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.

Clock.

In every barrel of apples, there are a few bad ones.

In general, it seems to me that the standards of police conduct have been improved over my lifetime, while that of political figures has deteriorated.

This view may be due to easy access to information on the conduct of the latter and also more openness and overview of police "actions".

If either group "operate" or behave "criminally" "knowingly" then the individuals or groups should be investigated and prosecuted after "intent" is considered.

When more gullible I have met a few plausible "villains" and also a few who may have been falsely judged.

Nothing from Fred re 'momentum group' being investigated for possible election breaches, could involve criminal charges. Must have slipped his mind as he was so vociferous towards the Tories for similar accusations.

Small beer compared with funding by neo-cons from tax havens and dual nationality benefactors.

I suppose they have to pay their taxes in some way. or other.

Have a look at Bernard Jenkin, a leading light of brexiters, "expenses" claims.

How much property does Osborne in Ireland? Have a look at his expenses claims.

How does he deal "his heir with to his family's Irish baronetcy, of Ballentaylor and Ballylemon in County Waterford".

I am sorry that the supporters of "Labour" may have transgressed their expenses.


Just a small question, how many of the tory elite are lodge members?


-=-=-=-=-=

Just wondering if some of the dislike of the EU by some leading lights is due to the EU trying to tighten up on the tax havens and tax avoidance.

They don't wish to be embarrassed.

The point is Fred you never criticise or condemn Labour in the same way as you do the Tories, and as for momentum being just supporters, they were responsible for putting Corbyn in as leader.

If anyone watches the Graham Norton Show it doesn't take long to notice, that the nicest, warmest and most sincere and likeable guests are the ones who can laugh at themselves.

They are open, honest and have no hidden agendas.

And everyone knows, that guests don't get paid to come on the show. Most guests appear out of a contractual necessity so as to promote their most recent film. Others might, for instance, have written a book which has just been launched.

Accordingly, Graham always mentions the book and always shows a clip of the film.

Fairs fair. Graham helps them and gets the best out of them and the guests help to keep the show at the top of the ratings. But the best guests, are the ones who are 'open' and can laugh at themselves.

Fred, are you listening?

Firstly, Labour is not governing.

Secondly, I criticised Blair and some for the policies during their period of occupation of No 10.

Also, criticised the so call Kitchen cabinet form of that government.

Thirdly, much of what Corbyn suggests I have sympathy for. Whether some of the ideas are feasible or can be introduced in practice in the short term or even long term is questionable.

But I think much of the economic problems of the UK now are due to Cameron's and Osborne's initial mismanagement of the economy and "austerity" drive.

The social consequences are being felt disproportionally by the "poorer" sections of society.

As I said when Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour party, I wasn't sure of his abilities to be a leader of the party or a future PM., but "believed" him to being at the least, honesty and exhibiting what use to be called "common decency" to his fellow humanity.

I belong to no specific party but would prefer in general the "morality" of the Labour or the Liberal Democrat party to that of the present tory party. The latter at the moment seems to be manipulated by neo-cons utilising xenophobia as a stick to further their own greed.

-=-=-=-=

Exec,

Before I post I often have my tongue in my cheek, and my humour is often self-deprecating, especially when recognising my own fallibilities. (Of which, I have many.)

Try it sometime.

But what often gets me irritated is the arrogant disregard of those less endowed by those who consider themselves to be better endowed.

Often occurring when the parties hold differing opinions about a situation or subject.

Fred1new, You really make me LOL when you talk about the "morality" of Labour and Liberal Dems - if they were in power, which heaven help if they were and thank your lucky socks that they are not, they would be 1000 times worse if you took a serious look at the whole grubby bunch of them.

Look what happened when a Lib Dem was Deputy pm - Nick Clegg - what happened to his morals when it came to tuition fees for example. Gutless and he paid the price I am pleased to say.

Look at Gordon Brown and his comments about that "Bigoted Woman" - shows you just what the likes of these people really are. Let alone digging into lots of other Labour MP`s backgrounds and wealth.

Many conservative voters become Labour supports as they get old because they want higher pensions, free this and that, at the expense of the young - because they think they are "ENTITLED" to it, and are happy to see the poor sods pay for their holidays and comforts. I assume your one of those old codgers Fred.

CT.

It must be good to see somebody's failings give you pleasure or satisfaction.


It is good to think of you as supporting me in my old age.

