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[Daffy Duck]

So George needs to find how much down the back of the sofa to balance the books by 2020?

What's the betting he secrelty hopes we leave the EU in June so he instantly has an extra 13 Billion spare.

 

[anonymous_abc]

So George needs to find how much down the back of the sofa to balance the books by 2020?

What's the betting he secrelty hopes we leave the EU in June so he instantly has an extra 13 Billion spare.

It's not going to be that simple no matter how good or bad the renegotiations go...

 

[Kuros]

From a purely political sense what happened in Brussels has helped Gideon immensely. His response to the house has gone virtually unnoticed on the news.

 

[Jezbollah]

Budget has passed, 310 votes to 275.

 

[Beefy]

Budget has passed, 310 votes to 275.

Damn that is close.

 

[Succinct Verbosity]

Well, fair enough. Still, if we have one more bad budget where the sums don't add up it will be curtains for the chancellor.

 

[FlammableD]

Well, fair enough. Still, if we have one more bad budget where the sums don't add up it will be curtains for the chancellor.

So the other 8 he didn't make his target over weren't enough?

 

[Uzzy]

So the other 8 he didn't make his target over weren't enough?

Exactly. I don't know where the Tory reputation for economic competence has come from, but it seems that no matter what, he'll keep that reputation going.

Still, 310 for means that some Tory MPs at least missed the vote. I wonder if any actually voted against it.

 

[Kuros]

Exactly. I don't know where the Tory reputation for economic competence has come from, but it seems that no matter what, he'll keep that reputation going.

Still, 310 for means that some Tory MPs at least missed the vote. I wonder if any actually voted against it.

There will have been some absent vote swaps so it's always hard to tell.

 

[Fernando Fernandez]

George Osborne ignored a call to apologise to disabled people for rolling out and then cancelling cuts to a key disability benefit, choosing instead to chat and laugh with Michael Gove.

And then they voted through a budget with a 4.4billion hole in it. They really live on a different planet to us.

 

[twobear]

Exactly. I don't know where the Tory reputation for economic competence has come from, but it seems that no matter what, he'll keep that reputation going.

Still, 310 for means that some Tory MPs at least missed the vote. I wonder if any actually voted against it.

Their competence isn't based on economic track record, but rather, how they frame the debate; as the people who make the 'hard decisions' that are necessary in the wake of 'profligate Labour' and their alleged years of overspending. Once you've said this enough that it sticks in the public consciousness, there's no longer any need to bring pesky trivialities like facts into the equation: any party who suggests further spending is economically incompetent. The only 'competent' question is what you cut and how quickly you do it.

 

[JonCha]

Their competence isn't based on economic track record, but rather, how they frame the debate; as the people who make the 'hard decisions' that are necessary in the wake of 'profligate Labour' and their alleged years of overspending. Once you've said this enough that it sticks in the public consciousness, there's no longer any need to bring pesky trivialities like facts into the equation: any party who suggests further spending is economically incompetent. The only 'competent' question is what you cut and how quickly you do it.

Exactly. Also explains why Labour seemed to be offering no real alternative at the last election; just cuts being laid out in a slightly different way.

 

[Jezbollah]

jesus

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...le-to-jeremy-corbyns-leadership-a6947481.html

Cameron is ripping Corbyn et all a new arsehole in PMQs now about this. Its undermined the momentum that should have been used by JC in light of the chaos of the past week.

Some tweets:

Chuka Umunna: "A divisive list of this kind does nothing to help us take on the Tories and get back into government".


Deleted tweet from John Woodcock

 

[Uzzy]

If someone in the Labour party leaked that they need shooting. What an idiotic move. Rather than being able to try to hold the Government to account over this budget mess they're now on the backfoot over party divisions.

 

[Coriolanus]

I'm quite baffled that anyone would ever feel the need to put pen to paper to make such a thing.

If labour is, in fact, where it originated from.

 

[*Splinter]

Core Group (least hostile)
...
Jeremy Corbyn
...

Well at least he's got that going for him.

I notice that both of those twitter comments come from the "most hostile" group as well.

