POLITICS CORNER

[Stanley]

Watched Cameron defending his tax changes and help to buy houses. Two things struck me, the house buying is even more personal debt and the difference between these vote-catching policies and Milliband's is that the Tory ones don't benefit the worst off. Capping energy helps all of them. Osborne will make a speech today imposing even more pressure on benefits, particularly the unemployed. This is a holocaust of social care and responsibility. Cheers to the two veterans who argued with Hammond over defence cuts. Not sure if their beef was exactly the right target but nice to see the even tenor of a stage managed conference being disturbed from the floor. They used to be arenas for debate and decision but now are a TV spectacle.
US prepares for budget shut-down. If this is the most powerful economy in the world, God help the rest!

[Tizer]

The most bizarre thing about the Help to Buy scheme is that it's available for people buying houses for up to around £600,000. Who are we trying to help? It sounds like a great scheme to boost house prices!

[Stanley]

Quite, and the latest proposals for the unemployed demonstrate the complete failure of the Welfare to Work programmes despite all the money chucked at the dodgy firms running it, see Private Eye ad infinitum.
Had to turn the news off when I heard George Osborne saying "We have learned the lessons of the past". Actually he is demonstrating exactly the opposite, his total ignorance of the past. After lengthy analysis of Inter War employment two conclusions were reached, long term unemployment is the true measure of the scale of the problem and the only way to attack it is to stimulate the economy and produce jobs. It took the death of 50million people to do it then.
As for austerity, his pursuit of 'Sound Money' and budget surplus is exactly what was done between the wars and totally failed. In fact after the mid 1920s it made the depression far worse. He should read some history and learn. I heard an unemployed man on R4 yesterday saying he walked seven miles there and back to sign on at the Job Centre for his dole as he couldn't afford the bus fare. He'll be doing this every day? Crual and unusual punishment based on the fact that in Osborne's eyes he is one of the undeserving poor. That's Tory compassion in action.
In case you haven't noticed Italy is on auto destruct, US is arguing over credit card extension and none of this makes things any easier. Events Dear Boy. The full force of the current cuts hasn't hit us yet and we are looking at at the very least another five years of increasing pressure. Tin hats on lads!

[Thomo]

In the heavy snows of the early sixties, all of the single men where I worked were "Laid Off" two of us went to sign on together, within the hour we were both shovelling coal in the railway sidings. This was not can you do this, it was you will do this!

[Tardis]

The front page of today's Times in case anyone missed 'that' photo

[Tardis]

I heard an unemployed man on R4 yesterday saying he walked seven miles there and back to sign on at the Job Centre for his dole as he couldn't afford the bus fare. He'll be doing this every day? Crual and unusual punishment based on the fact that in Osborne's eyes he is one of the undeserving poor. That's Tory compassion in action.

The power to do this was introduced by the last Labour administration and even on their 'jobs programmes' where you had to re-apply for benefit after completion (statistics massage), any days where you do not have to sign on, then your bus fares are paid. The money is usually paid via bacs into your bank account.

The issue of an intensive policy, as far as I can see, is that the people within the Job Centres have to have the necessary nurturing skills and there has to be jobs for people to apply for.

If you have no or low skills, there is a lot of competition out there

[Tardis]

Reading through Ed's response in the Daily Mail (I didn't read the original attack until today) it is noticeable that he does not deny the quotes. Quite disappointing

[Bruff]

I'm not sure what there is for Mr Miliband to deny as much of his father's writings are all on record either in his teenage diaries or in subsequent material. I suppose it's odd for a politician these days not to deny a matter on record, but all power to him for not doing so and I'm not sure it'd disappoint me. But maybe that's your point!

