UK Politics Thread

[STEED]

Jeremy Corbyn says the Conservatives are to blame for "tax cheats" and "greedy bankers"

And who bodged the banking regulations? Labour did, Gordon Brown did.

The FSA was a load of rubbish and what took it place the FCA is just the same, toothless spineless clawless and a wast of time.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by STEED

Well then jim, Labour is finished.

Beginning to look that way, especially with Corbyn and his sycophants at the helm.

Originally Posted by STEED

And who bodged the banking regulations? Labour did, Gordon Brown did.

The FSA was a load of rubbish and what took it place the FCA is just the same, toothless spineless clawless and a wast of time.

Rgr that

[MGR1]

Some pro-Scottish Independence coordination going on, I think:

Election 2017: Scottish Greens to stand fewer than 10 candidates

The Scottish Greens expect to stand fewer than ten election candidates - but deny it is to encourage tactical pro-independence voting.
There had been calls for Greens to stand aside in SNP seats which are being targeted by the Conservatives.

Related:

Election 2017: SNP MP urges Scottish Greens not to 'split' pro-Yes vote

An SNP MP has urged the Scottish Greens not to stand in seats which have been targeted by the Conservatives ahead of the general election.
Tommy Sheppard said the Greens should be "mindful of not splitting the pro-Yes vote and certainly not splitting the anti-Tory vote"

In non-election Scottish news, it appears that Scotland's education system isn't performing as well as it once was:

Figures show drop in Scottish pupil literacy rates

The literacy skills of Scottish school pupils have fallen over the past four years, according to figures published by the Scottish government.
The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy found that less than half of Scotland's 13 and 14-year-olds are now performing well in writing.
P4 and P7 pupils also saw a drop in writing performance.
The reading ability of P4, P7 and S2 pupils remains broadly similar to 2014 - but lower than 2012.
And there has been no reduction in the big gap between the performance of the country's wealthiest and most deprived pupils.

Sturgeon did say that we should judge her on her record on education, which doesn't appear to be going all that well.

The reddit thread on r/Scotland on this is quite interesting:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotland/co...ates/?sort=new

The comments about poor parenting and the (bad) impact of technology on the younger generation are quite interesting.

Afterall, how can a teacher teach if the pupils don't want to learn and the parents don't value education? Something which isn't limited to Scotland.

Mike.

[Jimbuna]

No charges over 2015 Conservative battle bus cases

The Crown Prosecution Service said it had examined files from 14 police forces and while there was evidence of inaccurate spending returns it did not "meet the test" for further action.
It is still investigating the Conservative campaign in South Thanet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39865801

Whilst I have a great deal of trust and faith with the CPS I'm still not convinced of the outcome.

[MGR1]

Brian Taylor's latest column:

'Teeth are devolved' and other election conundrums.

I feel for them, I really do. Our elected and aspiring politicians, that is. Here they are in the midst of an election campaign, beset by constitutional constraints.
Not that you would notice the problem. Candidates and parties are cheerfully campaigning in this Westminster election on issues which are either devolved to Holyrood or are, more accurately, the preserve of local councils, suitably refreshed last week.

Highlights one of the peculiarities of the UK's current devolutionary setup.

In England, for example, what happens to the NHS and education comes under Westminsters authority. The same does not apply in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as those things are under local control.

Therefore, if Corbyn promises to cut hospital car parking charges and end tuition fees, that doesn't have any affect in Scotland as those are devolved responsibilities.

On the other hand, if May proposes a cap on energy bills, that does apply nation wide as that is something which isn't a devolved responsibility.

More food for thought.

Mike.

[Jimbuna]

General election 2017: Labour manifesto draft leaked

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39877439

Not too dissimilar to Michael Foots 'suicide note'

[Jimbuna]

General election 2017: Labour's draft manifesto unpicked

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39883084

[MGR1]

The leak is also causing a headache for Kezia Dugdale and SLab:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-39885195

The leaking of a draft copy of Labour's general election manifesto is "far from ideal", the party's Scottish leader has admitted.
But Kezia Dugdale, who has been a critic of Jeremy Corbyn, insisted it included "a lot of really good ideas".
The document includes policies on renewing Trident nuclear weapons and opposing Scottish independence.
The SNP said the document showed the "chaos inside Labour", while the Conservatives said it was a "shambles".

Brian Taylor's take on the matter:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-39887289

Perhaps Jeremy Corbyn might take comfort from the wise words of Scotland's National Bard, as regularly disseminated by Alex Salmond, he who formerly led the SNP.
Quoting Robert Burns, Mr Salmond is wont to say: "The mair they talk, I'm kent the better." *
By which Mr Salmond implies - and presumably the bold Rabbie implied - that popular attention is welcome, even if the original cause might be tricky.
It is an 18th Century version, if you like, of the more contemporaneous saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Mike.

[Jimbuna]

General election 2017: Jeremy Corbyn says 'I'm not a pacifist'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39892281

Make of this what you will but it hurts me to think that the party I was a former member of for over 25 years has been taken over by this individual and his supporters

[Moonlight]

So what has seven years of Tory austerity done for the just managing working people in this country then, before you lot in here spout anymore of your newly acquired Tory bile I'll answer that for you.

zero hour contracts
Food banks
backdoor privatisation of hospitals
public sector pay freeze
public services cut
backdoor privatisation of schools
under selling state assets
armed forces at their lowest levels since the Napoleonic wars

I could go on and on with tax cuts for millionaires and International large companies also getting billions more in tax cuts since 2010 but its pointless as you've already been turned by the same Tory bile that I've been reading about this last seven years.

That Tory party is funded by millionaires and billionaires and they want their pound of flesh or else and it'll be your flesh thats whipped from your backs to slate their thirst for that blood money, so be prepared for five more years of the same bollocks as what you've already had as I'm looking forward to the mayhem thats going to erupt when those just managing workers wise up and say enoughs enough.......

Tory bile can be spouted in this forum http://www.politicsforum.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=94 and I'm sure some of you will find it more appealing than in here.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

General election 2017: Jeremy Corbyn says 'I'm not a pacifist'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39892281

Make of this what you will but it hurts me to think that the party I was a former member of for over 25 years has been taken over by this individual and his supporters

Good news jim, when you and i have been reduced to a pile of ash and most of the country we can all rest in peace knowing after many phone calls by old JC sayng stop that and lets have a cup of tea and talk about this he may press the red button.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Moonlight

So what has seven years of Tory austerity done for the just managing working people in this country then, before you lot in here spout anymore of your newly acquired Tory bile

Anyone voting Tory? Not me, and i am sure jim and BossMark and Oberon will not be voting Tory.

Anyone else?

[Jimbuna]

May was only a couple of miles from me yesterday....too close for comfort

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39904409

[STEED]

Just seen my general election candidates and it looks like..None of the above.

The big three and the greens no thank you. I was hoping for a Independent candidate but there is not one. My MP is a Tory but I will not vote Tory. I see my former Labour MP from the late 1990's is standing again but he was a wash out that did noting to save my Hospital. I do not trust the LibDems as these sods told a pack of lies in my ward and took the credit for what I did, yes me folks and did they say sorry to me did they heck. As for the Greens no thank you.

I will not be voting at this general election but I will make my protest by writing none of the above.

[MGR1]

I doubt my vote will have any effect - it was wasted when Aberdeen North was Labour, now the constituency is SNP it will still be wasted.

I'm still going to vote though.

Mike.