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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2015 15:02:08 GMT 1
Never mind Central Government . The loonies are now in charge of the asylum and the brothers "grim" are in firm control . We can all expect a thumping from these two , except the rich of course. What concerns me greatly is the future of local government . I can well see the time very soon when our local Councils will be completely defunct with many of its functions taken out of their control and passed on to profit making private concerns . We all know that Cameron and his cronies are signed up to the private good, public bad philosophy . At a stroke local accountability will be no more . When the grants to local councils are dished out expect them to receive next to f.ck all leaving them having to cut services greatly . Social care budgets will particularly feel the strain. What is the point of labelling hospital patients bed blockers, what a derogatory term that is by the way, when the after care services such as home care , meals on wheels , day centres and even residential care ( those that are still in the control of Councils that is ) are next to non existent . Either that or horrendously expensive. Those of us of a certain age may as well understand now that in our later years ,which are fast approaching ,our quality of life will be tempered by what services we can realistically expect to be available .
While I am still reasonably flexible I am practicing sticking my head between my legs and kissing my arse goodbye.
Let's put it another way, I certainly will not be booking in to the Brompton or similar unlike Dave and Georgie boy and their mates .
I am sure their main executioner, the odious IDS will , before long add to the pain for many with his swingeing benefit cuts. All in it together my arse.
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Post by northwestman on May 16, 2015 15:18:17 GMT 1
Severnheaven. To a certain extent the local councils have only themselves to blame. A fair % of councillors are so wrapped up with their own self importance that when someone like Cameron says to Manchester that they can have full control over health care, transport etc (forget education, they'll all be Academies soon) they are falling over themselves to agree to this.
Just one small problem. The local authority budget. So as they won't be able to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, the Council will have to start making cuts. But who gets the blame? Not Cameron, but the Labour controlled Greater Manchester Authority.
He's pulling a similar trick on Sturgeon. She can't believe how agreeable he is to giving her even more powers than were originally recommended by the Smith Commission. I can. He's only to happy to let her foul up by struggling to make ends meet by once again being inadequately funded. In fact, he'd be pleased to let her try to fund Scotland herself by giving her full control over taxation.
The Welsh Assembly has already fallen for his plan. Thus Wales has a worse NHS and a worse education system than England. They also are inadequately funded. But who gets the blame for this? Surprise, surprise, the Labour controlled Welsh Assembly.
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Post by thesensationaljt on May 16, 2015 15:49:18 GMT 1
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Post by northwestman on May 16, 2015 16:13:09 GMT 1
25% of the teaching staff allegedly given their cards at one of my local Colleges.
I hear that something similar is happening in Telford.
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Post by SeanBroseley on May 16, 2015 16:55:50 GMT 1
Wimbledonshrew's comments are interesting to me. My youngest daughter is doing her first A level exams and has to memorise passages from Jane Eyre to do well in English Literature? What?
I have always made a distinction between learning/studying and cramming and there seems to be a return to the latter.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2015 17:01:28 GMT 1
Severnheaven. To a certain extent the local councils have only themselves to blame. A fair % of councillors are so wrapped up with their own self importance that when someone like Cameron says to Manchester that they can have full control over health care, transport etc (forget education, they'll all be Academies soon) they are falling over themselves to agree to this. Just one small problem. The local authority budget. So as they won't be able to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, the Council will have to start making cuts. But who gets the blame? Not Cameron, but the Labour controlled Greater Manchester Authority. He's pulling a similar trick on Sturgeon. She can't believe how agreeable he is to giving her even more powers than were originally recommended by the Smith Commission. I can. He's only to happy to let her foul up by struggling to make ends meet by once again being inadequately funded. In fact, he'd be pleased to let her try to fund Scotland herself by giving her full control over taxation. The Welsh Assembly has already fallen for his plan. Thus Wales has a worse NHS and a worse education system than England. They also are inadequately funded. But who gets the blame for this? Surprise, surprise, the Labour controlled Welsh Assembly. Absolutely right . I await with interest the budgets for local Councils particularly those controlled by the Conservatives . Will they be treated a little bit more leniently than others . We will have to wait and see . In Shropshire a number of council services are to be out sourced to private companies. A company by the name of ip&be Limited , a company set up by Shropshire Council already run council communications and marketing, planning, building control, land charges , street naming , trading standards , environmental health , licensing and parking enforcement . Protesters are already out in force lamenting the lack of information and accusing the Council of being secretive and undemocratic . If I remember this "in house " company made a trading loss in its first year , which, according to the Tory Council Leader was only to be expected , Those I know still working for the Council describe the whole set up as an expensive farce . Seems like he is determined to carry on against the wishes of the majority but argues that during the council elections in 2013 the Conservative manifesto included ip&e which, he says , formed a large part . As it is his job to enact upon the promises made in the manifesto this is what he is doing as it is what the public expects . Make of that what you will but I know what my views are!
