How familiar, Ed Milliband, the latest in a long line of no-hope Labour leaders and I might say, leaders who offer to sort out corrupt union thugs, and never do, appeared on this mornings Andrew Marr show, failing to commit to union reform or anything sidestepping pretty much every question instead offering allsorts of inducements from apprenticeships to increase wages but clearly no substance to back any of his vague offer of jam tomorrow.
Ed Milliband gave a masterclass in evading simple questions, still one thing's for sure, long after Ed's a blip in Labour history, crooked union leaders will be exercising their own prejudices on behalf and against their own people, in the grey malevolent way of "we know best socialism".
If you didn't see it yourself, I suggest you watch on iplayer, when it becomes available.
I'm not sure we watched the same programme?
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that a company having to take on 1 apprentice for every 1 skilled migrant worker they employ is a bad idea?
And changing the rules so that every union member is no longer automatically affiliated to Labour but instead can choose to join is a bad idea?
And raising the minimum wage for poorly paid workers is a bad idea?
Recently credible allegations were made about vote rigging by unions in candidate selection, at first big Ed was going to do something, then since unions offered to cut off funds, it Suddenly all got dropped didn't it??
DeletePressed about the undoubtedly corrupt abuse of union block voting, again big Ed buckled.
On the question of apprentices, it's simples train people and don't bother with migrants.
Seriously i guess either you are stupid brain washed, our an idiot. Just on the subject of essential migrant workers, there is I believe we'll documented examples particularly in the IT industry that highlight cheap Asian workers have taken work from skilled Brits.
Even today big Ed in made a small apology for the state of UK's work force being provided out by his colleagues mistakes
The union Unite in Falkirk tried to get one of their members as the parliamentary candidate and the Labour Party thought it was unfair, after an internal inquiry the person in question subsequently stood down, welcome to the real world, do you think this type of thing doesn't go on in other Political parties?
DeleteBusiness leaders are always pushing there own favoured candidates forward in constituencies all over the country, same processes but different media coverage.
Yes, unions will give less to the Labour Party because Milliband is making long overdue changes, good on him.
On the subject of apprentices you say 'Don't bother with migrants'
Without skilled migrant workers the world would come to a grinding halt.
The whole point is we don't have the skilled workers in this country because firms have stopped taking on apprentices, hence the policy being put forward by the Labour Party.
And although I don't consider myself brain washed or an idiot as you implied I do know large corporate companies take on Asian workers in IT if they can outsource work cheaply, It's called Capitalism mate.
Kent County Council are planning a redesign which to you and I means outsourcing. So after years of risking tax payers money to set up commercial enterprises in completion to Kent businesses, KCC are now giving businesses the chance to become KCC providers.
DeleteBut under trading laws it looks like much of the outsourcing will go out of the county and probably the country putting many low paid KCC workers on the dole.
Just thing Tony, when you ring KCC you could be speaking to Mumbai in the future.
Shinguard, as with the previous post which was a health and safety requirement and not a sinister TDC labour plot to spy on local residents, Tony has lost the ability to think in a rational way as for as labour are concerned. Bignews has lost a lot of credibility recently.
ReplyDeleteYou must have misread the previous posting 13 23, it was about the casual encroachment of the Thanet councils ability to snoop on the public, clearly a concept beyond the intellect of Thanet labour.
DeleteAlso I did not refer to a labour plot.
Lastly not sure about the health and safety aspect of refuse vehicles sporting surveillance cameras, I'm involved in work safety every day, never encountered a situation in which a camera would add to safety.
I was brought up in a socialist household where father and grandfather were Labour activists and councillors. It took me to about the age of fifteen to realise that their dreams of some socialist utopia were actually the stuff of nightmares.
DeleteWhat I find truly worrying is that there are people who swallow the Labour doctrine and follow it for a lifetime. Unable to see the error of their choice or even learn the lessons of history, some of them could finish up running the country.
Now that is scary.
Never seen CTTV at level crossings then Tony?
DeleteYou need to mug up on HSE issues other than on the railways.
The use of CCTV on Road Vehicles.
Cannot say that I have seen CCTV at a crossing, wonder if you have, and not sure how it would help, a train weighing hundreds of tons travelling at high speed will take more than a mile to stop.
DeleteOf course cameras could increase vision, so no problem with that, just wonder why TDC have to record everything, still it's a mystery why anyone such as yourself would waste time on halfwit comments.
Clueless Labour
The socialism of your father and grandfather is gone forever William, maybe you should take off your blinkers and have another look at what the Labour party is trying to achieve for the good of all people in our country and not for the privileged few.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but yours is a typical over simplification of the political divide.
DeleteFirstly, we do not have to separate ourselves into a couple of political encampments, but should be mature enough to think for ourselves instead of following party doctrines. Secondly, the old socialism of my forefathers is alive and kicking in the trade unions whilst the disaster that begets our nation's economy under socialism still happened under the last Labour government in the 21st century.
This idea of a party for the privileged few is but a left wing battle cry. I do not know quite what the Conservatives under Cameron are for, but it is more likely to be trendy minorities than traditional Conservative voters. At least I can think for myself and not just swallow whatever comes out of central office.
Sadly I do not think the Conservatives under Cameron are the country's answer, nor is some coalition propped up by the insidious Glegg, but, by the same token, there is nothing coming out of Milliband and Balls, apart from the usual hate the toffs rhetoric, to inspire any confidence in Labour.
If only our best could get it together to govern for the good of all, rather like the Germans, instead of this left right lurch we have to suffer.
