Scottish Labour, bast*rds the lot of them

[Pickman's model]

Your unscientific research backs a poll I saw a few weeks ago, can't remember where. Hardly anyone knows Johann a) exists and b) is leader of Labour in Scotland.

i haven't read the thread but i am shocked by the news that johann hari is leader of the scottish labour party.

 

[Manter]

Your unscientific research backs a poll I saw a few weeks ago, can't remember where. Hardly anyone knows Johann a) exists and b) is leader of Labour in Scotland.

I've never heard of him Despite my addiction to r4 and newspaper websites

 

[danny la rouge]

I've never heard of him Despite my addiction to r4 and newspaper websites

She's a laydee.

 

[Manter]

She's a laydee.

Oh.

Well, that's even more embarrassing

 

[danny la rouge]

Your unscientific research backs a poll I saw a few weeks ago, can't remember where. Hardly anyone knows Johann a) exists and b) is leader of Labour in Scotland.

Probably the same one I saw. It was what prompted me to see if I would replicate its findings.

 

[danny la rouge]

Labour's deputy leader under fire for sending son to Glasgow private school

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...ending-son-to-glasgow-private-school.23269520

Anas Sarwar, who has often spoken about his commitment to social justice, is not using state primaries and has opted for Glasgow's £8234-a-year Hutchesons' Grammar.

[...] his personal commitment to "world-class public services" has been questioned after it emerged he was not using a state school for his own son.

Sarwar recently sent his son to "Hutchie", an exclusive independent school which he also attended and where fees range from £8234 a year for primary pupils to £10,230 for secondary education.

 

[DaveCinzano]

During the course of yesterday morning and over lunch...

Any chance that you could bring your polling abilities to bear on the issue of eggy bread/French toast?

 

[danny la rouge]

Any chance that you could bring your polling abilities to bear on the issue of eggy bread/French toast?

I think my sample would be skewed by the fact that nobody round here calls it eggy bread.

 

[_angel_]

Kezia Dugdale tweeted that it wasn't a vote against free school meals, it was a vote against independence which was included in the motion. Meanwhile, I still have to pay £22 per week if I want my children to have school dinners, which is one seventh of what I earn in a week, because I am just over the threshold for free school dinners. Thanks, Labour.

I'd have thought if you qualified for housing benefit that school dinners automatically go with that. (I know the boys' stopped after I stopped claiming it). Is it different in Scotland? Or is it up to each local authority.

 

[geminisnake]

She's a laydee.

She's NOT a lady!!

 

[weepiper]

I'd have thought if you qualified for housing benefit that school dinners automatically go with that. (I know the boys' stopped after I stopped claiming it). Is it different in Scotland? Or is it up to each local authority.

It's not as simple as that:

To qualify, you must be in receipt of at least one of the following benefits (as of 6 April 2013 and subject to change):

• Child Tax Credit (and your annual income is less than £15,910).
• Child Tax Credit with Working Tax Credit with and Income below £6420 (for free school meals ONLY)
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance

Dunno if it's different in England. I earn about a grand too much to qualify.

 

[_angel_]

It's not as simple as that:



Dunno if it's different in England. I earn about a grand too much to qualify.

That's sod all!

 

[geminisnake]

Dunno if it's different in England. I earn about a grand too much to qualify.

Are you getting hit with SLCo repayments as well? Or are you below their threshold?

 

[weepiper]

Are you getting hit with SLCo repayments as well? Or are you below their threshold?

Nope. Paying them back £115 a month.

 

[geminisnake]

 

[danny la rouge]

Scottish Labour leader getting a slating in the Scottish press and media today for spectacularly dropping the ball yesterday. Here's a sample:

"Johann Lamont had it on a plate yesterday.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney had teed things up exquisitely for her with a speech on how a currency union with sterling would force an independent Scotland to "cede sovereignty*" to London, a phrase virtually hand-crafted for dinging off Alex Salmond's bonce.

All the Labour leader had to do was throw, and the FM was surely in for a pounding (geddit?)

All the damage was to Ms Lamont's feet, as she dropped clanger after clanger on them in a giddy self-destructive spiral Justin Beiber would have been proud of". (Herald).​

(*Having said that, I find it a slightly odd argument for Unionists to use, that Salmond isn't proposing "enough" independence...But still, her performance was, as usual, woeful).

 

[danny la rouge]

It seems Scottish Labour has learned its lesson after its school meals fiasco.

The SNP is arguing that its anti bedroom tax measures are a stop gap, and only properly fixable by an independent parliament, because it's Westminster rules they're fighting. So they've couched the measures exactly the same way as before. Last time Labour thought that meant they had to oppose them (because Labour is pro Union). This time, Labour is being more nuanced. Labour is backing the SNP scheme as what's most important is "getting the help to those households", but thinks that devolution could get round the Westminster rules (I think only by changing the devolution settlement, but still):

[Iain Gray] has suggested that the Scottish government could set up a similar national scheme without falling foul of UK spending rules.

He said: "I'm not confident and that's why we've worked hard to develop an alternative so that helping families in Scotland doesn't depend on some kind of dispute between the Scottish government and the DWP.

"That's less important than getting the help to those households - 80% of those households include somebody with a disability.

"The most important thing is that we work together and find a way round the DWP if we have to."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-26010892


Had they said that last time, they'd have saved themselves an almighty drubbing in the press.

 

[geminisnake]

They're still useless self interested cnuts imo. What I want to know is when Angus council is going to give me my money back that I've bloody paid!!

 

[weepiper]

Jackie Baillie MSP speaking at a Tory lunch club

 

[geminisnake]

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

Jackie Baillie MSP speaking at a Tory lunch club

View attachment 48487

Politician engages with people who don't support her party shocker.

 

[weepiper]

The Labour-led administration on Aberdeen City Council is to press ahead with sending out letters endorsing a "No" vote in September's independence referendum.

About 200,000 letters will be included in bills sent out to council tax payers.

Labour council leader Barney Crockett insisted it was the right decision.

He said: "We are completely confident that what we are doing is not political campaigning."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-26528565

 

[Quartz]

Who's paying for these letters? Do I get two guesses?

 

[geminisnake]

I am hoping it may convince some don't knows to vote yes out of spite

 

[danny la rouge]

I am hoping it may convince some don't knows to vote yes out of spite

Surely anything coming with a bill is likely to have negative associations? If I was paying for advertising, I wouldn't have it delivered with a bill!

 

[geminisnake]

They're still useless self interested cnuts imo. What I want to know is when Angus council is going to give me my money back that I've bloody paid!!

Well it took them nearly a month to send me a cheque that then needed 6 DAYS to fucking clear!! So guess who may well be getting an up to date cheque book to pay her council tax with

 

[pogofish]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-26528565

If I get one of those, its going straight back for reissue without the political statement!

 

[geminisnake]

You need an Aberdeen action group so all/most of the city does it What's the Council meeting place called? The one up off Andy Drive(my memory may be off here but I think that's where it is, not been there since before the ABI)

 

[pogofish]

That's Woodhill House, the old Grampian Regional Council HQ - Despite it being in Aberdeen, it is actually the Aberdeenshire council HQ.

Aberdeen City Council HQ is now the former Marischal College on Broad St ,with the council meeting in the Town house - Union St/Broad St corner.

 

[geminisnake]

It was Aberdeenshire I was doing my placement in so makes sense iykwim.