Government Watch

He met Mandela in 2006, Mandela had bern out of prison since 1990, didn't rush did he? And in 1989 he was on a jolly! With SNI

My views on apartheid are not political Elegran,but they are based on many years of activity against evil and apartheid is evil

Excellent quote, Elegran. A shame he hasn't learnt a bit of patience and humility himself. He obviously did not talk that much to Mandela.

They are after Feldman's blood.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/dec/04/welfare-reforms-will-take-3bn-from-poorest-uk-families-labour-warns

In today's Guardian.
OBR has new forecasts. What a surprise.

The surprise would be if more people cared Jen

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/dec/06/nicky-morgan-education-forced-to-sack-aide-over-it-contracts

Should we have a thread about corruption in politics?

Ooh, another thread for me to avoid if I am to stick to my pollyanna resolution to be nice to everybody

Unfortunately there are some politicians (of all parties) who only start to lend their support to something or someone when they feel that public opinion is moving in that direction or is being successfully "nudged" in that direction.

Alea - I thought I was pollyanna, though I confess to finding it increasingly difficult to be positive on the politics threads

www.labourlords.org.uk/unintended_consequences

House of Lords are going to discuss the welfare bill next week.

Training myself to read plenty, think a lot, say nowt

Good. Carry on doing that, Alea.
Fortunately we are not all the same. If we were there would be no Gransnet.

I do not expect a response. Say/write nowt.

Also, if we were all like that, there would have been no changes to the welfare bill.

davidhencke.wordpress.com/2015/12/06/exclusive-untrust-of-pounds/

Another mess by this government. Farmers owed millions and unlikely to get it before the end of January.

Shame that 30% has been cut from environment agency budget and a further 30%to be cut this round. That is quite a lot of flood defence.

Yes, flood defences equal one Brimstone missile according to one link I've read.

But one flood defence doesn't put us on what one Tory MP referred to in the debate - back on the world stage , one brimstone missile does , well so he claimed

In which case, do we want to be on the world stage?

Some certainly do Jen, but many do not at the cost of lives

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/david-cameron-marks-10-years-6963510

Cameron's pledges and what's happened to them.

"Uncertainty over the UK’s future in the EU is destabilising Europe, the president of the European council has warned as he said that no agreement had been reached on controversial demands by David Cameron to limit access to in-work benefits.
Live Tusk says 'substantial political differences' remain in EU renegotiation talks - Politics live
Rolling coverage of all the day’s political developments as they happen
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In a letter to the EU’s 28 leaders, Donald Tusk says the prime minister has tabled some difficult demands that cannot be agreed in time for the European council next week.

Tusk cites the prime minister’s proposal to ban EU migrants from claiming in-work benefits for four years as the most troublesome UK demand."

I am pleased the EU hasn't caved in over this. However, Cameron says that one way round it is to stop UK youths from claiming for four years so there is no discrimination. What? They are at school until they are 18 now. No claiming in work benefits until they are 22?

Very quiet thread , defending the indefensible doesn't stretch to defending Cameron ? Posting of Corbyns hair cut is more important

The best form of defence is attack ?

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/parliaments-expenses-watchdog-hiding-names-of-mps-being-investigated-for-misusing-public-money-a6764016.html

This is interesting. IPSA was supposed to be the way for MPs to be open and honest about their expenses.
Taking the public for a ride again.
Not that many others are bothered, Annie. We can at least have a conversation between the two of us.

The bullying claims are getting louder , cannot be put down to one grieving father any longer

Seems Cameron and Lord Feldman are indeed very close friends

This did amuse me. When the floods hit the South and Cameron visited the area there was much in the press about his £60+ wellies, so for the floods this week he turned up in wellies from Asda , expect Sam can popped them in her shopping trolley