About Lee: Former students' union president and intermitent blogger since the turn of the century, who's aim is to promote objective thinking and a break from partisan politics when discussing the issues of the day. Thu 24th Jan 2008
With today's news about MPs getting ready to vote on their own pay increase, and in light of only 18.5% of respondents in a poll agreeing with an above 1.9% pay rise (in this case 2.56% spread over two stages), I have to ask what would be the most beneficial and least hypocritical for the members to actually vote on.
Update: So it turns out that not vote took place and the parties all agreed to the sub-inflation pay rise. I can't help but feel cynical that on one hand (and publicly) the opposition parties support the police and other public workers, but in practice know that they would have done the same. Or maybe it was just to maintain the public image of parliament 
Thu 24th Jan 2008
A few days ago a story went largely un-noticed about Hazel Blears proposing that local councils and local communities could form a contract with each other about expectations put upon local government. The idea is that if the council fails to tackle things like drug dealing, graffiti and dirty streets, then local residents could be entitled to some of their council tax back...though it is keenly stressed this would only be in the most serious of failures, an as yet unquantified level of problems.
Top 5:
Latest Comments:
wow gold in... The clever/dumb balance is restored
wow gold in... A short one: Great post re: Vince Cable
wow gold in... A short one: Great post re: Vince Cable
Lee Griffin in... Tories actually are preparing to govern...
Jennie Rigg in... Tories actually are preparing to govern...
Lee Griffin in... The Redruth curfew - a truly illiberal act
Eddie Osborne in... The Redruth curfew - a truly illiberal act
septicisle in... How far the mighty have fallen...
Lee Griffin in... The nail in the coffin for a windfall tax?
UK Voter in... The nail in the coffin for a windfall tax?
Calendar:
| « January 2008 » | ||||||
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |||
Search:
Latest Politalks:
So what the hell is going on, Labour are slumping in the polls and yet those most naturally in their shadow able to take their place (the Lib Dems) are failing to capitalise in the polls. And even though the Tories are enjoying high times so much they must think it's the 80's all over again (in more ways than one) they have failed to deliver one serious or credible attack against the government that would show them to be the true heir's to the throne. So to speak. Anyway, on with this weeks Politalks. NSFW as usual, transcript can be found if you go through to read more!
(Wed 30th Apr 2008) SUBSCRIBE
Transcript and full size video
Latest News:
Casting the Net: 7th August - My Birthday, Bristol wasting money, NHS rat problem, Belgium and ITV (2)
Cycling away (0)
Categories:
Bloggers (20)
Post (246)
--Art (1)
--Bloggers under attack (1)
--Comedy (2)
----Satire (4)
------Politalks (10)
--Community (4)
--Countries (0)
----Australia (1)
----China (2)
----Counties/Towns (0)
------Bristol (3)
------Cornwall (2)
----Darfur (3)
----EU (12)
----Iraq (1)
----Italy (0)
----Middle East (5)
----USA (18)
--Critical response (26)
--Culture (4)
--Deaths (4)
--Demographics (0)
----Children (12)
------Boys (0)
------Girls (0)
------Yobs (7)
----Disability (2)
----Farmers (3)
----Pensioners (1)
--Disgusting traits (6)
----Apathy (4)
----Authoritarianism (27)
----Avoiding questions (11)
----Boring (2)
----Clandestine (12)
----Discrimination (17)
----Flip flopping (6)
----Forced worship (2)
----Hidden agenda (12)
----Hypocrisy (17)
----Immaturity (3)
----Misrepresentation (4)
----Moronic (18)
----NIMBYism (4)
----Neglect (6)
----Over-reaction (3)
----Petulance (3)
----Prejudice (10)
----Selfishness (18)
----Undermining (8)
----Vigilantism (3)
----Vile (5)
----Xenophobia (2)
----\"Positive Action\" (1)
--False Priorities (28)
--Film (2)
--Gaming (5)
--Internet (7)
----P2P (3)
--Language (2)
--Lists (2)
--Long time coming (7)
--Music (2)
