Saturday, September 22, 2012

Heartless or Hart less

After my last couple of postings, I don't doubt that many of my lefty readers have me down as a heartless swine and who could blame them, since like many rational people I understand the need for welfare, to look after societies needy but object to having to subsidise work shy layabouts and those too irresponsible and negligent to use contraception.

Likewise I understand the need for a public sector, what I never understand is the sanctimonious attitude of some of those who believe it is right and proper, that they have better pay and conditions than those in the commercial world who's productivity pays their wages.

Still that said who could fail to be offended, by news on the front page of this weeks Isle of Thanet Gazette, that Thanet council are considering big cuts to pay of its lowest like me you will be pleased to know that the chief executive will not be facing any similar pain.

As is the way of such nasty proposals, it appears to have been left to council officials, to put this into the public domain, speaking to one whom should know about these things, details have yet to be given to councillors as a whole. Also as you might expect, when seeking to introduce unfair and perhaps immoral policy, the key thing is to present a worst case scenario to be softened with a less damaging but similarly unfair proposition.

Politics is pretty much about marketing, so it is no surprise that council leader Clive Hart has yet to speak on this topic, presumably happy to let the chief executive take the flack, so that later on council leader Clive Hart can at some time step into the public arena, statesman like (if you can imagine that) and present plan b, reluctantly punishing low paid workers for doing a worthwhile job but not as severely as the headlined proposal of yesterdays paper.

Incidently those earning the big bucks at Thanet council are likely to see themselves getting a pay increase, the rationale behind this is that they make a comparison between turnover of commercial business with budgets of councils, the difference is of course is that business generates it's income and public bodies like TDC think of a number and then tax us. That might seem reasonable however at times many of us are responsible for significant actions.

How a Labour administration can justify penalising cleaners, crematorium staff who unlike the gravy train classes of council officers, probably barely receiving a living wage ( a living wage being distinct from minimum wage) but do the important things unlike the upper echelons who spend much of the time attending ego boasting meetings, committees or arranging the next event in which to exude self importance. 

In my view a street cleaner who cleans our streets has greater value than the senior officers who've proved in the past they cannot even arrange unfettered access to council meetings.

And what of Cllr Clive "photo op" Hart, why has he not issued a statement, as I often suspect, those in need don't need Labour, just look at how senior Labour party bods such as Tony Blair have done over the years.  It will also be interesting to see if straight talking Cllr Ian Driver, will live up to his left-wing image and withdraw support from the Labour's Clive Hart, should Labour attack probably the hardest working, most essential staff and yet poorly paid.  

Finally a phrase that I recall from the film "Twins" spoken by Danny DeVito for all Thanets leftys, "Money talks, Bullsh!t walks!" so lets just see whether Thanet Labour are just as I suspect all about preening themselves, making themselves look important or what you might expect, if you were not cynical, social justice. 

PS I've been rather busy just lately, so hence the break in transmission etc

38 comments:

  1. Could not aggee more with every word

    Staunch Tory

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  2. Tony you are so wrong, if you think Labour are unconcerned with those on low incomes, they need to keep people poor so that they have a reason to exist.

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  3. Tony, Hart is obviously a big inspiration to you, just as Worrow is to Dr Moores! Without Hart / Worrow you both soon run out things to rant about.

    There's plenty of other things going in Thanet you know, positive things that get overlooked (seems like no bloggers covered the Garlinge festival a couple of weeks back, maybe because it's a mile or so out of their safety zone).

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    1. Or of course you might have a day job, which means you leave no time to blog

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    2. I just hope I don't become bitter when I'm old like you.

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    3. Peter I thought you were old, I'm not bitter just, recording things as I see it, admittedly I do mention Clive Hart a fair bit, difficult as it might be for you to realise, as ineffectual as he might be, he does happen to be leader of the local council.

      I honestly don't know why you visit this site, may I suggest if you don't like it, you do us all a favour and don't visit.


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    4. What do you want to be when you grow up, Peter?

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    5. He is not going to, Silly. Too busy fluttering around Never Never land with his camera taking nude pictures of Wendy and Tinkerbell (if only)!

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  4. Oh dear, your arguments about the public sector are becoming a confused mish-mash of ideologies and of knee-jerk inspired "principles", and a whole package of misinformation. At last I am beginning to see your Liberal Democrat credentials.

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  5. politics is a mugs game leading you up a very blind alley please just wake up and smell the coffee they all work for the same side

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    1. However anonymous conspiracy theorists are all wonderful people whose word should always be trusted!