 

[FlammableD]

Maybe if you weren't consistently acting like fucking babies that the membership voted for someone you don't like, he wouldn't need a sodding list to keep track of who's trying to undermine him

 

[Saiyar]

Well at least he's got that going for him.

I notice that both of those twitter comments come from the "most hostile" group as well.

The list also has Micheal Meacher in the core group. He has been dead for 6 months.

 

[Jezbollah]

The list also has Micheal Meacher in the core group. He has been dead for 6 months.

Woof. Then someone decided to leak that list at the "perfect" time..

 

[Saiyar]

Woof. Then someone decided to leak that list at the "perfect" time..

According to the Times the list was drawn up this year.

 

[samn]

Maybe if you weren't consistently acting like fucking babies that the membership voted for someone you don't like, he wouldn't need a sodding list to keep track of who's trying to undermine him

Except the list is highly inaccurate. It has people who are plotting to take over from him in the positive group and people that have been supportive in the hostile group.

 

[*Splinter]

The list also has Micheal Meacher in the core group. He has been dead for 6 months.

Haha, brilliant. Although I guess the list could have been written before then.

Maybe if you weren't consistently acting like fucking babies that the membership voted for someone you don't like, he wouldn't need a sodding list to keep track of who's trying to undermine him

As stupid as the list is, I kind of agree with this sentiment. It seems (*from my uneducated viewpoint) that the main criticism of Corbyn is that he can't get the party members to unite behind him. Something of a self-fulfilling prophecy, isn't it? Especially when he has the public's support (I think?)

Edit: I've also heard he sucks at PMQ, but I've always hated PMQ...

 

[CyclopsRock]

The list also has Micheal Meacher in the core group. He has been dead for 6 months.

Well I guess that makes him fairly pliant...

Haha, brilliant. Although I guess the list could have been written before then.

As stupid as the list is, I kind of agree with this sentiment. It seems (*from my uneducated viewpoint) that the main criticism of Corbyn is that he can't get the party members to unite behind him. Something of a self-fulfilling prophecy, isn't it? Especially when he has the public's support (I think?)

Edit: I've also heard he sucks at PMQ, but I've always hated PMQ...

I think the ultimate source of woe is that they think he's unelectable and that no matter what they do between now and the next election, they won't win. It's from this belief that all the other problems - failing to unite around him, refusal to give in on key issues or trident, briefing against him, refusing to join his cabinet - stem, I believe.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Full A&E walk-out by junior doctors.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35884239

-Fucked up work and pensions.
-Fucked up budget and economy.
-Fucked up NHS.

Schools to go!

 

[tomtom94]

If the list is nearly a year old then it's a non-story, especially given that Labour have been climbing in opinion polls recently (only because of how shit the Conservatives are being, but still). It will have the desired effect, though.

Frankly the most urgent issue with Corbyn is that once you take him away from the prepared speeches and social media posts he either cannot or will not defend himself. The opportunity was right there to counter the attack and turn this narrative back onto the Conservatives and he let it slip. Even McDonnell is better at dealing with criticism from the Tories on the spot than Corbyn is.

I think the ultimate source of woe is that they think he's unelectable and that no matter what they do between now and the next election, they won't win. It's from this belief that all the other problems - failing to unite around him, refusal to give in on key issues or trident, briefing against him, refusing to join his cabinet - stem, I believe.

It's either that he's unelectable or because he stood against Blair, or possibly a combination of the two. It depends on your cynicism and your political standpoint.

Does anyone know what the practice is for no confidence votes in the Labour party?

 

[CyclopsRock]

This is very interesting (and I mean that, not in a "OOH POLITICS" way):

https://storify.com/hopisen/defendi...co-twitter&utm_source=t.co&awesm=sfy.co_b0xVj

 

[Uzzy]

Full A&E walk-out by junior doctors.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35884239

-Fucked up work and pensions.
-Fucked up budget and economy.
-Fucked up NHS.

Schools to go!

We'll have photos of granny dying in the A&E waiting room in the Sun and Mail, the junior doctor's will get blamed and they'll lose all sympathy.

Probably.

 

[ruttyboy]

We'll have photos of granny dying in the A&E waiting room in the Sun and Mail, the junior doctor's will get blamed and they'll lose all sympathy.