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2015 18:16:49 GMT 1
It is Labour who has failed us in Wales over the course of the last 15 years. Our failing health, social care and education services are down to successive Labour led Welsh Assembly's. I for one voted against devolution in both referendums, the whole set up of the Welsh assembly has been an expensive failure since day one. We have AM's who are totally out of touch with the Welsh electorate.
In this case don't blame the Tory's for the recent failures in Wales, the blame sits firmly at the feet of the Labour led administrations.
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Post by jamo on May 16, 2015 18:51:30 GMT 1
Severnheaven. To a certain extent the local councils have only themselves to blame. A fair % of councillors are so wrapped up with their own self importance that when someone like Cameron says to Manchester that they can have full control over health care, transport etc (forget education, they'll all be Academies soon) they are falling over themselves to agree to this. Just one small problem. The local authority budget. So as they won't be able to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, the Council will have to start making cuts. But who gets the blame? Not Cameron, but the Labour controlled Greater Manchester Authority. He's pulling a similar trick on Sturgeon. She can't believe how agreeable he is to giving her even more powers than were originally recommended by the Smith Commission. I can. He's only to happy to let her foul up by struggling to make ends meet by once again being inadequately funded. In fact, he'd be pleased to let her try to fund Scotland herself by giving her full control over taxation. The Welsh Assembly has already fallen for his plan. Thus Wales has a worse NHS and a worse education system than England. They also are inadequately funded. But who gets the blame for this? Surprise, surprise, the Labour controlled Welsh Assembly. In Shropshire a number of council services are to be out sourced to private companies. A company by the name of ip&be Limited , a company set up by Shropshire Council already run council communications and marketing, planning, building control, land charges , street naming , trading standards , environmental health , licensing and parking enforcement . Protesters are already out in force lamenting the lack of information and accusing the Council of being secretive and undemocratic . If I remember this "in house " company made a trading loss in its first year , which, according to the Tory Council Leader was only to be expected , IP&E - Innovation, Partnership and Enterprise ( or as it's known to staff as I p**s on Everyone ) is now into its third year of trading. It has not made a single pound in profit. It owes the rate payers of Shropshire £500k which it was lent, interest free, as start up costs. It currently 'employs' nearly 100 staff all of whom are paid directly from Shropshire Council, i.e. Rate payers money. It is beset by internal management fighting, legal issues and statutory regulations that it cannot find a way around that to even suggest that it could produce anything like a respectable trading position is almost laughable. It is a folly, and an expensive folly that will rebound on the population of Shropshire for years to come.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2015 19:00:46 GMT 1
I wasn't aware of that Jamo, three years and nothing to show for it , well, well. Still, it's the brainchild of that entrepreneur supreme , one Keith ( I'm your man for a cheap carpet ) Barrow . Respectable trading positions and that clown go together like oil and water . On to the next debacle .
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Post by mattmw on May 16, 2015 19:44:26 GMT 1
The School academy programme; I P & E and health service crisis are really a sign of things to come.
