Following on from earlier discussions about Labour's pledge to raise the National Minimum Wage to £8 per hour by 2020; one thousand companies are pledging to adopt the Living Wage, increasing on Monday, leading to a pay rise for some 60,000 workers.


http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/...-wage-rate

A step in the right direction.

Over 200,000 have now signed the petition to include the Green Party in the live TV debates for 2015: http://www.change.org/p/bbc-itv-channel-...l-election

What would be the criteria to join the debates? Will it be open to parties who represented in Parliament otherwise could a party like the BNP ask to take part?

What would be the criteria to join the debates? Will it be open to parties who represented in Parliament otherwise could a party like the BNP ask to take part?

I think there should be two factors. First being that you are already represented in parliament, and the second being opinion polls. That would make a 5 way debate of Labour, Tories, UKIP, Greens and Lib Dems, now that the Greens are ahead of the Lib Dems! 

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014...der-debate

Regional debates should always have regional parties represented, i.e. Plaid Cymru in Wales, and SNP in Scotland.

I think there should be two factors. First being that you are already represented in parliament, and the second being opinion polls. That would make a 5 way debate of Labour, Tories, UKIP, Greens and Lib Dems, now that the Greens are ahead of the Lib Dems! 

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014...der-debate

Regional debates should always have regional parties represented, i.e. Plaid Cymru in Wales, and SNP in Scotland.

Although I appreciate it's probably infeasible, I think any party (or individual) willing to cough up the £500 deposit needed to stand for election should be entitled to argue their case in front of a televised public forum. 

This is a fundamental tenet of democratised politics. Having to meet criteria based upon the number of MP's and opinion polls is deeply undemocratic in my opinion. How is an unfunded, upstart, grassroots (fringe) party ever going to their message across to a wider audience if they are deemed unworthy of participation by those already embedded within the established order?

This is why politics needs to change in this country!

Unite are reporting that an employment tribunal has just ruled that overtime should be taken into account when calculating holiday pay. Massive ruling.

Unite are reporting that an employment tribunal has just ruled that overtime should be taken into account when calculating holiday pay. Massive ruling.

I saw this on the news earlier.

I'll be whacking my claim in as soon as the dust has settled.

A bit light reading for you all.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29951222

A bit light reading for you all.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29951222

It's interesting to note that notions of central planning exist in most major corporations. A certain amount of autonomy/decentralisation once existed which allowed companies to freely adapt and function based upon locational demands. But any such freedom is now constricted as 'Head Offices' seek rigid uniformity throughout. 

I'm not attempting to argue whether this is a good or a bad thing, just highlighting the parity between corporate and communist regimes and how central planning can be seen as a good thing.

Keep forgetting to upload a photo of the proposed salary increases being put forward to union members.

The photo is seemingly too big to upload from my phone, so will try later if I remember on.

@AdamY

I agree.
Local autonomy is seemingly being taken away or reduced, in favour of things being processed centrally.
The local, specialised knowledge often ignored and left to those hundreds of miles away.

Keep forgetting to upload a photo of the proposed salary increases being put forward to union members.

The photo is seemingly too big to upload from my phone, so will try later if I remember on.

@AdamY

I agree.
Local autonomy is seemingly being taken away or reduced, in favour of things being processed centrally.
The local, specialised knowledge often ignored and left to those hundreds of miles away.

WP_20141107_17_50_59_Pro[1].jpg (Size 3.1 MB Downloads 21)

I remembered

I should have said that the proposed salary increases, being put forward to union members, are specific to public sector workers.

Turmoil in the commons tonight. May got her motion on opting into 11 out of the 35 EU justice measures through, but on a majority of 9. Major Tory rebellion.

UKIP gain second MP as Mark Reckless (what a surname!) retains his seat in the Rochester and Strood by-election.

As much as I dislike UKIP, the potential splitting of the Conservative vote leading into May's General Election is interesting to say the least.

UKIP gain second MP as Mark Reckless (what a surname!) retains his seat in the Rochester and Strood by-election.

As much as I dislike UKIP, the potential splitting of the Conservative vote leading into May's General Election is interesting to say the least.

I'm hoping it waters down the vote enough for Labour to sneak in the back door, although I'm not confident at all of a majority.

The Labour Party on the other hand are very confident of gaining a majority. The latest membership material going around Labour North is even making the claim of 'we expect to win in 2015'. 

I'm hoping it waters down the vote enough for Labour to sneak in the back door, although I'm not confident at all of a majority.

The Labour Party on the other hand are very confident of gaining a majority. The latest membership material going around Labour North is even making the claim of 'we expect to win in 2015'. 

