General Election Is On

[aggi]

New poll for those interested, post Brexit party standing down.

Looking at their sample is interesting. They have 85% of their sample voted in the Brexit referendum as opposed to 72% for the population. I don't know how this compares to other polls.

[aggi]

Johnson getting the EU/non-EU immigrant split so wrong is pretty amazing:

https://mobile.twitter.com/tpgcolson/st ... 6722816002" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Lord Rothbury]

When asked the same question Diane Abbott replied 80/40.

[AlargeClaret]

Brexit party look finished even Farago looks like he’s had enough , he’s squealing like a pig but no ones listening .

Let Boris get in with it push the super soft Brexit through and be done with Corbyn and his collected other “ horsemen of the apocalypse “put to the sword

[Cryssys]

If labour was full of John Mann's, Ian Austin's and Frank Fields I could vote for them, but it isn't.

So instead you vote for Johnson, Gove and Rees Mogg.

Turkey

[Paul Waine]

Sadly, the prize is a country in which people who earned about 1/2 the cost of their home when they bought it, had a permanent contract and free education tell us all that we just need to work harder to achieve what they managed.

No prize from me Lancs. It may be worth you asking your Mum or Dad how it really was when they were raising you.

[Mala591]

******** to Brexit, I'm voting for free fibre broadband and free University education for my kids.

Why would anyone vote any other way?

[Spijed]

Trump visiting before the election:

https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/1195374408740806656" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Will it make a difference?

[Lowbankclaret]

******** to Brexit, I'm voting for free fibre broadband and free University education for my kids.

Why would anyone vote any other way?

Hey don’t forget.

Free health care and prescriptions.

Free old age care.

Nationalisation of several major industry.

What’s not to like.

[Lancasterclaret]

No prize from me Lancs. It may be worth you asking your Mum or Dad how it really was when they were raising you.

Or I could use my own experiences of buying a house, getting (and keeping) a job compared to what it is like now?

Ok boomer?

[AndyClaret]

So instead you vote for Johnson, Gove and Rees Mogg.

Turkey

I've never voted Tory.

[AlargeClaret]

Do Lab actually seriously budget for these pie in the sky ideas of free fibre /free education? Etc etc why stop there? why not make rail travel free and food free it’s as if they just choose the most ridiculous crowd pleasing guff ( regardless of cost/infastructure )and hope that “ Corbynomics” will pay for it all . They may as well suggest Magic Beans as a worthwhile currency to pay for it all .

We could have Jez/Abbot and McDonnell throwing loaves of bread to the downtrodden hordes

[Top Claret]

******** to Brexit, I'm voting for free fibre broadband and free University education for my kids.

Why would anyone vote any other way?

Gullable ****. You need to watch your wallet

[Claret-On-A-T-Rex]

******** to Brexit, I'm voting for free fibre broadband and free University education for my kids.

Why would anyone vote any other way?

Me too

Woohoo, FREE BROADBAND IS AWESOME!

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

I've never voted Tory.

Your hero Tommeh has endorsed the Tory Party.

[Claret-On-A-T-Rex]

Do Lab actually seriously budget for these pie in the sky ideas of free fibre /free education? Etc etc why stop there? why not make rail travel free and food free it’s as if they just choose the most ridiculous crowd pleasing guff ( regardless of cost/infastructure )and hope that “ Corbynomics” will pay for it all . They may as well suggest Magic Beans as a worthwhile currency to pay for it all .

We could have Jez/Abbot and McDonnell throwing loaves of bread to the downtrodden hordes

Why not pledge to build 200,000 starter homes and not build a single one in four years?

[Paul Waine]

Or I could use my own experiences of buying a house, getting (and keeping) a job compared to what it is like now?

Ok boomer?

So why are you making things up, Lancs?

[Spiral]

When people reflexively put the maintaining of the rights of Bezos, Zuckerberg, and all the other pi$$ takers, to sail their untaxed profits offshore on their pleasure yachts, over and above the debt-manumission of their OWN BLOODY KIDS, under ignorantly held, vague notions of 'workability' and the sanctification of private investment (whatever that means in 2019 and beyond; greater automation, realistically), as though staffing HMRC and tightening tax loopholes is some sort of impossible dream - ironically a sentiment often expressed by those same people who still, in spite of the evidence of the last three years, pray for the sunlit uplands they've set their hearts on pursuing Brexit - at some point you need to admit that people will, in the end, get the misery they deserve.

