goldfinger
- 09 Jun 2005 12:25
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.
Haystack
- 03 Nov 2014 21:17
- 49100 of 81564
The key thing about having a second chamber is that it is subordinate to the Commons. If not then we will have the situation where one party may control one chamber and another control the second. This happens in the US and stops legislation and makes for weak government.
goldfinger
- 03 Nov 2014 21:20
- 49101 of 81564
Populus’s twice-weekly poll meanwhile had topline figures of CON 34%, LAB 35%, LDEM 9%, UKIP 13% –
MaxK
- 03 Nov 2014 21:21
- 49102 of 81564
It makes for balanced government.
The house of lairds, if chosen properly, provides a good counter-balance to the House of Conmen.
Chris Carson
- 03 Nov 2014 21:25
- 49103 of 81564
By Matthew Stadlen and Peter Dominiczak
8:56PM GMT 02 Nov 2014
Griff Rhys Jones, the comedian and television presenter, has said that he is thinking about moving abroad if Labour wins the general election and introduces a mansion tax.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Mr Rhys Jones described as “fatuous” Ed Miliband’s plan to impose a levy on homes worth more than £2 million.
Mr Miliband’s plans have been criticised by members of his own party as well as financial experts including Nigel Wilson, the chief executive of Legal & General, who warned that the policy is “poor economics” and will “punish” families who have saved hard for a property.
Under Labour's plans, the starting rate will be £3,000 a year, and could be as much as £30,000 a year for homes worth over £3 million.
The Liberal Democrats are making similar plans.
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Mr Rhys Jones lives in a property in Fitzrovia, central London, that he restored 15 years ago.
He said that his home has appreciated in value so significantly that he would be better moving abroad than paying Labour’s “colossal tax”.
“It would mean I’d be paying the most colossal tax, which is obviously aimed at foreigners who have apparently come in and bought up all the property in London,” he said.
“That sounds about as fatuous an idea as that immigrants are stealing all the jobs. I’d probably go and live abroad because I could get some massive palace which I could restore there.”
Mr Rhys Jones added: “I mustn’t equate my own personal angst about the
mansion tax with a national policy angst. No way. It’s quite likely
that the population is very keen on seeing rich people squeal. So I’m
not going to squeal to make them feel better.”
Mr Wilson last week warned that the mansion tax would exacerbate a
housing shortage and make it even harder for young people to buy their
first home.
The mere threat of a mansion tax has already slowed the top end of the
property market, and will result in fewer properties getting built, he
said.
goldfinger
- 03 Nov 2014 21:27
- 49104 of 81564
Not worth the paper it’s written on – glynismillward189 3/11/2014

Meet the Tweedles: Tweedle-Dunce is sitting at the back looking disgruntled, while Tweedle-Daft just tweedles his thumbs.
So, CaMORON and GIDIOT Osborne are sending out statements to taxpayers from today, detailing how their taxes are being spent, writes a clearly-annoyed Glynis Millward.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/millions-start-receiving-break-down-of-how-their-tax-is-spent
So, they are using YOUR money to tell you how YOUR money has been spent.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/tax/11204213/Voters-to-get-letters-showing-how-much-of-their-money-is-spent-on-benefits.html
They are using these letters to further disenfranchise benefit claimants by saying to taxpayers , look how much of your money is being spent on these scroungers/workshy/skivers (delete as applicable)
They are using a government department – HMRC, to send these letters out!!!
WTF!!!
Using a government department, which over the last 4 years has been subjected to the most savage job cuts
http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=146311
Gidiot maintains that these letters are part of the governments initiative to be open and transparent…. HA HA HA ; there goes another rib… open and transparent? when this government do things for example, such as deny people the opportunity to make Freedom of Information requests regarding deaths of benefit claimants
http://mikesivier.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/information-tribunal-on-deaths-of-ibesa-claimants-next-week/
If I receive such a letter, I shall be sending it straight back with a covering letter, requesting (amongst other things) the following information;
What is the cost of sending these letters out?
