The Politics Thread

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Now you really have lost me - what's that got to do with Royal Mail?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Now you really have lost me - what's that got to do with Royal Mail?

Because the Royal Mail prior to it being the Royal Mail, or Consignia, or whatever other name it has lived under, used to be a long time ago the GPO. A political decision was taken way back then to hive off all the potentially profitable bits and just leave a stub of a service to be run as a social convenience - a service if you will. And (apart from freeing up the delivery of parcels so as the likes of DHL and others could get in there and make a profit without the inconvencience of having to perform a door to door universal postal service) the major portion that was hived off is what now makes the most profit - telecommunications.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Ah. OK, but you don't really want a postal service that depends on selling off bits of the sky in order to be profitable, do you?

[Montreal Wanderer]

Now you really have lost me - what's that got to do with Royal Mail?

Becausethe Royal Mail prior to it being the Royal Mail, or Consignia, or whatever other name it has lived under, used to be a long time ago the GPO. A political decision was taken way back then to hive off all the potentially profitable bits and just leave a stub of a service to be run as a social convenience - a service if you will. And (apart from freeing up the delivery of parcels so as the likes of DHL and others could get in there and make a profit without the inconvencience of having to perform a door to door universal postal service) the major portion that was hived off is what now makes the most profit - telecommunications.

I think you will find, Spotty, that the Royal Mail predates the GPO by a Stuart or two. It became a branch of the GPO when Charles II created the latter.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Now you really have lost me - what's that got to do with Royal Mail?

Becausethe Royal Mail prior to it being the Royal Mail, or Consignia, or whatever other name it has lived under, used to be a long time ago the GPO. A political decision was taken way back then to hive off all the potentially profitable bits and just leave a stub of a service to be run as a social convenience - a service if you will. And (apart from freeing up the delivery of parcels so as the likes of DHL and others could get in there and make a profit without the inconvencience of having to perform a door to door universal postal service) the major portion that was hived off is what now makes the most profit - telecommunications.

I think you will find, Spotty, that the Royal Mail predates the GPO by a Stuart or two. It became a branch of the GPO when Charles II created the latter.

[Bruce Rioja]

I deapair when I buy something online that isn't delivered by Royal Mail. Cos you have feck all chance of receiving it without driving to fecking Preston or Clitheroe or somesuch far flung depot and usually taking a day off work to do so.

I'd say the opposite, but then I usually select 'leave with a neighbour' or 'leave around the back' option, and it's only ever Royal Mail that don't do this and I have to go down to Waterloo St.

Preston or Clitheroe? Really? You've not got your foot on the exaggerator again have you?

[Harry Genshaw]

My working life only started in the mid 80s, so most comment's I've ever heard from folk about their pay in that time has been "frozen this year", "2% of sod all is sod all" "no pay increase in x years" etc etc

I cant tell you how chuffed I was to hear this morning that one group of workers have been selected for a whopping 11% increase.

It's a wonder there's not rioting in the feckin streets

[Prufrock]

My working life only started in the mid 80s, so most comment's I've ever heard from folk about their pay in that time has been "frozen this year", "2% of sod all is sod all" "no pay increase in x years" etc etc

I cant tell you how chuffed I was to hear this morning that one group of workers have been selected for a whopping 11% increase.

It's a wonder there's not rioting in the feckin streets

What the feck is wrong with the press though! They keep talking as if the politicians are actually angry. It's political gold. Option 1) Get paid more, get to claim, quite correctly, that you had absolutely no say in the matter. All look very earnest and 'people-y'. Option 2) Get to turn down the pay rise, but still get paid the same, and look like a hero.

As it is I think MPs don't get paid enough and if we want good politicians, we should pay for them. Their salary should be increased, and their ludicrously over-generous pension scheme, and expenses system severely cut.

Party funding should be almost entirely state-funded too, with a pot allocated based on performance in the last general election. Individual donations capped at a very low level. Lobbyists should be lobbying on the strength of their case.

I'm here all week if anything else wants fixing.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

So. If Scotland does become independent can they take their fxcking moronic brethren with them. Ulster province of Scotland, sounds about right. Wankers.

[bwfcdan94]

So. If Scotland does become independent can they take their fxcking moronic brethren with them. Ulster province of Scotland, sounds about right. Wankers.

Catholic by any chance LLS ?

[BWFC_Insane]

I deapair when I buy something online that isn't delivered by Royal Mail. Cos you have feck all chance of receiving it without driving to fecking Preston or Clitheroe or somesuch far flung depot and usually taking a day off work to do so.

I'd say the opposite, but then I usually select 'leave with a neighbour' or 'leave around the back' option, and it's only ever Royal Mail that don't do this and I have to go down to Waterloo St.

Preston or Clitheroe? Really? You've not got your foot on the exaggerator again have you?

Seriously. The Royal Mail won't leave it with a neighbour sure, but then the depot is open on Saturdays and isn't far. And you can re-arrange the delivery for a Saturday free of charge if you like.

The other companies often ignore instructions to leave with a neighbour, but ours are all out usually anyway.

[Bruce Rioja]

I deapair when I buy something online that isn't delivered by Royal Mail. Cos you have feck all chance of receiving it without driving to fecking Preston or Clitheroe or somesuch far flung depot and usually taking a day off work to do so.

I'd say the opposite, but then I usually select 'leave with a neighbour' or 'leave around the back' option, and it's only ever Royal Mail that don't do this and I have to go down to Waterloo St.

Preston or Clitheroe? Really? You've not got your foot on the exaggerator again have you?

