tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post6831063816278238759..comments2024-03-28T09:16:33.241+00:00Comments on Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: Incompetence will destroy this government, not CutsSue Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-84545236554851083602012-02-12T10:59:23.164+00:002012-02-12T10:59:23.164+00:00And don't forget the change in Working Tax Cre...And don't forget the change in Working Tax Credit Rules that makes almost a quarter of a million families 4 grand a year worse off and means that logically they will be better off on benefits rather than working...<br /><br />Or the removal of Domestic Violence services funding that leaves thousands of DV victims and their kids homeless and needing costly temporary accomodation.<br /><br />Or the eradication of Legal Aid that means many people will be unable to resolve issues in their life and fall into crisis and become known to agencies at extra cost long term.<br /><br />It's as if the Coalition have never heard the word consequence or its meaning has been removed from all their dictionaries. I know nothing about EU laws or complex economics, but I've lived on a tight budget for years and it's given me a much better grasp of value for money than all those millionaires....gherkingirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12440614300240880834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-55350916440229241582011-04-02T21:53:18.197+01:002011-04-02T21:53:18.197+01:00Howard
This is a much better link
Golem XIV - Th...Howard<br /><br />This is a much better link<br /><br />Golem XIV - Thoughts: The Free Market and Globalization reconsidered<br /><br />golemxiv-credo.blogspot.comSyzygyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15033334461020443772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-1668467847359239202011-03-31T21:24:25.259+01:002011-03-31T21:24:25.259+01:00Superb!
Of course they are a bunch of rich boys p...Superb!<br /><br />Of course they are a bunch of rich boys playing at government. It would be like the Oxford debating society for them, except some of them gave that a miss and concentrated on the Bullingdon and doing what rich boys do.<br /><br />They play at government; they are playing at war, dangerously.<br /><br />Mrs Thatcher must be spinning in...well, wherever she is. U-Turns are us is a sad legacy for her party. I'm glad she stayed alive long enough to see it happen.<br /><br />I see, however, that one of the U-turns was only a right turn. Speleman has been forced to admit that they are in fact selling off 15% of the forests in England (Today's Scottish Daily Telegraph strangely, since our Environment Minister has no intention of selling our forests.) Having told the Commons they got it wrong on this subject (bless her) and promising no further action, it seems that she can sell 15 % off without any legislation. No bugger you guys!!<br /><br />Bunch of idiots, playing with our lives. Thank god I’m Scottish and our SNP government has managed to find ways around many of the cuts. Fortunate too that I can move to France if they make such a mess that even Scotland goes bankrupt.<br /><br />And talking of Scotland (which returned 0ne (1) Tory MP (who was too thick to make the Secretary of State, George Osborne’s new tax on the oil companies is looking like costing us hundreds of millions of pound of investments and around 40,000 jobs. But he said it wouldn’t have any impact...<br /><br />Probably not an impact as far as he’s concerned. Nob!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-30982942197411380532011-03-31T21:20:06.410+01:002011-03-31T21:20:06.410+01:00Yes, I am sorry about my goof on 95. However we m...Yes, I am sorry about my goof on 95. However we must remember that until recently the MEPs had no powers to speak of except the nuclear option of rejecting the budget. Even now under the federation which is the EU, and strangely the Tories say we must not have, even though that's what we had from the outset, the Council of Ministers decide what may be agreed in such talks.<br /><br />This is usually requiring a unanimous decision until, again recently, majorities are acceptable for certain issues.<br /><br />If we had a Union (which the EU title claims we have) then the MEPS would decide everything by majority only, not foreign ministers.<br /><br />Funny how people get their terminology all mixed up and confuse the **** out of we mere mortals.SWruralhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08194385100414263357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-61053990781024238222011-03-31T21:02:10.504+01:002011-03-31T21:02:10.504+01:00Hi there, off-topic but I think this is important:...Hi there, off-topic but I think this is important: a woman has won a case against the DWP who turned her down for Incapacity Benefit because her deadly allergy to the chemicals in latex and rubber were supposedly not debilitating and were merely an 'inconvenience'. <br /><br />http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-12924841<br /><br />Let's hope ESA and PIP break under the pressure of such legal cases.Mason Dixon, Autistichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01799959037314750427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-12779067507912783152011-03-31T15:31:17.424+01:002011-03-31T15:31:17.424+01:00Howard
