Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

maybe, but i always did wonder who my father was

I will start lol -

CC
I thought the big wall was to keep the ones who use their baths to keep the coal in from gaining access to the green and pleasant land of the south.

Once again gf is wrong with his facts. Margaret Thatcher did NOT stop school milk. She voted in cabinet against it. Free school milk was stopped for over 7s and she advised against the policy on the grounds it would "arouse widespread public antagonism". She was over ruled and as Education Secretary she had to implement due to common cabinet deep nsibility. Claiming incorrectly that Thacher stopped free milk is just the usually left wing tactic of misinformation.

Labour's Harold Wilson withdrew free milk from secondary schools in 1971.

She could have resigned.

Many wished she had done so earlier, before her own party chucked her.

(I hope I spelt that properly.)

out of curiosity, on what grounds did 'arold reckon the milk should be stopped?

You can't resign every time you disagree in Cabinet. It has always been a policy of all governments to accept joint responsibility in Cabinet. Otherwise everyone would insist on having their own way. It is called democracy.

Are you going to resign Fred ? :-))

Wilson stopped free milk for 11 to 18 year olds to cut the high rate of government borrowing at the time. It is interesting to note that Labour never repealed the Conservative milk legislation.

Funny how Labour has NEVER repealed any of the legislation brought in to curb Trade Unions. In fact you would be pushed to think of any Conservative legislation that Labour has ever repealed. So much for the rhetoric when they are not in government.

No Chance.

Wished there was some better opponents around.

Wait until 2015.

The reality is that Labour couldn't have been more pleased that the unions were slapped down by someone else. Labour had also suffered from excessive union power.

Hays - Baths? You were lucky.

Stan - Any chance of taking Fred fishing? Bit of luck he might fall in.

You could use him as bait.

mansion tax .... much amused to read, admittedly in "The Right-Wing Gazette", quite a long article re this tax, in which the Lib-Dems and Labour both rather shivered and squirmed away from its application - e.g. exemptions for peeps who had lived in their houses for a long time and were retired

stupid bastards!

Fred1new - 21 Feb 2013 18:10 - 21673 of 21677

Wait until 2015.

So you are (if you voted), a labour man?

Skinny,

No.
------

My father told me that the colliery that he managed, was profitable down to the people who work on "his" (the) colliery, the people who supported them and the owners who had invested in the pit. The employees, management and owners tended to have mutual respect for each other. This was unusual in the South Wales Minefield area.

Also, my father, when I was in my teenager, told me not to allow anyone to own me and to accept responsibility for the decisions that I made and actions I took.

Again, he told me that when I signed a document, it was a representation of what I thought and that I should not take my signature lightly, or signed to something that I did not think appropriate.

Strangely, he was a relatively quiet man, but retrospectively seems to have influenced me quite strongly.

======

I do agree with much of what the Socialist party has done, during the period when in power since WW2. I think much has done for the benefit of society as general, but disagree with some of the crazy periods of ill-thought out and impractical ideology in 70s and 80s.

But realise that realise when any policies are implemented it is often necessary to the reviewed them in practice and modified them as necessary. Also, think they made a number of mistakes in their last period in power, but also note the improvement in the quality of life for the “masses” in their 15years of “rule”.

Again, I think the expectancies of some of the unions in various post war periods was not in accord with the possibilities of the period.

The unions were as immoderate as the “employers”.

I have agreed with some of what the Conservative party has done and various periods of "power", but disagree often of the way many things were done. Certainly I disagree with the protectionism for and legislation for the few at the expense of, and disregard of many in society. (That is why they have earned the title of the nasty party.)

I had some respect for many in the Liberal party and also the ideals of SNP, and felt they could have been more effective. Still have some respect, but do question their motives.

Also, had some respect for some Communist's and their ideals, but thought often to be as misguided as the right of the tory party. Again, I thought as a teenager that much of the ideology was impractical and from experience of communism in practice in my early twenties and from family members, saw the abuse of the party machinery. But one can see similar patterns of behaviour observed in the hierarchy of the present tory party, or labour party, although to a less blatant and probably to a lesser degree but, often with the same aim that is of keeping power.

----------------

I hold no allegiance to any party, or specific political ideology for that matter, and I don't feel the necessity to vote for an independent candidate, even if there was one available, as they would not represent my views.

I have no objection to you voting for what you feel right for you.

==================

It made me smile!

Pub owner fined after Irish 'nuns' are caught drinking illegally

An Irish publican has been prosecuted after police found dozens of "nuns" drinking illegally, several hours past closing time on his premises.

read Black Diamonds if you want to a fascinating history of about the rise and demise of one coal mine and its owners in yorkshire (wentworth to be exact)