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[phisheep]

I dunno, I'm still here somehow

Yeah, but you're light a few pitchforks IIRC Meadows!

It's mainly ducks on GAF when it comes to birds, isn't it?

OMG the ducks are circling. They might suck your kneecaps off or something.


Hang on a bit, isn't this the ultraserious PoliGAF thread?

Oh yeah. Budget. Mostly uninteresting therefore mostly OK. Hope they shut down these tax loopholes though as I shall be bloody cross if I end up paying more tax than Amazon next year.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

Stick to BritGAF, we're pretty laid back. I think it's because a lot of us have met each other.

To be honest, I've only begun to stick my head above since I got promoted (or whatever it's called) to member.

BritGAF will always be my home.

 

[Ding-Ding]

The Sun putting the boot in.

This sounds more like its an attack just because of the press regulation deal done at the beginning of the week.

I especially laughed at them reporting that the national debt stood at 1.1 trillion. If they had an economics editor worth a damn, they would have known that the national debt was always going to hit 1.5 trillion by 2015. Hell, thats been known since 2009, so its hardly this governments fault.

You cant do bugger all with the national debt till the deficit is history

 

[Conor 419]

Why would it be a hoax?

This is one of the very few changes that I agree with, if you're in social housing and your rent etc is being paid by benefits then why should you have more bedrooms then you need? Obviously some households do need the extra bedroom but most don't.

Take me and my girlfriend for example, we are in social housing as I needed to get out of my parents house due to my disability and there are no adapted bungalows available by private rent. We work so we pay the rent, council tax and all of the bills. We have one bedroom.

My neighbour is also in social housing, he doesn't work so he doesn't pay the rent or council tax etc himself. He has two bedrooms and he only needs one as he only lives there, I raised the prospect of swapping with him as he'll be losing money soon but he'd want stupid money to move to my one bedroom property. How does that work? It's not his property yet he wants four or five figures to move!

I don't think indirectly forcing families to move into smaller homes is a move that any government should be making. Also, circumstances where single parents are not allowed to have an extra room for their kids is a joke also, what a way to further ruin what are already torn families.

 

[CyclopsRock]

I don't think indirectly forcing families to move into smaller homes is a move that any government should be making. Also, circumstances where single parents are not allowed to have an extra room for their kids is a joke also, what a way to further ruin what are already torn families.

But you're talking as if there are no negative repercussions of the current system. There is a reason they are trying to change peoples habits regarding spare rooms - because there are a huge number of people out there who would love the opportunity to live somewhere with not quite enough room, because it would be a huge upgrade for them.

 

[8bit]

Scotland's Independence Referendum to be held on 18th September 2014. A year and a half of doom mongering and Braveheart starts here.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

I don't think indirectly forcing families to move into smaller homes is a move that any government should be making. Also, circumstances where single parents are not allowed to have an extra room for their kids is a joke also, what a way to further ruin what are already torn families.

So what about all of those people on the 2-3 year waiting list for social housing? What do they do? Just sit and wait patiently while people are living in houses with spare rooms?

No one is saying that benefits withdrawal is ideal, but there needs to be something done so that more people are able to access social housing. The idea that a benefits withdrawal is equivalent of a tax is gross as well. A tax is paid on income or spending. Benefits withdrawal is not a tax.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Genuine questions: how many houses were snatched up thanks to Right to Buy? How many under/unoccupied houses are there (not council houses)?

 

[phisheep]

I don't think indirectly forcing families to move into smaller homes is a move that any government should be making. Also, circumstances where single parents are not allowed to have an extra room for their kids is a joke also, what a way to further ruin what are already torn families.

Why on earth not? When there is a waiting list as long as it is?

EDIT: Beaten by a worthier member.

 

[kitch9]

Genuine questions: how many houses were snatched up thanks to Right to Buy? How many under/unoccupied houses are there (not council houses)?

If people had the ability to buy their houses they have the ability to choose how many rooms they want to pay for.....

If they want someone to give them and house a pay for it for them why should they have the right to choose how much is given to them when there are others also with that need?

 

[zomgbbqftw]

Genuine questions: how many houses were snatched up thanks to Right to Buy? How many under/unoccupied houses are there (not council houses)?