The only issue is whether these diary entries and other writings demonstrate a 'hatred' of his adopted country. For me at least, a healthy scepticism of 'nationalism' wherever it manifests does not preclude a healthy 'patriotism' as the two are quite distinct, and it doesn't come as a surprise to me to learn that a 16-year old Jewish boy wore this scepticism close back in the 1930s/40s. Nor does disagreeing with the Falklands War mean you 'hate' your country. Or being a Marxist theoretician. Mind you, I am fully aware if you want to put the heeby-jeebys up some folk in this country, screaming 'Marxist' as loud as you can generally does the trick particularly if for added value, you can note said Marxist's grave is a matter of feet from the chap himself. Poor old Ed, he can't win - if he's not an odd-ball for being the intellectually curious and measured type you might expect of the son of a noted intellectual father (as though this is inherently suspect and so a weakness), he's now tarnished by the intellectual field of endeavour.

Anyways, the PM doesn't know the price of a loaf of bread as he makes his own in breadmaker. I'm the same, 'cept the wife bakes her own by hand. But I do know the price of a bag of flour - anywhere between a quid and a fiver. The PM should have had a pop along these lines - for a loaf, anywhere between 30p or thereabouts and a tenner for a lovely Poilane. Actually strike that, I wouldn't admit to knowing the price of a Poilane. Either way, I don't much like this asking a politician the price of a staple. There are plenty I don't know the price of and you'd just get an heroic guess within some upper and lower limit. I don't think my not knowing exactly stops me having a recognition of the pressures on family budgets, and it is there I'd rather my PM's knowledge (and understanding), whoever they might be, was more firm.

On bread, I'm sure I once read that in France the price of a baguette in a Calais boulangerie is the same as the price of a baguette in a Nice boulangerie and in all boulangeries at points north, south, east and west between. It's as though it's state-controlled but then I guess they got into terrible trouble over bread back in the day - let them eat cake, and all that........

Richard Broughton

[Tizer]

Either way, I don't much like this asking a politician the price of a staple. There are plenty I don't know the price of and you'd just get an heroic guess within some upper and lower limit.

I agree with that. Curiously, it reminded me of when I sat in on the mental ability test that my dad took at his GP's surgery when we were trying to stop him driving. The questions were (relatively) very easy, even for my confused dad, such as "What day is it?" and he passed with high marks even though he couldn't remember what I told him an hour ago. On the other hand, as I sat there listening, I was disturbed to realise that I couldn't answer some of the questions, such as one as simple as "What is the date?" I often don't know the date because I don't make any effort to find out what it is in the first place. When I need to know I find out. Perhaps that's what the PM feels about the price of bread.

[Stanley]

I am not a fan of Ed's but in the case of his protest against the attack on his father I'm right behind him. God knows if they had a dig into mine (by reading my book about it!) they would find plenty to chew on from bigamy to false identity and back! But all that has no bearing on what he did with his life and Ralph Milliband is no different. Actually Ed should take heart because it's obvious he has frightened the rabid right of the Tories and they are attacking him through his father. I noted that when, in a discussion last night, the issue of Rothermere's relationship with fascism wsas raised, the Mail man said that was totally different. So that's all right then....

Had mail from my mate Bob this morning about the budget freeze in the US. He's an intelligent man and admits that it worries him that the Republicans have swallowed the Ron Reagan school of political thought and now regard it as a reality. If he's worried, so am I!

[Tardis]

Every person has the right to defend an attack, I just find it odd that Ed didn't and having Campbell wheeled out onto Newsnight to attack the DailyFail would mean that I'm more likely to believe the angst is 'politically motivated'

Ed's father is a legitamate target as he uses him to increase the humanity in his speeches

There also seems to be be quite a lot of hypocrisy so soon after the publication of Damian McBrides book and Ed worked in the same office

If there is to be a proper debate, best put down all those distraction toys first and why would you give so much publicity to something like the DailyFail when it is more likely to entrench opinion?

[plaques]

I find it odd that being a “left wing” academic automatically labels you as some kind of erotic. But if you are a member of the more fashionable “Think Tanks” you must be taken as gospel. Are we returning to the McCarthy era?
Remember some of the worlds greatest thinkers were “academics”

[Bruff]

'Erotic'?!??! Exotic.....?

