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.

fred - shame on you for filleting in a "class" comment ..... totally untrue and unwarranted

sticky+fred - with some reluctance, for i would never ever join one and nor i suspect would my children, i concede that there is a need and use for unions ..... my problem with them, though perhaps it's inevitable, unions as they stand look to have very little interest in the wellbeing of the company and, in the case of teaching, in the children

it is undeniable that many or even most schools have a sufficient number of disruptive children that can cause disproportionate problems for the rest, but this is not the thread to discuss why that should be ..... however, this was why my previous post commented that exam results per se should not be the sole or even main criteria for assessing a teacher's worth

moving on to sacking bad teachers ..... i think i am correct in saying that the union will make this (pretty much) as difficult as possible, which gets back to the thrust of my opening paragraph

of course, on the other side, it would be very foolish to pretend that there is good management in all schools ...... however, as in any other business, a teacher always has the option to seek alternative employment

in conclusion, i did not say there was an easy answer or indeed an obvious one to the question raised .... i merely wished to ask others what they thought - without the stupid red herring of "class" being pointlessly interjected

sticky - 30428 - almost a better question would be "how much of more tax would you accept to pay to create and fund your desired welfare state?" ...... a true answer to that would generally be, "none at all"

Of the million or so (formally disabled) people who have suddenly been deemed capable of picking up their beds and walking (atos).

Where have they gone?

They have picked up their beds and walked-----it's a miracle.
2517

i would certainly agree that it can be surprisingly or even ridiculously hard for someone to claim disability of similar allowance - i personally know 2 specific cases where it was refused, and where any normal person would have said, "of course you qualify"

HMRC is also more than reluctant to shell out when it should ..... for myself, i had to wait several months before HMRC paid out the amount already agreed, and am still arguing a slightly different issue where the rules say "x" but HMRC refuse to admit it or indeed even respond to my accountant of the issue .... the problem then is that it is risking life and limb to go in hard, as HMRC can then get very spiteful and instigate a full investigation of one's tax affairs ..... this is very time consuming and expensive with no recourse as/when nothing is found remiss

reverting to "benefits" in general, it would certainly seem that there is a core of people who know how to work the system either for themselves or in guiding others .... the perception is that a section of the immigrant population is singularly adept at this .... of course, this is purely anecdotal and one does not know the actuality

Cynic and others.

If you didn't view Newsnight last night, risk a listen view Paxman interview with Maude on the Welfare changes.

It is embarrassing and shows one of the next U-turns for the bucket.

It shows this tory party's incompetence at planning and a leading spark lying between his teeth.

The interview is about 5-10 mins into the programme.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03c4hbt/Newsnight_02_10_2013/



========

Has anybody notice the size lie Gove is going to spout is marked by he UmMH and pause, unless it is a pre rehearsed one.

I wonder if he blushes at the same time?

I wish his father had had one on the welfare.

Of course when Cameron is even more demented there will always be the NHS to take care of him.

SAFE IN OUR HANDS DAVE.

----------

GP care in England 'faces funds catastrophe amid cuts'
By Nick Triggle
Health correspondent, BBC News
Doctor with stethoscope
Investment in doctor services has fallen, the Royal College of GPs says
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories

PM promises more flexible GP hours
GP opening: Reinventing the wheel?
Failing GP surgeries 'face closure'
The GP system in England is facing a "catastrophe" because of cuts in funding, doctors' leaders are warning.

Analysis by the Royal College of GPs suggests that over the past three years, investment in general practice has fallen by £400m in real terms.

That is equivalent to a 7% cut in spending per patient, it says.

The government said it was providing new funding to help under-pressure GPs, but Labour said the figures showed ministers' promises had not been kept.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24362902




Also
Doctors accuse coalition of huge cut in spending on surgeries
GPs have received £943m less over past three years, according to survey that challenges claims over the NHS by ministers

IS Cameron becoming the Berlusconi of British Politics?

Mind he will need Boris to help him out in some areas.

Heading in the right direction

Update: Labour lead at 6
by YouGov in Politics
Thu October 3, 6 a.m. BST

Latest YouGov / The Sun results 2nd October - Con 34%, Lab 40%, LD 9%, UKIP 10%;

MaxK - 03 Oct 2013 08:51 - 30431 of 30438

Of the million or so (formally disabled) people who have suddenly been deemed capable of picking up their beds and walking (atos).

Where have they gone?
2517GEORGE Send an email to 2517GEORGE View 2517GEORGE's profile - 03 Oct 2013 09:07 - 30432 of 30438

They have picked up their beds and walked-----it's a miracle.
2517


====

I would suggest you take a walk around your local cities or towns in the day time and count the number of people begging and at night and see how many are "dossing" out.
======

Not the country scenes I wish to see returning.

But that is the place for the cadgers.

Especially Tax dodgers and those who defrauded the tax payer on expense claims and are still legislating.

Most beggars in the street are spending the money on drink and drugs and should be ignored.

If Mikibland is bothered by the Mail's attacks on his father then he might remember the abuse handed out by the left wing when Thatcher died.

He might further remember this embarrassing photo.

Lefty abuse doesent count.

http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/cartoon/2013/oct/02/david-cameron-conservative-party-conference-speech

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/cartoon/

Hays,

Perhaps, you should spend some time dossing on the streets.

You never know you might feel at home.

However, if you fell down in the street in front of me and broke one of your ancient hips, it would be tempting to walk past you.

However, I suppose you could text for an private ambulance for yourself and wait in Private Casualty Department for treatment.

Would you suggest for economic reasons of course, that any of the "dossers" who die in the night should be pick up in the Garbage Van in disposable reusable black bags.

You know a profit is a profit.

Perhaps you could contract for the work.

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

Ps You still haven't answered the questions set previously.

Read a slogan somewhere.

"Cull the tories not the badgers".

There have always been dossers in the street and there always will be. There are centres where they can go at night. The centres only refuse the ones that are the worse for drink and drugs. The same drink and drugs paid for by donations as a result of their begging. There are beggars outside the shops and banks near me. In thevening they are found sitting on the pavement outside the pubs drinking cans of strong lager.

Haystack

Good point about the Thatcher abuse , funny that Edward Heath didn't get much or any abuse when he died , or even Enoch . Just goes to show how nasty and sick people are today.