Do keep it up but work a little harder.


Can I send you a list of things I desire but too mean to purchase for myself.

There's a book out called " I shall stop talking through my backside day after day dredging up endless mumbo jumbo ad infinitum , boring repetitive messages to posters will stop , it's just i think they are thick so there , one day i may get off my arse and vote to give me some reason to actually have a responsibilty as an adult . I will also refrain from giving the Cons stick as basically all Parties stink , but vote Cons cause they are the best we have for now . " now this will be sent to you FREDA , free of charge , if you could let me know your cell number i would appreciate it , LUV Vicky .xxxx PS it's a good read .

Nick Cleg and "Tuition Fees" was a Tory manipulation to wreck Lib chances of holding office any longer than necessary. Tories shunted V.Cable off somewhere in short-time.

I don't think there are any in Parliament that represent the views of their constituents. It is a matter of their conscience only.... so why do we give them regions to "represent" - perhaps it's to make some Order out of what would be chaos. We should stop the silly "negotiations" immediately and refuse to pay any taxes until our rights are superior to anyone else's.
The country "England" is Full, IMHO. Look at waiting-lists, School choices, traffic and rail-travel.
The EU is broken, since it spends more than it should and now expects us to continue to lubricate their wasteful policies.
I don't understand their policy on having an Army - who will give Orders (to the many different languages needed ?).
If we had voted to "remain" then Parliament should have taken an endless break (without pay!( and the money saved given to Road/Rail/NHS, since all the Laws we obey come from Brussels...why do we need Parliament to rubber-stamp their diktats?
If the MPs were paid according to the work-done then we'd get it for a fraction of the cost..... and we probably don't need to rebuild the Houses of Parliament since there will be no need for any Sittings.
Convert it to a Tourist Hotel ( it has an excellent u/g car-park already - and - wealthy tourists can be paraded up and down the Mall so everyone knows who they are.
What was that "Deal" TM managed? Perhaps MPs will make a decent contribution out of their ill-gotten Salaries...?

chuckle chuckle and oh dear oh dear oh dear

suddenly LABOUR caught up in £2m corruption scandal ..... bet there'll be lots of excuses, denials and similar from certain parts of certain BB's

Hangon,

You must feel better after getting that off your chest. 8-)

-=--=-=-=-=-=

Manuel.


Remember this.

Tories call on wealthy donors to stump up £19m for election fund
Conservative party has suffered dip in income since Brexit vote as pro-EU supporters have kept cheque books closed

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/27/tories-call-on-wealthy-donors-to-stump-up-19m-general-election-fund


I like a level playing ground!

splashed across many headlines, it merely gave me much amusement

such antics have been widespread for generations across all political and industrial sectors, but it's the holier-than-though brigade (did i hear hypocrites?) who have been shouting long and hard that it was only the tories thus tainted

chickens come home to roost eventually :-)

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

FRED clearly thinks that being asked to donate to party coffers is much the same as asking your (LABOUR) buddies for £2m to enable them to secure contracts

fred reckons he's always right, so obviously i am just thick :-)

Pay more to save money..not sure how the snowflakes will cope tho.



Students to save £25,000 under radical plans for new two-year degrees



By Harry Yorke, Online Education Editor
10 December 2017 • 12:01am




Students will save up to £25,000 under radical plans for new two-year accelerated university degrees, unveiled by the Government today.

Universities will have to provide 45 weeks of lectures a year, meaning prolonged summer and Christmas holidays will be slashed to make way for “more intense, condensed teaching”.

The reforms are designed to add more “flexibility” into the system, which Jo Johnson, the Universities Minister, believes is currently “skewed” in favour of traditional degrees and offers a “pitifully low” number of alternative courses.

It follows a damning report by National Audit Office earlier this week, which found that the poor quality degrees offered by some institutions have left many graduates with lower earning potential than their peers who did not attend university.

The fast-track degrees will cost £11,100 a year, saving students £5,500 on tuition fees alone.


More if you register: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/10/students-save-25000-radical-plans-new-two-year-degrees/

from my own childrens' experience, 2 years would have been ample to complete BSc (Durham)and BA (Nottingham) degrees

Yes, agreed. The first year for able students is a waste of time and money.

I hope that applies for Oxford and Cambridge degree courses.

no reason why it should not .... to all intents and purposes, oxbridge degrees are no different from those from elsewhere

Valued differently in the marketplace?