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.

We had a vote on voting reform and it was rejected by the public and it will stay that way for the foreseeable future. The public wants strong government and not coalitions. It is part of the reason that Burlesconi was popular. Coalitions never pass any significant legislation as it is always watered down. Coalition means compromise and often the weakest partner gets to control the agenda. As cynic says, just look at Israel where the very right wing religious parties control policy even though in theory they are junior partners. Hopefully, we will keep our voting system.

Yes I have noticed the similarity between Berlusconi and Cameron. Similar sort of henchmen!

Genuine, or are the skeletons rattling in the cupboard?




Chuka Umunna withdraws from Labour leadership contest


Shadow business secretary says he found pressure of candidacy uncomfortable and was concerned about impact on family and friends





Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, has withdrawn from the Labour leadership contest, citing the impact the increased level of attention would have on him and those close to him.

In a statement, Umunna said he thought he understood the level of scrutiny and attention the leadership contest would bring, but that he had found it uncomfortable.


Rolling coverage of all today’s political developments as they happen, including turmoil in Ukip and the latest from the Labour leadership contest



“As a member of the shadow cabinet, I am used to a level of attention which is part and parcel of the job. I witnessed the 2010 leadership election process close up and thought I would be comfortable with what it involved,” he said.

“However since the night of our defeat last week I have been subject to the added level of pressure that comes with being a leadership candidate. I have not found it to be a comfortable experience.

“One can imagine what running for leader can be like, understand its demands and the attention but nothing compares to actually doing it and the impact on the rest of one’s life. Consequently after further reflection I am withdrawing my candidacy.”



http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/15/chuka-umunna-withdraws-from-labour-leadership-contest

a fair comment on the wireless was that he was shadow biz secretary but then blamed the leadership for "failing to reach out to business"
enough said?

Yvette Cooper was the former JCR President of my son's old college. Over three years ago now, he said she would be the next Labour leader.

He might be right.

Good i can't stand the jumped up little ponce !!!

Oh dear...


Yvette Cooper


Chief Secretary to the Treasury 24 January 2008 – 5 June 2009

Tarred with the same brush as Dick Ed II....

From the same stable ... never done a job outside the westminster bubble.

And she's jock.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvette_Cooper

Yvette Cooper

Chief Secretary to the Treasury 24 January 2008 – 5 June 2009

Funny how she is in denial now!


Yvette Cooper: Labour didn't spend too much before the crash

Labour leadership contender denies that the party spent too much ahead of the financial crisis

Yvette Cooper has denied that Labour spent too much in the run-up to the financial crisis, as she launched her campaign to be the party’s leader.

The shadow home secretary sided with defeated leader Ed Miliband by refusing to accept that the last Labour administration should have reined in public expenditure.

Liz Kendall, a Blairite who was first to enter the Labour leadership race, on Wednesday admitted that spending levels were too high in the Blair and Brown years.

"I think that we were spending too much before the crash,” she told BBC Newsnight.

But asked on Thursday whether she agreed with Ms Kendall’s comments, Ms Cooper responded: “No.”

An early vote is expected at Westminster to overturn the hunting ban.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hunting-ban-set-to-be-repealed-within-12-months-with-early-commons-vote-expected-10254419.html

The English country gentleman galloping after a fox—the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable



Oscar Wilde

The English country gentleman galloping after a fox—the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable.


Oscar Wilde

23.08

is there something wrong with this board?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3083887/Portrait-man-taken-cleaners-voters-Ed-Balls-pictured-carrying-dirty-suits-laundrette.html

Portrait of a man taken to the cleaners by the voters: Ed Balls is pictured carrying dirty suits to the laundrette

We are back on air again!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3084058/Labour-power-forever-leadership-candidate-warns-Liz-Kendall-says-risk-party-never-form-majority-government-again.html

Labour could be out of power forever, leadership candidate warns: Liz Kendall says there is a risk party may never form a majority government again

The MP for Leicester West added that Labour should support a referendum on EU membership
The party should also stop advocating high taxation 'just to make a point'
Justifying her uncompromising language, she said 'I will tell it like it is'

Blairite leadership candidate Liz Kendall has warned that Labour must acknowledge the scale of last week's catastrophe or face never forming a majority government again.

'One more parliament like the last means we might be unable to form a majority government ever again,' she told the Guardian.

She went on to insist that Labour should support an in/out referendum on EU membership.

The MP for Leicester West added that the party must embrace business and stop advocating high taxation ‘just to make a point’.

And she said Labour must concentrate on running a surplus, saying: ‘The party should have reined in spending before the crash - even though the crash itself was not caused by overspending by the Labour government.’

The leadership contender told the paper that Labour must also not support a top income tax rate of 50p‎ on a permanent basis.

And she supported the government’s welfare cap, saying: ‘Voters in my constituency do not feel people who are not working should get more than those in work.’

Although she said she was a passionate European, Miss Kendall said: ‘We should have that referendum, make the case and take on the argument, early, strongly and passionately.’

The moderniser said the election was a catastrophic result, saying: ‘We should have won a majority‎. We had fewer seats to win back than any opposition in a generation yet we ended up with the worst result since 1987.’

Justifying her uncompromising language, she said: ‘I will tell it like it is.’

She said businessmen had been turned off the party because it gave the impression that ‘profit is wrong’.

Test

For Max Exec.

Should impress the tory backbenchers and Shires.