Current Affairs

[towny44]

I'd go further Towny (though basically agreeing with you, which is a worry!)

I'd stick to first past the post in the Commons and do full PR in the Upper Chamber, however small any party's vote. Have say 500 members so even if a party gets only 1% of the vote they get 5 seats. Would be a shock to Mrs Krankie though. There'd be more UKIP in there than SNP! Then she'd see how unimportant she is.

That's very worrying we seem to be in total agreement, I just plucked 7.5% out of the air because I assumed the major parties would never agree to 1%.
However you do realise this might give the BNP some representation in the upper chamber, which will probably have to be renamed as the Senate, we couldn't possibly continue calling it the Lords. However the upside is that the BNP members would certainly stir up the feelings of any wet liberals that get elected.
Now how do we get a house of commons petition started and give it plenty of publicity so that it has to be debated?

[Happydays]

The yougov poll that I mentioned (replacing the Lords) is now up to 103,110 votes!

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'd go further Towny (though basically agreeing with you, which is a worry!)

I'd stick to first past the post in the Commons and do full PR in the Upper Chamber, however small any party's vote. Have say 500 members so even if a party gets only 1% of the vote they get 5 seats. Would be a shock to Mrs Krankie though. There'd be more UKIP in there than SNP! Then she'd see how unimportant she is.

That's very worrying we seem to be in total agreement, I just plucked 7.5% out of the air because I assumed the major parties would never agree to 1%.
However you do realise this might give the BNP some representation in the upper chamber, which will probably have to be renamed as the Senate, we couldn't possibly continue calling it the Lords. However the upside is that the BNP members would certainly stir up the feelings of any wet liberals that get elected.
Now how do we get a house of commons petition started and give it plenty of publicity so that it has to be debated?

Come to think of it a 5% cut off would be good. Krankie would get no seats at all!

[towny44]

I wonder if the Lords realise that their silly shenanigans voting for amendments to Brexit is having a detrimental affect on Sterling's value, which would not normally unduly worry me, except that I might need to top up my Euros ready for my next cruise.

[qbman1]

I'm sure they don't care - they are all either shot away or so loaded that they are insulated from the real world

[qbman1]

The yougov poll that I mentioned (replacing the Lords) is now up to 103,110 votes!

Now running at 117,850. I've added my voice - I'm sick of the silly old duffers !

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/170686

[qbman1]

Jezza's on the ball, as usual. In his Budget response speech, he said "Britain is not prepared for breakfast" before correcting that to "Brexit" !

[towny44]

The yougov poll that I mentioned (replacing the Lords) is now up to 103,110 votes!

Now running at 117,850. I've added my voice - I'm sick of the silly old duffers !

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/170686

Have you both e-mailed your MP advising them of your vote and asking them to support the motion when it's discussed?

[towny44]

Well we have already had a reply back from our MP so good for him as it shows he is happy to keep in touch with his supporters. I have to hope that despite Govt. reluctance the commons will vote for a review of the Lords with the possibility of major reforms.

[towny44]

Why has there been such a furore over the increase in NIC for the self employed, the argument for it sounded quite reasonable, and from my knowledge of the self employed the more astute will quickly find ways of making up any taxation loss elsewhere.
As for it being a broken election pledge, so what who in their right mind has ever thought that all election promises were sacrosanct.

[barney]

I'm self employed towny and in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't make much difference.

Unfortunately people think that folk should pay more tax for services, but not them. Someone else? The Rich?
That's it! Tax the rich.
THAT'S IT !!!!!!

TAX THE RICH. Yaaay!

why has no one ever thought of that before?

[qbman1]

FDR_1944_Color_Portrait_tif.jpg

That's him - "soak the rich" !

[towny44]

I do think that the new way that some firms employ their staff by making them become self employed is a slippery slope to reducing tax revenues.
It clearly is a way for these firms to pay minimum wages, avoid making employer NI contributions and thereby increasing their profits, which I also guess their accountants will find them lots of ways to avoid paying tax, and for their "employees" to also minimise their tax payments.
Strange that on the one hand the Labour party criticises firms that use these tactics, and yet is shouting loudest about the Chancellor hitting the future entrepreneurs.
Just which Deliveroo cyclists do they think will be the next Richard Branson.

[qbman1]

This one ?

branson2.jpg

[towny44]

You're not taking this seriously Cubie.

[qbman1]

Sorry dear - but at least I'm on topic !

[Silver_Shiney]

Hmm, well you're certainly on something!!

Honestly, what's the problem? Taxation rates should be the same, whether you are employed or self-employed.

[qbman1]

Quite right but then Call Me Dave should not have spouted that there would be no increase in NI, tax, etc during the course of this parliament. I seem to remember at the time that someone questioned the wisdom of that

[Silver_Shiney]

Parliament, wisdom - sorry, but shouldn't that be on the oxymoron thread?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Of course the Labour party have never ever broken any election promises. Especially the no more boom and bust one.

[Silver_Shiney]

Not forgetting their ethos of looking out for the working class...

How many millions is Blair worth now?

[towny44]

I liked the comments attributed to the Aussie PM in the weekend press
He said that the countries of Europe do not trade with Britain because it's in the EU, they trade with Britain because it's in their interest to do so, and that Britain should not worry about a hard Brexit because Australia had managed to trade successfully on WTO terms for 40 years.
What was also interesting was that call me Dave had begged him not to openly support Brexit in March last year when he was next in London.

[qbman1]

Someone's up for a second referendum

C6y_BXgXUAABf-5.jpg

[Silver_Shiney]

So Scotland gets the name for what it already has In practice - independence.

Our armed forces should then withdraw to bases in the UK (granted, this will incur staggering costs in relocating or building the necessary infrastructure, particularly for the navy). So how does La Krankie propose to defend her new nation?

[qbman1]

....and then deprived parts of Northern England can claim on her "overseas aid" budget ?