This thread exists to discuss British politics.
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Recent political stuff:
- The vote to see if Britain should adopt Alternative Voting has failed.
- Lib Dems lose lots of councils and councillors, whilst Labour make the majority of the gains in England.
- The Scottish National Party do really well in the elections.
A link to the BBC politics page containing relevant information.
Edited by Mrph1 on Jun 7th 2024 at 4:50:10 PM
Let's hope they don't go overboard with the Civil Service cuts.
Streamlining them so the bosses per useful worker ratio goes down and making a hiring freeze on senior positions could be a good way around it. It might stave off pay cuts while reducing spending.
edited 25th May '11 10:09:44 AM by SavageHeathen
You exist because we allow it and you will end because we demand it.![]()
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Cannot wait till the inevitable Prince Philip racial gaffes.
Also irrelevant but is the BBC advertising marmite
or what.
edited 25th May '11 4:16:26 PM by IanExMachina
By the powers invested in me by tabloid-reading imbeciles, I pronounce you guilty of paedophilia!The big Society tsar
stood down from his unpaid post, to go and get a paid position elsewhere. Thereby proving that it is cool to cut the charity funding as due to the big society people and private industry will step in.
On-the-spot fines of up to £80 could be given to people caught swearing in Barnsley town centre.
I think you'd have to do a lot more than stop swearing to make Barnsley and attractive place for anybody.
However I think this is stupid, and close if not already infringing on free speech.
Edit:
It seems that it is entirely the work of the local police and a 'community organisation' (honestly makes me think of old daily mail readers being busybodies) as the Barnsley Council website has this on their page:
We applaud the reasoning behind the campaign and the need for respect and restraint in public – including the need to cut down on foul and abusive language.
However, this campaign has not been officially endorsed by the council, no resources will be dedicated to its enforcement and there will be no financial benefit to the council through any fines raised.
edited 1st Jun '11 6:42:59 AM by IanExMachina
By the powers invested in me by tabloid-reading imbeciles, I pronounce you guilty of paedophilia!
Mind you, the Mail would say Political Correctness Gone Mad on that — it's just the sort of thing they don't like (if it wasn't done by any particular group, however...).
Keep Rolling OnIf I were hit with one of those fines (and given how often I swear, I'd get one within the first hour I suspect) I'd take them to court over it. The police involvement gives it legitimacy, the council officially saying "It's fuck all to do with us" and a third party being the police's partner means it would get shot down in flames I suspect.
My name is Addy. Please call me that instead of my username.Yeah, if the council had nothing to do with it, they shouldn't legally be able to do this. The police being able to fine someone who hasn't broken the law based on the advice of an unelected community group is quite worrying, but if they were challenged I doubt it'd stand up in court, considering the lack of legal basis for this.
This is silly. Very, very silly. Can I find a serious news story...?
Yes and honestly I find it quite horrifying, the CQC should really have followed up the whistle blowing. It does sund like they are over worked and probably need more funding for more case workers, however to let an abuse whistleblowing thing slip is terrible.
By the powers invested in me by tabloid-reading imbeciles, I pronounce you guilty of paedophilia!
Oh exactly, honestly with the extra vulnerability that those in care have there really does need to be even more stringent follow ups and unannounced inspections. Also more funding, as this is most likely caused due to human error caused by overwork.
By the powers invested in me by tabloid-reading imbeciles, I pronounce you guilty of paedophilia!
Another view, from The Daily Telegraph:
And of course there's the other care-related news story:
Southern Cross residents need government 'rescue plan'
Lastly, a general newspaper review on the stories from The BBC:
Newspaper review: Concerns over care examined
Cameron outlines 'real changes' to his NHS reform.
The BBC report doesn't mention that during his conference, he explicitly stated that he had no plans to change our healthcare to a "US-style system". This can be taken as proof that he doesn't want us all to die under crippling debt. Just the students.
Speaking of which, an MP's report says that there will be a funding gap for universities
because too many will charge the maximum tuition fees. That this needs to be spelled out for the Conservative government is quite amazing — if you turn education into a business, you expect them to not be tight-fisted, money-grubbing bastards like you?
edited 7th Jun '11 4:47:44 PM by AllanAssiduity
It's going further than that: Academics launch £18,000 college in London
— with plans to become a University (Private college challenged over 'university' label
).
I really hope that that isn't the future of humanities education. Fees of £9000 are bad enough, let alone double that with no guaranteed loan. And this after Michael Gove's expressed his enthusiasm for making everyone take a humanity at GCSE.
And on a lighter note, John Bercow says about the Daily Mail what we've all been thinking.

I'm guessing nobody particularly cares about Obama's first official visit to the UK?
Unions are to hold talks regarding cuts to the Civil Service.
Not a very busy news day, sadly