I don't think we'll be going 'live' to the McCarthyite 'Witch Trials' anytime soon but as I say above, screaming 'Marxist' or 'Communist' is still a popular pastime in this country. Despite having the most restrictive labour relations laws in Europe and in almost the whole of the developed world, 'Trade Unionist' works well too. Not sure what this says about our maturity as a country, but I find it hilarious and not in a good way.

I guess whether you take a think-tank's word as gospel depends on where your persuasions lie. The Institute for Economic Affairs is to the 'right'; the Institute of Public Policy Research' is to the 'left'. Given the same topic, they might come to different conclusions. But that's the realm of the social sciences - they often come with an 'agenda' for want of a better word. Ed Milliband and David Cameron both studied PPE at Oxford. Their views are very different. But they both studied the same subjects(s).

It amuses me when an economist pops up on tele and waxes lyrical about this, that and the other as though there is some hard empirical evidence for it all, like physics or somesuch. There often isn't; it's a perspective framed within said agenda - I seem to recall some research that looked at their predictive ability and it was no better than chance (that might have been the bankers in the 'casino' part though, thinking about it). Bit cheeky that.

Good book on all this is Francis Wheen's How Mumbo Jumbo Conquered the World. Not to deny the validity of study here as a means of intellectual development and critical thinking, but it pays to be aware of some of the limitations.

Richard Broughton

[plaques]

Bruff, Sorry about the mix up with words.
Putting a label on people is often the first move in degrading someone’s character. I used McCarthyism as an extreme example of this technique. More recently we have had George Bush with his “axis of evil” which more or less covered everyone he disagreed with. Once you’ve established a label you can then include every bit of derogatory fact or fiction that has ever been written about it. The end result is often some broad brush belief “that there must be something in it or they wouldn’t be saying it” followed closely by “they’re all the same aren’t they”. You might say that we are now in the pre-election phase of “stirring up apathy”.

[Tripps]

"Good book on all this is Francis Wheen's How Mumbo Jumbo Conquered the World"

Coincidentally - I have a copy of this book by my side at the moment. I tend to dip in and out of several books at a time. I've enjoyed what I have read up to now, but must admit some of it is hard going. Lots of big words.

Now, having received your imprimatur, I shall put a bit more effort in. He's a very clever chap, and covers vast amounts of information. He's good on perceived risk versus actual risk, and uses the Lottery to illustrate the point. Despite knowing the odds against, (I actually know how to calculate it), I still buy the occasional ticket. However tonight will be the last. The price goes up to £2 tomorrow, and that's too much to buy a couple of days dreaming what I'd do with the winnings.

PS - Very reassuring to find that I'm not the only one who doesn't know what 'post modern' means.

[Stanley]

I often wonder if the people who use 'Marxist' as an epithet have ever read him.... I have and he makes eminent good sense in Das Kapital. Where it all went wrong was when the politicians got hold of it and cherry-picked the bits that suited them.
I still say that this whole kerfuffle is a symptom of the fact that the Tories are staring reality in the face. UKIP on one hand and a shift to the Left in Labour to match the shift to the right in the Tory Party. It's going to be a rough election. Meanwhile, even some Tories are questioning the efficacy of taking money off the young unemployed when what they need is investment in training and more jobs available. Impoverishing people and strangling the economy in the pursuit of 'sound money' is a mistake. Read the inter war history!

Meanwhile, in Italy, Berlusconi cracks and does a U-turn. Government survives but Italy is still an economic basket case. Could be the breaking of Berlusconi as well. Good! But... there are some interesting comments this morning about the Euro being over-valued and the effects that rising interest rates, particularly on bonds,is having on the EU economy which is quite fragile. Also news that Ireland is running a surplus and will be the first European country to come out of the extraordinary measures of their bail-out.

[Bruff]

Tripps - you might also enjoy Ben Goldacre's book Bad Science. There's 'mumbo-jumbo' everywhere. He's very funny on that Gillian McKeith lady or as he says, to refer to her by her full medical title.....errr, 'Gillian McKeith'.

