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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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 Posted -
28/04/2011
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07:37
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Political comment is a high risk activity on the site these days so I thought I'd try again to give those who are interested in politics a safe haven!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 17/08/2011 : 05:19
Brad, being in government is not a comfortable place at the moment! I can't help remembering Norman Tebbitt saying before the 1993 election that it would be a good thing if the Tories lost because whever got the next term was in for a rough ride and could end up out of power for twenty years. He was wrong of course, it was only thirteen years! We may be looking at what PE calls a Reverse Ferret!
You're right about the NI affair. Goodmans letter to the HR department at NI has surfaced and appears to show that both James Murdoch and Coulson knew all about the widespread use of phone hacking while they were blaming it all on a lone wolf. Further, their solicitors at the time, Harbottle, have sent a long statement to the Parliamentary Committee pointing out that for NI to say that the investigation they were hired to do at the time was wide ranging and has been used as vindication by NI is totally wrong. It was narrow, quick and was never intended to be used as a general defence years later. It's the equivalent of the smoking gun and as a result witnesses are going to be recalled and this could include James Murdoch. It looks as though both he and his father were lying through their teeth in the famous committee appearance. It goes further. A US media commentator on World Service this morning said that this has implications for Murdoch family control of the NI board.
As if that wasn't enough, apart from the gagging payout to Goodman, both he and Mulcare the private detrective have had over £250,000 each legal fees paid by NI.
Meanwhile, Theresa may continues to butter up the police while at the same time announcing 'new initiatives' for selective curfews. A police spokesman said that she should go back and look at the studies that were done in the US when this was tried. They found they were useless as most gang crime occurred between school letting out and 8pm. Apart from that it was too demanding of police time to enforce. The Chief Constable of West Yorkshire was on after the news item about Theresa and said that he wasn't interested in water cannon and other gizmos, all the police want is for the courts to remand in custody instead of giving bail to convicted offenders and to be givem freedom to police the way they wanted to and have trained for.
As usual, the politicians have put their foot in it and instead of admitting it they are putting up a smokescreen of meaningless rhetoric and kneejerk policy 'improvements' that are being shot down by the professionals as fast as they come out of the trap. Bit like clay pigeon shooting!
Meanwhile Merlel and Sarkozy shy away from Eurobonds but talk about an overall EU financial authority which will control the fiscal policies of individual members. I have always been in favour of greater cooperation in Europe simply because it it seems better than conflict but even I shy away from what the EU is developing into, a federal state controlled from the centre by France and Germany. Not what I or Winston Churchill envisaged at all!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk  |
handlamp
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Posted - 17/08/2011 : 15:48
But what Adolf wanted!
Ted |
Bradders
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Posted - 17/08/2011 : 18:56
quote:
Stanley wrote:
You're right about the NI affair. Goodmans letter to the HR department at NI has surfaced and appears to show that both James Murdoch and Coulson knew all about the widespread use of phone hacking while they were blaming it all on a lone wolf. Further, their solicitors at the time, Harbottle, have sent a long statement to the Parliamentary Committee pointing out that for NI to say that the investigation they were hired to do at the time was wide ranging and has been used as vindication by NI is totally wrong. It was narrow, quick and was never intended to be used as a general defence years later. It's the equivalent of the smoking gun and as a result witnesses are going to be recalled and this could include James Murdoch. It looks as though both he and his father were lying through their teeth in the famous committee appearance. It goes further. A US media commentator on World Service this morning said that this has implications for Murdoch family control of the NI board.
There MUST be a reason for Cameron's insistance on hiring Coulson , against all advice (which he says he didn't get , of course .....Yeah, yeah !) .....Whatever it was , I'm convinced it will be his downfall . (There's great deal of dirty washing to be aired yet ! )
BRADDERS BLUESINGER |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 18/08/2011 : 05:23
Ted, one commentator was brave enough to make reference to the Fourth Reich!
Brad, I think the explanation may be dead simple. Cameron's circle of advisors is very limited. Suppose one of the Chiltern Set (maybe Rebekah) put Coulson up as someone who understood the streets? I can remember reading Harold Nicholson's diaries and being shocked at how much high policy was eveolved after dinner at Lady Astor's house. Until then I was naive enough to believe that policy was carefully thought out in Parliament. I think you're right, in the end it will come back to haunt him.
New Met chief is appointed today. Safe bet is to put the temporary man Goodwin in the post. He's about the only contander who hasn't attacked the Coalition in the last week. Handy that the IPCC came out and exonerated all the resignees except for the small matter of Yates' nepotism. Looks as though accepting expensive health farm accommodation is OK. Constables on the beat please note, the occasional small bung is acceptable.
