2015 Election - antidotes?

wow. Thanks for that link. I am obviously wrong there then!

21%. That is considerable.

How would or could dc do anything about it though, without making people work harder and longer hours.
What is Britain doing wrong? Or is it the other countries doing wrong?
I thought that, ahem, the french didnt work hard, and had, ahem, 2 hour lunch breaks?

Here's some very interesting research about the election.
Apparently the migrant share of the electorate is twice as large as the majority of the incumbent in at least 70 seats, including several key outer London and Midland marginal seats.

www.migrantsrights.org.uk/publications/policy-report/migrant-voters-2015-general-election

I wonder if any parties will change what they say about immigration, or at least tone it down.

Resting upside down on my perch at the moment, * merlotgran *, but I'll be back!

Good to hear from you papaoscar

Bat-like papaoscar?
Come back soon x

At the last election Polly Toynbee told all Guardian readers to hold their noses and vote Libdem. She's regretting it now, of course.

An article here from the NHA member who is going to stand against Jeremy Hunt in May.

partiesonthefringe.com/2015/01/31/if-you-dont-fight-youre-definitely-going-to-lose-interview-with-louise-irvine-of-national-health-action/

She has been to Greece to find out what austerity has done to the Greek people.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/louise-irvine/what-%27austerity%27-has-done-to-greek-healthcare

What an absolute disgrace.

Hare's an interesting response by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to Cameron's pledge to cap benefits at £23,000.

"In response to Conservative plans to lower the benefits cap to £23,000, Helen Barnard Policy and Research Manager at JRF said:

“The evidence shows that out of 27 000 people affected so far by the Benefit Cap, only 2000 managed to get work, the vast majority just got poorer. Even where the cap does result in small numbers of people moving into work, if that work is low paid, insecure and unconnected to a ladder to better-paid work, it may not result in much improvement either in their living standards or in the cost to the country. In fact, there is evidence that pushing people into poor-quality work can reduce their chances of getting more stable, better-paid work later, meaning that they remain dependent on in-work benefits and are more likely to become unemployed again.

“Lowering the cap further will not tackle the underlying drivers of a rising benefit bill, namely: a lack of affordable housing and too many low-paid jobs. It makes a false comparison between in-work and out-of-work households, ignoring the considerable benefits received by those working on low incomes. It also ignores the differing needs of families of different sizes.

“Based on the evidence so far, if the benefit cap was lowered the majority of people affected wouldn’t get work or move house – they would just get poorer.” "

Is that really what Cameron wants? A big headline, but it does not affect that many people, although I cannot imagine any of them vote for him anyway.

Cameron again, or his wife's company this time.
She must have realised, and the country trusts the Tories so much on the economy, doesn't it?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2937589/Awkward-Luxury-leather-goods-firm-Smythson-PM-s-wife-Samantha-Cameron-works-based-tax-haven.html

I hope you notice that it's a DM article.

I'm sure the Guardian will catch up tomorrow

<Clapsfor the DM article!>
<ignore me, I am in a silly mood!>

She works for the company. Only designs for them?
I must admit, I did think she owned it.

I used to work for a bank. Not sure that is quite the same, but there was no way I knew the ins and out of the bank I worked for. And I was far too lowly to be responsible for what went on at Head Office.

She's not lowly. She's a partner, and was given £30,000 when the company was bought out.
It was in the Guardian and the Independent, Ana. I just thought I'd choose the DM article for balance.

Oh, and she's paid more than an MP to consult for them.

I think she was a director, but isnt now. And it is now that it is in a tax haven?
If she consults for them, and is paid well, that is not here nor there?

Come on soontobe. She works part time for them and takes home £100, 000 a year. The prime minister refuses to comment on this article. I think he should, just to show what a hypocrite he is. She has shares in the company. She isn't a shop counter girl.
In 2011 the company made over £4 million profit, yet it has only paid over £1 million in tax since this government came into power. You and I would be pursued by HMRC and fined if we did this.

The only paper I cannot find this article in is the Telegraph. No surprise there as its owners live in Guernsey and do not pay their taxes either.
The sooner country by country reporting comes in, the better for our taxes.

That's twice you have been told to 'come on' soon, in the space of 3 minutes I believe.

You are being told the same on the Jordanian Pilot thread.

At least it's consistant

Havent seen the Jordanian Pilot thread yet.

Shares may be a different matter. Though I dont think that having shares means shareholders necessarily know a whole lot. But I dont think I own any shares so I dont know for sure.

I cant see how what you are writing on this occasion dj is at all stickable. Me thinks instead that you are trying to stir and confuse people. I will go so far as to say that is not on really.

Soon, she's the wife of the British Prime Minister. If she doesn't know she should, particularly as that's how her father-in-law made his money, by advising people how to save tax.

"Richard Murphy, a tax expert, said: “I can think of no reason why you would adopt this structure other than for tax avoidance.”

Despite its high profile, Smythson is a relatively small retailer, with just 15 outlets, mostly of them in London, although it also has shops in the US, France and Asia. In the 12 months to the end of March 2014, the company recorded a turnover of just under £30 million and reported a loss of £1.2 million.

Molly Scott Cato, a Green party MEP, who has been a frequent critic of tax avoiders, said that the Smythson revelations raised questions about “deep conflicts”.

“It demonstrates yet again why [the government’s] rhetoric on tax avoidance is not matched with action. If Cameron and [George] Osborne were really serious about tackling tax avoidance in Europe, they would urge their MEPs to join the Greens in a call for a full inquiry into illegal and anti-competitive tax agreements,” she said.

A spokesman for Smythson declined to comment. Downing Street also declined to comment."

From the Times.

Tax payers in this country gave Smythsons a £2 million government backed loan in 2013. Why?

NHS again. An article from a locum, who says what has happened to the NHS pay and conditions.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/paul-teed/locum-ae-doctor-speaks-out-about-silent-privatisation-of-nhs-workforce

He says he has a zero hours contract, but never worries about paying the mortgage.

I've just come across this map which shows which of your MPs benefit from the privatisation of the NHS.

www.peoplesnhs.org/where-do-they-stand/

durhamjen

Am I missing something.

There were 3 categories one of which was 'voted for privatisation'

How come Andy Burnham and all Labour MP's are squeaky clean when Labour were the first to privatise?

I think I prefer the link you provided to the left wing blogger Andrew Robertson who writes for the Guardian who at least had the honesty to say Labour privatised the NHS and mentions the likes of Frank Dobson, Alistair Darling, David Miliband .
social investigations.blogspot.