I had a letter published a few year's back in the Craven Herald and Pioneer on perceived vs actual risk after it reported local councillors' 'safety' fears over a proposed footpath around the Marina.

Richard Broughton

[Tripps]

Thanks for that Richard - I've ordered it. It's in my price bracket $1 + post from abebooks.

I found this which is worth watching Dr. Ben Goldacre

Makes you wonder about the 'gold standard' of peer review doesn't it? Does nothing to reduce my climate change scepticism.

PS Two birds with one stone - I've just ordered Karl Marx by Francis Wheen. Another $1. Should be interesting.

[Stanley]

" to refer to her by her full medical title.....errr, 'Gillian McKeith'."

Brilliant!
One of the unintended consequences of the Milliband v Mail spat is that attention is being focussed on Paul Dacre. See Eyes passim.... not a man I would have for a house guest. Good.
I've just heard a fascinating little known fact on the news which highlights the artificiality of our financial system. The debt problem in the US could be instantly solved by the treasury minting a $1trillion coin and popping it in Fort Knox! Can this be true?

[Tizer]

Tripps, peer review can only work when information is entered into the system for others to judge. Fortunately with climate science most of the results of experiments are spread around for discussion among other scientists informally and formally at conferences etc. They want each others' views on their own work. `Big pharma' science goes on behind closed doors and they only let out what suits the companies and what is required by regulatory bodies.

[Bruff]

Very true Tizer, good point.

'Dr' Gillian McKeith obtained her title by correspondence from a non-accredited US Institution. To prove a point, Goldacre got his cat Hettie one from the same place.

There's a serious point to this. We hear little of her now, which is progress. But she was awarded prizes for science communication by the Soil Association and the Scottish Conservatives wanted her to advise the Government. She was on primetime tele. This is someone who banged on about chlorophyll being vital as it oxygenated your blood. Any GCSE science student will tell you this only happens with light and frankly there isn't much light in your belly. If there is, optimising your chlorophyll intake is the least of your worries........

Richard Broughton

[Tardis]

Whilst I condemn the DailyFail, I'm having difficulty with the shouty nature of the comments from Campbell and Prescott.

I do not believe that they were right to give out Paul Dacre's home address and incite people to go around to visit. That is his home, where his family live, not his place of work. Simple mob rule brutality

[plaques]

The debt problem in the US could be instantly solved by the treasury minting a $1trillion coin and popping it in Fort Knox! Can this be true?

If outside countries thought that the US was printing money to keep afloat without the assets to back it up they would soon be jacking up the interest rates. The present method of quantitative easing does exactly the same thing but in a much more sneaky way. Since additional money supply tends to lead to inflation, the debt caused by quantitative easing is gradually melted away by rising financial assets and lower yield. The poor suckers paying for this slight of hand is poor old Joe public. Ref: Bruff’s Mumbo-Jumbo

[Stanley]

HIGNY was very sound on the spat last night. Loved the quotes from Viscount Northcliffe... Just as pertinent as Milliband Senr's diary at 17 years old. I see that UKIP have jumped on the bandwagon in BET letters. I wonder if these people have actually read Marx and Engel? Read the Communist Manifesto, parts of that are very pertinent to today's world. I'll repeat what I have said elsewhere, it was the politicians who polluted what was essentially one of the most intelligent stream of political and social philosophy in the later 19th century. Exactly the grave error that Senator Macarthy made with the House Committee on Un American Activities. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Being an old realist I wonder whether there isn't more to this than meets the eye? Labour may have decided that if you can't join 'em, beat 'em! Daily Mail is getting into very deep water here and Dacre is coming to the front of the firing line. 'Mugabe' (as they call him on his staff) does not like publicity..... Could he be the target now?

[Tardis]

Is it true that Ralph was a multi-millionaire and avoided death duties on his estate by placing it all in trust for his boys?