Gloria De Pierio will be called undemocratic blairite scum for asking her constituents



I think Im going to give her the same response I gave to Jez and quote Mao
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Nope, asking your constituents is pretty much the most unblairite thing you can do actually. So no complaints from me. I only wish Blair did the same thing with the Iraq war.

She does seem a little confused as to what's actually happening since she discusses arming Syrian rebels while cutting off funding for Jihadists, so I wager she's a bit ill-informed.
 
jeff_goldblum said:
It's self-selecting in the sense that Labour members (or supporters) who have strong opinions on the prospect of war in Syria will be most likely to respond.

Would it make you happier if there were a few thousand more responses saying 'I don't care', or 'I don't know', in order to reduce the 75% number?
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Yes, that's what self-selecting means, and exactly why the exercise is as meaningful as the Guardian comments section. And no, I dont judge the validity of the poll based on whether I agree with its outcome.
 
I have this very strange feeling right now. I'm a staunch Labour voter and when Corbyn was first mentioned as a potential leader I thought "Fantastic. Get Labour back to their roots and come out fighting." When the media attacks started I thought "feck 'em Jezza, show them what you've got. Keep it smart and make the bastards look like a bunch of petty fools. Get the right cabinet, strengthen the party and find the right balance between Old and New Labour."

"Just, for the love of God, make sure your PR is decent"...

And here we are; a party with a shadow cabinet made up of people who think they're still in the uni debating team and a leader who wouldn't feel out of place if he was a recurring guest character on Last of the Summer Wine portraying Compo's outlandishly hippy twin brother.
 
bishblaize said:
Yes, that's what self-selecting means, and exactly why the exercise is as meaningful as the Guardian comments section. And no, I dont judge the validity of the poll based on whether I agree with its outcome.
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Haha, I've seen you post far dodgier polls on here like that one that misrepresented Corbyns policies.
 
Kaos said:
I was simply referring to you and Ubik's allegation that Corbyn was 'spinning' the poll because of his sample size. Which is bollocks.
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I never said it was spun on the basis of the sample size.
 
bishblaize said:
A poll isnt dodgy simply because you dont like the question being asked.
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It is when the basis of the question is an outright lie. Not surprised you are still defending it though!
 
Remind me where Corbyn stated a 1 million wage cap was his policy again please because you didn't manage it at the time. In fact I think you just went a bit quiet on the matter when I questioned it.

bishblaize said:
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Shamwow said:
Remind me where Corbyn stated a 1 million wage cap was his policy again please because you didn't manage it at the time. In fact I think you just went a bit quiet on the matter when I questioned it.
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In fairness to corbyn it is hard to pull him up on the detail of policies as he has not actually given many...
But ref the wage cap as far as I know he has said there should be one in an interview with a newspaper- but he has not given details as to how it would work (pegged to turnover, profitability, shareholder dividends muliple of average employee earnings etc... though in truth it simply wont work) but some of the campaigners suggest arbitrary figures such as 500k or 1m for example.

‘Why is it that bankers on massive salaries require bonuses to work while street-cleaners require threats to make them work?’ the Islington North MP asked in an interview with Scottish newspaper The Herald. ‘It’s a kind of philosophical question really. There ought to be a maximum wage. The levels of inequality in Britain are getting worse.’

Corbyn didn’t specify any further about how such a system would work. Some campaigners have suggested the pay of chief execs should be restricted to a certain multiple of the average pay earned by their company’s staff, but others have as far as suggesting arbitrary nominal limits like £500,000 or £1m. His suggestion follows a report by the High Pay Centre that suggested the bosses of Britain's biggest businesses were earning an average of 183 times more than the average worker - although it also suggested their pay had fallen over the last five years.
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http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1360921/jeremy-corbyn-wants-introduce-maximum-wage/
 


So basically...stop the shadow Foreign Secretary and shadow Defence Secretary speaking in the debate on whether to bomb Syria...makes sense. Corbs4PM
 
That poll question is still based on a lie.

Obviously when it comes to some people, anything that criticises Corbyn is fair.
 
Shamwow said:
Remind me where Corbyn stated a 1 million wage cap was his policy again please because you didn't manage it at the time. In fact I think you just went a bit quiet on the matter when I questioned it.
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Well excuse me for not answering your every beck and call.

Firstly, he did say maximum wage. He didnt say £1M, but then given the tiny number of people earning more than that (18,000) is that likely to make a difference? I mean, would there be a significant number of people who said £1M was okay but £2M wasnt? Maybe there would, but that brings me to the next point.

Secondly, the YouGov poll was just chucking some straw in the air to see which way the wind was blowing. It didnt mean much, other than to guage the landscape on some of the general issues & ideas. The poll showed strong support for some policies and little support for others.

This 75% poll on the other hand is being used to try and influence the vote in the House of Commons on a matter of war. That is vastly more important by any possible measure and using voodoo polls to try and influence the Shadow Cabinet is a disgrace in this context.

Thirdly, the methodology, which is what we're discussing here, was sound. Please read the link I made above for the difference between good polls and bad polls. Even if the question didnt tell us anything very useful, it was scientifically robust. This 75% poll is, as I say, about a useful as the comments section on a website.
 
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