Probably.

Yep and it will eventually come out that she died even though she actually received superior care because she was seen by consultants, but it will be too late by then...

 

[Fernando Fernandez]

Sun's already gone in hard in support of Hunt says he's been "bending over backwards" to stop the strikes.

 

[tomtom94]

Stealing the YouGov poll about the EU referendum from OT to point out a few interesting tidbits.

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/24/eu-referendum-provincial-england-versus-london-and/

Labour supporters: IN 75 OUT 25
Conservative supporters: IN 44 OUT 56
Wales: IN 55 OUT 45
Sun readers: IN 29 OUT 71
Highest qualification A level: IN 58 OUT 42
Highest qualification GCSE: IN 32 OUT 68

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Man, both Crab & Cyc are banned now. UKPoligaf is in a worse state then labour. :/

 

[cabot]

It's time for my reign of chaos to begin.

 

[Coriolanus]

For those who were wondering what was up with Corbs not addressing most of the stuff that is thrown at him, that is elucidated in this here jacobin interview.

HW: And the appeal for the “new politics,” the new way of organizing politics — how do you see the connections between these two themes?

Oh, they’re two sides of the same coin. Austerity is essentially making the social systems of all of Europe pay for the banking crisis, and with this comes a popular sense of either resignation or anger. So the idea that there is an alternative, that we can do things differently, is very important. That is why we have had the most unremitting attacks on us from day one of the campaign. Some of it is so bizarre it’s funny.
LP: Worse than what Tony Benn experienced?

Hard to tell — different time, different age. It feels bad at times, although I just never respond to any of it, whereas Tony tried to at times, and I think that’s a mistake. I mean, I don’t blame him for it. At that time, those days, I was with Tony in responding to all this. But if you respond to these kinds of ludicrous personal attacks, you then end up in a swamp or a trench with these people.

I’ll give you an example. Last Sunday I was accused of not bowing properly to the queen. I decided I wouldn’t respond. Had I responded, the debate would have been about at what angle one should bow. And by now, five days on from it, anyone who hadn’t followed the story closely would say, why is the leader of the Labour Party engaged in a public debate about how one should bow to the queen? They’d think, is that all he’s interested in? I’m about to lose my house and he, the leader of the Labour Party, has got nothing to say about that.

So I just took the view from the very beginning that I’m not responding to any of it.

The last sunday bit does make me wonder why jacobs took so long to publish the piece.

There is some sense in the approach, i feel.

Man, both Crab & Cyc are banned now. UKPoligaf is in a worse state then labour. :/

Crab comes back in may, if memory serves.

 

[Uzzy]

Man, both Crab & Cyc are banned now. UKPoligaf is in a worse state then labour. :/

Well we could discuss Port Talbot and how Javid and Osborne are happily seeing 40,000 jobs go in an area that will never vote Tory just to appease their new Emperor, Chinese investors.

 

[It's Reyn Time!]

I live in Port Talbot, it's going to be a very interesting day when a bunch of people used to working in incredibly hard conditions are having to go to the job centre to be patronised by self righteous pricks half their age for £70 a week. I suspect they'll be hiring more security there imminently.

Lots of talk about Port Talbot going the way of Ebbw Vale, lots and lots of families (rightly) shitting themselves. But yeah, nobody expects anything of the Tories, this is a soundly red area. Tories don't even come here unless surrounded with bodyguards.

Edit: What did Cyclops and Crab catch bans for?

 

[Jezbollah]

Realistically, what could any government do given the dumping the chinese are doing on the Steel market? Ignorance is probably flowing from me, but it feels like this industry should have diversified away from conventional steelmaking years ago.

I am not surprised that Tata are looking at selling their operations - £1m loss per day is simply unsustainable.

Is it anti-competitive to mandate all major infrastructure projects to use British steel or is that already in place?

 

[Roberto Larcos]

Realistically, what could any government do given the dumping the chinese are doing on the Steel market? Ignorance is probably flowing from me, but it feels like this industry should have diversified away from conventional steelmaking years ago.

I am not surprised that Tata are looking at selling their operations - £1m loss per day is simply unsustainable.