[AndyClaret]

Your hero Tommeh has endorsed the Tory Party.

That seals it for me.

[Claret-On-A-T-Rex]

Your hero Tommeh has endorsed the Tory Party.

Because a vote for the Tory party is a win now for all of the right wingers, Tommeh, Farage, Johnson. They all **** in the same pot and the rewards from Trump will be immense wealth and a seat on the board for the reshaping and selling out of post-Brexit Britain.

As someone on here has already pointed out, who on earth would be stupid enough to not vote for free broadband for all and free education?

This is what I get in Spain...

[martin_p]

When asked the same question Diane Abbott replied 80/40.

But that’s still closer to the right answer than Johnson got!

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

That seals it for me.

Might be a poll done over the weekend so see if the Tory vote has gone up after Tommeh’s speech.

[dermotdermot]

Do Lab actually seriously budget for these pie in the sky ideas of free fibre /free education? Etc etc why stop there? why not make rail travel free and food free it’s as if they just choose the most ridiculous crowd pleasing guff ( regardless of cost/infastructure )and hope that “ Corbynomics” will pay for it all . They may as well suggest Magic Beans as a worthwhile currency to pay for it all .

We could have Jez/Abbot and McDonnell throwing loaves of bread to the downtrodden hordes

They'll pay for it all by taxing just about everything under the sun. I do wish they'd try and clarify the business of inheritance tax though. I seems to me that they want to abolish it altogether and replace it with a gift tax. This will prevent you leaving anything to your children. When you die, your property will have to be sold off in order that your offspring will be able to afford to pay the death duties. This will render them virtually penniless and unable to attempt to buy somewhere to live whilst the properties can be bought by the state in order to house the homeless and needy. You will have worked your entire life and paid your taxes but will hardly be able to leave your children a thing. This, I think, rather kicks the idea of free broadband and university education into touch.

[AndrewJB]

Do Lab actually seriously budget for these pie in the sky ideas of free fibre /free education? Etc etc why stop there? why not make rail travel free and food free it’s as if they just choose the most ridiculous crowd pleasing guff ( regardless of cost/infastructure )and hope that “ Corbynomics” will pay for it all . They may as well suggest Magic Beans as a worthwhile currency to pay for it all .

We could have Jez/Abbot and McDonnell throwing loaves of bread to the downtrodden hordes

This was said about the NHS. Go back far enough and you’ll find the arguments against ending slavery had a similar tone; “it would be nice, but a financial folly!”

I think the government could and should go further on this, and provide every house with a simple compute device with a keyboard and a screen, along with some cloud storage, should people need this, so that everyone has access and the means to take advantage of the internet. But there you go. Perhaps the big thing for the country is in making us a 1st world nation when it comes to the internet. That’s something the private sector has failed with over two decades.

On the other side of the coin, we have the Tories offering tax cuts to higher earners, while many people are still suffering austerity. At least the free broadband will be for everyone.

[dsr]

This was said about the NHS. Go back far enough and you’ll find the arguments against ending slavery had a similar tone; “it would be nice, but a financial folly!”

I think the government could and should go further on this, and provide every house with a simple compute device with a keyboard and a screen, along with some cloud storage, should people need this, so that everyone has access and the means to take advantage of the internet. But there you go. Perhaps the big thing for the country is in making us a 1st world nation when it comes to the internet. That’s something the private sector has failed with over two decades.

On the other side of the coin, we have the Tories offering tax cuts to higher earners, while many people are still suffering austerity. At least the free broadband will be for everyone.

Can I have free Sky Sports as well please?

[taio]

This was said about the NHS. Go back far enough and you’ll find the arguments against ending slavery had a similar tone; “it would be nice, but a financial folly!”

I think the government could and should go further on this, and provide every house with a simple compute device with a keyboard and a screen, along with some cloud storage, should people need this, so that everyone has access and the means to take advantage of the internet. But there you go. Perhaps the big thing for the country is in making us a 1st world nation when it comes to the internet. That’s something the private sector has failed with over two decades.

