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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Northern Ireland Westminster Election 2019 – Review And Insigh

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  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,885

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties in her multimillion-pound portfolio
    Keir Starmer owns a £1.75million house in London and a £600,000 Surrey home


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he send his kids to the local comp one wonders. Amazing how the left enjoy wealth but try to airbrush it out.
    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    Absolutely. My kids are all at London state schools (one secondary, two primary of whom one about to move up). All doing really well, good teachers, nice mates, walk to school, absolutely no complaints, although we have noticed the impact of real terms per pupil funding cuts in recent years.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.
    The improvement in London schools is mostly due to having more hard working ethnic minority kids (like mine). Monocultural areas like Wales have fallen behind.
    The only word for that is ... racist.
    It may be true.. but since when did that matter when saying such things when race is involved? Incredible to think how that would go down if the races were reversed in that statement
  • Options
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Sandpit said:

    felix said:

    Why on earth is Seams Milne still in post? He should be on the plane to Venezuela one way by now.

    Too expensive to sack him?

    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/corbyn-seumas-milne-karie-murphy-permanent-contracts_uk_5df7acc7e4b03aed50f2409f
    LOL. that's funny.

    They've entrenched the Corbynites at the top of the party by giving them staff positions rather than political positions, so £100k Milne and £90k Murphy are going to cost tens of thousands to pay off. They can't be made redundant, because positions are made redundant rather than people (the employment tribunal would be worth watching with popcorn though!).
    Just woken up. The first proper lie in of the Christmas holidays is always the sweetest.

    With Milne, every time I look at the tenth rate posho who calls himself a Communist and has never knowingly told the truth since leaving Winchester, I am irresistibly reminded of that wonderful line in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy:

    ‘As a good Socialist, I’m going where the money is.’
    Lucky you. I woke up at six and couldn’t get back to sleep.
    I think I’m so exhausted after the last term, and particularly the last few weeks where the SLT, for reasons best known to themselves, decided to launch about six vexatious actions against different members of my union all of which I had to expend endless energy dealing with, that I would have slept through the last trump last night.
    The more I hear about other schools, the more I am convinced that I’m not leaving this one until I retire.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095
    edited December 2019



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    I am not saying the balance on govt education spending is right at the moment, I am not an expert and accept I dont know. I am saying that logically the right balance is London gets more per person because their costs are higher. How much more is obviously tricky and its unlikely to ever be "right", it will either be too much or too little at any given point.
    Here are the figures on teacher pay if you would like to look at them. Roughly speaking the salary bill will be about 20% higher in London. But even that of course barely scratches the surface in cost of living disparity.

    https://www.tes.com/sites/default/files/main_teacherpayscale_01b.pdf

    Edit - it is partly balanced by the fact that in my anecdotal experience teachers in London are younger and therefore cheaper than the average.
  • Options
    felixfelix Posts: 15,124

    felix said:

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties in her multimillion-pound portfolio
    Keir Starmer owns a £1.75million house in London and a £600,000 Surrey home


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he send his kids to the local comp one wonders. Amazing how the left enjoy wealth but try to airbrush it out.
    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    Absolutely. My kids are all at London state schools (one secondary, two primary of whom one about to move up). All doing really well, good teachers, nice mates, walk to school, absolutely no complaints, although we have noticed the impact of real terms per pupil funding cuts in recent years.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.

    And most of London - where the schools are excellent.

    While operating under Tory or coalition governments unlike Wales.

    And a Labour government before that. It’s about the demographics more than anything.

    Of course.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,310
    Cyclefree said:

    Jonathan said:

    Worth a read
    https://twitter.com/guardian/status/1207550627334762496?s=21

    The fullest significance of these facts lies in what it says about the reasoning of voters who made that journey. It is common on the left simply to caricature the Tory party and its voters as either bigoted or deluded. Doing this absolves them from ever having to think carefully about what the Tories stand for, or why people vote for them. After a result like last week’s it might be wiser to experiment for a while by treating the Tory party as a rational organisation, and its voters as people making reasoned decisions.

    This is not unique to the left. It is a feature of modern politics and afflicts the right just as much, who could not believe why anyone could vote for Labour under Corbyn.
    Read on...

    It may also follow that it is wrong to place too much weight on the idea that those who swung from Labour to Conservative have merely “lent” their votes to Boris Johnson. Brexit is certainly a top priority for these voters, and Johnson’s early reaction to his victory included a recognition that these votes were conditional. But these swing voters do not seem to be Brexit obsessives to the exclusion of all other issues. They also have some confidence in Johnson himself (at least in comparison to Corbyn) and they think the Tories would run the economy better.

    If that is correct, then these newly won votes could prove to be on permanent loan, and any new Labour leader will have their work cut out to win them back. The Johnson government is focused on these voters. The Queen’s speech and the budget will be aimed at retaining them. Tony Blair predicted yesterday that, after Brexit, Johnson will try to define the Tories on the centre ground. Blair is probably right. Labour, meanwhile, will first have to regain the right to be heard and then have to set out its own measures to regain their trust. In this, precisely because they are the government, all the cards are in the Tories’ hand.
    I am currently reading Dominic Sandbrook’s “Who Dares Wins” about the early 1980’s and there are so many parallels with today - for both parties.
    He is very good, even though he takes a rather Tory slanted view of recent political history.
  • Options
    nunu2nunu2 Posts: 1,453

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties in her multimillion-pound portfolio
    Keir Starmer owns a £1.75million house in London and a £600,000 Surrey home


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he send his kids to the local comp one wonders. Amazing how the left enjoy wealth but try to airbrush it out.
    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    Absolutely. My kids are all at London state schools (one secondary, two primary of whom one about to move up). All doing really well, good teachers, nice mates, walk to school, absolutely no complaints, although we have noticed the impact of real terms per pupil funding cuts in recent years.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.
    The improvement in London schools is mostly due to having more hard working ethnic minority kids (like mine). Monocultural areas like Wales have fallen behind.
    The only word for that is ... racist.
    It's true though.......
  • Options
    felixfelix Posts: 15,124

    felix said:

    felix said:
    from what i read before it was a screen grab from a private message. There are things you say in private that you would never say in public.
    Yup if you're a lying hypocrite.
    Says an anonymous poster on the internet.
    Who is not an MP - nor for that matter a racist.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095
    nunu2 said:

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties in her multimillion-pound portfolio
    Keir Starmer owns a £1.75million house in London and a £600,000 Surrey home


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he send his kids to the local comp one wonders. Amazing how the left enjoy wealth but try to airbrush it out.
    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    Absolutely. My kids are all at London state schools (one secondary, two primary of whom one about to move up). All doing really well, good teachers, nice mates, walk to school, absolutely no complaints, although we have noticed the impact of real terms per pupil funding cuts in recent years.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.
    The improvement in London schools is mostly due to having more hard working ethnic minority kids (like mine). Monocultural areas like Wales have fallen behind.
    The only word for that is ... racist.
    It's true though.......
    Which bit of it? The racist remarks, or the fact that they are clearly racist?
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Sandpit said:

    felix said:

    Why on earth is Seams Milne still in post? He should be on the plane to Venezuela one way by now.

    Too expensive to sack him?

    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/corbyn-seumas-milne-karie-murphy-permanent-contracts_uk_5df7acc7e4b03aed50f2409f
    LOL. that's funny.

