The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Clint Planet]

Changing peoples behaviours is one of the hardest things possible, so it makes sense to me to look at the huge amount of experience and knowledge that has been accumulated around that task. I've mentioned several times about the positive deviance project that worked in some of the poorest communities on earth to improve their lot, and how effective grassroots projects like that have been.

It's quite possible that I'm succumbing to the frequency illusion here, but the standard thinking (as I see it) is that it's much more likely to succeed if you can identify people who are already succeeding, figure out how they've done it, and use them as role models/mentors to help spread their behaviours more widely. That's more likely to work than imposing change top down, as those people are seen as one of them rather than you as the outsider.

I mean you said yourself a few pages ago when I shared the commentary from the RSA about the various education ministers thoughts, that top down restructuring is not what is needed, and yet abolishing private schools is exactly that.

I don't want poor kids to be deprived of the splendour of learning any more than you do, but I sense our ways of doing it differ quite significantly.

Once again, the private system gives some children an unfair advantage in life. The flipside of that is that some children are therefore penalised for their social circumstances even tough it isn't their fault. Of course we should be encouraging every way possible to improve their circumstances including grass roots action but the fact remains, children are being sold short by the system. Is it really that difficult to see that??

 

[Ashtonian]

there is a wider issue with E ciggeretes that the country turns a blind eye to in favour of bad press coverage.

first of all the untested, potentially unsafe argument that is always thrown out in light of the subject is nonsense. the products are tested and if you bother to look online there is plenty of research data proving that both the inhale and exale of the liquids are not harmful to anyone, especially compared to ciggerettes. There is plenty of proffesionals world wide who have backed them as a genuine anti smoking aid and not 'harmful' in the light of what they are replacing. but read BBC news next time they publish an article and see none of this mentioned because rats injected with Pneumonia got the illness. (actual story by them btw)

Second of all it is down to money. Less people smoke, less tax. Less money for government to collect which shows where the priorities are when it comes to public health. But they are planning on making a hell of a lot of changes to the use of them which will kill business in this country of them. Look at it deeper, there is at least 4 companies that make liquids for retail, and sell overseas as well. They would go out of business so there is a lot of jobs that will disappear as a result, to line the pockets of the government in the guise of 'no smoking'.

finally The whole thing is clearly a crusade by the government to try and sieze control of the industry because they havent got their monopoly on it. I have many many views on how smoking is handled by the government but what it boils down to is the fact they are losing money. If you actually read what they propose to do by 2016 you will see to what extemes they will go to try and take control, it makes me sick.

 

[Joey66]

...the Labour benches during this budget announcement look like a group of footy fans when their team is getting a real hiding. Very quiet, no fightback.

Like me listening to a load of tory waffle - wait to see if they get back in -30 million of cuts!

 

[Mrk]

Like me listening to a load of tory waffle - wait to see if they get back in -30 million of cuts!

*billion.

 

[Eggs]

Like me listening to a load of tory waffle - wait to see if they get back in -30 million of cuts!

.....I know, it is frightening. I just wish Labour had more backbone for a fight on the economy but they have been trodden all over without a fight.

 

[Tree13]

...I think it will be a hung Parliament, all I'm saying is Consevatives will get most seats. Labour have really missed a trick not getting Northern devolution out ahead of Tory plans for powerhouse. They limply take everything thrown at them in respect of the economy, rather than fighting back about global recession and the good years under Brown. I'm afraid Labour need new faces at the top.

Christ on a bike, "the good years under Brown." LOL! Are you serious?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Once again, the private system gives some children an unfair advantage in life. The flipside of that is that some children are therefore penalised for their social circumstances even tough it isn't their fault. Of course we should be encouraging every way possible to improve their circumstances including grass roots action but the fact remains, children are being sold short by the system. Is it really that difficult to see that??

I get that you think that, I just don't see how life will ever be as fair as you would like it to be, nor how banning private schools would make it fairer. It isn't the system that is doing that to children but life itself.

Taking wealth out of the picture, educated people tend to breed with one another, thus passing on both their genes and their approach to life to their offspring. That's probably as advantegeous as any money they can bring to the table. Should the well educated be banned from breeding with one another too so as not to disadvantage children from other backgrounds? Or maybe as you're so keen on removing disadvantages for children, the feckless should be prevented from breeding, just as the state check whether adopted parents are suitable? I'm not sure that's what you'd want, and yet it's hard to dispute the enormous impact parenting has on success and happiness in life.

Just as being born British gives you many advantages over someone born Ethiopian (for instance). Life is sadly not always fair. Britain does provide every child with the opportunity to receive schooling, both at pre-school level and all the way up to 16/18 years of age. That's many thousands of hours of schooling given to them regardless of income, race, religion, gender or whatever else. It's an opportunity that a large percentage of children around the world would give their hind teeth for.

That some children (or their parents) choose to waste that tremendous opportunity is sadly not up for dispute, but I don't think banning private schools will do anything to make children (or their parents) appreciate the opportunities education brings when they don't do so already.

It's that that I don't see, not that inequality exists in how children approach their schooling.

 

[Tree13]

Your forgetting the impact of ukip on the con vote in marginals it will be a hung parliament expect DC to maybe team up with the Irish to hold power if the lib Dems lose too many seats!

It will be genuinely interesting to see if UKIP attract more disillusioned Labour voters or disillusioned Tory voters.

If only Alex Salmond hadn't ruined his own devolution campaign. We could have culled more than forty Labour MPs in Westminster overnight, and this General Election would already be over.

 

[Blue 1]

It will be genuinely interesting to see if UKIP attract more disillusioned Labour voters or disillusioned Tory voters.

If only Alex Salmond hadn't ruined his own devolution campaign. We could have culled more than forty Labour MPs in Westminster overnight, and this General Election would already be over.

I think it might have been a little while ago, but since Farage has said he'd prop up a Tory govt. I can't see him taking so many from Labour now.

 

[Tree13]

I think it might have been a little while ago, but since Farage has said he'd prop up a Tory govt. I can't see him taking so many from Labour now.

A very pertinent point. One wonders if, in a similar vein, the SNP will punish Labour for opposing the Scottish referendum?

 

[Eggs]

Christ on a bike, "the good years under Brown." LOL! Are you serious?

.....no. I mean when he was Chancellor (not PM). The national debt might not have been tackled (roof not fixed when the sun was shining) but people were generally better off during those years. I talk generally, of course, and absolutely appreciate times are bad for some.

 

[roydo]

Not sure Osborne realises quite what he has done with that new pension limit.

 

[rascal]

No investment in the construction industry, no plans to tackle the housing shortage.

This joke isn't funny anymore

Edit: I guess it's somewhat funny that first time buyers are trying to be encouraged to buy something that doesn't exist.

 

[Joey66]

*billion.

Yes wrote in temper! If unemployment is falling so much it proves they are mostly poor or part time job as if they were well paid jobs Gideon Osborne would have massive income from extra taxes, and NI contributions made over the last five years!

He could have. Clawed back 30 billion by closing down hard on tax evasion, and tax avoidance, but he claims it is only going to to be 3 billion - that alone would have saved on the sheer butchery to come in the first two years of a new Tory nasty Government - the best Joke is the Lib Dems helped them to achive that budget today, and will issue theirs tomorrow - a load of wet flannels Nick Cleg and co - never voted Labour in my life - I will do this time as will all my family!

 

[Eggs]

Not sure Osborne realises quite what he has done with that new pension limit.

....I'll tell you next year, Mate.