On the other side of the coin, we have the Tories offering tax cuts to higher earners, while many people are still suffering austerity. At least the free broadband will be for everyone.

What a complete waste of money that would be.

[AndrewJB]

They'll pay for it all by taxing just about everything under the sun. I do wish they'd try and clarify the business of inheritance tax though. I seems to me that they want to abolish it altogether and replace it with a gift tax. This will prevent you leaving anything to your children. When you die, your property will have to be sold off in order that your offspring will be able to afford to pay the death duties. This will render them virtually penniless and unable to attempt to buy somewhere to live whilst the properties can be bought by the state in order to house the homeless and needy. You will have worked your entire life and paid your taxes but will hardly be able to leave your children a thing. This, I think, rather kicks the idea of free broadband and university education into touch.

You've just made all of that up!

Now let me try:

If Johnson wins a majority, he'll open the NHS up to competition from US companies, extend the deal with the EU again, and renege on all of his promises to voters in the north, while increasing VAT just for fun. Scotland and Northern Ireland will leave the union, and Johnson will dissolve parliament, making himself "lord protector" for a period of twenty years.

[AndrewJB]

What a complete waste of money that would be.

A full fibre broadband network across the country could boost productivity by up to £60 Billion.
https://www.mobileeurope.co.uk/press-wi ... -openreach" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How is that a waste of money?

[taio]

A full fibre broadband network across the country could boost productivity by up to £60 Billion.
https://www.mobileeurope.co.uk/press-wi ... -openreach" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How is that a waste of money?

"provide every house with a simple compute device with a keyboard and a screen"

why would this be necessary and how would it not be a waste of money?

and on your other point after moving the goalposts I'd support full fibre coverage across the country just not in the way labour is proposing to fund it

[Spijed]

This doesn't make sense! He seems to be implying that we've been limited in getting players from outside the EU. Really?
He's talking rubbish as the top clubs will always buy the best players regardless of where they come from.
Also, this idea that we need more English ones hasn't stopped the English Cricket or rugby union sides who have no problem in playing overseas players. Quite a few in both the English one day side & test team are from overseas.


Steve Barclay
@SteveBarclay
Do we want more players in the
@PremierLeague
from Brazil, Argentina or Africa compared to the EU? Or more English qualified players to strengthen the national team
@FA
? What would you rather see? The key opportunity of Brexit is that we will get to decide
https://twitter.com/SteveBarclay/status ... 9621208064" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AndrewJB]

Can I have free Sky Sports as well please?

I take it you feel uneasy at padding Murdoch's pockets?

We already offer television, books, music, art, and film over the internet. Why could Britain not have an integrated streaming service for all of this that is free at point of use, and pays out royalties per "view/use" straight to the creators of the content, and paid for out of taxes?

[dermotdermot]

You've just made all of that up!

Now let me try:

If Johnson wins a majority, he'll open the NHS up to competition from US companies, extend the deal with the EU again, and renege on all of his promises to voters in the north, while increasing VAT just for fun. Scotland and Northern Ireland will leave the union, and Johnson will dissolve parliament, making himself "lord protector" for a period of twenty years.

No I haven’t. Just google Corbyn’s Gift Tax and you’ll see that it’s true.

[Top Claret]

Andrew B is straight off fantasy Island like the majority of school teachers, who have never had a proper job or worked in the real world.

To make things worse he is a champagne socialist who lives in London. Andrew has more than likely never been North of Watford in his life and thinks Burnley folk live in mud huts

[AndrewJB]

"provide every house with a simple compute device with a keyboard and a screen"

why would this be necessary and how would it not be a waste of money?

and on your other point after moving the goalposts I'd support full fibre coverage across the country just not in the way labour is proposing to fund it

Why don't you quote all of what I wrote? I clarified "for those who need it" - afterall, what would be the point of rolling out free broadband if some people aren't able to access it? When you consider the Raspberry Pi, such devices needn't be expensive. They could take some compute power and storage from the cloud, so be effectively a dumb terminal. When pretty much every interaction we might have with the government now takes place online - including applying for universal credit - then what would be your suggestion?