    They've entrenched the Corbynites at the top of the party by giving them staff positions rather than political positions, so £100k Milne and £90k Murphy are going to cost tens of thousands to pay off. They can't be made redundant, because positions are made redundant rather than people (the employment tribunal would be worth watching with popcorn though!).
    Just woken up. The first proper lie in of the Christmas holidays is always the sweetest.

    With Milne, every time I look at the tenth rate posho who calls himself a Communist and has never knowingly told the truth since leaving Winchester, I am irresistibly reminded of that wonderful line in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy:

    ‘As a good Socialist, I’m going where the money is.’
    Lucky you. I woke up at six and couldn’t get back to sleep.
    I think I’m so exhausted after the last term, and particularly the last few weeks where the SLT, for reasons best known to themselves, decided to launch about six vexatious actions against different members of my union all of which I had to expend endless energy dealing with, that I would have slept through the last trump last night.
    The more I hear about other schools, the more I am convinced that I’m not leaving this one until I retire.
    Do you need a Head of History by any chance?
  • Options
    Racism is such a rubbish word, our conversations on race are partly so poor because we use one word to describe such a wide myriad of thoughts, communications and actions.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    isam said:



    It may be true.. but since when did that matter when saying such things when race is involved? Incredible to think how that would go down if the races were reversed in that statement

    Agreed. That is my point. OnlyLivingBoy is saying that the Welsh are thick and lazy.

    If we substitute another race for that, we'd be banned from pb.com, with OLB leading the protests.

    SouthamObserver has hinted the same thing, a bit more delicately.

    I really can't wait for Labour to be thrown out of South Wales. They have failed my people over and over again, a million times.
  • Options
    ydoethur said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    I am not saying the balance on govt education spending is right at the moment, I am not an expert and accept I dont know. I am saying that logically the right balance is London gets more per person because their costs are higher. How much more is obviously tricky and its unlikely to ever be "right", it will either be too much or too little at any given point.
    Here are the figures on teacher pay if you would like to look at them. Roughly speaking the salary bill will be about 20% higher in London. But even that of course barely scratches the surface in cost of living disparity.

    https://www.tes.com/sites/default/files/main_teacherpayscale_01b.pdf

    Edit - it is partly balanced by the fact that in my anecdotal experience teachers in London are younger and therefore cheaper than the average.
    And to a first approximation a school’s budget IS the teachers’ pay. It can certainly be north of 75%, leaving not much for maintenance etc.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095

    ydoethur said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    I am not saying the balance on govt education spending is right at the moment, I am not an expert and accept I dont know. I am saying that logically the right balance is London gets more per person because their costs are higher. How much more is obviously tricky and its unlikely to ever be "right", it will either be too much or too little at any given point.
    Here are the figures on teacher pay if you would like to look at them. Roughly speaking the salary bill will be about 20% higher in London. But even that of course barely scratches the surface in cost of living disparity.

    https://www.tes.com/sites/default/files/main_teacherpayscale_01b.pdf

    Edit - it is partly balanced by the fact that in my anecdotal experience teachers in London are younger and therefore cheaper than the average.
    And to a first approximation a school’s budget IS the teachers’ pay. It can certainly be north of 75%, leaving not much for maintenance etc.
    And again, those costs will be much higher in London.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,147
    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    nunu2 said:

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties in her multimillion-pound portfolio
    Keir Starmer owns a £1.75million house in London and a £600,000 Surrey home


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he send his kids to the local comp one wonders. Amazing how the left enjoy wealth but try to airbrush it out.
    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    Absolutely. My kids are all at London state schools (one secondary, two primary of whom one about to move up). All doing really well, good teachers, nice mates, walk to school, absolutely no complaints, although we have noticed the impact of real terms per pupil funding cuts in recent years.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.
    The improvement in London schools is mostly due to having more hard working ethnic minority kids (like mine). Monocultural areas like Wales have fallen behind.
    The only word for that is ... racist.
    It's true though.......
    It is true it is racist.

    I think to believe one race is inherently better or worse than another is the very definition of racism.

    The educational disparity between Wales and England (or Scotland or Northern Ireland) is not down to race.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,885


    isam said:



    It may be true.. but since when did that matter when saying such things when race is involved? Incredible to think how that would go down if the races were reversed in that statement

    Agreed. That is my point. OnlyLivingBoy is saying that the Welsh are thick and lazy.

    If we substitute another race for that, we'd be banned from pb.com, with OLB leading the protests.

    SouthamObserver has hinted the same thing, a bit more delicately.

    I really can't wait for Labour to be thrown out of South Wales. They have failed my people over and over again, a million times.
    Disciples of the man who called everything wrong 2010-2015, aka tim

    "thick white racists leaving London is the reason for improvement in exam results" Literally applauding ethnic cleansing
  • Options
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Sandpit said:

    felix said:

    Why on earth is Seams Milne still in post? He should be on the plane to Venezuela one way by now.

    Too expensive to sack him?

    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/corbyn-seumas-milne-karie-murphy-permanent-contracts_uk_5df7acc7e4b03aed50f2409f
    LOL. that's funny.

    They've entrenched the Corbynites at the top of the party by giving them staff positions rather than political positions, so £100k Milne and £90k Murphy are going to cost tens of thousands to pay off. They can't be made redundant, because positions are made redundant rather than people (the employment tribunal would be worth watching with popcorn though!).
    Just woken up. The first proper lie in of the Christmas holidays is always the sweetest.

    With Milne, every time I look at the tenth rate posho who calls himself a Communist and has never knowingly told the truth since leaving Winchester, I am irresistibly reminded of that wonderful line in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy:

    ‘As a good Socialist, I’m going where the money is.’
    Lucky you. I woke up at six and couldn’t get back to sleep.
    I think I’m so exhausted after the last term, and particularly the last few weeks where the SLT, for reasons best known to themselves, decided to launch about six vexatious actions against different members of my union all of which I had to expend endless energy dealing with, that I would have slept through the last trump last night.
    The more I hear about other schools, the more I am convinced that I’m not leaving this one until I retire.
    Do you need a Head of History by any chance?
    Our current one is quite young, so may have a couple of decades more in him...

    One department is on its fourth HoD since 1914.
  • Options
    ydoethur said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    I am not saying the balance on govt education spending is right at the moment, I am not an expert and accept I dont know. I am saying that logically the right balance is London gets more per person because their costs are higher. How much more is obviously tricky and its unlikely to ever be "right", it will either be too much or too little at any given point.
    Here are the figures on teacher pay if you would like to look at them. Roughly speaking the salary bill will be about 20% higher in London. But even that of course barely scratches the surface in cost of living disparity.

    https://www.tes.com/sites/default/files/main_teacherpayscale_01b.pdf

    Edit - it is partly balanced by the fact that in my anecdotal experience teachers in London are younger and therefore cheaper than the average.
    So Id suggest a fair settlement is 10-15% higher in London than Wales, what are the actual figures?
  • Options
    felix said:

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties i


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he s/blockquote>

    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    Absolutely. My kids are all at London state schools (one secondary, two primary of whom one about to move up). All doing really well, good teachers, nice mates, walk to school, absolutely no complaints, although we have noticed the impact of real terms per pupil funding cuts in recent years.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.
    The improvement in London schools is mostly due to having more hard working ethnic minority kids (like mine). Monocultural areas like Wales have fallen behind.
    Borderline racism
    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,095
    algarkirk said:

    Jonathan said:

    Worth a read. The myth of the Red Wall. It’s actually a bit better for Labour, but also a lot worse ...

    https://thecritic.co.uk/the-myth-of-the-red-wall/

    There was little mention of the red wall before 2019. Curious that.
    There wasn't much mention of Laura Pidcock losing her seat before 2019 either. Curiouser and curiouser.

