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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 2, 2017 17:21:54 GMT
Dianne Abbots train crash interview on police numbers and funding will not exactly have helped Labours position. Funny as Fuck to listen to though. If i was being kind I'd say she was clearly inebriated, slurring her words and struggling to follow the interviewer's questions.
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Post by racingteatray on May 2, 2017 18:19:39 GMT
I always liked this ditty by Richard Stilgoe and the late Peter Skellern (although I think it really lampoons a certain sort of Tory MP):
"At fetes and fairs and carnivals you look up in the sky And there are the Red Arrows in harmony on high Or maybe the Red Devils will slowly parachute to earth With cans of coloured smoke cemented to each boot
But for genuine precision don't look up in the air Just search round for the beer tent, there's bound to be one there And there you'll see togetherness and group co-ordination And if you're really lucky they'll give you a demonstration
We're the Red Eyes Formation Drinking Team Arm-in-arm down every street we stream Singing together "You'll never walk alone" Walking into phone boxes and ripping out the phone
We're the Red Eyes and down the road we slide Weaving in formation from side to side And we finish up the act with our most famous trick Where we dive and we roll over, and then we're sick
We're the Red Eyes Formation Drinking Team Full of Pernod and Bailey's Irish Cream We'll pin you in a corner with our alcoholic breath And then we'll stab you with a finger while we bore you all to death
We're the Red Eyes and at 6 o'clock each night On the motorway we're a terrifying sight There once again the formation drinking stars But this time side by side in cars.
In motor coaches we ride in the tail Refuelling in flight with a crate of light ale And we take our trousers down at every passing car Oh God we're funny….oh yes we are…
We're the Red Eyes Formation Drinking Team And together we make a sort of scream In restaurants we sing a lot and throw the food about So all the other tables have a rotten evening out
We're the Red Eyes but only in our spare time Like Cinderella at midnight's chime We stop weaving sideways and fumbling for our keys And we go back to being MPs!"
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Post by Alex on May 2, 2017 20:00:26 GMT
I was listening to Nick Ferrari's show this morning and couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was imagining Labour's back room campaign team panicking and wishing to god she would stop talking. It's astonishing how low Labour are sinking under Corbyn and it's surely only their steadfast support in post industrial safe seats that will save them from the catastrophic collapse the Lib Dems went through a couple of years back. For all his faults Ed Milliband at least had a competent team of experienced front line politicians around him. Corbyn's campaign is utterly shambolic in comparison. No wonder Theresa May called this election now!
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Post by racingteatray on May 2, 2017 20:08:10 GMT
She's just gone on TV to say she'll be "bloody difficult" in negotiations with Junckers.
I'm sure that plays beautifully with the Brexit-ultras but it hardly inspires confidence in the realistic chances of any scenario other than the one where we crash out into WTO rules with no deal.
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Post by racingteatray on May 2, 2017 20:10:13 GMT
I was listening to Nick Ferrari's show this morning and couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was imagining Labour's back room campaign team panicking and wishing to god she would stop talking. It's astonishing how low Labour are sinking under Corbyn and it's surely only their steadfast support in post industrial safe seats that will save them from the catastrophic collapse the Lib Dems went through a couple of years back. For all his faults Ed Milliband at least had a competent team of experienced front line politicians around him. Corbyn's campaign is utterly shambolic in comparison. No wonder Theresa May called this election now! I simply can't listen to Nick Ferrari. It's not good for either my blood pressure or the life-expectancy of whatever device is transmitting his voice.