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    2. You are an anonymous conspiracy theorist and I claim my £5. You see conspiracy theorists everywhere making you ? A conspiracy theorist

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  6. Tony, you style yourself as part of the wealth creating work force but you and your collegues have been letting the country and George Osbourne down, all of you have been slacking. Its not Osbourne's fault that the governement had to borrow a record £14.4 billions in August to cover a shortfall in tax income. In deed the forecast budget deficit for the year of £120 billions is on course to be £145 billions. You cant the coallitions policies for this but the bosses and those in work must work harder. Even your own contruction industry is operating at 10% less activity than this time last year. Its a good job that whats left of the public sector are still paying their taxes to do their bit to keep the country going.

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    1. I don't really style myself as anything, I'm merely pointing out the shabby and frankly shameful conduct of Thanet labour.

      How slippery are Thanet labour, many see labour as having bought themselves leadership of the council, we've seen how they apparently condoned homophobia in their own ranks and this is just another thing indicative of the arrogance and contempt for those they claim to represent.

      Clive Hart needs to explain why Thanet council is suggesting attacking low paid workers and rewarding those who are frankly doing alright.

      And clearly if Clive Hart cannot explain or discuss this with the public he should resign, since he is in my view making Thanet labour councillors look like a bunch of selfish opportunists more concerned in looking after themselves than those they purport to represent.

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    2. Your words in previous posting
      " coordinating action for maximum pain to those of us in the wealth creating side of the economy"

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    3. Tony, by my reckoning you're earning at the very least double the national minimum wage (a low wage which would be even lower without Labour). So, by Thanet standards at least, you're certainly not in the low earners category.

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    4. Not sure of that calculation and to keep quoting the minimum wage is just plain irrratating.

      Unfortunately current wage levels are low as a direct result of the thoughtless crooks in the labour party who embarked on a moronic experiment involving the exploitation of migrant labour for which some have in recent times apologised

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    5. OK, to help with your "calculation" the national minimum wage for those that are 21 or over is currently £6.08 per hour. Now, can you confirm that you're earning at least double that, ie the amount that 2 people would earn if working full time in a supermarket (including unsocial hours such as nights, sundays and bank holidays)?

      As for it being "plain irritating", I'm sure most people who are better off than the majority don't like being reminded of the fact. Maybe if you really care about poorer British workers you'd campaign to help them instead of being so self-centered and complaining about how "badly" you're treated all the time.

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    6. 10 47 you seem like the typical smug Labour activist probably too stupid to realise that living on £6.08 does not afford a comfortable lifestyle.

      Your comment "Maybe if you really care about poorer British workers you'd campaign to help them " show's you deep stupidity and poor reading ability.

      I'm actually doing something positive showing up the hypocrisy of Labour at national level and locally.

      Judging from your cognitive ability I take it you must be in Thanets Labour cabinet.

      Surely only a cretin would witter on mindlessly about the minimum wage, thinking it is some great achievement of Labour, failing to accept that it is not a living wage and an insult to low paid workers who have top up income with various tax credits and benefits.

      You really are a prize idiot

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    7. So would you be prepared to take a cut in YOUR wages to increase the minimum wage?

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    8. What a silly question, 22:49, for if Tony took a cut in his wage it would reduce the amount of tax he pays thus making less available to the government to support the low paid. In any event, the minimum wage is not funded out of other people's earnings.

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    9. What I meant is that would he take a cut in his wage to help lower paid people working for the same firm.

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  7. If the story in the Thanet Gazette is 100% accurate then it would be disappointing for most fair minded people, however I have a feeling the story is mostly speculation, let's wait until after the pay review is completed before we make any judgement.

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  8. Is it just me or does Clive look like he's forgotten to put his teeth in, in the photo? Probably all that gnashing at being ruled bu TIGs has just worn them down!!

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  9. Tony, I run a small shop in Margate old town, and things are really a struggle right now. Just a small increase of £1 a hour in wages would be enough to force me to close, whilst the bigger stores with their vast profits could easily swallow that. So while I agree that £6-odd per hour isn't great, your proposals would be enough to make our town centres even more desolate as well as increasing unemployment.

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  10. I appreciate what you're saying, 7 41 and I have myself taken minimum wage jobs since, like many who generally work, when you find yourself between jobs their is no help for ordinary people, if you happen to be a drug taking waste of space, or an irresponsible Parent having large families with no intending of working your minted in Britons crazy benefits system or even scum out fresh out of nick.