    There was no mention of CON GAIN LEIGH. Odd, that.....
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Sandpit said:

    felix said:

    Why on earth is Seams Milne still in post? He should be on the plane to Venezuela one way by now.

    Too expensive to sack him?

    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/corbyn-seumas-milne-karie-murphy-permanent-contracts_uk_5df7acc7e4b03aed50f2409f
    LOL. that's funny.

    They've entrenched the Corbynites at the top of the party by giving them staff positions rather than political positions, so £100k Milne and £90k Murphy are going to cost tens of thousands to pay off. They can't be made redundant, because positions are made redundant rather than people (the employment tribunal would be worth watching with popcorn though!).
    Just woken up. The first proper lie in of the Christmas holidays is always the sweetest.

    With Milne, every time I look at the tenth rate posho who calls himself a Communist and has never knowingly told the truth since leaving Winchester, I am irresistibly reminded of that wonderful line in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy:

    ‘As a good Socialist, I’m going where the money is.’
    Lucky you. I woke up at six and couldn’t get back to sleep.
    I think I’m so exhausted after the last term, and particularly the last few weeks where the SLT, for reasons best known to themselves, decided to launch about six vexatious actions against different members of my union all of which I had to expend endless energy dealing with, that I would have slept through the last trump last night.
    The more I hear about other schools, the more I am convinced that I’m not leaving this one until I retire.
    Do you need a Head of History by any chance?
    Our current one is quite young, so may have a couple of decades more in him...

    One department is on its fourth HoD since 1914.
    Wow...we have three full time teachers who have been here more than ten years. It was four, but one has just left.
  • Options
    eek said:

    Sturgeon gives the game away - she knows full well there's not going to be another Indyref in the next few years but hopes to build a grudge sufficient for the SNP to win a future referendum next generation once the Tories lose their majority in the UK.

    No - she wants to be able to pin the blame on all the Scottish Governments failings on something other than the Government's Leadership.

    An independence referendum is perfect - she can blame the UK government for lack of money and use it to deflect attention as soon as questions are asked about anything the Scottish Government is responsible for (Police, Schools, NHS).
    An independence referendum being denied is perfect. She can blame the UK government for lack of money and lack of a referendum and use it deflect attention.

    If Sturgeon actually had and lost another referendum then she'd no longer be able to bang on about having a referendum anymore and would be required to talk about Police, Schools, NHS instead. Having a neverendum just over the horizon being blocked by the evil Tories is absolutely perfect.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095
    edited December 2019

    ydoethur said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    I am not saying the balance on govt education spending is right at the moment, I am not an expert and accept I dont know. I am saying that logically the right balance is London gets more per person because their costs are higher. How much more is obviously tricky and its unlikely to ever be "right", it will either be too much or too little at any given point.
    Here are the figures on teacher pay if you would like to look at them. Roughly speaking the salary bill will be about 20% higher in London. But even that of course barely scratches the surface in cost of living disparity.

    https://www.tes.com/sites/default/files/main_teacherpayscale_01b.pdf

    Edit - it is partly balanced by the fact that in my anecdotal experience teachers in London are younger and therefore cheaper than the average.
    So Id suggest a fair settlement is 10-15% higher in London than Wales, what are the actual figures?
    Just over 16%

    https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01078
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,885
    edited December 2019
    @OnlyLivingBoy said:


    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.


    Why put "race" in quotation marks? It was you that compared "ethnic" minorities with Welsh "monoculture"
  • Options
    isam said:


    isam said:



    It may be true.. but since when did that matter when saying such things when race is involved? Incredible to think how that would go down if the races were reversed in that statement

    Agreed. That is my point. OnlyLivingBoy is saying that the Welsh are thick and lazy.

    If we substitute another race for that, we'd be banned from pb.com, with OLB leading the protests.

    SouthamObserver has hinted the same thing, a bit more delicately.

    I really can't wait for Labour to be thrown out of South Wales. They have failed my people over and over again, a million times.
    Disciples of the man who called everything wrong 2010-2015, aka tim

    "thick white racists leaving London is the reason for improvement in exam results" Literally applauding ethnic cleansing
    I wonder why locals leaving London and being replaced by immigrants which has happened on an ongoing basis for many centuries is missing from the list of ethnic cleansing like the Rohynga, Rakhine, Assyrians, Kosovans? Perhaps you could ask for it to be added?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_cleansing_campaigns
  • Options
    Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,976
    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
  • Options
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    I am not saying the balance on govt education spending is right at the moment, I am not an expert and accept I dont know. I am saying that logically the right balance is London gets more per person because their costs are higher. How much more is obviously tricky and its unlikely to ever be "right", it will either be too much or too little at any given point.
    Here are the figures on teacher pay if you would like to look at them. Roughly speaking the salary bill will be about 20% higher in London. But even that of course barely scratches the surface in cost of living disparity.

    https://www.tes.com/sites/default/files/main_teacherpayscale_01b.pdf

    Edit - it is partly balanced by the fact that in my anecdotal experience teachers in London are younger and therefore cheaper than the average.
    So Id suggest a fair settlement is 10-15% higher in London than Wales, what are the actual figures?
    Just over 16%

    https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01078
    So a tad too high, easy enough to fix.
  • Options
    isam said:

    felix said:

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties i


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he s/blockquote>

    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    s.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.
    The improvement in London schools is mostly due to having more hard working ethnic minority kids (like mine). Monocultural areas like Wales have fallen behind.
    Borderline racism
    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.
    Why put "race" in quotation marks? It was you that compared "ethnic" minorities with Welsh "monoculture"
    "Race" is a social construct.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,095

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Sandpit said:

    felix said:

    Why on earth is Seams Milne still in post? He should be on the plane to Venezuela one way by now.

    Too expensive to sack him?

    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/corbyn-seumas-milne-karie-murphy-permanent-contracts_uk_5df7acc7e4b03aed50f2409f
    LOL. that's funny.

    They've entrenched the Corbynites at the top of the party by giving them staff positions rather than political positions, so £100k Milne and £90k Murphy are going to cost tens of thousands to pay off. They can't be made redundant, because positions are made redundant rather than people (the employment tribunal would be worth watching with popcorn though!).
    Just woken up. The first proper lie in of the Christmas holidays is always the sweetest.

    With Milne, every time I look at the tenth rate posho who calls himself a Communist and has never knowingly told the truth since leaving Winchester, I am irresistibly reminded of that wonderful line in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy:

    ‘As a good Socialist, I’m going where the money is.’
    Lucky you. I woke up at six and couldn’t get back to sleep.
    I think I’m so exhausted after the last term, and particularly the last few weeks where the SLT, for reasons best known to themselves, decided to launch about six vexatious actions against different members of my union all of which I had to expend endless energy dealing with, that I would have slept through the last trump last night.
    The more I hear about other schools, the more I am convinced that I’m not leaving this one until I retire.
    Do you need a Head of History by any chance?
    Our current one is quite young, so may have a couple of decades more in him...

