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.

anachronism

Churchill was a great wartime leader but not so hot in peacetime; Macmillan was a wonderful statesman, but I'm not sure how effective as a world leader; Ted Heath was better suited to sailing and playing the piano.

Post war, I'm not sure who, other than Margaret Thatcher could be described as a strong leader ..... I'm sure there must be one of two from the labour party though none come immediately to mind

George, Exercising your right to vote or not is not relevant to the point that I am trying to make.

"Major pre election promises (from the successful party) should be put into practice unless there is very good reason for not so doing."

I don't think that anyone will disagree with that, but my point is when the party "persistently" does not put into practice their promises why do you and other people "persistently vote" these parties back in.. time and time again?

ED: Cynics never had a tough job in his life -):

It is not always to put promises into practice due to changing circumstances. There is always implied 'small print' associated with political promises which says, "if we can" and "depending on circumstances".

It would be interesting to see some examples of these broken promises.

Magnificent Mallard: The world's fastest steam locomotive

Three-quarters of a century ago, a locomotive built in Doncaster set a world speed record for steam rail travel on a stretch of track just south of Grantham. That 1938 record - of 126 miles per hour - remains to this day.

Cynic,

Check Churchill's preparation and post war stance on Political Europe.
(Some of it seems cockeyed, but more generous toward a form of "political" integration.)


Macmillan led the retreat from Empire with less blood than may have been expected. "Wind of Change". (He read the signs.)

Also, he stimulate the economy in the 50s by "social housing" builds. Also introduced very main line industry policies, etc..

Numerous beneficial social changes occurred during his periods in Government.

Heath for his pro-european foresight. (He was trapped by history and M.E. emergence.)

France's NF leader Marine Le Pen said her movement was going to come to power and she said that she is planning to reintroduce the FRF. Recent polling suggested she would win as much as 33% in the first round of the Presidential election, beating both Hollande & UMP.

Vive La France!!

UK economy strengthening as services exports surge.

Clearly the economy is in safe hands with Dave and George at the helm. Contrary to the opinions professed by Old Bollock Chops and his Red Flag Flyers on this thread.

Who says I vote them back in? You presume too much Stan.
2517

Welfare State! http://pro.moneyweek.com/myk-eob-advcs-lwl/LMYKP701/

I watched it all. It is very interesting, but it is basically an advert for Moneyweek.

Yes - probably the longest most depressing ad I've ever seen - although, as you say - very interesting.

A message for Miliband and Balls from the past.

"We used to think you could spend your way out of recession and increase employment by boosting government spending,” boomed the Prime Minister, Jim Callaghan, at the 1976 Labour Party conference.

“I tell you, in all candour,” he went on, “that that option no longer exists. And in so far as it ever did exist, it only worked on each occasion… by injecting a bigger dose of inflation into the economy, followed by a higher level of unemployment as the next step…”

The above words are among the most important uttered in the history of modern British politics. For a left-wing prime minister to have admitted that too much state spending is dangerous, while being barracked by a rabble of bearded Trotskyists from among his own party ranks, marked a turning-point in Western economic policymaking.

Stan - please define "tough job" ...... most jobs are pretty tough in their own way, whether it's cleaning up after drunks have puked up in the back of your mini-cab, trying to run a happy and moderately successful restaurant while keeping the thieving to within at least acceptable limits or keeping a business alive when it's run into trouble

I found staying alive, just by itself, was hard.

9-)

Disappointed a few.

8-)

Manuel,

Enjoy the holiday, but be careful Van Gogh doesn't try to paint you.

A beautiful area, I am envious.

May wander down that area for my last trip around France and down to the Western Point of Portugal.

Probably, start that trip early September, when it is quieter.

But, having a look at the lakes near Troyes and Auxerre in a few weeks time.

Maybe a little fishing.


----

it is indeed lovely down here ..... during the course of the holiday - i walk a few miles most days anyway - i'll probably do the 8 miles from here to st remy ...... up through the pine forest to the top of les alpilles (a little to the the east of les baux), then along and down past a very pretty semi-artificial lake ..... it brings you out by glanum and close to VG's asylum ..... the 8 mile return trip may be a bit tough on the old bones, but we'll see

A council boss was arrested today after allegedly giving himself a £26,000 pay rise while other staff had had their wages frozen as part of the national austerity drive.


Anthony O'Sullivan, chief executive of the Labour-controlled Caerphilly council in South Wales, was questioned by police on suspicion of fraud and misconduct in public office.


Most employees of the council have had their annual pay rise limited to just one per cent in a bid to save money - but O'Sullivan was awarded a salary hike of nearly 20 per cent thanks to a report he wrote himself.


His salary was increased from £132,000 to £158,000, and 20 other top bosses also received similarly outsized increases following a secretive meeting to determine executives' salaries.


The chief executive was suspended from Caerphilly County Borough Council in March, and the Wales Audit Office called in Avon and Somerset Police to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.


O'Sullivan and one other official were arrested


lefty labour greed put him in prison

ukip guys would never do such a thing .... they'ld just open up off-shore companies and accounts while berating others for doing similar

He needs that amount for living in Caerphilly.

(I never wrote that.)