Oh, and would you like to tell us a bit about what has been going on in YOUR area of responsibility? Falkirk. Because, it seems to be stinking, and if you won't tell us the truth, we are bound to assume the worst.
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If you have the time, can I suggest you read this article?
It appears that in what they now describe as an error, and I would imagine it is, Scotland was, after the 90's referendum on devolution, handed the rights to Antarctica, or the UK's share in it.
As they point out, with the global warming (for whatever reason), Antarctica is melting apace, and something that was once of only scientific interest is now very much of economic interest, so not surprisingly, they want to take it back.
Not unreasonably, the Scottish government is not minded, on the eve of independence, to hand back control of the territory to rUK. After all, it could be a bargaining chip.
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| Our name's McPingu! And we say McYES to Scotland |
Of course, it has to be accepted that the transfer was done in error. (Imagine, the Great British state making that massive an error!), but, let's be honest, if it were the other way round, what would they do?
Of course they have put the reversal into the Scotland Bill, but, of course the Scottish government has to pass the Scotland Bill before it can be forced upon us, as is the case with any legislation involving devolution in the Celtic nations.
I think we should be very careful with this Bill, which gives some very limited tax raising powers (offset by Barnet), to the Scottish Government. No government has ever used the uselessly limited tax raising power it already has
We should be sure that Antarctica is not the only thing they are taking back.
Maybe the penguins should get a referendum?
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Surely only an Eton/Oxford/Bullingdon boy could stand in the Guildhall, resting his speech on a gold lectern, surrounded by chairs, and other fixtures of gold, having partaken of a dinner, the cost of which would keep an UK OAP for a month, and talk to us with a straight face about austerity being the future... and all without the slightest sense of irony.
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However, given the almighty cock up that Mr Duncan Smith has made of all his Welfare Reforms and the massive amount of OUR money he has wasted, wouldn't you agree that he should be in parliament to try to defend them, instead of leaving a junior minister to take the can? Surely a conference on youth unemployment could have been attended by one of his staff, or a lowly lords minister?
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| Here's a proper socialist, and with a brilliant wit. He never misses a day at work, because when he was a miner he would have lost money for being absent. I don't have heroes, but this is a man I respect hugely. |
Johann is correct, devolution is the product of localism, not nationalism. Its about ensuring more power is exercised away from a unitaristic London centric system.
ReplyDeleteLabour understands this, our movement has the cooperative party alongside and apart of it. Devolution is one of Labour most proud achievements, alongside raising over a million kids out of poverty, the minimum wage, and a huge trove of pro-LGBT legislation including but not limited to:
1. equalisation of age of consent
2. legalisation of homosexuality
3. ending section 28
4. equal marriage
5. civil partnerships
What is Johann saying? She is saying poverty matters to those of us in Labour, even if its an English or Welsh, or European, or Human person. Our social democracy doesn't stop at the border. The SNPs does.
The shame is on them.
So if things are best devolved down, why are social security, taxation, energy, defence, foreign affairs, EU affairs, and many other things not better when we can looking in the face of the people who are "ruling" us.
DeleteI don't live in Edinburgh, and I am aware that many people live far farther away from the centre than I do... People on Western and Northern Islands, in the highlands, in Inverness, Aberdeen and small towns all over the country... but wherever you are, Edinburgh is a site closer to you than London is, and it is, in many cases (although I accept not all), accessible in a day. Unlike London which means overnight stays for all of us, except for the VERY shortest of visits (for pendants who say you can make it there in 4 hours and back in four hours, which doesn't really give you time to visit your MP).
If poverty means so much to Labour, why did the distance between rich and poor increase during Labour's 13 years in Westminster power?
Why was it Liberal Democrat coalition partners that insisted on the most caring of the policies of the 8 years of labour/Liberal rule in Scotland?
Equal marriage has been achieved by the Tories, not Labour, and it will be achieved by the SNP shortly.
I assume that Labour doesn't poke its nose into the poverty in France or Spain or indeed any other country, save for aid packages (which are also followed by the SNP). The SNP's (and the other left of centre parties which favour independence) care about, and are responsible for the living conditions of people in Scotland. It really isn't their job to be lecturing the English or irish or anyone else on how to do things.
If they did however, they would probably say that making people pay £9,000 a year for education is cruel (and stupid), and that privatising the health service and schools is the road to hell. They would point out that water is not something to make money out of, nor is the post office.
This Is Why Labour Sold Out The Poor
DeleteLabour helped the DWP deny compensation legally due due to some of the poorest people in the country.
