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.

Honest mistake , blimey sure it was , at that level it's amazing how many are so thick really . I won't worry though there's another job lined up probably .

how on earth could she be so stupid as to imagine this would not easily leak out?
some people really are mindbogglingly hubristic

She's another of the ruling class who think they can get away with anything,
just because they have done in the past, she's been receiving hundreds of
thousands of pounds a year for several years, and then gets into a position
where she is endowed with the ability to influence any policy that could be of
assistance to her brother....OUTRAGEOUS!!

Another of the Hogg dynasty. She was lauded as one breaking the glass ceiling at the BOE. Why does trough come to mind?

And about time too!

Victory for Marine, Sgt Alexander Blackman, as Appeal Court judges CLEAR him of murdering Taliban fighter in Afghanistan and he has his conviction reduced to manslaughter.

Sergeant Blackman, who has already served three years in prison, will face a new sentencing hearing in the next week but his legal team will now argue for him to be released.

Thats great news for Sgt Blackman and for his family, and justice.

Here is the full text of Chancellor Philip Hammond's letter to Conservative MPs explaining his decision to drop National Insurance increases announced in last week's Budget.

Dear Colleague

I am writing to clarify the Government's position with regard to the changes to National Insurance contributions (NICs) for the self-employed, announced in last week's Budget.

As I set out last Wednesday, the gap between benefits available to the self-employed and those in employment has closed significantly over the last few years - most notably by the introduction of the new State Pension in April 2016, worth an additional £1,800 to a self-employed person for each year of retirement.

It remains our judgment that the current differences in benefit entitlement no longer justify the scale of difference in the level of total NICs paid in respect of employees and the self-employed.

Colleagues will be aware that there has been a sharp increase in self-employment over the last few years. Most commentators believe that at least part of the increase is driven by differences in tax treatment.

HMRC estimates that the cost to the public finances of this trend is around £5bn this year alone and the parallel increase in incorporation will cost more than £6bn a year by the end of the Parliament. This represents a significant risk to the tax base and thus to the funding of our public services.

The measures I announced in the Budget sought to reflect more fairly the differences in entitlement in the contributions made by the self-employed and addresses the challenge of sustainability of the tax base.

The Government continues to believe that this is the right approach.

Since the Budget, however, there has been much comment on the question of commitments made in our 2015 manifesto. Ahead of Autumn Statement last year, the
Prime Minister and I decided that, however difficult the fiscal challenges we face, the tax-lock and spending ring-fence commitments we have made for this Parliament should be honoured in full. I made this clear in the Autumn Statement speech.

As far as National Insurance contributions are concerned, the locks were legislated for in the National Insurance contributions (Rate Ceilings) Act 2015.

When that Bill was introduced, it was made clear that the lock would apply only to Class 1 contributions (employer and employee). The measures proposed in the Budget fall within the constraints set out by the tax-lock legislation and the spending ring-fences.

However, in light-of the debate over the last few days it is clear that compliance with the "legislative" test of the Manifesto commitment is not adequate.

It is very important both to me and to the Prime Minister that we are compliant not just with the letter, but also the spirit, of the commitments that were made.

In light of what has emerged as a clear view among colleagues and a significant section of the public, I have decided not to proceed with the Class 4 NIC measures set out in the Budget.

There will be no increases in NICs rates in this Parliament. We will continue with the abolition of Class 2 NICs from April 2018. The cost of the changes I am announcing today will be funded by measures to be announced in the Autumn Budget.

I undertook in the Budget speech to consult over the summer on options to address the principal outstanding difference in benefit entitlement between employed and self-employed: parental benefits. We now intend to widen this exercise to look at the other areas of difference in treatment, alongside the Government's consideration of the forthcoming report by Matthew Taylor, CEO of the RSA, on the implication of different ways of working for employment rights.

Once we have completed these pieces of work, the Government will set out how it intends to take forward, and fund, reforms in this area.

I plan to make a statement in the House later today.

Philip Hammond

..

Good Headlines.

FINANCIAL TIMES

European Parliament signals tough line on Brexit

Brexit means the end of single market access for London

Theresa May's clampdown on international students is a mystery

What Nicola Sturgeon conjured from constitutional thin air

Davis admits UK has not assessed impact of Brexit without Brussels deal

The conundrum of Theresa May's Great Repeal Bill


-=-=

Almost forgot.