About 80%, but loads more have been built since the initial rush. There aren't any statistics on occupancy ratios for private homes, but for social housing it is around 70%.

 

[War Peaceman]

What on earth is 'aggressive secularisation'? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...essive-secularisation-of-British-society.html

 

[zomgbbqftw]

What on earth is 'aggressive secularisation'? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...essive-secularisation-of-British-society.html

No idea. I'm guessing he means aggressive atheism. Idiots who are unable to live and let live and challenge every single church planning application.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Probably more of the "wuuuh oppressed christians!!" dipshits who rant about articles they read in the Mail about how some old woman isn't allowed to wear a cross or somehting.

 

[phisheep]

Probably more of the "wuuuh oppressed christians!!" dipshits who rant about articles they read in the Mail about how some old woman isn't allowed to wear a cross or somehting.

Probably, but I can see their point and in the main I will support them.

 

[Psychotext]

Do people really say prayers before council meetings? Do they do that sort of thing in government too?

 

[phisheep]

Do people really say prayers before council meetings? Do they do that sort of thing in government too?

Yup.

Though maybe not in Birmingham.

 

[Pasco_]

What on earth is 'aggressive secularisation'? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...essive-secularisation-of-British-society.html

Those uppity gays wanting equal rights, those uppity atheists arguing against CoE Bishops having automatic seats in the HoL, etc.

Basically, dumb-fuck Christians screaming about how oppressed they are, because they are no longer able to oppress other people.

 

[Ding-Ding]

Do people really say prayers before council meetings? Do they do that sort of thing in government too?

Yes and it does need change. While its stated that non-christians can sit out of the prayer, during a busy session like PMQ or the budget, they are always some of the last in the chamber. Therefore no seating left and little chance of being noticed by chair.

Basically he said its a recipe for being excluded

 

[phisheep]

Basically, dumb-fuck Christians screaming about how oppressed they are, because they are no longer able to oppress other people.

Now let's just get this in perspective shall we? It is less than 200 years since the earlier of the Catholic Emancipation acts in the UK. It's just about 150 years since the catholic heirarchy was re-established in England and Wales. There are still laws prohibiting catholics (and no other religions) from succeeding to the Throne.

And you want to go all maurauder about about banning crosses? Something odd here. Might take a few posts to work out what exactly is odd, so don't take it as a personal slight.

 

[PJV3]

it's interesting reading the modern view of social housing and what its purpose is. I prefer the original pre 60's view. income had very little to do with it, you needed good references and it wasn't seen as somewhere to dump the poor.

The left and right have fucked up social housing between them. selling off the housing stock, building shitty monstrosities in the 60s destroying established neighbourhoods and not caring about some of the shitheads they stick in them.

the vision of long lasting communities and a healthy mix of people from different backgrounds has gone out the window.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Scotland's Independence Referendum to be held on 18th September 2014. A year and a half of doom mongering and Braveheart starts here.

I'm honestly pretty excited! I know there's going to be a lot of crap to wade through from both sides, but at the end of the day it's going to be people getting their say on a pretty huge issue.

It's looking quite doubtful on independence right now, but who knows what things will look like next year. Everything to play for...

 

[phisheep]

it's interesting reading the modern view of social housing and what its purpose is. I prefer the original pre 60's view. income had very little to do with it, you needed good references and it wasn't seen as somewhere to dump the poor.

The left and right have fucked up social housing between them. selling off the housing stock, building shitty monstrosities in the 60s destroying established neighbourhoods and not caring about some of the shitheads they stick in them.

the vision of long lasting communities and a healthy mix of people from different backgrounds has gone out the window.

At the time, to an extent, and to a very large extent, it was seen as somewhere to put somebody. And that somebody was way more likely to be one of the poor rather than one of the stable middle-class or rich.

I'm kind of in line with your sentiments, but not at all sure they are politically realistic.

 

[PJV3]

At the time, to an extent, and to a very large extent, it was seen as somewhere to put somebody. And that somebody was way more likely to be one of the poor rather than one of the stable middle-class or rich.

I'm kind of in line with your sentiments, but not at all sure they are politically realistic.