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Post by Alex on May 3, 2017 5:50:26 GMT
I was listening to Nick Ferrari's show this morning and couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was imagining Labour's back room campaign team panicking and wishing to god she would stop talking. It's astonishing how low Labour are sinking under Corbyn and it's surely only their steadfast support in post industrial safe seats that will save them from the catastrophic collapse the Lib Dems went through a couple of years back. For all his faults Ed Milliband at least had a competent team of experienced front line politicians around him. Corbyn's campaign is utterly shambolic in comparison. No wonder Theresa May called this election now! I simply can't listen to Nick Ferrari. It's not good for either my blood pressure or the life-expectancy of whatever device is transmitting his voice. It's much easier listening than The Nigel Farage show! I agree with your sentiment though and have moved to Classic FM most mornings to help stop me grinding my teeth.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2017 7:06:27 GMT
Dianne Abbots train crash interview on police numbers and funding will not exactly have helped Labours position. Funny as Fuck to listen to though. If i was being kind I'd say she was clearly inebriated, slurring her words and struggling to follow the interviewer's questions. I watched this on the news yesterday - if not hammered then so woefully ill-prepared that the excuse of it being the sixth of seven interviews holds no water whatever. You might be hazy in the first (if you haven't done your homework), but by the sixth you know your numbers off by heart.
Asked a friend who's a lifelong party member what he thought would happen at the election. His answer was that it's more a question of whether there's anything left amid the post-election rubble.
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Post by johnc on May 3, 2017 7:27:46 GMT
Instead of the dregs sinking to the bottom, in British Politics, it appears to have risen to the top. Time to chuck it all out and start again. I don't think I have ever felt so wound up by politics as I do at the moment but also I feel strangely disengaged - the kind of feeling of despair you got as a child in the football team when all you wanted to do was win and the coach thought for some reason that putting the forwards in defence and the goal keeper as centre forward was worth trying.
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Post by michael on May 3, 2017 7:35:05 GMT
I don't think I have ever felt so wound up by politics as I do at the moment but also I feel strangely disengaged - the kind of feeling of despair you got as a child in the football team when all you wanted to do was win and the coach thought for some reason that putting the forwards in defence and the goal keeper as centre forward was worth trying. I read a comment earlier that the public were viewing the Brexit process like they do England going into the world cup, seems about right but we are where we are. For me the thing that needs to change most of all is the short term approach to so many decisions. I've no idea how any party will put country before elections but it'd be nice if they could try.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 3, 2017 8:15:37 GMT
I don't think I have ever felt so wound up by politics as I do at the moment but also I feel strangely disengaged - the kind of feeling of despair you got as a child in the football team when all you wanted to do was win and the coach thought for some reason that putting the forwards in defence and the goal keeper as centre forward was worth trying. I read a comment earlier that the public were viewing the Brexit process like they do England going into the world cup, seems about right but we are where we are. Hope it doesn't go down to penalties then!
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Post by michael on May 3, 2017 8:24:13 GMT
Some comfort in all this, as of midnight when parliament was dissolved, we have no MPs.
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Post by PG on May 3, 2017 12:08:03 GMT
Some comfort in all this, as of midnight when parliament was dissolved, we have no MPs. And the country will continue to run, we'll go to work, pay our taxes and so on. Interesting that...
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Post by Big Blue on May 3, 2017 12:19:29 GMT
- the kind of feeling of despair you got as a child in the football team when all you wanted to do was win and the coach thought for some reason that putting the forwards in defence and the goal keeper as centre forward was worth trying. Yes, I still have my Arsenal ST despite this: a pointer towards the stagnancy of politics, also? This is actually going to be an interesting election as there only seems to be one issue being widely reported (Diane Abbot buffoonery aside). My project is basing our post-election position on the the fact that government priorities will be: 1. Brexit; 2. Smart Ticketing on Rail; 3. The NHS. In that order. Maybe Smart ticketing will get the edge over Brexit. What do you think?
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 3, 2017 13:03:58 GMT
I'm currently hunting down the back of the sofas to find this 100 million Euros we have to pay now.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2017 13:26:18 GMT
I think you will find it's a 100 billion.Hope you have a big sofa
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Post by grampa on May 3, 2017 13:57:45 GMT
Some comfort in all this, as of midnight when parliament was dissolved, we have no MPs. And the country will continue to run, we'll go to work, pay our taxes and so on. Interesting that... That thought hasn't escaped me either, like I suspect, a few million others.