The new 'initiatives' put forward, curfews and enterprise zones, have been universally slated. Curfews didn't work in the US and the police don't want them. Enterprise zones were tried by both Thatcher and Blair. Average cost per job 'created' was about £50,000. I say 'created' because many were not new jobs but simply relocation of staff in new premises to take advantage of the subsidies. The way to encourage new industries is to free up investment and to inject public money.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
cloghopper
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Posted - 18/08/2011 : 07:03
 The Fourth Reich is where we're all headed; sooner rather than later I reckon .
cheers,
cloggy
Dyslexics untie |
tripps
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Posted - 18/08/2011 : 08:51
"inject public money"
The word is invest - Gordon said it often enough.......
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Bruff
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Posted - 18/08/2011 : 10:13
I'm not so sure that the thing that will do for the PM in the Coulson debacle is his appointment in the face of questions about his past activities as editor at the NotW. It might not have been with the benefit of hindsight the wisest decision, nor if we suspend hindsight for a moment is there any pressing reason not to take the PM at his word and accept that he was given the necessary assurances. (I appreciate of course, that I am extending a level of charity oft lacking in those at whom this charity is extended). I think this controversy could be ridden out by the PM,
No, what will do for the PM is the 'vetting' issue. There are numerous FoI requests now in seeking the diary of Mr Coulson on various dates. It make take some time, but we will at some stage know whether or not Mr Coulson attended meetings which, in the normal scheme of things, he should have been excluded due to his lack of DV. I do not have DV at the moment. But some colleagues do. I have been in meetings with these colleagues when the 'phone has gone, and after a moment I have been asked politely to leave the room.
These are issues around the 'Defence of the Realm'. There is no greater priority for a PM than that. If this has been compromised then there is no alternative but to go, as it shows an individual so bereft of judgement as to beggar belief. It may even bring down a Government if there is shown to be an institutionally cavalier attitude.
Richard Broughton
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Tardis
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Posted - 18/08/2011 : 10:36
Local politics:
The Town Council has agreed to get more dog fouling posters and pay for them (when there are free alternatives available)
On top of which for the last two months of published figures for Pendle, only 3 people were actually handed a fixed penalty for the offence despite the "investment" in an Environmental Crime Team.
Good value for money?
I do not see how this policy will change the behaviour of those people who do not think that they will ever be caught.
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Tardis
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Posted - 18/08/2011 : 10:43
On your "investment" theme Stanley:
I hear that businesses are lobbying for a reduction or temporary suspension of business rates.
This has a number of benefits:
1/ direct investment in companies already there to stay afloat who may be struggling to get their banks to allow them to remain financially solvent and expand
2/ no taking of money with one hand, and paying someone else to give it back after many bureaucratic forms have been filled in. A massive saving, because no one is paying twice.
3/ tax efficient because it is targeted and simple
4/ everybody is treated exactly the same
It may give local authorities a funding issue, but that is the real world, hopefully the stimulus can increase future revenues.
Edited by - Tardis on 18/08/2011 10:44:21
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Bruff
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Posted - 18/08/2011 : 15:42
Is dog muck a Northern thing? I ask as during the 12 years I had in London, I can't say I ever noticed a dog muck problem. The streets appeared largely clear of it, so were the parks. And I'm not talking about the real posh bits, I spent many a time in the less salubrious locales and can honestly say I never noticed a problem.
I moved to Wirral two years back, and in the first week I put my foot in a steaming pile 10yds from my house. And this is Hoylake for goodness sake. Liverpool is as bad. There's dog muck everywhere round here, and I clearly wasn't prepared. It prompted me to remember living in Sheffield, where I lived on Lump Lane and me and the mate I lived with called in 'Lump o' Dog**** Lane'.
As to tackling this, well clearly we can't ask folk to berate the dog in the hope it'll learn to go before it set off (much as used to happen me as a child in the car). So perhaps we need some sort of 'nudge' intervention that this coalition are so fond of, as an alternative to the more usual regulatory intervention. Barlick could pop three dog toilets on the Town Green, one with a picture of the PM, one with a picture of the DPM, and one with a picture of the Leader of the Opposition. Owners can then take their dogs to dump their load on the visage of the one that takes their fancy. I think this is a runner.
Richard Broughton
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Bradders
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Posted - 18/08/2011 : 23:35
Don't mention runners........(they are the worst !)