Well in that initial post war period upto the sixties there was demand for social housing from the middle class as well. it was a special set of circumstances large scale bombing etc and because council houses hadn't acquired the reputation they now have.

it couldn't be replicated now, houses are financial instruments and there isn't the space to build like then. I'm just sad how it all went to shit so quickly. the current system of private landlords, expensive rents and housing benefit is a fucking nightmare. right to buy was a very shortsighted policy, I preferred the schemes that gave help to council tennants to buy from the private sector, they at least freed up social housing.

 

[CyclopsRock]

I think that if councils want to help people that aren't basically too poor to afford the private sector, they should do so in a revenue-neutral way - ie they don't have to make a killing in profit like private landlords, but nor should they have these tenants subsidised by the other taxpayers who do have to pay private rental costs.

 

[8bit]

I'm honestly pretty excited! I know there's going to be a lot of crap to wade through from both sides, but at the end of the day it's going to be people getting their say on a pretty huge issue.

It's looking quite doubtful on independence right now, but who knows what things will look like next year. Everything to play for...

As an ex-pat I can only look on with interest, but what strikes me about the No campaign is that is it incredibly negative. Where is the positive case for the Union? Also, Johann Lamont needs to be taken out and shot.

 

[War Peaceman]

Also, Johann Lamont needs to be taken out and shot.

She's absolutely awful: has no idea how to counter the SNP and is a terrible fit for Scottish Labour, let along Scottish Labour Party Leader.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Lazy thieving scroungers: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2013/mar/22/jobcentre-sanctions-money-stopped-video

 

[CyclopsRock]

Don't worry Guys, this quarter's economic data will be gold - McDonald's have brought back monopoly!

 

[8bit]

As an ex-pat I can only look on with interest, but what strikes me about the No campaign is that is it incredibly negative.

The No campaign, aka Better Together, have opted to mass text spam an SMS list they bought from suspect data providers informedstore.

http://storify.com/national/who-are-better-together-and-why-are-they-texting-m

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Don't worry Guys, this quarter's economic data will be gold - McDonald's have brought back monopoly!

You posted that from inside a McDonalds at midnight didn't you?

 

[Walshicus]

The No campaign, aka Better Together, have opted to mass text spam an SMS list they bought from suspect data providers informedstore.

http://storify.com/national/who-are-better-together-and-why-are-they-texting-m

Delicious!

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

As an ex-pat I can only look on with interest, but what strikes me about the No campaign is that is it incredibly negative. Where is the positive case for the Union? Also, Johann Lamont needs to be taken out and shot.

The entire "No" campaign has been hilariously shambolic. The fact that it's taken them so long to realise a campaign consisting entirely of condescending finger-wagging might actually lose them votes shows how dysfunctional some of the Scottish parties are.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Lazy thieving scroungers: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2013/mar/22/jobcentre-sanctions-money-stopped-video

Not surprised, lowering the number of people in benefits is all that matters. People who are sanctioned are undoubtedly removed from the people who are claiming JSA/as no longer unemployed.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Not surprised, lowering the number of people in benefits is all that matters. People who are sanctioned are undoubtedly removed from the people who are claiming JSA/as no longer unemployed.

http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/how-the-dwp-manufactures-falling-unemployment-figures/

 

[Miles Quaritch]

http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/how-the-dwp-manufactures-falling-unemployment-figures/

Already it has been revealed that those who have had benefits sanctioned are not included in the Claimant Count.

I knew it, but saying that, I still had a sliver of hope they wouldn't fiddle the figures like this. Reducing people to begging is simply disgusting, made worse by the fact that it's hardly reported on.

 

[CyclopsRock]

You posted that from inside a McDonalds at midnight didn't you?

For then duration of the promotion you should assume all my posts are written in a McDonald's.

On another subject (alas ), Cyprus. What's it going to do in the UK, politically? Gut says it'll be helping the Tories, both as an economic scapegoat (not totally unreasonably) and as a way of ... Sharpening the mind of those unsure of the usefulness of an EU referendum (Europe has long been called a fetish of the Tories because they care about it much more than the population at large do. Things like Cyprus swing it towards a much broader discussion IMO.). I can only see this crisis increasing the demand for a referendum. The Lib Dems are officially still in support of joining the Eurozone so they might as well be running on the gypsy-shagging paedophile criminal ticket. But will it boost UKIP significantly, too? Or will just no one give a shit eitherway?