    One department is on its fourth HoD since 1914.
    And two of those were killed in the Great War!
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095
    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    Worried the Yorkshire Terrier might come back to bite you, Dura Ace? :smile:
  • Options
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Sandpit said:

    felix said:

    Why on earth is Seams Milne still in post? He should be on the plane to Venezuela one way by now.

    Too expensive to sack him?

    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/corbyn-seumas-milne-karie-murphy-permanent-contracts_uk_5df7acc7e4b03aed50f2409f
    LOL. that's funny.

    They've entrenched the Corbynites at the top of the party by giving them staff positions rather than political positions, so £100k Milne and £90k Murphy are going to cost tens of thousands to pay off. They can't be made redundant, because positions are made redundant rather than people (the employment tribunal would be worth watching with popcorn though!).
    Just woken up. The first proper lie in of the Christmas holidays is always the sweetest.

    With Milne, every time I look at the tenth rate posho who calls himself a Communist and has never knowingly told the truth since leaving Winchester, I am irresistibly reminded of that wonderful line in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy:

    ‘As a good Socialist, I’m going where the money is.’
    Lucky you. I woke up at six and couldn’t get back to sleep.
    I think I’m so exhausted after the last term, and particularly the last few weeks where the SLT, for reasons best known to themselves, decided to launch about six vexatious actions against different members of my union all of which I had to expend endless energy dealing with, that I would have slept through the last trump last night.
    The more I hear about other schools, the more I am convinced that I’m not leaving this one until I retire.
    Do you need a Head of History by any chance?
    Our current one is quite young, so may have a couple of decades more in him...

    One department is on its fourth HoD since 1914.
    Wow...we have three full time teachers who have been here more than ten years. It was four, but one has just left.
    There are half a dozen staff who have been here longer than me. I joined when Major was Prime Minister.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,885

    isam said:


    isam said:



    It may be true.. but since when did that matter when saying such things when race is involved? Incredible to think how that would go down if the races were reversed in that statement

    Agreed. That is my point. OnlyLivingBoy is saying that the Welsh are thick and lazy.

    If we substitute another race for that, we'd be banned from pb.com, with OLB leading the protests.

    SouthamObserver has hinted the same thing, a bit more delicately.

    I really can't wait for Labour to be thrown out of South Wales. They have failed my people over and over again, a million times.
    Disciples of the man who called everything wrong 2010-2015, aka tim

    "thick white racists leaving London is the reason for improvement in exam results" Literally applauding ethnic cleansing
    I wonder why locals leaving London and being replaced by immigrants which has happened on an ongoing basis for many centuries is missing from the list of ethnic cleansing like the Rohynga, Rakhine, Assyrians, Kosovans? Perhaps you could ask for it to be added?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_cleansing_campaigns
    All yours
  • Options

    algarkirk said:

    Jonathan said:

    Worth a read. The myth of the Red Wall. It’s actually a bit better for Labour, but also a lot worse ...

    https://thecritic.co.uk/the-myth-of-the-red-wall/

    There was little mention of the red wall before 2019. Curious that.
    There wasn't much mention of Laura Pidcock losing her seat before 2019 either. Curiouser and curiouser.

    There was no mention of CON GAIN LEIGH. Odd, that.....
    Yougov's MRP this time wasn't that great but they called that one much to my own personal scepticism and got that right [first MRP, like in 2017 the original MRP was better than the second MRP of the campaign].
  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    edited December 2019



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    The University of Wales has offices in London......perhaps start with those!
    God knows why -- where is it, I could not find it mentioned on their website.

    But, the process I have mentioned is taking place in Leiden or Munich. Historic universities are selling prime real estate in the centre and moving out to Oegstgeest or Garching.

    It is beyond-stupid to have a University on the Strand or in Kensington.
    Unless the undergraduates and staff would rather be in London than Dunny on the Wold for cultural, lifestyle, transport and not-dying-of-boredom reasons. Which they would.
  • Options
    felixfelix Posts: 15,124

    felix said:

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    Absolutely. My kids are all at London state schools (one secondary, two primary of whom one about to move up). All doing really well, good teachers, nice mates, walk to school, absolutely no complaints, although we have noticed the impact of real terms per pupil funding cuts in recent years.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.
    The improvement in London schools is mostly due to having more hard working ethnic minority kids (like mine). Monocultural areas like Wales have fallen behind.
    Borderline racism
    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.
    My word - the lack of self-awareness is something to behold.
  • Options
    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,905
    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    The policy is that mates of Johnny Mercer shouldn't be prosecuted.
    It's admirably clear.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    IshmaelZ said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    The University of Wales has offices in London......perhaps start with those!
    God knows why -- where is it, I could not find it mentioned on their website.

    But, the process I have mentioned is taking place in Leiden or Munich. Historic universities are selling prime real estate in the centre and moving out to Oegstgeest or Garching.

    It is beyond-stupid to have a University on the Strand or in Kensington.
    Unless the undergraduates and staff would rather be in London than Dunny on the Wold for cultural, lifestyle, transport and not-dying-of-boredom reasons. Which they would.
    I am not suggesting closing all the Universities in London, just pointing out the idiocy of having them in Kensington or the Strand.

    Princeton is a tiny "Dunny on the Wold" town. It is one one the most desirable places in the world for students.
  • Options


    isam said:



    It may be true.. but since when did that matter when saying such things when race is involved? Incredible to think how that would go down if the races were reversed in that statement

    Agreed. That is my point. OnlyLivingBoy is saying that the Welsh are thick and lazy.

    If we substitute another race for that, we'd be banned from pb.com, with OLB leading the protests.

    SouthamObserver has hinted the same thing, a bit more delicately.

    I really can't wait for Labour to be thrown out of South Wales. They have failed my people over and over again, a million times.
    I'm really not. You could say the same thing about Scotland (I am Scottish).
    You can choose to engage with the empirical research or not, I don't really care. The facts are the facts: minority kids out perform white kids at school, especially poor ethnic minority kids Vs poor white kids. That is just a fact. And that fact explains all of the out-performance of London schools.
    It has nothing to do with innate intelligent, which I believe is distributed similarly across the human population. It is simply about parental expectations. Nothing would improve this country more, and make me happier, than if we could raise expectations for white working class kids, believe me.
  • Options

    IshmaelZ said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    The University of Wales has offices in London......perhaps start with those!
    God knows why -- where is it, I could not find it mentioned on their website.

    But, the process I have mentioned is taking place in Leiden or Munich. Historic universities are selling prime real estate in the centre and moving out to Oegstgeest or Garching.

    It is beyond-stupid to have a University on the Strand or in Kensington.
    Unless the undergraduates and staff would rather be in London than Dunny on the Wold for cultural, lifestyle, transport and not-dying-of-boredom reasons. Which they would.
    I am not suggesting closing all the Universities in London, just pointing out the idiocy of having them in Kensington or the Strand.

    Princeton is a tiny "Dunny on the Wold" town. It is one one the most desirable places in the world for students.
    Likewise Cambridge is not much more than the university. St Andrew’s is possibly an even more extreme example unless you like golf.
  • Options
    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    edited December 2019
    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    I am not a lawyer so may not have this correct but from what I understand there has been a spike of vexatious cases on historical civil and other non-CPS actions being done using the Human Rights Act as a trigger and the only practical change proposed is that the Human Rights Act will still stand but will be amended so that it applies to cases from when the law was introduced onwards and not historic cases. Which is the standard for most laws that they aren't introduced backdated to apply prior to when the law was passed.