BRADDERS BLUESINGER |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 19/08/2011 : 06:38
Richard, they tried a dog toilet many years ago at the back of the garage and distribution transformer on the sidings near Skipton Road. Problem was getting the dogs to crap there. They tend to pick their own spot. The post that carried the notice is still there. I agree about the vetting, I raised this some time ago. It seems fairly obvious that Coulson wasn't subjected to normal positive vetting procedures but apponted on the nod via the establishment network. What astounds me is that nobody has asked the obvious question, or if they have, the answer has been kept under wraps.
Bad news this morning for Ossie when he eventually gets up and hopefully smells the coffee. The screens are red again this morning. London registered its biggest fall yeaterday since the the credit crunch hit us in 2008 and all the others are going south. Japan opened with a fall this morning and it's fairly obvious the others will follow. Whilst it is easy to blame this on 'panic', in this case I think the market has it right and is trying to give us a message, global growth has stalled and the $500,000,000 loan by the EU central bank to an anonymous European bank yesterday will have been a red flag. Remember it was the drying up of inter-bank credit that triggered the last lot. We are seeing the first signs of the same symptom again. The basic problem is the lack of confidence by investors in the competence of politicians to produce initiatives to encourage growth and stimulate the global economy. The root of this is that whilst cuts in government spending are seen as essential under pure monetarist theory the only route out of the mess is to borrow even more money and invest. There is a further problem, UK gilts are paying 2.5% interest, half of inflation so where is the financial sense in buying rhem. The fact that they are still being sold indicates that even though they are a guaranteed loss maker they are one of the least worst investments at the moment. This is a mess and demands imaginative policies which is what we aren't seeing.
Meanwhile, the retail sector figures yesterday showed that even though the sales were brought forward on the High Street and there was heavy discounting there was only a tiny effect and its obvious that domestic consumption is flat-lining as well as manufacturing yields. This is before the energy charge increases of almost 20% across the board hit us. On any reading of these figures we are in trouble but Ossie's meassage is 'steady as we go'.
The Treasury Select Comittee has criticised the PFI investments. There are 35 new PFI schemes in the pipeline in addition to the £35billion debt we have already imposed on future generations, these despite the manifesto promises to stop the projects. In addition the TSC want this debt to be included in the national debt figures to make it more visible and flag up the consequences. The thing that interests me is how much more spending is hidden in this way? Are there more debts kicked into the long grass of the future that we knw nothing about?
Cue Ted!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 20/08/2011 : 06:53
Well, I'm sticking to my interpretation based on inter-war history. The screens are still red but slowing down a bit. Exactly the same pattern as 1929 and 1988, loss of confidence by the markets, banks looking for a safe haven for funds, the least worst investments gaining traction even though they are all loss makers because of inflation being higher than interest. Inflation is usually too much money chasing too few goods. This is true at the moment for energy but not clear whether this is because of manipulation of prices by cartels. The effect is inflation in a stagnant or falling economy and all economists agree on one point, this is stagflation, the most dangerous and intractible situation we can have. Batten the hatches down lads!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Tardis
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Posted - 20/08/2011 : 13:57
Here you go Stanley, I know its wikipedia but it does explain inflation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation
You are conflating two issues in your statement.
The current market run of funds towards bonds is actually likely to increase the value of the UK currency, which will therefore reduce import prices. It also has a double effect because the effectively low interest yield on the bonds means that the Bank Rate set by the Bank of England should remain lower because it will have to raise less to pay back the bond holders.
Unfortunately it does not mean that the UK banks will follow this rate because of the current financial squeeze and their own necessity to shore up their financial base and thus avoid bankruptcy.
You can read up on the money supply issue, and why it has a negative impact on currency and therefore increases commodity prices of imports. It only affects homegrown inflation if the price rises of the imports causes workers in the UK to ask for more money in their pay packets, and then you can get a self feeding cycle.
Remember all UK prices are likely to rise because we import electricity, steel, coal, gas, oil, etc which our industries make into finished products like cars because businesses will have to raise their margins to cover these cost increases.
You will even notice a farm gate price rise, because fertilisers etc are affected. Getting the goods to the shops will also increase, and the retailer's costs will likewise increase. If wage rises occur on top of these then the effect will be magnified because no business will survive for long if it runs at a loss because of the greatest irony of all - the banks will pull the plug. If retailer's don't allow the price rises the businesses will fail and they will have to go elsewhere to source the same materials.
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 21/08/2011 : 05:37
So I'm wrong, everything is OK? No surprise, I've been here before.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
POLITICS CORNER