I couldn't agree more with your last sentence William,.. until you mentioned the Germans.......then again, they do have a fairer division of wealth than the UK, no nuclear weapons and no large armed forces so no expensive wars or foreign policy conflicts to fund, their welfare state is far more generous than the UK and pensioners are better looked after. And they have nationalised industries particularly the railways.
ReplyDeleteYes William you do have a point.
And largely achieved by Christian Democrat led coalitions, not by left wing governments. Also, despite having a stronger GDP than UK, far less poured into overseas aid, unless you consider bailing out the Eurozone scroungers, overseas aid.
DeleteOne more little point, Anon, Germany's armed forces are now numerical stronger than ours, after Cameron's cuts, and they rely on NATO for their nuclear deterrent.
DeleteCorrection William: their army is larger comparatively becuase their population is larger.
DeleteThey only spend 0.8% of GDP on military (albeit a larger GDP) compared to our 2.5% just about the largest in Europe.
And still we lose in Iraq and Afghanistan and have nukes that even the generals say can't be used.
Labour don't seem to have said much at all and the Libdem plastic bag tax and free school meals are fairly good but not earth-shattering.
Where's the bank profits tax and payday loans ban? Germany has interest rates capped at 10% not our 2000% shame.
20:42 The Germans have 84 commissioned ships in their navy to our 78, they share the nuclear deterrent provided to NATO by the US, Britain and France and they have provided troops to NATO operations in Bosnia and Afghanistan.
DeleteWhat would generals know about our nuclear capability when it is under the control of admirals being submarine borne.
With you on the lack of real policies coming out of any of our political parties. On the GDP question, we spend a higher proportion of ours on overseas aid, frequently helping to prop up despots, than Germany or any other major economy.
There is much wrong and I suppose we could argue forever on priorities. The real problem is over population both here and the world as a whole.
Your German Navy point is nonsensical William.
DeleteThey share a nuclear deterrent policy in NATO along with Latvia etc. But they don't have nukes. UK does. Again your point is nonsensical.
The UK nukes are seaborne mainly but there are land-based ones.
Generals was used in the broad sense as with the current Chief of Staff. Your point is just silly quibbling. Especially as the PM controls UK nukes not generals.
You've ignored the military GDP point which ruins your previous argument - and also your new argument on aid as UK military spending is 2.5% while aid is only now 0.7%.
UK spends far more on guns than malaria nets. Few nations do that.
The military activity tends to be used for despots rather than aid as you'd expect ie there's more of it and it's guns.
And the world isn't overpopulated - it's only the last century it's increased due to better food etc and famine is at very low levels compared to previous centuries. While the birthrate declines due to better health etc and places such as Siberia or Australia or Africa are huge and empty
You don't really know what you're talking about.
Thanks for the charming response, Anon, very easy to be so insulting when hiding behind an anonymous label. When you feel brave enough to expose your identity perhaps we might continue this debate, meantime I will leave you to think up more insults.
DeleteThe only answer to this political conundrum is to start all over again with some alternative. Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, UKIP, Green, etc etc... they no longer hold the answer anymore.
ReplyDeleteIf we are to maintain the current system of political parties then mandatory voting backed up by fine/prison seems to be the only answer.
Well, Rob, according to my old friend in Melbourne their compulsory voting produced 'The Welsh Tart' quickly followed by 'Rudd the Dud' and he does not seem too impressed with the latest PM. It is still essentially a two party system with around 60+% unhappy which ever side wins, the same as here.
DeleteRob we tend to keep to a minimum those offences that are committed by doing nothing. Misprision of Treason, the old common law of Misprision of Felony, The Criminal Law Act 1967, Terrorism Act and Proceeds of Crime Act.
DeleteBut on the plus side your idea for a Failure to Vote Act would inject a lot of capital into a prison building programme and thus create work for lots of Polish artisans.
If prisoners are to continue to lose the right to vote. (You see where I am going with this Rob ?) You have created a legislative first mate. Convict them for failing to vote and their punishment is exemption from the offence for which they were convicted. You are Chuck Norris the legal genius and I claim my five pounds.
Australia has fines for not voting...but lots of spoilt ballots. if only there was a "None of the Above" to rerun elections. The issue is always lack of policies. Without those the Party faithful trot out and the elected have minimal support beyond that.
DeletePolicies are bull, look at Cameron's "NHS is safe in his hands" and now he's selling off contracts left,right and centre! Once elected they get a taste and then it's over, by the time any decent politician gets to grips with the system they are either bought and paid for or sidelined by their own party.
DeleteThe whole thing is pointless.
What decent politicians, Rob, not really the name of the game is it? Most are self servers on ego trips.
DeleteThe problem with universal suffrage (democracy) is that humans can only perceive cleverness in other humans who are only moderately more intelligent than them. Hence, In IQ terms, the unlikelihood of many elected politicians having IQs above 120. Mandelson is about 136 and is the highest of Labour politician intellects I think. To point out a similar flaw in rule by inheritance. Elizabeth 1st had an estimated intelligence at about the Einstein level. A few generations of interbreeding later and we have a proper Charlie.
DeleteIt would make more sense to randomly select citizens (like for jury service) and appoint them to public service as MPs.
MPs are like Billy Connolly's analysis of police. If they want to be an MP they should be banned for life from ever being one.
Flaw in your argument, 11:30, is that Elizabeth 1 never bred so the descendent Charlie was not of her making. Sadly politics has replaced the church as the career choice for the backward child of the family.
DeleteWhich is why I think we have to radically move to something else, as this party bull doesn't cut in today's world.
ReplyDelete