--Oddball (8)
--Organisations (1)
----BBC (10)
----BBFC (1)
----Charity (2)
----Compass (2)
----Councils (4)
------Bristol Council (4)
----Dentists (3)
----FSA (1)
----ITV (1)
----Liberal Conspiracy (20)
------Casting the net (16)
----MAMAA (1)
----Mary Whitehouse (1)
----Media (28)
------Daily Mail (0)
------Grieving Widows (1)
------Guardian (0)
------Telegraph (1)
------The Sun (0)
------Times (1)
----NHS (8)
----National Lottery (1)
----Northern Rock (5)
----Police (9)
----Television (2)
------Big Brother (1)
----Transport (9)
------First Bus (1)
------Oyster cards (1)
------Trains (1)
----Women\'s Institute (1)
--Other traits (0)
----Best practice (6)
----Common sense (6)
----Cool (0)
----Fairness (4)
----Honesty (4)
--Politics (133)
----Crime issues (15)
------Child Abuse (2)
------Justice (3)
------Knives (5)
------Law (13)
--------Libel (1)
------Prohibition (7)
------Sex Offenders (1)
----Economic issues (18)
------Benefits (10)
------Budget (3)
------Fuel Poverty (8)
------Housing (7)
------Inflation (4)
------Minimum Wage (2)
------Money (37)
------Nationalisation (3)
------Poverty Line (2)
------Privatisation (2)
------Rich/Poor divide (5)
------Salaries (6)
------Taxes (18)
--------Windfall tax (3)
------Unemployment (5)
----Education issues (17)
------Schools (9)
--------Exclusions (1)
--------National Curriculum (4)
--------Teachers (1)
------Students (3)
--------Student Loans (2)
------University (5)
----Elections (28)
------Electoral reform (7)
------US Primaries 2008 (0)
----Ethical issues (3)
------Abortion (4)
------Age restrictions (4)
------Animal cruelty (4)
------Animal testing (1)
------Capital punishment (2)
------Corporate Profits (3)
------Curfews (1)
------DNA (2)
------Deportation (1)
------Detention without charge (17)
------Feminism (1)
------File sharing (1)
------ID Cards (6)
------Organ donation (4)
------Prostitution (3)
--------Brothels (1)
------Surveillance (6)
--------CCTV (1)
------Terrorism (9)
----Foreign issues (2)
------Military (5)
------Trafficking (1)
------War (3)
----Global issues (4)
------Climate change (11)
------Environment (11)
--------Energy (2)
----------Renewables (1)
----Liberalism (2)
----Local issues (3)
----Parliament (18)
------Bills (6)
--------Changing clocks (3)
------Debate (1)
------MPs (8)
--------Alan Johnson (1)
--------Alistair Darling (3)
--------Bill Rammell (2)
--------Boris Johnson (1)
--------Caroline Flint (3)
--------David Cameron (12)
--------David Davis (1)
--------David Lammy (1)
--------Derek Conway (2)
--------Frank Field (1)
--------George Osbourne (1)
--------Gordon Brown (30)
--------Harriet Harperson (0)
--------Hazel Blears (1)
--------Jack Straw (1)
--------Jacqui Smith (14)
--------Julia Goldsworthy (1)
--------Keith Vaz (2)
--------MP Expenses (2)
--------Maggie Thatcher (1)
--------Nick Clegg (13)
--------Norman Lamb (1)
--------Tim Yeo (1)
--------Vince Cable (4)
------PMQs (13)
----Personal issues (6)
------Age (4)
------Health issues (10)
--------Alcohol (11)
--------Food (10)
----------Fast Food (1)
--------Obesity (1)
--------Smoking (1)
------Patriotism (1)
------Sex (5)
------Work-life balance (1)
----Political Parties (3)
------Coalition (0)
------Democrats (10)
------Labour (46)
------Lib Dem (33)
------Rebellion (1)
------Republicans (5)
------Tory (34)
----Political vernacular (0)
------Balanced and Sustainable (3)
------Change (5)
------Crisis (2)
------Gimmick (3)
------Propaganda (4)
------Targets (10)
------Waste (4)
----Race issues (3)
------Immigration (7)
----Scandal (4)
------Political donations (3)
----Strikes (0)
----UK Constitution (1)
--Protests (10)
--Public engagement (9)
----Polls (7)
----Referendum (2)
--Public figures (0)
----Barack Obama (13)
----Celebrity (2)
----Heath Ledger (2)
----Hillary Clinton (11)
----John Edwards (3)
----John McCain (0)
----Sarah Palin (1)
--Religion (10)
----Christianity (3)
----God squad (7)
----Hinduism (0)
----Islam (1)
--Sport (3)
----Olympics 2008 (4)
----Olympics 2012 (2)
----Paralympics 2008 (1)
--Statistics (11)
--Worrying trends (11)
Reviews (13)
Share (52)
ebuzz (1)