    Clearly small business like yours need help and I suppose it's not unreasonable to pay minimum wage, however big business should not abuse the minimum wage and see it as a benchmark, unfortunately companies are happy to spend big on capital projects but not pay more than a basic wage,I see that agricultural and food industry are particularly mean along of course with the service industry.

    The minimum wage ought to be an entry level wage

    In relation to my original posting this minimum wage reference is a red herring, shame on labour for attacking those it claims to represent in a shabby and shameful way

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  11. I wish you would not keep slagging off the unemployed, Tony, they are not to blame for this mess, they are victims as well, if not more so. I reckon that weasel, Francis Maude, has been getting inside everyone's heads via the flickering idiot box.

    The Fabian society has been working on this situation for over a century; to make us totally dependent upon, and at the mercy of, big government.

    Now they are turning the working poor against the unemployed poor to divert attention away from your actual villains; the international banksters and their collaborators in the government, in the foundations and the NGOs.

    Divide and rule; it's the oldest trick in the book; stir up the sh*t, blame someone else then sit back and watch the fracas.

    Next they will be putting the unemployed into 'public-private' uniforms, (at least, those that can still talk), to come round your house and harass you for even more taxes in order to 'save the planet' and other such nonsense.

    Some of them may even remember how you referred to them as 'workshy scum', and if you can't come up with the dosh, it'll be off to the poor house for you.

    And you can forget that pension, it's already been squandered on yachts, armed redoubts, Lear Jets and Lamborghinis.

    So please wise up, Tony, if you want a scapegoat for your misery, you could do worse than begin with Francis Maude.

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    1. Work shy scum actually exist, 13 53 whom I'd define as those who make no attempt to get a job. I remember the dubious pleasure of some joker turning up at work aged 27 never having worked, no surprise that were incapable and not too many days later returned to claiming benefits, visiting the bookies and of course not missing a game home or away of their beloved football team.

      Having been unemployed myself I fully understand the implications and total lack of help to those non familiar with the benefits game, something of which your some of your Local Labour colleagues are I understand more than familiar.

      As to slagging off the unemployed, I have great sympathy and unlike you are probably more than aware of the issues.

      No doubt as a labour supporter you blind to the damage that your colleagues in the Labour party have done to low paid, and I make no apology for supporting higher wages for those who chose to contribute over cowards like your self who bleed the rest of us dry.

      Such is the concern for Thanets low paid that Clive Hart has yet to make a statement about cutting wages for low paid essential workers in TDC.

      Shame on Clive.

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    2. Labour supporter? Don't make me laugh, I have never voted in my life, ever! Not for any of them! Even at the tender age of 18 I realised what a total waste of time it is.

      I know all too well what damage the Labour party has caused. It was planned that way; Fabian Society, remember?

      Tony, take this any way you like, but it is intended as friendly advice. Please Tony, for the sake of your mental and physical health, stop watching the TV; it is an insidious weapon (honestly) and apart from that, it's a load of crap.


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    3. Only 1 in 4 adults in full-time employment:

      http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/new-ons-shocker-just-1-in-4-uk-adults-aged16-74-has-a-full-time-job/

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  12. I don't usually wish unemployment on anyone, but I'd love to see you experience it if only for a year Tony!

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    1. 16 17 Typical cowardly comment from uncaring Labour supporter, well I you learn some manners and have the honesty and integrity to identify yourself.

      I wish you get proper treatment for you mental health problem.

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  13. 16 17 Typical cowardly comment from uncaring Labour supporter, well I hope you learn some manners and have the honesty and integrity to identify yourself.

    I wish you get proper treatment for you mental health problem.

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  14. A local govenment pay ceiling of £65k would seem reasonable.

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  15. I cant believe that anyone still believes in all this separation of parties rubbish they all work for the same team which is why nothing really changes. They think we are all fools.

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  16. Of course they are all in it together, if they are not compromised they are not allowed in, it doesnt matter which group they are in , they are all having a Party at our expense.

    Secret police inquiry into top Labour MP Keith Vaz ‘uncovered £500,000 in mystery payments’

    Scotland Yard documents suggest Keith Vaz received 'significant amounts of cash' of a 'suspicious nature' between 1997 and 2001
    Tory MP Andrew Bridgen writes to Parliamentary Standards Commissioner to demand an inquiry and says Mr Vaz should to stand down as chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee
    Mr Vaz denies any wrongdoing and says the money is from property deal

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2211141/Keith-Vaz-Secret-police-inquiry-Labour-MP-uncovered-500-000-mystery-payments.html

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