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Post by grampa on May 3, 2017 14:01:58 GMT
She's just gone on TV to say she'll be "bloody difficult" in negotiations with Junckers. I'm sure that plays beautifully with the Brexit-ultras but it hardly inspires confidence in the realistic chances of any scenario other than the one where we crash out into WTO rules with no deal. I must confess I really don't understand political posturing - had that been me, I'd just say nothing in public - whatever you say you will be lambasted by approx half the country so just keep your powder dry until the outcome - the previous incumbent always said he was going to get this or get that in negotiations which then made him look stupid when he came away with less, and of course fueled the fire for those calling for the referendum which was his downfall. Did a politician ever fall from grace when the situation wasn't of their own making?
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Post by Tim on May 3, 2017 14:33:19 GMT
I think the posturing seems to be aimed at the Eurosceptic Tory Right. Not sure why she would need to do that now since they've got what they claim to want?
I agree with John's sentiment about the feeling of disconnection and anger.
There are a few issues that wind me up, that are in clear view to everybody, talked about and yet nothing is done about them.
Very frustrating!
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 3, 2017 14:37:50 GMT
I think you will find it's a 100 billion.Hope you have a big sofa Well I wasn't expecting to pay it all myself, I was kind of hoping others would chip in too.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 3, 2017 15:59:46 GMT
Instead of the dregs sinking to the bottom, in British Politics, it appears to have risen to the top. Time to chuck it all out and start again. I don't think I have ever felt so wound up by politics as I do at the moment but also I feel strangely disengaged - the kind of feeling of despair you got as a child in the football team when all you wanted to do was win and the coach thought for some reason that putting the forwards in defence and the goal keeper as centre forward was worth trying. It almost feels like we should suspend 'government' for a period of 3-5 years, let Technocrats run the country and negotiations then pick up with party politics with whatever is left. Isn't that the ultimate aim of the EU? But I tend to agree.
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Post by johnc on May 9, 2017 8:28:58 GMT
That was a really unexpected curved ball. I'm not sure what the point of it is unless they are running around trying to find populist policies to keep the electorate sweet. It's a bit like dropping a penny into the beggar's cup and expecting him to be grateful. I hope this isn't the extent of the Tories imagination for keeping the country and the electorate happy because there really are much bigger issues!
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 9, 2017 8:33:14 GMT
Picking round the edges to find populist policies for newspaper headlines so that real issues don't need to be addressed.
That said; is this not different to Labour's plan to interfere with the free market by freezing prices whereas this is capping the standard variable tariffs that people who don't switch tend to stay on and hence receive a worse deal than the pro-active switchers?
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Post by michael on May 9, 2017 8:37:19 GMT
It is becoming easier to feel some sympathy for energy companies with this and having to offer free insulation, green agenda etc. Not keen on this sort of interference at all.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 9, 2017 8:42:13 GMT
It is becoming easier to feel some sympathy for energy companies with this and having to offer free insulation, green agenda etc. Not keen on this sort of interference at all. I lament the days of nationalised British Gas and the Electricity Board. They were days of milk and honey - you could afford to have your heating on 24/7, the house was subtropical, and my dad used to actively go round the house turning lights on, electricity was so cheap. We never bothered with insulation, double glazing etc as we didn't fear the quarterly bills.
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Post by Roadsterstu on May 9, 2017 8:56:49 GMT
My first thought on hearing this was, simply, "Is that all they can come up with?" I think there are rather bigger issues to deal with instead of chucking in Labour-esque soundbites to try and garner public satisfaction.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 9, 2017 8:59:47 GMT
That said; is this not different to Labour's plan to interfere with the free market by freezing prices whereas this is capping the standard variable tariffs that people who don't switch tend to stay on and hence receive a worse deal than the pro-active switchers? It is different, ever-so-slightly enough for those who criticised the interference in a free-market economy as a Marxist plot to be happy to say this is a really good policy and not at all like Labours. No, not in any way at all. I agree it seems cynical to adopt a populist policy but I can also see the difference between government regulated price controls and the use of a regulator to introduce checks and balances, which is the difference between Marxism and the Social Democracy we're all supposed to admire.