Tories caught fiddling the books again.


Hey ho, another day in the market!

Anyone watch the Lords Speaker's committee meeting yesterday on reform of the Lords? Interesting perspective of how the Lords (and Baronesses) view themselves. When asked what would be the ideal maximum size, the crossbencher mentioned 600 since there are rarely more than that in chamber even for very important votes. He also made the obsequious remark that some of them are not up to scratch anyhow. My my, look in the mirror.
The Labour Baroness, who was in my view the most lucid, thought that was too high, while the Libdem agreed that 600 was about right, although perhaps more would be required since most were part time politicians. Trust the Libdems to hit the thumb rather than the nail.
When a SNP committee member suggested that perhaps it would be better to scrap the Lords as is and go for an elected chamber which represented all of the country, rather than a preponderance from the Home Counties, there was a spontaneous reach for the water.
There was discussion on term limits and the crossbencher offered 15 years. 15 years. What is wrong with 4 or 5 years like normal MPs, then up for re-election again? Clearly these people think that they are above mere mortals. Scrap the lot and their pantomime clothes and we wouldn't notice the difference.

i have no problem at all with an unelected 2nd house, and indeed there are many good aspects for it being so
however, the £300 pd for nominal and unproductive attendance certainly sticks in the throat and that needs stamping on
if you're going to claim the allowance, then meaningful input should be part of the deal

The crossbencher said that he travelled down from Scotland and the £300 went towards his hotel expenses. Fair enough. But I suspect many, if not most, can go home at night. As for the skivers, it is probably a lifetime habit.

Something for Fred to avoid...

https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/03/geert-wilders-may-not-won-reshaped-dutch-politics/

IF SELF EMPLOYED NATIONAL INSURANCE ABOLISED,CAN WE HAVE PETITION FOR PROBATE CHARGES ABOLISED AS WELL.
CHARGES INCREASED FROM 350 UPTO 20000 IS A DAYLIGHT ROBERRY FOR THE FAMILY WHOSE LOVED ONE DIES,AND DONOT HAVE A WILL

Well, well what about FAKE news ..............

U.S. allegations about Britain's GCHQ will not be repeated - May's spokesman - Fri, 17th Mar 2017 11:32

LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) - Britain has received assurances from the United States that allegations the GCHQ intelligence agency helped former President Barack Obama eavesdrop on Donald Trump will not be repeated, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday.

"We've made clear to the administration that these claims are ridiculous and they should be ignored and we've received assurances that these allegations will not be repeated," the spokesman told reporters.

"We have a close special relationship with the White House and that allows us to raise concerns as and when they arise as was true in this case."

The EX has finally got a job and then another one .......

Britain's George Osborne to edit London's Standard newspaper - Fri, 17th Mar 2017 11:29

(Reuters) - George Osborne, who lost his job as British finance minister after the EU referendum in June, was appointed editor of London's Evening Standard, the newspaper's owner Evgeny Lebedev said on Friday.

"I am proud to have an editor of such substance, who reinforces The Standard's standing and influence in London," Lebedev tweeted.

"And whose political viewpoint - socially liberal and economically pragmatic - closely matches that of many of our readers."

Osborne, who remains a lawmaker, joined investment group BlackRock Inc as an advisor last month.

PM has plenty on her plate so far, is it only words or she will finally tackle this problem?
For too long has been a SHAME for those in power.......

Energy market is not working, UK PM May says; vows to address problem

March 17 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday her government would look into the energy market because it is "one market that is manifestly not working for all consumers".

In a speech to her ruling Conservative Party, May said energy prices had risen 158 percent over the last 15 years, increases that were punishing "ordinary working families".

"Our party did not end the unjust and inefficient monopolies of the old nationalised energy corporations only to replace them with a system that traps the poorest customers on the worst deals," she said.

"So we are looking very closely at how we can address this problem, and ensure a fairer deal for everyone."

Mother Theresa caring for the poor.

'Giddy' osborne should be sacked from holding the position of a member
of parliament, having now being employed in two outside jobs while still
taking an MP's salary........The man has no shame!