[Devils_Advocate]

Can we make up our minds on whether London is a crime ridden cesspit of immigrants and lowlifes or whether it is some kind of elitist ivory tower paradise where champagne is sipped all day.

Depending on the knuckledraggers hot topic of the day it switches between the two and can be a little confusing

[Spiral]

Steve Barclay
@SteveBarclay
Do we want more players in the
@PremierLeague
from Brazil, Argentina or Africa compared to the EU? Or more English qualified players to strengthen the national team
@FA
? What would you rather see? The key opportunity of Brexit is that we will get to decide
https://twitter.com/SteveBarclay/status ... 9621208064" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's so disingenuous it's unreal. The only substantive argument he's making there is that post-Brexit, the home office would be, hypothetically, were govt policy so inclined, allowed to deny any EU player a work permit. Brexit in and of itself will not allow any greater access to South America and Africa than we already have, nor will it allow any greater control of who clubs can sign from South America and Africa. The home office already has the total and absolute unfettered ability to issue or deny work permits to Brazilian, Argentinian and African players. In a partnership with the home office, the existing policy is that the FA endorses a non-EU player for a work permit according to the meeting of established criteria such as number of international appearances made as a percentage of total fixtures played over X time period, depending on which league the player is being signed to play in. Barclay is essentially arguing that Brexit will allow the home office to apply these more punitive, restrictive work permit schemes to EU based players. This is a coherent, (but in my opinion, ridiculous) policy, but it's disingenuous to insinuate, as he's doing, that Brexit will give English clubs any greater chance of signing the next Messi, Neymar, Yaya or Salah, because this is a power that is already wielded by the home office.

[taio]

Why don't you quote all of what I wrote? I clarified "for those who need it" - afterall, what would be the point of rolling out free broadband if some people aren't able to access it? When you consider the Raspberry Pi, such devices needn't be expensive. They could take some compute power and storage from the cloud, so be effectively a dumb terminal. When pretty much every interaction we might have with the government now takes place online - including applying for universal credit - then what would be your suggestion?

How would you determine who needs it?

Interaction with government doesn't have to by online.

[AndrewJB]

No I haven’t. Just google Corbyn’s Gift Tax and you’ll see that it’s true.

Here - page 35 deal with the subject: https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/upload ... e-Many.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A very different description to the Express link that takes the first search slot.

[martin_p]

How would you determine who needs it?

Interaction with government doesn't have to by online.

Believe me, that’s the way it’s going.

[taio]

Believe me, that’s the way it’s going.

He said now. Might go that way eventually but currently would be illegal.

[AndrewJB]

How would you determine who needs it?

Interaction with government doesn't have to by online.

I'm not suggesting we force them on people - as there are still a few who consider computers to be the work of the devil - but there are also quite a few people who can't afford internet access, and have to use computers at libraries. For people (and it's quite often families) like that it could be a benefit - especially given that an increasing amount of school work is now being done online.

For a long time now the only way you can apply for jobseekers allowance or universal credit is by going online. Not sure if it's still like that, but in the beginning it timed out very quickly, and wouldn't save the values you had already keyed in - leaving the person to start all over again. You can see it was designed to discourage people from even applying for it. Anyone doing their tax returns around the same time would find all their key strokes saved should they have to answer the door, or otherwise stop. That's something else that should change. There should be parity of online experience when dealing with the government.

It says here; "you might be able to apply by phone in special circumstances" - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benef ... al-credit/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[taio]

I'm not suggesting we force them on people - as there are still a few who consider computers to be the work of the devil - but there are also quite a few people who can't afford internet access, and have to use computers at libraries. For people (and it's quite often families) like that it could be a benefit - especially given that an increasing amount of school work is now being done online.

For a long time now the only way you can apply for jobseekers allowance or universal credit is by going online. Not sure if it's still like that, but in the beginning it timed out very quickly, and wouldn't save the values you had already keyed in - leaving the person to start all over again. You can see it was designed to discourage people from even applying for it. Anyone doing their tax returns around the same time would find all their key strokes saved should they have to answer the door, or otherwise stop. That's something else that should change. There should be parity of online experience when dealing with the government.