Seriously. The Royal Mail won't leave it with a neighbour sure, but then the depot is open on Saturdays and isn't far. And you can re-arrange the delivery for a Saturday free of charge if you like.

The other companies often ignore instructions to leave with a neighbour, but ours are all out usually anyway.

Aye, fair do's. My neighbours are retired and as such are rarely out. I did once have to drive to Middleton to pick up a pair of trainers but I'm pretty sure that that was to a Parcel Force depot. Could be wrong though.

[BWFC_Insane]

David Cameron has just tweeted the folowing...

"We're rolling out a cap on Benefits today - @IDS_MP and I are determined to make work pay, and help the UK compete on the #GlobalRace."

Now he thinks he's tweeted Iain Duncan Smith.....only he hasn't. He's tweeted a spoof account. Which is rather unfortunate given the subject. Here are a few recent tweets from said "spoof account"....

Chin chin Dave. Round mine for a Pimms later?

I've always supported a Mansion Tax. Your Tax buys my Mansion. Chin chin!

I'm getting a silk handkerchief embroidered with gold braid saying 'in it together' with my pay rise. And a new car. Get in.

A 15% increase in MPs pay is a disgrace. Has anyone seen the price of Foie gras and Armand de Brignac... we need at least 25%

And so on.....

[Lord Kangana]

Just on the Royal Mail, most other delivery companies (and for I know a person or two who works in them) haven't a pot to piss in at the moment. The rates they are charging are making them a loss. We here will all be paying substantially more for the same service that we receive from (the publicly-owned- profit-making) Royal Mail once it is privatised.

I can also tell you (for I know of someone doing it) that the cost of breaking up Royal Mail in to convenient little bundles is costing a f*cking fortune, and will cost more in the future because of the duplication of costs.

I'd get angry about it if I thought anyone would listen.

[Bruce Rioja]

David Cameron has just tweeted the folowing...

"We're rolling out a cap on Benefits today - @IDS_MP and I are determined to make work pay, and help the UK compete on the #GlobalRace."

Now he thinks he's tweeted Iain Duncan Smith.....only he hasn't. He's tweeted a spoof account. Which is rather unfortunate given the subject. Here are a few recent tweets from said "spoof account"....

Chin chin Dave. Round mine for a Pimms later?

I've always supported a Mansion Tax. Your Tax buys my Mansion. Chin chin!

I'm getting a silk handkerchief embroidered with gold braid saying 'in it together' with my pay rise. And a new car. Get in.

A 15% increase in MPs pay is a disgrace. Has anyone seen the price of Foie gras and Armand de Brignac... we need at least 25%

#

And so on.....

What startling wit. Incredible rejoinders right there.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Just on the Royal Mail, most other delivery companies (and for I know a person or two who works in them) haven't a pot to piss in at the moment. The rates they are charging are making them a loss. We here will all be paying substantially more for the same service that we receive from (the publicly-owned- profit-making) Royal Mail once it is privatised.

I can also tell you (for I know of someone doing it) that the cost of breaking up Royal Mail in to convenient little bundles is costing a f*cking fortune, and will cost more in the future because of the duplication of costs.

I'd get angry about it if I thought anyone would listen.

I'm listening LK... I am

[mrkint]

In your face, EVIDENCE, I'm just going to make up my own magical world!

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... ve-be-true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

IDS essentially just saying 'yeah but i think it's right so there you go'

[Lost Leopard Spot]

In your face, EVIDENCE, I'm just going to make up my own magical world!

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... ve-be-true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

IDS essentially just saying 'yeah but i think it's right so there you go'

Evidence. Pah! overrated. You'll be wanting scientific proof next.

[BWFC_Insane]

In your face, EVIDENCE, I'm just going to make up my own magical world!

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... ve-be-true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

IDS essentially just saying 'yeah but i think it's right so there you go'

But isn't this the problem in general with politics in this country (and beyond)? Vast amount of evidence produced by the academic community, researchers, private research companies etc is just ignored by goverments who come in and want to "put their stamp on things".

Education being the prime example. Gove is wanting to change the curriculum and the exam system and pretty much adopt a "back to basics" approach despite an overwhelming body of evidence suggesting that exactly the opposite is what is required.

Gove is no more expert than I am or anyone on this forum is. Quite possibly less expert than some on here. Yet he feels able to ignore those that are experts and have provided evidence based suggestions.

And then the next party get in eventually and undo everything that's been done, again ignoring the evidence and we're back in the original mess.

[Hoboh]

In your face, EVIDENCE, I'm just going to make up my own magical world!

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... ve-be-true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

IDS essentially just saying 'yeah but i think it's right so there you go'

But isn't this the problem in general with politics in this country (and beyond)? Vast amount of evidence produced by the academic community, researchers, private research companies etc is just ignored by goverments who come in and want to "put their stamp on things".

Education being the prime example. Gove is wanting to change the curriculum and the exam system and pretty much adopt a "back to basics" approach despite an overwhelming body of evidence suggesting that exactly the opposite is what is required.
Gove is no more expert than I am or anyone on this forum is. Quite possibly less expert than some on here. Yet he feels able to ignore those that are experts and have provided evidence based suggestions.

And then the next party get in eventually and undo everything that's been done, again ignoring the evidence and we're back in the original mess.

Would this be the same mob that inflicted 'media studies' and loads of other shite on the education system that made it the grand failure it is today? The very same 'experts' that ruled out any competitiveness in schools with the 'never mind you'll all pass exams so don't worry'.
Jesus H.