    That will still leave room for the CPS to take an action it deems appropriate and will also permit cases being taken to the European Court of Human Rights just as could have been done before the HRA was passed. However it will be a higher bar then requiring the CPS (as you said) to approve an action rather than vexatious civil and other cases using a law passed after the actions had occured.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,147
    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    No idea. No-one should be exempt from prosecution for murder if the evidence is there, no matter how long ago it was. It is an utterly retrograde and illiberal step. Practically it will likely lead to civil cases being brought, like the one against the Hyde Park bomber, in which judgment was given yesterday.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,095
    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    Surely it can't be right that somebody could have a prosection for the theft of a tuk-tuk hanging over them for decades?
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,310

    Nigelb said:

    isam said:

    This'll change to the Arctic Monkeys if he becomes leader!

    "His favourite music? “Beethoven piano sonatas.” He pauses, “actually all things Beethoven.” And his favourite musician? “Barenboim.”"...

    A politically savvy, if musically somewhat boringly conventional choice.
    They still have stand-up fist-fights in northern working men's clubs between supporters of Barenboim on the one side and Ashkenazy on the other.....
    :smile:
    I was thinking more of Barenboim's stance on the Israel/Palestine question.

    And in any event, I'm more of a Kempff / Perahia guy myself.
  • Options
    Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,976
    ydoethur said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    Worried the Yorkshire Terrier might come back to bite you, Dura Ace? :smile:
    Operations in Polish brothels are outwith the provisions of all four Geneva Conventions and the three additional protocols.

    Besides, the Polish dollymops had deployed choking clouds of fag smoke as an obscurant and I only thought that the tangled heap of matted hair was a Yorkshire Terrier. To this day, I wish it were so.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,095
    Nigelb said:

    Nigelb said:

    isam said:

    This'll change to the Arctic Monkeys if he becomes leader!

    "His favourite music? “Beethoven piano sonatas.” He pauses, “actually all things Beethoven.” And his favourite musician? “Barenboim.”"...

    A politically savvy, if musically somewhat boringly conventional choice.
    They still have stand-up fist-fights in northern working men's clubs between supporters of Barenboim on the one side and Ashkenazy on the other.....
    :smile:
    I was thinking more of Barenboim's stance on the Israel/Palestine question.

    And in any event, I'm more of a Kempff / Perahia guy myself.
    Splitter!
  • Options
    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,914
    edited December 2019

    felix said:

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties in her multimillion-pound portfolio
    Keir Starmer owns a £1.75million house in London and a £600,000 Surrey home


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he send his kids to the local comp one wonders. Amazing how the left enjoy wealth but try to airbrush it out.
    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    Absolutely. years.
    You're lucky you are not in place where Labour have been in charge of the educational system for twenty years.

    Like Wales.

    And most of London - where the schools are excellent.

    While operating under Tory or coalition governments unlike Wales.

    And a Labour government before that. It’s about the demographics more than anything.

    Do please expand your thoughts.

    Why do you think the Welsh education is so unsuccessful?

    You have hinted something, let's hear it spelled out.

    I have no idea about Welsh education. I know about London education. And London benefits from its demographics. Whether we like it or not, a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London. It is not about ethnicity. If you put Welsh kids into the London system I am sure they would do very well. But I am not sure you could replicate the London system in Wales.

  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172



    Nothing would improve this country more, and make me happier, than if we could raise expectations for white working class kids, believe me.

    I don't believe you (or more accurately, your party).

    Because the Labour party have had just that opportunity in Wales, where they control education and have controlled it for 20 years. They show no signs of being interested in raising expectations for Welsh kids.

    And that was my remark that you originally contested, which provoked this debate.
  • Options
    Cyclefree said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    No idea. No-one should be exempt from prosecution for murder if the evidence is there, no matter how long ago it was. It is an utterly retrograde and illiberal step. Practically it will likely lead to civil cases being brought, like the one against the Hyde Park bomber, in which judgment was given yesterday.
    I don't believe the proposal is exemption for prosecution for murder if the evidence is there. AFAIK if there is evidence to convince the CPS then the CPS will still have the power to take actions - despite the fact that it can't take actions against the Hyde Park bomber as you mentioned. It is bizarre that soldiers can be prosecuted but terrorists can't but as far as I understand that's not the proposal.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,147



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.
    Please do not assume that all Londoners think this. You are making exactly the same sort of broad brush accusation that you are accusing them of.
  • Options
    JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901

    IshmaelZ said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    The University of Wales has offices in London......perhaps start with those!
    God knows why -- where is it, I could not find it mentioned on their website.

    But, the process I have mentioned is taking place in Leiden or Munich. Historic universities are selling prime real estate in the centre and moving out to Oegstgeest or Garching.

    It is beyond-stupid to have a University on the Strand or in Kensington.
    Unless the undergraduates and staff would rather be in London than Dunny on the Wold for cultural, lifestyle, transport and not-dying-of-boredom reasons. Which they would.
    I am not suggesting closing all the Universities in London, just pointing out the idiocy of having them in Kensington or the Strand.

    It’s not for everyone, but being in the heart of the city and part of Albertopolis was certainly core part of the attraction of Imperial.
  • Options



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.

    You were blaming a Labour government in Wales when it seems from your own posts the issues are a little more complex than that.

  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172



    I have no idea about Welsh education. I know about London education. And London benefits from its demographics. Whether we like it or not, a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London. It is not about ethnicity. If you put Welsh kids into the London system I am sure they would do very well. But I am not sure you could replicate the London system in Wales.

    Welsh education is unsuccessful not just in comparison to London.

    It is unsuccessful in comparison to Scotland. And to Northern Ireland.

    So, let's try the question again.

    Why do you think Welsh education is so unsuccessful?
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,578
    Mr Herdson is so polite. Others might be tempted to say that Ms Webbe is a total f***wit.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 24,928



    I have no idea about Welsh education. I know about London education. And London benefits from its demographics. Whether we like it or not, a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London. It is not about ethnicity. If you put Welsh kids into the London system I am sure they would do very well. But I am not sure you could replicate the London system in Wales.

    Welsh education is unsuccessful not just in comparison to London.

    It is unsuccessful in comparison to Scotland. And to Northern Ireland.

    So, let's try the question again.

    Why do you think Welsh education is so unsuccessful?
    Expectations..
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095
    edited December 2019
    Thinking about education spending in Wales, one issue is of course critical mass. In the middle and north, you have areas with very low population densities. As a result, you have widely scattered schools that are both small (and therefore cannot benefit from economies of scale) and expensive to get children into. I think I’m right in saying that in old Merioneth there are five secondary schools - in Dolgellau, Bala, Harlech, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Tywyn. None of them have more than about 400 pupils, many of which will travel in by train or even taxi. In London that would be one school and everyone would live within walking distance.

