Current Affairs

[Mervyn and Trish]

Whilst I do tend to support the idea of an elected upper chamber, I do have reservations about who should be on the ballot, and why would this need to be done via PR, unless you want the upper chamber to be a mirror of the lower chamber, except it would give the minor parties a much larger number of seats. Can you imagine what an upper chamber full oF Scots Nationalists would be like.

That's precisely what I want. And actually on PR the SNP would have fewer seats. On first the post they have most of the Scottish seats. On PR they'd have less than half.

[towny44]

Whilst I do tend to support the idea of an elected upper chamber, I do have reservations about who should be on the ballot, and why would this need to be done via PR, unless you want the upper chamber to be a mirror of the lower chamber, except it would give the minor parties a much larger number of seats. Can you imagine what an upper chamber full oF Scots Nationalists would be like.

That's precisely what I want. And actually on PR the SNP would have fewer seats. On first the post they have most of the Scottish seats. On PR they'd have less than half.

Unfortunately Merv most of the smaller parties are left leaning, this would lead to an upper chamber which could, and probably would, result in them blocking or amending any right wing legislation that any future Tory govt wanted to pass.

[Mervyn and Trish]

That's democracy.

[towny44]

That's democracy.

Yes, but it's the most concerning element of applying PR to a democracy, especially a country steeped in the 2 party system. It will take us years to work out a suitable democratic way of mitigating the worst effects of PR.

[david63]

Does anyone else think that $200 million a year is an obscene amount to pay anyone, let alone a "prima-donna" footballer?

[Stephen]

Absolutely.

They should be giving me half.

[Stephen]

I see I was missed yet again in the New Year honours list.

[Manoverboard]

It doesn't concern me at all how much anybody else earns unless I'm contributing to it.

You'll always find somebody who has an axe to grind about other folks' earnings / pensions / perks etc

[Onelife]

Does anyone else think that $200 million a year is an obscene amount to pay anyone, let alone a "prima-donna" footballer?

I would say yes David, if nothing else it compounds the apathy and an acceptance that for the majority of low paid workers there are two planets on which we live.

[towny44]

Does anyone else think that $200 million a year is an obscene amount to pay anyone, let alone a "prima-donna" footballer?

I would say yes David, if nothing else it compounds the apathy and an acceptance that for the majority of low paid workers there are two planets on which we live.

I have always accepted that for services you are paid what the market and the quality of your work will bear. Footballers or train drivers your salary depends on how much you are worth to your employer.
I do agree with the view that football clubs have spent far too much of the billions they receive from television rights on player wages. Unfortunately that boat has sailed and it seems that player wages will continue to climb, just as long asTV rights do the same.

[Bensham33]

If our MP's were on Premier League wages then I believe that some real talent might be attracted to Parliament just like they used to be. Then perhaps we might be able to sort out some of the problems that we face as a country. Because one things for certain non of our politicians are capable of doing it.

[david63]

Moved to new topic here