I trust you have a link to back up your wild assertions as the poor got poorer under Labour according to the poverty website.
yes, I don't think they denied that the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. I remember an interviewer (Jenni Murray) putting it to a Labour cabinet member, but she brushed it away, and of course DAME Jenni, let her off with it.
DeleteBlair simply continued the work of Thatcher making the City the centre of the universe and among the most corrupt places in the world, and leaving the est of us to make do with what we could get. Eton Dave is the son of Posh Tony.
The all went to posh schools and posh unis.
They all live in a world totally removed from ours.
Labour's social democracy and interest in remedeying the blight of poverty that a great number of their constituents currently and historically have 'laboured' under, does not even start at the border never mind stop at it!
ReplyDelete70 odd years of complete local control coupled with your cosy 'turn and turn about' power share deal with the Tories down at Westminster, has left the Scots electorate with zero alternative but to look to more effective democratic ways other than Labour/Tory/LibDem and Westmister's current sick joke of a system.
We want a poverty free, highly aspirational future for our population, not just a political class that likes to talk about it, but only deliver one for themselves and their own! Times nearly up!
braco
Yes I agree. If Labour cared about poverty in Scotland (and I admit that it is a noble thing to care about it the world over, but one has limited ability to change that) they would surely (like other left of centre parties...SSP, Greens) look to independence as the best way of working on remedying poverty.
DeleteMr Cameron, surrounded by gold, told us austerity was here to stay.
Will mr Miliband deny that? Will he tell the Commons that under him, benefits and pensions will be increased to the level of other European states, including Jersey and Guernsey?
I have heard that he will get rid of the bedroom tax, and I applaud that (although it took some time for him to say that he would, and to their credit Johann and Anas seem to have pushed him into it, by announcing it, although London denied it). Will he also get rid of the bedroom tax for privately rented accommodation, given the dire shortage of council houses?
Laudable though it may seem, freezing the electricity charges has already backfired with 4 x inflation cost increases. ( Although I accept Max Kessler's inflation figure of 9.5% rather than the nonsense the government churns out of 2.5%).
What will he do about pensioners living on £140 a week, when pensioners in Jersey and Guernsey are on £50 a week more and pensioners in France and Spain are incredulous that people have to live on so little?
What will he do about council house availability? Will he stop people profiting from houses that WE built and start a building programme like the SNP has?
What about ATOS? Will he clip their wings and return to having doctors decide who is fit to work. An end to people dying the day after they are told to go back to work.
Will he renationalise the heath service and stop all the parts which require payment (save for cosmetic surgery)?
Will he remove the right of universities to leave kids in debt to the tune of £60,000 before they have to look for a house and get a job?
tris
Delete(and I admit that it is a noble thing to care about it the world over, but one has limited ability to change that)
Tory bullshite through and through easiest thing in the world to end poverty we just have to choose to do so.
Your constant diatribe against ed only reinforces the fear you Nats feel if Labour appear to be credible UK government.Then the snp supporters can see any tiny chance of Independence you may have slipping out of your dirty grubby little hands .
Oh, if it is that easy Niko why did Blair and Brown never manage it? They didn't even manage it in their own back yard.
DeleteAnd if you went to the Uk with a proposal that you would end poverty, but unfortunately you'd be obliged to lower their standard of living to do it, where do you think you would be?
Easiest thing in the world?
Maybe you'd like to explain it to me.
SO, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING JOHANN? ARE YOU WITH US?
ReplyDeleteShe's a closet Tory and I wouldn't trust her to tie my shoe laces.
Is that her new job?
DeleteI'll buy some slip ons!
Dean.
ReplyDeleteTwitter
LibDem John Hemming just exposed Labour by quoting from Hansard their introduction of bed tax & plans to expand it to social housing!
Twitter
thought for the day: 257 labour mps. bedroom tax vote 253-222, beaten by 26. Where are rest? Was the ex politician there?
So a lot of Scottish Labour MPs couldn't be arsed to vote against this we need to ask Johann if she is going to sanction them. ha ha joke.
The ex politician has better things to do that hang around Westminster expecting people to recognise him.
Deletehave you lot had your orders from snp central to denigrate Johann at ever opportunity I mean is the snp claim to leadership based on not being Johann. How wery uninspiring and lackadaisical
ReplyDeleteOh dear Niko no one needs orders as she is useless as a leader and can only regurgitate scripts which seems to be your only strength as well. How is the script for your debate on why we are better together as at the rate you and Dean are going we will be long independent before you put the seal of approval on it.