    So I’m not totally convinced London needs a premium...
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,147

    Cyclefree said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    No idea. No-one should be exempt from prosecution for murder if the evidence is there, no matter how long ago it was. It is an utterly retrograde and illiberal step. Practically it will likely lead to civil cases being brought, like the one against the Hyde Park bomber, in which judgment was given yesterday.
    I don't believe the proposal is exemption for prosecution for murder if the evidence is there. AFAIK if there is evidence to convince the CPS then the CPS will still have the power to take actions - despite the fact that it can't take actions against the Hyde Park bomber as you mentioned. It is bizarre that soldiers can be prosecuted but terrorists can't but as far as I understand that's not the proposal.
    What is the proposal then? The CPS already has the power to stop a prosecution or not take it if it does not pass the public interest test. So what else is needed?
  • Options
    Was this the Brexit-madness-voices-in-his-head talking to him about Starmer, or just pure bullshit?

    https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/1207186682379931648?s=20
  • Options
    Cyclefree said:

    What is the proposal then? The CPS already has the power to stop a prosecution or not take it if it does not pass the public interest test. So what else is needed?

    I'm guessing you missed this reply. This is my lay understanding of the proposals. Lawyers or experts can probably give a better explanation.

    I am not a lawyer so may not have this correct but from what I understand there has been a spike of vexatious cases on historical civil and other non-CPS actions being done using the Human Rights Act as a trigger and the only practical change proposed is that the Human Rights Act will still stand but will be amended so that it applies to cases from when the law was introduced onwards and not historic cases. Which is the standard for most laws that they aren't introduced backdated to apply prior to when the law was passed.

    That will still leave room for the CPS to take an action it deems appropriate and will also permit cases being taken to the European Court of Human Rights just as could have been done before the HRA was passed. However it will be a higher bar then requiring the CPS (as you said) to approve an action rather than vexatious civil and other cases using a law passed after the actions had occured.

  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,885
    .

    felix said:

    FPT

    Does anyone know how Keir Starmer became a multi millionaire (if indeed he is)

    Keir Starmer QC?

    No, no idea (in fairness some of that may be in property assets).

    Labour is accused of 'vile hypocrisy' for tax raid on buy-to-let landlords despite a quarter of their front bench owning second homes
    Emily Thornberry owns three properties in her multimillion-pound portfolio
    Keir Starmer owns a £1.75million house in London and a £600,000 Surrey home


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7465599/Labour-accused-hypocrisy-raid-landlords-despite-quarter-bench-owning-second-homes.html

    And his Wiki entry has just been edited to remove "multi millionaire".

    Carried out from an IP address in Northwest London:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/18/sir-keir-starmers-wikipedia-page-edited-ahead-expected-labour/
    Thanks

    Does he send his kids to the local comp one wonders. Amazing how the left enjoy wealth but try to airbrush it out.
    State primary

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/856434684896710656?s=20

    Married 2007, 2 kids - so I guess they may be coming up to secondary education shortly...

    Yep - and they’ll go to the local state schools. Why wouldn’t they? London schools are excellent. There’s no reason to go private.

    .

    And most of London - where the schools are excellent.

    While operating under Tory or coalition governments unlike Wales.

    And a Labour government before that. It’s about the demographics more than anything.

    Do please expand your thoughts.

    Why do you think the Welsh education is so unsuccessful?

    You have hinted something, let's hear it spelled out.

    I have no idea about Welsh education. I know about London education. And London benefits from its demographics. Whether we like it or not, a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London. It is not about ethnicity. If you put Welsh kids into the London system I am sure they would do very well. But I am not sure you could replicate the London system in Wales.

    So it's not the schools that are excellent, it's the children that attend them?
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,834
    Cyclefree said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    No idea. No-one should be exempt from prosecution for murder if the evidence is there, no matter how long ago it was. It is an utterly retrograde and illiberal step. Practically it will likely lead to civil cases being brought, like the one against the Hyde Park bomber, in which judgment was given yesterday.
    AIUI it was the activities of Phil Shiner which has led to this being an issue.
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/feb/02/iraq-human-rights-lawyer-phil-shiner-disqualified-for-professional-misconduct
    Soldiers were being investigated several times consecutively for the same offence, on the basis that there was 'new' evidence, decades after the fact.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095



    I have no idea about Welsh education. I know about London education. And London benefits from its demographics. Whether we like it or not, a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London. It is not about ethnicity. If you put Welsh kids into the London system I am sure they would do very well. But I am not sure you could replicate the London system in Wales.

    Welsh education is unsuccessful not just in comparison to London.

    It is unsuccessful in comparison to Scotland. And to Northern Ireland.

    So, let's try the question again.

    Why do you think Welsh education is so unsuccessful?
    It is interesting though that Scotland spends more per pupil on education even than London, and yet now gets worse results than England.

    Of course, again, Scotland has areas where providing education is difficult and expensive. I think I’m right in saying several schools in the Highlands do weekly boarding. Well, that isn’t cheap.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.

    You were blaming a Labour government in Wales when it seems from your own posts the issues are a little more complex than that.

    I think London has many advantages, both culturally and financially.

    Welsh education is failing whether compared to Ireland (RoI or NI), Scotland and England.

    I think there is a reason. It is shown by the Labour party supporters on this board.

    No-one in Labour is remotely interested in Wales, as long as it provides pliant MPs for Westminster.
  • Options



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.
    Here you go, knock yourself out:

    http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cmpo/publications/papers/2014/wp333.pdf

    I really don't believe non Londoners are thick and stupid. I'm not from London - I'm not even English! If you continue to abuse me simply for pointing out facts and ascribe to me opinions that I simply don't hold and have certainly not expressed here then I may well come to the conclusion that you personally are thick and stupid.
  • Options



    I have no idea about Welsh education. I know about London education. And London benefits from its demographics. Whether we like it or not, a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London. It is not about ethnicity. If you put Welsh kids into the London system I am sure they would do very well. But I am not sure you could replicate the London system in Wales.

    Welsh education is unsuccessful not just in comparison to London.

    It is unsuccessful in comparison to Scotland. And to Northern Ireland.

    So, let's try the question again.

    Why do you think Welsh education is so unsuccessful?

    I genuinely have no idea. But you seem to be alluding to issues around funding and transportation as being pretty important. I suspect it may also be pretty difficult to attract top class teachers if those are issues.

  • Options
    Re Welsh education: does the requirement that all pupils learn Welsh help or hinder them?
  • Options
    Sandpit said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    No idea. No-one should be exempt from prosecution for murder if the evidence is there, no matter how long ago it was. It is an utterly retrograde and illiberal step. Practically it will likely lead to civil cases being brought, like the one against the Hyde Park bomber, in which judgment was given yesterday.
    AIUI it was the activities of Phil Shiner which has led to this being an issue.
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/feb/02/iraq-human-rights-lawyer-phil-shiner-disqualified-for-professional-misconduct
    Soldiers were being investigated several times consecutively for the same offence, on the basis that there was 'new' evidence, decades after the fact.
    Indeed and Shiner etc [and vexatious campaigners like him] is not representative of the CPS.

    The CPS and Police will have all the powers they've always had.
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    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172

    Re Welsh education: does the requirement that all pupils learn Welsh help or hinder them?

    You can compare Wales to RoI (where there is a requirement to learn Irish).

    Wales is doing far worse than the RoI.
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095

    Was this the Brexit-madness-voices-in-his-head talking to him about Starmer, or just pure bullshit?

    https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/1207186682379931648?s=20

    We have evidence in recent threads that ladies of taste and discretion disagree with Adenoids’ suggestion that Starmer is fit...
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    Why does she separate manifesto and policies?
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,310
    IshmaelZ said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    The University of Wales has offices in London......perhaps start with those!
    God knows why -- where is it, I could not find it mentioned on their website.

    But, the process I have mentioned is taking place in Leiden or Munich. Historic universities are selling prime real estate in the centre and moving out to Oegstgeest or Garching.

