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 that is not funny its sick

Is Cameron using hard working tax payers' money for tory party political ends?

This would appear misuse of the public purse.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33017307

TORY POLITICS

PM's EU negotiations of no significance - Lord Lawson

Lord Lawson tells Newsnight's Laura Kuenssberg: "He's looking for more... but what [David Cameron] will secure will be trivial"

David Cameron is unlikely to achieve anything of significance as he seeks to renegotiate the UK's EU membership, former Chancellor Lord Lawson has said.
The Eurosceptic Conservative peer said the prime minister's efforts probably will not deliver "fundamental change".



Lord Lawson told BBC Newsnight the PM promised to hold an in/out referendum "largely" to keep the Tories together.

Speaking on the eve of the anniversary of the 1975 referendum, he feels the UK will vote to stay in and "regret it".

Lord Lawson said: "I think it's likely that the changes that David Cameron will secure will be inconsequential, of no significance at all.... but given the authority he has and the lack of a credible opposition leader I think it will be the same result."
He added there "isn't anybody" he can see who would be an effective leader of the campaign for an EU exit.
'Outside chance'

Last week, the prime minister began meeting European leaders as he tried to gather support for changes he wants before holding the UK's EU membership referendum, a vote which is to take place by the end of 2017.

Tighter rules on migrants' benefits are a priority for the Conservatives, as they want to control immigration from the EU.

Mr Cameron also wants an opt-out from the EU pledge of "ever closer union" and more influence for national parliaments over European laws.
Lord Lawson told Newsnight there was "a very small outside chance that he might achieve something of significance" but it was more likely to be "trivial".
He added that "in the short term, the next few years the PM will have bought peace in the Tory party".

David Cameron and Francois Hollande in Paris on 28 May 2015

Mr Cameron has held a series of meetings with European leaders
On Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was confident conditions can be created for the UK to stay in the EU.
"It's not about losing sleep over this, but about doing our work and creating the necessary preconditions for Britain to remain in the EU," she told the BBC.
Mrs Merkel said: "There are other points where we have a different opinion, but we have always been able also to pursue a Europe at different speeds, to find opt-out solutions for example."

Meanwhile, a survey for think tank British Future suggests most people have still not made up their minds on which way to vote in the referendum.

So which do you prefer?

The official refreshed (ie. revised last month) London Underground Map:



Or the 'unofficial Designer Unknown (but he/she is called "SameBoat") Tube Map as uploaded to Wikipedia back in August 2014.
PS. Notice the lovely curves in it. Also notice CrossRail and also future line extensions:



If you would like to look at more London underground information, go to:

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

The official one does have the 'Zones' whereas the unofficial one by SameBoat doesn't have them.

Tanker is going to love this one:

We CAN'T cut migrant benefits: Barmy Euro court risks Cameron's plan to slash handouts

DAVID Cameron's plan to block EU migrants from drawing benefits in Britain has suffered a blow at the hands of European lawyers.

From: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/.....
By MARTYN BROWN
PUBLISHED: 00:01, Fri, Jun 5, 2015 | UPDATED: 09:13, Fri, Jun 5, 2015

David Cameron's plan to EU migrants from getting benefits may be blocked
The European Court of Justice signalled that jobless migrants should be entitled to state handouts if they can prove they came to the UK to work.

However EU advocate ­general Melchior Wathelet has advised that unemployed migrants should only have to wait three months before they are entitled to social benefits.

This goes against Mr Cameron's promise to refuse benefits to anyone from the EU who has not worked in the UK for four years - the centrepiece of his demand for a return of powers from Brussels.

Last night Ukip warned the renegotiations were "hitting the rocks". Under freedom of movement rules, EU citizens are currently entitled to benefits in the host country.

Ministers say handouts to jobless migrants could cost more than £150million a year unless benefit tourism is restricted.

The PM wants his key reform in place ahead of an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, which he wants to take place before the end of 2017.

His plans have already received a mixed reaction in Europe, with Germany generally supportive in the face of French and Polish opposition.

The Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice is the highest ­legal body in the EU.

It made the announcement following a case ­involving a Spanish national who was excluded from social benefits in Germany during the first three months of his stay, despite seeking work.

In a legal opinion given to the court, Mr Wathelet said that an EU citizen in another EU country "may not automatically be refused the benefits in question" if they have worked there before.