Why don’t the government tell me how my National Insurance is being utilised?
Do any of the amounts shown in these figures include amounts frittered away on privatisation costs instigated by this government?
Stan
- 03 Nov 2014 21:27
- 49105 of 81564
Rhys Jones moving abroad? Job done.
goldfinger
- 03 Nov 2014 21:31
- 49106 of 81564
ha ha he he yep I was going to say same Stan good one, send that t-at Simon Cowel and the rest of the team plus all those 2nd raters at Strictly with him aswel, PLUS all the England useless football team aswel.
Fred1new
- 03 Nov 2014 21:36
- 49107 of 81564
Max
"03 Nov 2014 21:05 - 49093 of 49103
We could make a start by paying people a proper living wage, without the top up's required by the taxpayer.
How mad is it to require employers to pay a minimum wage that is not enough to live on?"
Max, In some ways I don't mind the wages being topped up from "general taxation".
Especially in start up companies and areas which may enable "unemployed" back into the workforce. etc.
What I object is the lying government shrinking the public service area and boasting that the private area are taking up the "slack".
Of course they are, they are being subsidised for doing so, and instead of money going into the necessary public services, a high percentage is diverted into the pockets of the private area employers as "profits".
Ie. less money going where it is necessary and into the government backers and financiers.
(I am not against capitalism, entrepreneurs, banks etc. and was self employed for the majority of my life. But this government is an insult!
If seen from the outside the UK is becoming a banana republic with wealthy villains welcome, especially with pearls in their briefcases, but rejection for lesser mortals, or foreigners. (Especially, if they play tennis.)
It is the B. lies which get me, and the public are being made to look like suckers.
It is corrupt actions of a corrupt government!
goldfinger
- 03 Nov 2014 21:48
- 49108 of 81564
Absolutely Fred......
"What I object is the lying government shrinking the public service area and boasting that the private area are taking up the "slack".
Of course they are, they are being subsidised for doing so, and instead of money going into the necessary public services, a high percentage is diverted into the pockets of the private area employers as "profits".
Ie. less money going where it is necessary and into the government backers and financiers."..................ends
We could start at A4E where that rich tart employs the FAIRY JOBS MOTHER to get trainees (supposed to be apprenticeships ...LOL) part time jobs at Poundland.
Remember it on a channel 4 Documentary.
Haystack
- 03 Nov 2014 22:18
- 49109 of 81564
Lord Ashcroft’s weekly poll today has topline figures of
CON 30%(-1), LAB 29%(-2), LDEM 10%(+3), UKIP 16%(-2), GRN 6%(+1).
This is the first time a poll showing Labour below 30% since 2010.
goldfinger
- 03 Nov 2014 22:25
- 49110 of 81564
Just breaking.......Kevin Maguire @Kevin_Maguire 1 minute ago
Norman Baker's quit as a Minister. Trouble at t'mill for the ConDem coalition.
BLAMES THERESA MAY.
goldfinger
- 03 Nov 2014 22:26
- 49111 of 81564
S-it as hit the Fan for the Tories then.
goldfinger
- 03 Nov 2014 22:29
- 49112 of 81564
Haystack
- 03 Nov 2014 22:35
- 49113 of 81564
Bit by bit Labour is heading down the drain.
goldfinger
- 03 Nov 2014 22:40
- 49114 of 81564
LOL hes part of the coalition you banana.
Haystack
- 03 Nov 2014 22:49
- 49115 of 81564
Labour is sinking almost as fast as Miliband, the Titanic of the political world.
Chris Carson
- 03 Nov 2014 23:20
- 49116 of 81564
EU threatens to fine Britain £70 million a month
George Osborne says that "Europe is not working" for Britain as Brussels threatens punitive fines over £1.7 billion bill
Chancellor George Osborne
George Osborne says Europe is not working for Britain Photo: PA
Bruno Waterfield
By Bruno Waterfield, and Steven Swinford
10:00PM GMT 03 Nov 2014
Follow
The European Union will hit Britain with punitive fines of almost £70 million a month next year if David Cameron refuses to pay a £1.7 billion bill from Brussels.