 

[killer_clank]

The No campaign, aka Better Together, have opted to mass text spam an SMS list they bought from suspect data providers informedstore.

http://storify.com/national/who-are-better-together-and-why-are-they-texting-m

Better Together are fucking awful. I could make a better argument for the union. Ludicrously negative. Sadly, their shit seems to be working so far.

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Anyone else see the Boris Johnson interview on the Andrew Marr Show? It's pretty hard to watch at times.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21916721

 

[Meadows]

BOOOO seeing Eddie Mair is the worst thing ever.

I like to imagine him wearing a maroon dressing gown in front of a log-lit fire, drinking Whiskey when I'm listening to PM.

 

[War Peaceman]

IN other 'Conservative politician self-destructing' news, Gove seems to have finally, completely lost his mind:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/educatio...ist-opponents-of-improvements-to-schools.html

The full transcript of his comments is on the Daily Mail site but I don't want to link to them. He is a strange and deranged man.

He's a twat, but Balls is a great troll at times: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mNR0AuGnoUg#!

 

[Meadows]

Unlike the black/white nature of politics that most GAFers seem to subscribe to, I actually think a lot of Gove's reforms are not only good, but necessary.

He is crazy though.

My Mum and Dad are Conservative voters (the type of Tories that came from impoverished backgrounds but were super upwardly mobile under Thatcher/took advantage of Right-To-Buy) but they think that Gove is way too far right. Same with IDS (they both said that if he would have been leader at a General Election they'd have voted LD).

They also once voted Green which I thought was pretty funny (they fucking hate Labour and the Greens were the only opposition in the Locals).

Edit:

Balls is a cunt, and I won't vote for Labour if he's in any position of power.

 

[War Peaceman]

Unlike the black/white nature of politics that most GAFers seem to subscribe to, I actually think a lot of Gove's reforms are not only good, but necessary.

He is crazy though.

My Mum and Dad are Conservative voters (the type of Tories that came from impoverished backgrounds but were super upwardly mobile under Thatcher/took advantage of Right-To-Buy) but they think that Gove is way too far right. Same with IDS (they both said that if he would have been leader at a General Election they'd have voted LD).

They also once voted Green which I thought was pretty funny (they fucking hate Labour and the Greens were the only opposition in the Locals).

Edit:

Balls is a cunt, and I won't vote for Labour if he's in any position of power.

Well, I don't particularly disagree with his academy drive (although his tactics for pushing them are underhanded) and it has cross-party support, seeing as it is largely a continuation of Adonis' plan. I'd prefer them to ban new religious schools, though.

Gove (and Balls, in a different way) is a terrible person. His grand show at Leveson was awful and this is just a new level of insane behaviour. Scuttlebutt of him being a potential next Conservative leader is deluded.

 

[Meadows]

Next Tory leader is Boris.

Just a matter of when, not if.

 

[Kelthink]

BOOOO seeing Eddie Mair is the worst thing ever.

I like to imagine him wearing a maroon dressing gown in front of a log-lit fire, drinking Whiskey when I'm listening to PM.

Why? It's nice to see 'whattalegend Bozza' being shown for what he really is.

 

[Delusibeta]

Why? It's nice to see 'whattalegend Bozza' being shown for what he really is.

I think it's less "boo, he's bashing Boris", it's more "boo, he's not a British Most Interesting Man in the World, instead of being a blonder Paxman".

 

[PJV3]

Next Tory leader is Boris.

Just a matter of when, not if.

Great. He can do fuck all at a national level instead. what will be his political legacy? a fucking crappy cable car system.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Great. He can do fuck all at a national level instead. what will be his political legacy? a fucking crappy cable car system.

Yeah but he looks a right larf and I bet you can have a drink with 'im and he totally says what he thinks. Man, that Boris wot a legernd!

 

[CyclopsRock]

Sigh sigh sigh, you lot just keep on dismissing anyone that likes him as just doing it for fun and because they're too dumb to think anything else.

 

[Kelthink]

Sigh sigh sigh, you lot just keep on dismissing anyone that likes him as just doing it for fun and because they're too dumb to think anything else.

With pleasure