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Post by alf on May 9, 2017 9:10:42 GMT
It is becoming easier to feel some sympathy for energy companies with this and having to offer free insulation, green agenda etc. Not keen on this sort of interference at all. I lament the days of nationalised British Gas and the Electricity Board. They were days of milk and honey - you could afford to have your heating on 24/7, the house was subtropical, and my dad used to actively go round the house turning lights on, electricity was so cheap. We never bothered with insulation, double glazing etc as we didn't fear the quarterly bills. Is that a serious comment? Given how inefficiently nationalised industries run, you pay far more extra in taxation for that energy than the bills suggest.... Also, given that heating our homes creates more CO2 than motorised transport, I would say that this whole area is under-taxed in comparison to it's environmental impact. It's not reasonable to be paying 75% of the total cost of petrol/diesel as tax, yet be able to walk around in a T-shirt indoors all winter without feeling the financial pinch. As to meddling in the markets, beyond the basics of ensuring worker's rights and fair competition and so on, it's not generally thought by economists to be a good idea and it's an odd move from the Tories. You have to admit that some markets don't work especially well without some meddling, especially those with a huge cost of entry dominated by massive companies. This is very different to what Red Ed suggested - its limiting the range of prices offered not the actual prices - and it makes some sense. It would also work well in areas like insurance - as I bet a lot of people who need the cash the most are also the least likely to spend their whole lives on t'internet checking prices and swapping their business around. The "one deal for new customers, one for existing" thing is a particularly annoying area of modern life. But fixable by politicians? Probably not. As far as policies go I like the honesty of the Lib Dem's 1p extra income tax on the pound to pay towards the NHS. Largely because it was reported as bringing in only another £6bn a year - and yet the NHS budget alone is heading towards £150bn already. I suspect a lot of people think income tax is the main tax, so the fact raising it by a penny a year only brings in another £6bn vs total government spending of around £750bn (and an annual deficit of around £100bn) might make some people stop thinking that money grows on trees...
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 9, 2017 9:15:42 GMT
I lament the days of nationalised British Gas and the Electricity Board. They were days of milk and honey - you could afford to have your heating on 24/7, the house was subtropical, and my dad used to actively go round the house turning lights on, electricity was so cheap. We never bothered with insulation, double glazing etc as we didn't fear the quarterly bills. Is that a serious comment? Given how inefficiently nationalised industries run, you pay far more extra in taxation for that energy than the bills suggest.... Also, given that heating our homes creates more CO2 than motorised transport, I would say that this whole area is under-taxed in comparison to it's environmental impact. It's not reasonable to be paying 75% of the total cost of petrol/diesel as tax, yet be able to walk around in a T-shirt indoors all winter without feeling the financial pinch. Of course it was a serious comment - everyone knows that if we were to re nationalise all these industries things would be immeasurably better. I'm always being told it would be on facebook. Railways are a case in point - let's go back to the halcyon days of British Rail, cheap fares, impeccable service etc.
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Post by Tim on May 9, 2017 9:33:48 GMT
Radio 4 were talking to someone this morning - didn't get his name but presume he was the minister for energy or somesuch. Anyway part of the justification for this proposal is 'to curb the excessive profits' made by these companies.
How is that quantified then? Should Goldman Sachs, etc be worried because if the energy companies profits are excessive then theirs are obscene? Same for oil companies too.
Thank god coffee shops and internet retailers make losses to balance things out!!
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Post by racingteatray on May 9, 2017 12:13:20 GMT
Is that a serious comment? Given how inefficiently nationalised industries run, you pay far more extra in taxation for that energy than the bills suggest.... Also, given that heating our homes creates more CO2 than motorised transport, I would say that this whole area is under-taxed in comparison to it's environmental impact. It's not reasonable to be paying 75% of the total cost of petrol/diesel as tax, yet be able to walk around in a T-shirt indoors all winter without feeling the financial pinch. Of course it was a serious comment - everyone knows that if we were to re nationalise all these industries things would be immeasurably better. I'm always being told it would be on facebook. Railways are a case in point - let's go back to the halcyon days of British Rail, cheap fares, impeccable service etc.
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