Mr Cameron last month said he will refuse to pay the "completely unacceptable" bill and warned that it will reduce the chances of Britain staying in the EU.
The EU is now threatening to charge Britain an annual interest rate of 52 per cent, equivalent to £823 million, if it refuses to pay the full amount by December 1.
George Osborne, the Chancellor, will travel to Brussels on Friday for a meeting of EU finance ministers in an attempt to reduce the bill ahead of the deadline.
Tory MPs described the £2.3 million a day of interest payments as so exploitative that they would make "the most predatory payday loan shark blush".
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It came as senior Tories clashed with Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, over plans to reduce the number of immigrants coming to Britain.
Mrs Merkel suggested she would rather see Britain leave the European Union than change the rules on freedom of movement, describing that the principle as "non-negotiable".
However, Mr Osborne said that "Europe is not working" for Britain and pledged to drive through freedom of movement reforms.
He suggested that European migrants should not move to Britain unless they have a job lined up and insisted that Germany "understands the disquiet" that people in Britain feel about the high levels of immigration.
Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, said that foreigners could be barred from claiming tax credits to boost their wages for three years, a move which could be achieved without new regulations.
He said that Britain and a number of other European countries including Germany, Spain, France, Holland and Denmark are united in the belief that "something has gone wrong" with the current rules.
He said: "Most of that can be done by changing the regulations and the rules within the existing agreements. We are already pressing on others and getting a remarkable degree of agreement. Even Mrs Merkel agreed with that."
Details of the fine, however, are likely to further strain relations with Europe. According to EU officials, the fine for the first month will be charged at 2.5 per cent of the outstanding bill, equivalent to £41 million.
It will then rise by 0.25 per cent a month, hitting 5.5 per cent by December 2015 – equivalent to £90 million. The European Commission made it clear on Monday that the Government will be legally obliged to pay the extra interest if its does not pay up the extra money on 1 December following a “correction” of Britain’s EU contributions.
“All these corrections have to be reimbursed by 1 December,” said a commission spokesman. “Everybody has to pay what is due. If payment is not made by 1 December then there is the process of interest rates.”
The extra budget demand follows a revision of the value of Britain’s wealth, a statistic known as gross national income (GNI) over the period 1995 to 2013. Under the revision, which applies to all EU countries, France will receive cash back worth £790 million because its economy has performed worse than Britain’s.
Dominic Raab, a Conservative backbencher, said: "This unscrupulous rate of interest would make the most predatory payday loan shark blush. To many hard-working Britons, this just makes the EU look like an exploitative scam.
'The government should fight the idea of fines for economic success and rewards for failure to reform tooth and nail. If not, it just strengthens the case of those arguing the UK should leave altogether."
MaxK
- 03 Nov 2014 23:34
- 49117 of 81564
DWP orders man to work without pay for company that let him go
John McArthur is sanctioned by jobcentre after refusing ‘forced labour’ at firm where he was previously paid minimum wage
Shiv Malik
The Guardian, Monday 3 November 2014 17.27 GMT
A man who was let go at the end of a temporary job has been ordered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to work for the same firm for six months without pay.
Electronics specialist John McArthur, now unemployed, says he is living off 16p tins of spaghetti and without heating after being sanctioned by a jobcentre for refusing to work unpaid for LAMH Recycle in Motherwell, a Scottish social enterprise.
He says he was happy to work for LAMH under the now-defunct future jobs fund for the minimum wage in 2010-2011, but refuses on principle to do the same job unpaid.
McArthur, 59, says he is surviving on a monthly pension of £149 after the DWP stopped his unemployment benefit until January as punishment for his refusal to go on the 26-week community work placement (CWP).
More:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/nov/03/dwp-benefits-electrician-work-placement-labour
goldfinger
- 04 Nov 2014 02:06
- 49118 of 81564
That is pathetic Max, but sadly thousands of people are being treat in the same way, because of these sanctions.
Little wonder Food Banks are growing and growing.
The Nasty Party at work again.