    It is beyond-stupid to have a University on the Strand or in Kensington.
    Unless the undergraduates and staff would rather be in London than Dunny on the Wold for cultural, lifestyle, transport and not-dying-of-boredom reasons. Which they would.
    Actually Imperial has already started selling bits of its central London real estate (notably student accommodation) and building a satellite campus.

    The likelihood of its ever moving to (say) Leeds is... slim.
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    Cyclefree said:



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.
    Please do not assume that all Londoners think this. You are making exactly the same sort of broad brush accusation that you are accusing them of.
    The stereotyping of different groups whether metropolitan elite, gammon, etc has certainly accelerated quickly in the last five years. It is divisive and will make life worse for all.
  • Options
    PhilPhil Posts: 1,928
    Why am I seeing a BitCoin scam advert at the top of the PoliticalBetting webpages? It seems to be served from a PB aws S3 bucket: http://politicalbetting.s3.amazonaws.com/header.jpg

    (Needless to say, if you do own BTC, don’t send anything to that address; you’re not getting anything back :) )
  • Options



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.

    You were blaming a Labour government in Wales when it seems from your own posts the issues are a little more complex than that.

    I think London has many advantages, both culturally and financially.

    Welsh education is failing whether compared to Ireland (RoI or NI), Scotland and England.

    I think there is a reason. It is shown by the Labour party supporters on this board.

    No-one in Labour is remotely interested in Wales, as long as it provides pliant MPs for Westminster.

    So are you saying that the Welsh are too thick not to vote Labour?

  • Options
    squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,325



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.

    You were blaming a Labour government in Wales when it seems from your own posts the issues are a little more complex than that.

    I think London has many advantages, both culturally and financially.

    Welsh education is failing whether compared to Ireland (RoI or NI), Scotland and England.

    I think there is a reason. It is shown by the Labour party supporters on this board.

    No-one in Labour is remotely interested in Wales, as long as it provides pliant MPs for Westminster.
    Lomdin schools arr that great iirc that they are installing knife detectors in all schools because of knofe crime.
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    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    edited December 2019



    If you continue to abuse me simply for pointing out facts and ascribe to me opinions that I simply don't hold and have certainly not expressed here then I may well come to the conclusion that you personally are thick and stupid.

    I don't live in London, so I would expect you to believe I was thick and stupid.
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    Was this the Brexit-madness-voices-in-his-head talking to him about Starmer, or just pure bullshit?

    https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/1207186682379931648?s=20

    I suspect "who expressed a view" is doing a lot o heavy lifting....
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    Why does she separate manifesto and policies?
    The WASPI bribe? That policy wasn't in the manifesto.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,310
    Sandpit said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    Is it just service personnel who served in the 6 counties who are getting a free pass or are we all off the hook?
    No idea. No-one should be exempt from prosecution for murder if the evidence is there, no matter how long ago it was. It is an utterly retrograde and illiberal step. Practically it will likely lead to civil cases being brought, like the one against the Hyde Park bomber, in which judgment was given yesterday.
    AIUI it was the activities of Phil Shiner which has led to this being an issue.
    https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/feb/02/iraq-human-rights-lawyer-phil-shiner-disqualified-for-professional-misconduct
    Soldiers were being investigated several times consecutively for the same offence, on the basis that there was 'new' evidence, decades after the fact.
    I don't think there is any argument about its being an issue. What is in question is the detail of how that issue is likely to be addressed.
  • Options

    Was this the Brexit-madness-voices-in-his-head talking to him about Starmer, or just pure bullshit?

    https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/1207186682379931648?s=20

    I suspect "who expressed a view" is doing a lot o heavy lifting....
    Also "many without prompting" is an odd turn of phrase. Implies that many (likely most) were doing so after prompting which if he was prompting Starmer as an alternative would of course warp the doorstep conversations.
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    Why does she separate manifesto and policies?
    The WASPI bribe? That policy wasn't in the manifesto.
    She doesn't really believe that was popular though, does she?
  • Options
    Mr Teacher, Are you having a laugh? Have you been to Cambridge? Cambridge has one of the most vibrant expanding economies in the country with a massive concentration of entrepreneurs and companies large and small. The university may originally have been the catalyst for this, but to say Cambridge is little more than the university is really very silly.
  • Options
    AnorakAnorak Posts: 6,621
    edited December 2019
    Richard Burgon, Diane Abbott = Cambridge
    Margaret Thatcher, David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Tony Blair = Oxford

    Why is this even a question any more?
  • Options
    Nigelb said:

    IshmaelZ said:



    Realistically is it possible to provide a national level education service without a gap in funding favouring London given teachers are the biggest cost and living costs are significantly higher in London?

    In terms of fairness Londoners dont expect every region should pay the same levels of tax, those with more pay more. In return why shouldnt those with higher costs beyond their control receive more?

    I think you have to address the huge disparity in outcomes. E.g., the single biggest bias in entrance to Oxbridge is not based on gender or race. It is based on geography. 45 per cent of all Oxbridge entrants come from London & the South East.

    Or look at the PISA statistics. Wales is falling, falling, falling. The worst place in the UK.

    London grabs way too much of the national resources -- if living costs in London are too high, then the proper conclusion is not London must grab more but to relocate organisations out of London.

    E.g., there is no reason for Imperial College to be in London. They could sell their prime real estate and relocate. They would make a profit. The professors would find their academic salaries go further, it would be cheaper for the students.

    If you want to save this rickety, falling-to-bits country, there has to be a truly massive relocation of institutions and resources OUT of London.
    The University of Wales has offices in London......perhaps start with those!
    God knows why -- where is it, I could not find it mentioned on their website.

    But, the process I have mentioned is taking place in Leiden or Munich. Historic universities are selling prime real estate in the centre and moving out to Oegstgeest or Garching.

    It is beyond-stupid to have a University on the Strand or in Kensington.
    Unless the undergraduates and staff would rather be in London than Dunny on the Wold for cultural, lifestyle, transport and not-dying-of-boredom reasons. Which they would.
    Actually Imperial has already started selling bits of its central London real estate (notably student accommodation) and building a satellite campus.

    The likelihood of its ever moving to (say) Leeds is... slim.
    I was somewhat surprised to find a campus of Coventry University in Scarborough
  • Options



    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.

    I don't believe that everyone outside London is thick and stupid.

    The provincials, do, however, have a colossal sense of entitlement, believing that they can impose their backward-looking prejudices on those who pay for their lifestyles.
  • Options



    If you continue to abuse me simply for pointing out facts and ascribe to me opinions that I simply don't hold and have certainly not expressed here then I may well come to the conclusion that you personally are thick and stupid.

    I don't live in London, so I would expect you to believe I was thick and stupid.
    The only reason I have to believe you are thick and stupid is that you keep saying things that point in that direction. I am not from London myself, I have never thought nor expressed on here that people who live outside London are any worse in any way than people who live inside London.
    I do think it's interesting that people in London are obviously being lined up as the new right wing scapegoat now that the EU is out of the frame. I had worried it was going to be brown people so I suppose I should be thankful for small mercies.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,310
    ydoethur said:

    Was this the Brexit-madness-voices-in-his-head talking to him about Starmer, or just pure bullshit?

    https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/1207186682379931648?s=20

    We have evidence in recent threads that ladies of taste and discretion disagree with Adenoids’ suggestion that Starmer is fit...
    The portion of the electorate possessing both taste and discretion is, however, quite slender.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172



    No it's a factual statement based on empirical research. It's got nothing to do with "race", it's simply that people with a recent immigrant background tend to have a more constructive attitude towards education than the native population. You can clearly see that in London schools. It's important to understand why London schools are out-performing, because if it is something to do with how they are run then that can be replicated elsewhere, but if it's simply different demographics then there's less that other areas can do to improve by copying London. Unfortunately the evidence suggests it's mostly the latter.