Lets say Labour win a minority, who will they go into coalition with...would a Lab/Lib pact work or would Labour have to sweeten people like the SNP and DUP or if it comes to it jump into bed with Big Nige or could Labour govern with a minority government in place?

Minority governments are not unheard of within UK politics. Labour briefly governed the country with a minority government in 1974 after winning the General Election in the February of that year. It lasted all of seven months before the public were asked to cast their votes in another General Election held in October. In Scotland, the SNP governed with a minority between 2007 and 2011 - narrowly beating Labour by one seat: 47 to 46.

For the 2015 General Election, I think it will be another hung parliament with Labour narrowly winning. If Labour lose seats to the SNP in Scotland (and if SNP gain seats from the LibDems), the SNP might find itself in the position of 'Kingmaker'. Despite gains in Clacton and Rochester & Strood, I don't think UKIP will gain many more seats than they currently have unless more Tory MPs decide to defect. I also think that this General Election will bear witness to the near death of the Liberal Democrats. The Greens will probably keep their seat in Brighton but I don't think they'll make gains anywhere else.

It'll be Labour propped up by the SNP and the rest (except UKIP) in my opinion.

See there is more problems in the UKIP Camp...

Candidate Kerry Smith has stood down after making offensive remarks about homosexuals...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30473388

When people are caught out like this, there always seems to be an excuse

This time...He was on strong painkillers for a bad back or something and was highly stressed

Local Authority funding cuts outlined.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30524122

The NAO reckon it is a drop of 37% since 2010.

http://youtu.be/1WhhSBgd3KI - Due a re-release perhaps?

Local Authority funding cuts outlined.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30524122

The NAO reckon it is a drop of 37% since 2010.

http://youtu.be/1WhhSBgd3KI - Due a re-release perhaps?

It's disgusting. Nothing more than an ideological attack on the working class, and those that rely on public services most.

Just seen this retweet.

@bassmadman
63 councils got increased government funding. 47 Tory, 13 Tory marginals, 1 lab, 1 Ind & 1 Isle of Scilly. @hilarybennmp @PaulBlomfieldMP

How true it is, I don't know...

Just seen this retweet.


How true it is, I don't know...

Few people tweeting that tonight, including Eoin Clarke, who's usually a reliable source. Wouldn't surprise me - Cameron trying to finish off what Maggie started.

'The Pub Landlord', Al Murray, is set to stand against Nigel Farage in his battle to snatch the constituency of South Thanet from the Conservative incumbent, Laura Sandys.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015...uth-thanet

'The Pub Landlord', Al Murray, is set to stand against Nigel Farage in his battle to snatch the constituency of South Thanet from the Conservative incumbent, Laura Sandys.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015...uth-thanet

I best find a job quick, I will be locked up under the pub landlords regime

Watson at it again - http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nort...ty-8492622

Doesn't surprise me. He sat at the NECA meeting I attended, trying to stick a spanner in, and sounding as thick as two short planks at the same time. His best line was to pretty much ask if they could go back to how things are with the operators, should QCS not work out....

Completely forgot to mention the Mayor of Bishop Auckland who defected from Labour earlier this week.
His line, was that Labour no longer represents the working class. A fair enough comment, until it transpired he had joined UKIP.

Baffling.

Completely forgot to mention the Mayor of Bishop Auckland who defected from Labour earlier this week.
His line, was that Labour no longer represents the working class. A fair enough comment, until it transpired he had joined UKIP.

Baffling.

I wonder what all his fellow party members on the council will think about that one, given that they put him in the cosy job in the first place. He's right about Labour though. I've cancelled my own membership this week, as I've became completely disillusioned with them.

I wonder what all his fellow party members on the council will think about that one, given that they put him in the cosy job in the first place. He's right about Labour though. I've cancelled my own membership this week, as I've became completely disillusioned with them.

They're not happy at all, for the reasons you mentioned.

Will see if I can find a link to the story.

They're not happy at all, for the reasons you mentioned.

Will see if I can find a link to the story.

Here are a few:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/pol...91576.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-30911005

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nort...in-8484332

Pleased to see anti-austerity party Syriza make excellent progress in the Greek elections.

It will be an interesting time for other EU member states, including ourselves as Syriza have made a lot of promises regarding the EU policies which were put into place.

Pleased to see anti-austerity party Syriza make excellent progress in the Greek elections.

It will be an interesting time for other EU member states, including ourselves as Syriza have made a lot of promises regarding the EU policies which were put into place.

It makes for an interesting socio-economic experiment to say the least.