Mr Johnson and Mr Cummings

lemongrove

Finland has twice the number of suicides as nearby Sweden or any EU country, and a high alcoholic rate as well.
Happiest country? I think not.

You might find some facts useful

worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/suicide-rate-by-country

Oh, perhaps I needn't be so cautious. An interesting poll in the "i". Will catch up with that in the morning.

Sadly, I think this is a longer programme of dethroning than either a few days or a few months Maizie but the knives are out on his own side.

growstuff

What's all this got to do with Johnson and Cummings anyway? Surely it's not yet another deflection from an important issue.

It doesn't take much to deflect!

My comment about Rishi was actually pertinent to the topic as it was part of speculation about Murdoch driving the current 'scandal' agenda to oust Johnson and put his chosen candidate in place. Unfortunately, it took us down irrelevant byways.

I'm wondering what tomorrow will disclose... Perhaps that audio will come to light...

It is indeed growstuff.
It’s late.
We’ve picked over the sleaze accusations and probably because, as yet, there’s nothing newsworthy to substantiate them, we’re meandering in the meantime.

I’ve made my Horlicks. I bid you all a goodnight.
Maybe tomorrow will shine some light on the topic?
Until then. ?

Urmstongran

^What is happiness and how is it rated?^

A good question Calli.
In my case, learning to accept and love what I have.
There is no other.

Would you feel the same if you were impoverished and lived in a slum? Are people supposed not to want any more?

So how come the Labour Party politicians aren’t holding out for the Finnish example as opposed to sending their own kids to ‘select’ comprehensive/grammar schools?

It may have escaped your notice, Pantglas, but Labour doesn't happen to be in power at the moment. They haven't been for 10 years. So there really isn't much they can do in that respect.

When they were in power they did put more money into education and forwarded projects such as academisation. Which wasn't the travesty that Gove turned it into, but was an initiative to put money and expertise into failing schools to improve them. But, as the tories have been in power for 29 of the last 42 years I think that perhaps they need to take some responsibility...

What's all this got to do with Johnson and Cummings anyway? Surely it's not yet another deflection from an important issue.

What is happiness and how is it rated?

A good question Calli.
In my case, learning to accept and love what I have.
There is no other.

Pantglas2

So how come the Labour Party politicians aren’t holding out for the Finnish example as opposed to sending their own kids to ‘select’ comprehensive/grammar schools?

Oh yes, “we all want to do the best for our kids and don’t feel they should ‘suffer’ for our political beliefs” ? but everyone else’s children can!

That is a weird answer to your own question Pantglas2. Is it time for bed?

Because they have to live with the system they have. The Finns aren't hung up on the snobbery of private education.

In any case, I don't agree that all comprehensive schools are bad. I tutor pupils from comprehensive, grammar and private schools and I can see for myself what's behind the surface in some of them.

The problem is that once one school in an area starts operating selective an intake, it's difficult to stop the rot.

PippaZ

I think that's because there is meandering and building a damn and re-routing Urmstongran

?? PippaZ!

blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/finland-is-the-happiest-country-in-the-world-and-finns-arent-happy-about-it/

Suicide rates in Finland are half what they were in 1990s…but they remain well above the European average
www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190924-being-depressed-in-the-worlds-happiest-country

2019

What is happiness and how is it rated?

So how come the Labour Party politicians aren’t holding out for the Finnish example as opposed to sending their own kids to ‘select’ comprehensive/grammar schools?

Oh yes, “we all want to do the best for our kids and don’t feel they should ‘suffer’ for our political beliefs” ? but everyone else’s children can!

Oh, and knowing why it relates to the fact that they are a democratic country with no fee paying schools would help too.

Just flinging in a old trope does not impress nor does it help belief in any other argument you might put forward.

Could you point to some data on that please Lemongrove - and the date it comes from.

Finland has twice the number of suicides as nearby Sweden or any EU country, and a high alcoholic rate as well.
Happiest country? I think not.

THIS, thanks.

But it’s either a free market or communism.

So where does Finland come in your very short chart Urmstongran? It is, as our country is supposed to be, a parliamentary representative democracy. Finnish women became the first in the world to have unrestricted rights both to vote and to run for public office, so well ahead of this country.

It has no private schools. Every academic institution in the country is funded through the public purse. Teachers are trained to issue their own tests instead of standardised tests. Teachers aren't underpaid in Finland and have repeated success in national education rankings.

Finland has been ranked as one of the happiest and most successful countries in the world, and most recently was ranked as the number one country for higher education by The Economist.22 Jul 2019

I agree with Alegrias. There are some countries where there is hardly any private education and perform on average better than the countries of the UK in international comparisons. If you read the commentary which accompanies the PISA test results, it has been noted that it is England's divisive education system which brings the country down. Such an unequal start in life is bound to have far-reaching effects on society.

Urmstongran

Alegrias1

Private education is unfair and divisive and should be abolished.

Just thought I'd throw that in

Well in principle Alegrias we should surely all agree with you on this.

But it’s either a free market or communism. It would be lovely if education, health etc were the same for everybody. Sadly, I don’t think it ever will be. ‘Some pigs are more equal than others’ as George Orwell said in ‘Animal Farm’.

That's nonsense! There is no country in the world which has a totally free market and you'd be pushed to find one which is totally communist too.

I think that's because there is meandering and building a damn and re-routing Urmstongran

Agreed Galaxy. I like the meandering actually. But I know it p**s*s some off on here. Occasionally.
Which is why I mentioned it.
?

There are no rules about how threads can progress fortunately.

Are your questions going off topic here?