Government backed schemes designed to fail and go into crisis, making them much easier to sell off to the private sector at a nice healthy profit. Designed to Fail is a phrase you'll hear a lot of in the next 5 years
Daft thing is its totally true that it was all listed in party manifestos - which people read and voted on
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Post by northwestman on May 16, 2015 20:52:41 GMT 1
A horrendous example of an organisation which was paid by the government to target the unemployed was A4e. www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A4ewww.watchinga4e.blogspot.co.ukThe Company has just been sold to the Staffline Group for £34.5 million. Emma Harrison pockets £20 million of what is effectively taxpayers money.
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Post by northwestman on May 16, 2015 21:35:03 GMT 1
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Post by Minormorris64 on May 19, 2015 7:40:02 GMT 1
And ATOS were appointed by whom...............
"‘Atos were appointed the sole provider for delivering Work Capability Assessments by the previous government in 2008" (Source: The Spectator)
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Post by northwestman on May 19, 2015 8:54:19 GMT 1
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Post by northwestman on May 20, 2015 20:09:24 GMT 1
Exit poll in Conservatives 316 (+9) Labour 239 (-19) SNP 58 (+52) Lib Dems 10 (-47) Plaid Cymru 4 (+1) UKIP 2 (+2) Greens 2 (+1) Other 19 (+1) Hands up who saw that one coming. I can hear the Milifandom weeping from here. That is one very impressive exit poll!
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2015 12:40:15 GMT 1
Never mind Central Government . The loonies are now in charge of the asylum and the brothers "grim" are in firm control . We can all expect a thumping from these two , except the rich of course. What concerns me greatly is the future of local government . I can well see the time very soon when our local Councils will be completely defunct with many of its functions taken out of their control and passed on to profit making private concerns . We all know that Cameron and his cronies are signed up to the private good, public bad philosophy . At a stroke local accountability will be no more . When the grants to local councils are dished out expect them to receive next to f.ck all leaving them having to cut services greatly . Social care budgets will particularly feel the strain. What is the point of labelling hospital patients bed blockers, what a derogatory term that is by the way, when the after care services such as home care , meals on wheels , day centres and even residential care ( those that are still in the control of Councils that is ) are next to non existent . Either that or horrendously expensive. Those of us of a certain age may as well understand now that in our later years ,which are fast approaching ,our quality of life will be tempered by what services we can realistically expect to be available . While I am still reasonably flexible I am practicing sticking my head between my legs and kissing my arse goodbye. Let's put it another way, I certainly will not be booking in to the Brompton or similar unlike Dave and Georgie boy and their mates . I am sure their main executioner, the odious IDS will , before long add to the pain for many with his swingeing benefit cuts. All in it together my arse. Woeful lack of elderly care, nursing home, residential home, rehabilitation beds in and around Shropshire. Bed blockers is an awful way of referring to people who usually would rather be anywhere except in that hospital bed. Funding cuts over the years have meant that the money paid by councils for care home beds is simply not enough to attract the private sector, who are only in it for the dollar. And if they aren't making enough they close down and won't invest further. Why would they? Community care is in a similar hole.