DeleteHow do you feel that Labour MPs had more pressing engagements over voting against the bedroom tax or do you believe it is socially correct?
Johann however sanctioned this from her deputy rh Niko?
DeleteMedal of dishonour.
The peoples party in all their true Tory values.
They'd have a job giving me any orders Niko.
DeleteI'm not a member.
But Johann stands up and makes speeches, or gives interviews and havers through a hole in her head.
What am I supposed to do.
You'll note I have a go at the Tories too.
I'd have a go at the Liberals, if only they were worth it. But as they have almost completely disappeared into the Tory party in England and up their own backsides in Scotland, I might as well not bother.
it's an absolutel scandal that Sarwar couldn't be bothered turning up.
DeleteThey are a joke. As Stuart says, based on the Bain principle, which states that they would rather eat their own feet than vote with the SNP, they abstained when the SNP and PLaid voted against the bedroom tax, and then called for a debate on it themselves.
Not that this is a waste of their time and fat salaries or anything. But if they all voted together we MIGHT have got rid of the bloody tax.
Now when their own side call a vote, the ex politician and his amtes can't be botehred turning up for it, and Murphy is in a funk because he got demoted so he didn't bother either.
Thanks a lot.
I bet the poor of the country will be grateful to the workingman's party for being too busy to turn up at their jobs.
They are a disgrace to the Labour movement.
And as for that prat Sarwar, I hope Nicola debates with him again so that she can ask him about that commitment to the poor.
They are a disgrace.
Jesus Niko, listen to yourself. This is Munguins Republic FFS!
Deletebraco
Sign it Sign it... bloody idiot.
ReplyDeleteNiko and Dean.
ReplyDeleteWhat is your opinion on Labour MP's not voting on their own bill to abolish the Bedroom Tax? Simple question.
Juteman,
DeleteDeans answer (maybe), 'What is Johann saying? She is saying poverty matters to those of us in Labour, even if its an English or Welsh, or European, or Human person. Our social democracy doesn't stop at the border. The SNPs does. [instead ours stops at the voting lobby]
The shame is on them.'
Niko's answer (maybe), 'Tory bullshite through and through easiest thing in the world to end poverty we just have to choose to do so [it's just that we in the labour party choose not to do so in simple votes]!'
Surely neither can justify this shit! Surely?
braco
"Equal marriage has been achieved by the Tories, not Labour"
ReplyDeleteNonsense and you know it.
Over half of all Tories voted against it, it only passed thanks to Labour votes in both chambers. Get the facts right Tris.
Dean: It was David Cameron's policy, and he invested a lot of his political capital in it, against the wishes of many of his Tory traditionalist mates.
DeleteWhy did Gordon Brown not bring this forward?
On the bedroom tax vote, this was academic since the next Labour government will abolish it. Our commitment to change our society for the better is an endorsement of our socialism. We shall prove ourselves in government, not grandstand like the SNP in opposition.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable! What an arrogant pr**k of a thing to say! Your love and understanding of the desperate poor is shining through Dean. Let them wait eh, why not?
DeleteYour actual response to Juteman's question makes my attempted parody seem politically conciliatory in comparison!
Niko, still fancy standing next to comrades like Dean on the barricades? 'By their friends you shall know them' indeed.
So come on then, let's here your answer to Juteman ?
braco
The trouble with that answer is that Labour may or may not form the next government. And at that the next government is a year and a half away.
DeleteSo, in the meantime those whom this is hitting are building up debts and getting threatening letters form LABOUR councils.
They may be evicted; they will certainly have massive debts and I doubt that anyone will have the power to simply waive them en masse.
As Braco says, let them wait.
Mr Sarwar: I know I made a big fuss about this in front of Ms Sturgeon on the tv, waving pieces of paper in front of her and all (got good headlines), but I've got other things to do this afternoon, so I'm sure the poor won't mind waiting a couple of years, on the off chance that we are elected, have a majority and find ourselves in a situation where we can actually write off the money that thi8s tax brings in...
Well, who else are they going to vote for...the Tories? the Liberals? Nah, they'll definitely keep it.
The SNP? Nah, I cooked Nicola's goose with that outstanding performance with that bit of paper.
Dean... I'm shocked and angry at this betrayal.
yes, it won;t have done the YES side any harm, but just look at the number of people who are worried sick, kids who are having to go without food so that this tax can be paid. Old folk going without heat and your MPs have found better things to do?
Jeeeeez.
Simply speechless at Deans reply.
Delete