    Please provide some links to the research.

    I think this is lazy and wicked thinking.

    There are huge cultural advantages to living in London. For example, all the national museums and galleries are free. There is an enormous benefit in having that resources on your doorstep to stimulate a young mind.

    There are outreach and science festivals that occur at all the Universities. London has one of the highest densities of Universities in the world. It is very difficult to access that level scientific stimulation if you are living in a remote area in Wales or Scotland or even parts of the North of England.

    Compare that to a child living in some remote Welsh valley with poor transport links.

    I am not surprised Brexit happened. Londoners really do believe everyone outside London is thick and stupid. I thought it was just the reprehensible Meeks, but the virus is widespread.
    Here you go, knock yourself out:

    http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cmpo/publications/papers/2014/wp333.pdf

    The paper does not appear to have undergone peer review and been published in recognised journal.

    Please can you supply the journal reference.
  • Options



    I have no idea about Welsh education. I know about London education. And London benefits from its demographics. Whether we like it or not, a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London. It is not about ethnicity. If you put Welsh kids into the London system I am sure they would do very well. But I am not sure you could replicate the London system in Wales.

    Welsh education is unsuccessful not just in comparison to London.

    It is unsuccessful in comparison to Scotland. And to Northern Ireland.

    So, let's try the question again.

    Why do you think Welsh education is so unsuccessful?
    You seem to think lack of knowledge on Wales is unreasonable. Why should Londoners be experts on Welsh education? Should we also be experts on the specifics Mancunian or Yorkshire education?

    Wales is about 5% of the country's population and has asked for devolved powers. Of course people in the rest of the country are not generally going to be Welsh experts.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,147

    Cyclefree said:

    I’d like to know exactly what the government is proposing when it says that it will stop vexatious prosecutions of soldiers. (This is apparently to be in the Queen’s Speech.)

    For any prosecution to take place, the CPS needs to be persuaded that:-

    1. There is credible evidence on which a jury could convict; and
    2. A prosecution is in the public interest.

    It is this last which stops vexatious prosecutions.

    Is the government really saying that if there is credible evidence that a soldier murdered a civilian they should be exempt from prosecution? Dreadful if so.

    I am not a lawyer so may not have this correct but from what I understand there has been a spike of vexatious cases on historical civil and other non-CPS actions being done using the Human Rights Act as a trigger and the only practical change proposed is that the Human Rights Act will still stand but will be amended so that it applies to cases from when the law was introduced onwards and not historic cases. Which is the standard for most laws that they aren't introduced backdated to apply prior to when the law was passed.

    That will still leave room for the CPS to take an action it deems appropriate and will also permit cases being taken to the European Court of Human Rights just as could have been done before the HRA was passed. However it will be a higher bar then requiring the CPS (as you said) to approve an action rather than vexatious civil and other cases using a law passed after the actions had occured.

    Thanks. It’s not meant as a criticism of you but that does not make sense. Civil cases are not prosecutions. The reference in the papers was to criminal prosecutions.

    I am not aware of civil cases being brought against soldiers using the HRA to events happening before it came into force. That seems unlikely because it is a pretty well established principle of English law that laws cannot be applied retrospectively. And in any case the 1998 HRA came into force in October 2000, which was well before the Iraq war. The prosecution of the Bloody Sunday Soldier F is not under the HRA. Murder has always been murder. There is nothing retrospective about such a prosecution.

    There has been an issue about soldiers being repeatedly investigated for the same allegations on the basis of made up evidence. That is down to more effective control over the investigations and by the Legal Aid Board and the SRA over some solicitors who behaved very badly indeed. But it hardly needs legislation.

    We shall see when the details come out.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,885



    I have no idea about Welsh education. I know about London education. And London benefits from its demographics. Whether we like it or not, a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London. It is not about ethnicity. If you put Welsh kids into the London system I am sure they would do very well. But I am not sure you could replicate the London system in Wales.

    Welsh education is unsuccessful not just in comparison to London.

    It is unsuccessful in comparison to Scotland. And to Northern Ireland.

    So, let's try the question again.

    Why do you think Welsh education is so unsuccessful?

    I genuinely have no idea. But you seem to be alluding to issues around funding and transportation as being pretty important. I suspect it may also be pretty difficult to attract top class teachers if those are issues.

    So are London schools excellent because of something Labour are doing that Tories aren't in regard to educating children, or because a lot of high achievers and aspirational immigrants of all races live in London?
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,095
    edited December 2019
    Anorak said:

    Richard Burgon, Diane Abbott = Cambridge
    Margaret Thatcher, David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Tony Blair = Oxford

    Why is this even a question any more?

    Because TSE and Smithson Jr were at Cambridge.

    Although we do all know of course that the world’s finest university is Aberystwyth.
  • Options

    Why does she separate manifesto and policies?
    The WASPI bribe? That policy wasn't in the manifesto.
    She doesn't really believe that was popular though, does she?
    Hard to reconcile what else she really believes was popular? The manifesto like the WASPI bribe was a long, long shopping list of bribes and wishful thinking. There were no priorities.
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    PhilPhil Posts: 1,928
    Phil said:

    Why am I seeing a BitCoin scam advert at the top of the PoliticalBetting webpages? It seems to be served from a PB aws S3 bucket: http://politicalbetting.s3.amazonaws.com/header.jpg

    (Needless to say, if you do own BTC, don’t send anything to that address; you’re not getting anything back :) )

    OK. So someone has replaced the PB header image with a BitCoin scam jpg. Anyone have an email for whoever runs PB.com?
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,310

    Why does she separate manifesto and policies?
    Difficult to say. I listened to that interview, and it was not entirely coherent...
  • Options
    Phil said:

    Why am I seeing a BitCoin scam advert at the top of the PoliticalBetting webpages? It seems to be served from a PB aws S3 bucket: http://politicalbetting.s3.amazonaws.com/header.jpg

    (Needless to say, if you do own BTC, don’t send anything to that address; you’re not getting anything back :) )

    I believe that the ads you see are down to your individual browsing history rather than PB. I think we all see different ads.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172



    If you continue to abuse me simply for pointing out facts and ascribe to me opinions that I simply don't hold and have certainly not expressed here then I may well come to the conclusion that you personally are thick and stupid.

    I don't live in London, so I would expect you to believe I was thick and stupid.
    The only reason I have to believe you are thick and stupid is that you keep saying things that point in that direction. I am not from London myself, I have never thought nor expressed on here that people who live outside London are any worse in any way than people who live inside London.
    I do think it's interesting that people in London are obviously being lined up as the new right wing scapegoat now that the EU is out of the frame. I had worried it was going to be brown people so I suppose I should be thankful for small mercies.
    I am not right-wing.

    I understand you are originally from Scotland. I would have though any Labour supporter might be interested in why they lost Scotland and whether Wales might be next.
This discussion has been closed.