"People want to know that if a migrant has been here a reasonable period of time, say four years, and paid their share of taxes, they can be entitled to benefits. But not before that." says Tory MP, Nigel Mills. But he added: "Granting entitlement to social assistance to EU citizens who are not required to have sufficient means of subsistence could result in relocation en masse. (This is) liable to create an unreasonable burden on national social security systems. Moreover, while persons arriving in a host member state may have personal links with other EU citizens already residing there, the link with the member state is in all likelihood limited in that initial period."

Alp Mehmet, vice-chairman of the pressure group Migration Watch, said the statement would prove to be another stumbling block in the Prime Minister's renegotiation of powers with Brussels. "This is a very clear indication of what the Prime Minister will be up against in trying to renegotiate the current arrangements," he said. "It does not bode well. This is very much going to be an uphill struggle for him. Let us hope he is able to get enough support for the changes he wants."

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said the ruling was worrying and warned that the only way to totally stop benefits tourism was to quit the EU altogether. He said: "Renegotiation is clearly hitting the rocks. It is outrageous that we are paying out benefits to those who haven't paid into our system. But we can only stop this sort of madness by leaving the European Union."

Tory MP Nigel Mills said: "People want to know that if a migrant has been here a reasonable period of time, say four years, and paid their share of taxes, they can be entitled to benefits. But not before that. The European Court of Justice doesn't appear to share this view and this is where we have to be careful in renegotiations."

Downing Street played down the court's intervention, insisting that it was a "step in the right direction".

A senior Downing Street source said: "At least the court is conceding the principle that migrants cannot simply turn up in Britain and expect to claim benefits. This is a step in the right direction, although we want to see a longer time limit."

The latest legal opinion from Mr Wathelet confirmed a similar ruling by the European Court of Justice in November 2014.

Mr Cameron saw his proposals for a return of powers to Westminster welcomed by some EU leaders but rejected by others in a 48-hour tour of European capitals last week.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed there was a problem with abuse of the benefits system and said it would also be in Germany's interests to make changes.

She said a treaty change to meet British demands was possible, insisting: "Where there's a will, there's a way."

But Polish PM Ewa Kopacz expressed her "strong opposition" to the UK proposals.

She told Mr Cameron she would fight any proposal "that could lead to discrimination against Poles or other EU citizens working legally in Britain".

Here's another one for Tanker:

Now ISIS bans pigeons – because looking at them as they fly away is against Islam.

ISLAMIC State has banned pigeons because they claim that looking at the birds' genitals as they fly away is against the Muslim religion.

Nigel Lawson says Cameron will only achieve 'trivial' EU reform

As trivial as Cameron!

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold telephone talks at 1000 GMT to discuss cooperation in business and energy sectors, a Greek government official said on Friday.

The talks come hours before Tsipras addresses parliament on the state of negotiations with lenders for aid amid a fierce backlash from his party over a proposal offered by the euro zone and the International Monetary Fund.

Russia has been speculated as a potential source of funding for Greece if it fails to reach a deal with EU and IMF lenders. Athens has denied plans to turn to Moscow for help.

(

ex. its not the benefits that are the problem its that brits can not benefits in the eu
we have to take out insurance . so how the hell can we be apart of the eu

let the brits get the same benefits as the ones coming here and the problem is solved
I want to move to the sun . but I am dammed if I am going pay for medical when I have paid taxes all my life and still paying taxes at 67

not one mp will give me a answer

on a similar vein ..... try taking a spanish company to court for non-payment of debt ...... it's hahaha!

cynic very true . why does Cameron turn round ask the eu why are brits barred from all benefits in the eu I am a pensioner and like a bit of sun why should I have to take out insurance if we are apart of the eu .
I should allowed to use all medical resources in the eu
but are not allowed
the nhs card is worthless in france and spain Portugal. the first thing they ask you is it cash or card or insurance you pay us then claim back your money when you get home

rules must apply to all countries or non if they want FED EU then go for it or its unworkable

Looking for his Manuel!

Cameron wants rid of corruption.......well....looks like some UK household names are going down the plughole then....

RF.

Gosh!

Is Dodgy Dave going to resign?

Or is he going to allow the bankers a financial boys off the leash again, in order to fill the party coffers once again?

.