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Post by shrewsace on May 21, 2015 19:41:07 GMT 1
Never mind Central Government . The loonies are now in charge of the asylum and the brothers "grim" are in firm control . We can all expect a thumping from these two , except the rich of course. What concerns me greatly is the future of local government . I can well see the time very soon when our local Councils will be completely defunct with many of its functions taken out of their control and passed on to profit making private concerns . We all know that Cameron and his cronies are signed up to the private good, public bad philosophy . At a stroke local accountability will be no more . When the grants to local councils are dished out expect them to receive next to f.ck all leaving them having to cut services greatly . Social care budgets will particularly feel the strain. What is the point of labelling hospital patients bed blockers, what a derogatory term that is by the way, when the after care services such as home care , meals on wheels , day centres and even residential care ( those that are still in the control of Councils that is ) are next to non existent . Either that or horrendously expensive. Those of us of a certain age may as well understand now that in our later years ,which are fast approaching ,our quality of life will be tempered by what services we can realistically expect to be available . While I am still reasonably flexible I am practicing sticking my head between my legs and kissing my arse goodbye. Let's put it another way, I certainly will not be booking in to the Brompton or similar unlike Dave and Georgie boy and their mates . I am sure their main executioner, the odious IDS will , before long add to the pain for many with his swingeing benefit cuts. All in it together my arse. Woeful lack of elderly care, nursing home, residential home, rehabilitation beds in and around Shropshire. Bed blockers is an awful way of referring to people who usually would rather be anywhere except in that hospital bed. Funding cuts over the years have meant that the money paid by councils for care home beds is simply not enough to attract the private sector, who are only in it for the dollar. And if they aren't making enough they close down and won't invest further. Why would they? Community care is in a similar hole. Which of the potential leaders will be getting your vote, Matron? A pretty uninspiring bunch, aren't they really? Particularly second-favourite Liz Kendall who seems to want to adopt the Tory manifesto in its entirety. Yes, there has to be pragmatism, but also an understanding that the opposition has to offer an alternative and that the centre ground moves - and can be moved. Very little vision on offer from those who are putting themselves forward to lead in my opinion.
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2015 20:32:47 GMT 1
Woeful lack of elderly care, nursing home, residential home, rehabilitation beds in and around Shropshire. Bed blockers is an awful way of referring to people who usually would rather be anywhere except in that hospital bed. Funding cuts over the years have meant that the money paid by councils for care home beds is simply not enough to attract the private sector, who are only in it for the dollar. And if they aren't making enough they close down and won't invest further. Why would they? Community care is in a similar hole. Which of the potential leaders will be getting your vote, Matron? A pretty uninspiring bunch, aren't they really? Particularly second-favourite Liz Kendall who seems to want to adopt the Tory manifesto in its entirety. Yes, there has to be pragmatism, but also an understanding that the opposition has to offer an alternative and that the centre ground moves - and can be moved. Very little vision on offer from those who are putting themselves forward to lead in my opinion. I agree, very uninspiring. But then I felt that way about balls and miliband. In honesty, being a blairite (bliar:D still cracks me up!!!!!) I would like the other brother back in the fold. I simply don't know is my answer. I believe the tories will now learch to the right which would still make a centre Labour Party seem left wing.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2015 6:49:03 GMT 1
The Labour party are disgusting really. Total and utter sell outs. They were reactive throughout the election and their potential leaders are being reactive now.
There isn't a new, progressive idea among them.
Politics is truly dead in this country, the whole process defunct and corrupt (from a representation view point).
While this country historically has had centrist governments there has always been some sort of Social Democratic alternative. Not any more. The true winner in this and future elections is neo-liberalism.
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Post by neilsalop on May 22, 2015 9:03:01 GMT 1
The biggest problem is that with the mainstream press blaming immigrants, the unemployed and the public sector for all of the countries woes and the English electorate falling for it hook, line and sinker I can see the country moving ever further to the right. Even the Labour party are trying to move away from their left of centre roots.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2015 22:21:58 GMT 1
Think Labour have one guy who could possibly connect with the General public, and that would be Dan Jervis, apart from that.....
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Post by SeanBroseley on May 23, 2015 19:24:45 GMT 1
Think Labour have one guy who could possibly connect with the General public, and that would be Dan Jervis, apart from that..... Dan Jarvis has used his military experience to dodge a bullet. Parents worked in the public sector. party member since age 18. didn't study at Oxford or Cambridge. Never been a political researcher.
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Post by The Shropshire Tenor on May 24, 2015 16:25:41 GMT 1
Anybody getting Steve Hilton's new book?
He's best mates with Cameron, a former No10 advisor, apparently claiming that the system is broken and government is run by a small coterie of identikit politicos who operate hand in hand with banks and big business to protect the interests of a tiny elite.
This from a Tory!