Is it anti-competitive to mandate all major infrastructure projects to use British steel or is that already in place?

The EU could impose import tarrifs on Chinese steel. The UK government could petition other countries to do this, but for whatever reason they're happy to see the industry fail completely. EU import tarrifs and subsidies on certain goods are the only reason some sectors (agriculture, as an example) are viable at all. UKIP even helped block an EU directive that would have helped the domestic steel industry. It's a shit show.

 

[Lirlond]

They could impose tariffs on chinese steel? Like China do with British?

 

[Optimusdouche]

Free trade fanatics like Tories ain't doing that shit dawg.

And enlist other countries to impose tariffs on China? LOL. China owns us. We have a major trade deal with China, that we need.

Who do you think is going to do business with us if we leave EU? EU will be super fucking punitive giving us the worst trade deals.

Obama fucking hates Britain and hates Cameron, and has frozen Britain out of all trade deals. TTIP had tons of countries and allies of America, Britain nowhere to be seen.

If we leave EU, China is only that much more important and influential over us. Seeing us isolated from America has meant we have moved closer to China.

 

[Hellers]

The EU could impose import tarrifs on Chinese steel.

They tried to but the UK vetoed it.

 

[Jezbollah]

They tried to but the UK vetoed it.

This entire situation is an almighty clusterfuck

 

[2700]

Whoever buys Tata Steel's UK operations will need to sink a lot of money into it. The Dutch plant, also owned by Tata Steel, has multiple advantages over the UK operation; electric arc furnaces, their own port and the galvanising operation is located within the same facility. Given that a slowing Chinese economy will continue to fuel over-supply for the foreseeable future, I'm not sure there will be many buyers who are willing to provide the required investment.

British steel cannot compete with European steel let alone Chinese steel.

 

[pulsemyne]

Whoever buys Tata Steel's UK operations will need to sink a lot of money into it. The Dutch plant, also owned by Tata Steel, has multiple advantages over the UK operation; electric arc furnaces, their own port and the galvanising operation is located within the same facility. Given that a slowing Chinese economy will continue to fuel over-supply for the foreseeable future, I'm not sure there will be many buyers who are willing to provide the required investment.

British steel cannot compete with European steel let alone Chinese steel.

About 5 miles for Port Talbot is swansea docks. It also has a direct link to the M4. Transporting steel should not be a problem.
The government really has arsed this up a treat by blocking EU tariffs on Chinese steel.

 

[2700]

About 5 miles for Port Talbot is swansea docks. It also has a direct link to the M4. Transporting steel should not be a problem.
The government really has arsed this up a treat by blocking EU tariffs on Chinese steel.

They do not own that port. The Dutch plant own a port integrated into their facility. That gives them more flexibility over their shipping costs and logistics.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

I live in Port Talbot, it's going to be a very interesting day when a bunch of people used to working in incredibly hard conditions are having to go to the job centre to be patronised by self righteous pricks half their age for £70 a week. I suspect they'll be hiring more security there imminently.

If they had any gumption the whole industry will march on that cesspit of a capital with their families in tow. A mass of bodies that large can't be ignored.

Isn't that what they pay their union due's for?

Seeing that javid retard swan around without a fucking clue is infuriating.

 

[Maledict]

They ignored much larger protests in the 80 s quite happily, I'm sure they won't hesitate to do that now.also not sure why were questioning the 'gumption' of a group of people about to lose their jobs and livelihood.

 

[Moosichu]

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...nment-planning-to-repeal-animal-welfare-codes

Repealing animal welfare codes.

 

[jimbobsmells]

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...nment-planning-to-repeal-animal-welfare-codes

Repealing animal welfare codes.

Jesus how did I miss this. Disgusting. This government really is utter trash of the highest order.

 

[Roberto Larcos]

Nasty party indeed.

Counting down the days until I can say goodbye to the UK permanently. Hopefully we stay in the EU - leaving the country will be all the more difficult otherwise.

 

[RedShift]

Loved Snowden's response to Cameron's spokesman saying his father's leaked offshore investments were "a private matter".

"Oh, now he cares about privacy"