99% of people aged 16 - 44 acess the internet daily or almost daily.

It would be illegal to force someone to apply online

[AndrewJB]

99% of people aged 16 - 44 acess the internet daily or almost daily.

It would be illegal to force someone to apply online

Okay, maybe it's changed? I helped someone apply for jobseekers / universal credit back in 2012, and I know they were told they had no choice but to apply online. That was the information I was given too. As you see from this link, you need an online account to apply for universal credit: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-universal-credit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - so possibly still illegal?

[martin_p]

He said now. Might go that way eventually but currently would be illegal.

Why would it be illegal?

[taio]

Why would it be illegal?

Because it would breach the public sector equality duty if someone was digitally excluded and the public body would lose a legal challenge.

[taio]

Okay, maybe it's changed? I helped someone apply for jobseekers / universal credit back in 2012, and I know they were told they had no choice but to apply online. That was the information I was given too. As you see from this link, you need an online account to apply for universal credit: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-universal-credit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - so possibly still illegal?

There will absolutely be an option to apply via an alternative process if they are unable for good reason to apply online

Edit:

Help with your application

If you need help with your application, ask straight away - the sooner you apply for Universal Credit, the sooner you get your first payment.

There are 2 ways to get help with your Universal Credit application.

Universal Credit helpline

Contact the Universal Credit helpline if:

you cannot use digital services at all, this might be due to disability or your circumstances

you have a question about your claim and cannot access your online claim

Universal Credit helpline 
Telephone: 0800 328 5644 
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744 
NGT text relay – if you cannot hear or speak on the phone: 18001 then 0800 328 5644 
Textphone: 0800 328 1344 
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm 
Find out about call charges

[If it be your will]

If labour was full of John Mann's, Ian Austin's and Frank Fields I could vote for them, but it isn't.

(...shudder...)

[dermotdermot]

Here - page 35 deal with the subject: https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/upload ... e-Many.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A very different description to the Express link that takes the first search slot.

It is common knowledge that Corbyn's Labour party would drastically lower the inheritance tax threshold. Abolishing it altogether and replacing it with a 'gift tax' is just a way of clumsily re-modeling it. God knows how you think that drivel that you've churned up has any logical relevance to this matter, is quite baffling. From what I can see , it has more to do with Mugabe style land grab.

[Paul Waine]

I take it you feel uneasy at padding Murdoch's pockets?

We already offer television, books, music, art, and film over the internet. Why could Britain not have an integrated streaming service for all of this that is free at point of use, and pays out royalties per "view/use" straight to the creators of the content, and paid for out of taxes?

Hi Andrew, some questions, if I may.

1) so, is this British Broadband offering all these internet services?
2) Do we shut down BBC, because it's all available over BB? Do we end BBC license fee? I guess that's one way of making sure that over 75s get free licenses;
3) I assume just UK taxpayers? Have we solved the non-UK resident accessing BB services?
4) Is free broadband access for everyone the smartest way to spend money? I assume that the £60bn productivity gains from the BT Openreach article you linked would still be available if we paid for what we wanted. I'm sure that was Openreach's assumption, also.

[Paul Waine]

Land For the Many - AndrewJB's link, above.

George Monbiot
Dig deep enough into many of the problems this country faces, and you will soon hit land . Soaring inequality and exclusion; the massive cost of renting or buying a decent home; repeated financial crises, sparked by housing asset bubbles; the collapse of wildlife and ecosystems; the lack of public amenities – the way land is owned and controlled underlies them all . Yet it scarcely features in political discussions .

The sense that even in discussing land we are trespassing is so strong that this critical issue remains off the agenda. Yet we cannot solve our many dysfunctions without addressing it. This report aims to put land where it belongs: at the heart of political debate and discussion . It proposes radical but practical changes in the way land in the UK is used and governed. By these means, it seeks to make this a nation that works for everyone, with a better distribution of wealth and power, greater financial stability, economic security and environmental quality, greater participation in the decisions that affect our lives, an enhanced ability to create our own homes and neighbourhoods and a stronger sense of community and belonging .