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Post by shrewsace on May 24, 2015 16:44:05 GMT 1
Should come as a surprise to no one.
But given the election result we've just had...
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Post by ssshrew on May 24, 2015 17:28:25 GMT 1
Anybody getting Steve Hilton's new book? He's best mates with Cameron, a former No10 advisor, apparently claiming that the system is broken and government is run by a small coterie of identikit politicos who operate hand in hand with banks and big business to protect the interests of a tiny elite. This from a Tory! And nothing will change either..... Whatever those who voted for them think .... everything will just carry on exactly as it was before. The rich getting richer and the vulnerable ...... Well still vulnerable I'm afraid.
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 19:21:37 GMT 1
Should things actually get bad then they will change - look at the places around the world where significant change has occurred and you'll see why. What's the incentive to really challenge the status quo here?
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Post by shrewsace on May 24, 2015 21:38:45 GMT 1
Should things actually get bad then they will change - look at the places around the world where significant change has occurred and you'll see why. What's the incentive to really challenge the status quo here? The people getting the really s**tty end of the stick would be able to give you a few reasons, I'm sure - but you've hit on something. When times are precarious and people have to choose whether to stick or twist, they will often decide 'better the devil you know'. For the majority of people things probably still aren't great but they're hoping to weather the storm and eventually emerge out of the other end relatively unscathed (naively in my opinion). On the other hand though, nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stilglitz, believes that another financial crisis will be the inevitable outcome of continued austerity. If that hits while the Tories are at the reins, they won't be able to blame Labour overspending or wave around that silly note. Perhaps then we'll see some change - but I wouldn't bet on it. The establishment are very good at protecting their own interests by portraying them as the national interest. And a lot of people swallow that.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 6:21:54 GMT 1
Should things actually get bad then they will change - look at the places around the world where significant change has occurred and you'll see why. What's the incentive to really challenge the status quo here? Things are bad for more people than central government will admit. The disabled for example. Anyway, no one is demanding regime change. To compare the UK with other countries such as Spain, Greece and at the extreme end of the scale, Egypt and Iraq, etc shows a failure to understand the political history of our country. The countries mentioned are new to parliamentary democracy. The varying degrees of chaos in these countries mirrors the chaos in central/eastern Europe post - 1918. The UK enlarged the franchise, a significant change, and the status quo changed without any major chaos. So the question is would a significant change in the voting system cause chaos? I don't think so, but I believe the status quo needs to be challenged and the cosy political elite must be made to work harder for our votes.
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Post by shrewder on May 25, 2015 9:32:54 GMT 1
Gosh this thread could be turning into another "Flippin Fish" still I suppose that's Pollockics". I'll get coat!!!
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Post by northwestman on May 25, 2015 10:15:09 GMT 1
Burnham has a very interesting record re expenses claims. Goes back a long way.
Since 2012 he hasn't been able to claim mortgage interest on his 2nd home because of a change in the rules brought about by the original expenses scandal. So to cover that shortfall he's rented that property out and moved into rented property for which he claims £17k a year expenses. Yet his 2nd home is within walking distance of Westminster. However, I'm sure it's very reassuring for us to know that a spokesperson for Burnham has confirmed that if only Parliament would change the rules, he'd return to his own flat!
But this is only the latest in a number of questionable expense claims he's made over the years including £19.99 for a bathrobe, which apparently was 'a genuine oversight' on his part. Yeah sure. Reminds me of the £16.50 claim for a poppy wreath for Remembrance Day which was submitted by the then M.P. for High Peak, Tom Levitt. That was also a 'genuine error.' His expense claims are well worth looking at too.
Mind you, this pales into insignificance compared to our old friend Derek Conway, who claimed £40k expenses over 3 years for his son being a political researcher even though his son was at Newcastle University and no evidence at all was discovered that he actually did the job. Similar claims were made for his older son. Plus he claimed a second home allowance for a house in Northumberland 330 miles away from his Bexley and Sidcup constituency!
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