I am sure that your understanding of EU pr...Howard<br /><br />I am sure that your understanding of EU procedures far exceeds mine but I remember that it did not go before the European Parliament because the MEPs were up in arms that they were not included either in the negotiations or a final say. This GATS was negotiated at the Uruguay meeting which extended the previous scope of the agreements ... and whilst I would hate to disagree with you, Blair was elected in 97. The agreements were therefore concluded under Major. <br /><br />Having said that Blair implemented many of the measures agreed ... and as you may be aware, I consider New Labour to have been an alternative Conservative Party. Certainly, the policies of the current government are not revolutionary but a more rapid implementation of the previous process of stealth privatisation of public services.Syzygyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15033334461020443772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-58705037683357597922011-03-31T14:09:14.593+01:002011-03-31T14:09:14.593+01:00Something in your rsponse on Gats does not quite g...Something in your rsponse on Gats does not quite gel with me Sue, (D), with respect. The EU commissioners cannnot achieve anything without agreement of the Council of Ministers. This can be by majority but unanimity is often required. The date of the developments you describe is during the Blair Government (I cannot easily write 'Labour' government).<br /><br />I don't have a problem with private provision, but I do have a problem with private allocation of services....SWruralhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08194385100414263357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-20254908544940355812011-03-31T12:37:00.432+01:002011-03-31T12:37:00.432+01:00Sue for Prime-minister!!!!Sue for Prime-minister!!!!Colin Foynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-84856455205867435902011-03-30T20:59:51.390+01:002011-03-30T20:59:51.390+01:00Anonymous
" such an incompetent bunch of foo...Anonymous<br /><br />" such an incompetent bunch of fools" ... I agree bothered me how they could be competent in some areas and not others. Then I realised that they're advisors were all ex- KPMG and McKinseys.<br /><br />Not sure about where the secret police force and torture of the sick and the poor fits in ... I certainly haven't mentioned any and I don't think it would be at all necessary .... our media even reports the impact of this government's policies on welfare solely in terms of cheats and scroungers. <br /><br />Before dismissing me as paranoid, I believe it would be helpful to you to check out the references that I have suggested... being informed never hurts.Syzygyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15033334461020443772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-89393486618105083802011-03-30T19:04:09.507+01:002011-03-30T19:04:09.507+01:00I tend to agree. Incompetence (and the cover ups) ...I tend to agree. Incompetence (and the cover ups) tend to destroy most governments ;) and will no doubt be the downfall of this one. It does however strike me as a little odd that such an incompetent bunch of fools could set up secret police forces and orchestrate an international corporate illuminate to asset strip the country and torture the sick and the poor. Er Paranoia ?<br /><br />wwAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-12758138426982603792011-03-30T13:36:57.861+01:002011-03-30T13:36:57.861+01:00This document is a good summary of the impact of t...This document is a good summary of the impact of the GATS treaty ... it is a list of concerns in written questions to Hewitt in 2001. It is clear to see that many of those aspects are now in existence or in prospect.<br /><br />http://bfewster.members.gn.apc.org/politics/gatsconc.htmSyzygyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15033334461020443772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-60957482349107854102011-03-30T13:22:55.516+01:002011-03-30T13:22:55.516+01:00Hellsbells
Seems to make sense to me .... look up...Hellsbells<br /><br />Seems to make sense to me .... look up the WTO GATS treaty (Uruguay 95) on Wikipedia ... it spells out the hidden agenda for privatisation of public services which has been underlying government's agenda for over 20y but never put before the public or voted on by the electorate. In fact, signed up to by the unelected EU Commissioners without even MEPs discussing or voting through... I remember their protests!Syzygyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15033334461020443772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-37201844724684257762011-03-30T11:44:54.472+01:002011-03-30T11:44:54.472+01:00Maybe it is all part of their plot. Confuse us so ...Maybe it is all part of their plot. Confuse us so much with their stupidity that we end up not being able to do anything about it because it's so stupid?Hellsbellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01055258492729583498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-52044901904207200732011-03-30T11:36:43.763+01:002011-03-30T11:36:43.763+01:00Spot on Sue ... fantastic review.... the thing is ...Spot on Sue ... fantastic review.... the thing is when nothing makes any sense, like the Big Society, it is usually because there is another agenda.<br /><br />If one assumes that the Conservatives do not expect to be re-elected in 2015, then any restraint on their policy aspirations are removed. I am increasingly persuaded of the argument that this government is asset stripping all they can in order to protect big business, the banks and the super-rich like themselves, against the next global banking crisis in 2013/14. <br /><br />Amongst the new assets for securitisation are GP commissioning fees, student fees and public pension funds... and of course our private debts.<br /><br />As you say "I can't watch, really I can't."Syzygyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15033334461020443772noreply@blogger.com