The Politics Thread 3.0

[Moggy]

Hasn't ruled out a return to politics eh?
So going to become the head of UKIP for what...Third time? Fourth time?

If it's the third time he'll claim it will last 1000 years.

[Denster]

According to the corbynistas like Momentum they are starting a grass roots movement that will reconnect with Labour's heartlands. Well, how's that going for you? Miliband, you know that 'Blairite' guy who was so terrible and out of touch with ordinary people, held Stoke. Corbyn lost it. Make of that what you will.

Corbyn held stoke.

[Lex-Man]

According to the corbynistas like Momentum they are starting a grass roots movement that will reconnect with Labour's heartlands. Well, how's that going for you? Miliband, you know that 'Blairite' guy who was so terrible and out of touch with ordinary people, held Stoke. Corbyn lost it. Make of that what you will.

Corbyn held stoke.

But Nutell did everything he could to loose. Once the Liverpool stuff came out it was over.

It's amazing that all our major parties have gooseberry fool leaders.

[Meep]

Well, I suppose May could be considered good in that she's for the moment fairly successful politically. Of course, she is still terrible when you consider how she is misleading the country and doing nothing to tackle our real problems.

[Rex Kramer]

If Nuttall hadn't parachuted himself in then they'd have probably won. Which makes it even more fantastic.

[DML]

Well, I suppose May could be considered good in that she's for the moment fairly successful politically. Of course, she is still terrible when you consider how she is misleading the country and doing nothing to tackle our real problems.

Give it 12 months and she'll be a bigger disaster than all of them. She's not had to do much yet.

[Dinoric]

Pretty sure that was clear well established fact that he is anti-nuclear.

Isn't it more that he's anti nuclear weapons not nuclear power?

[KK]

Sadiq Khan making friends in Scotland today...

[Shadow]

£18,600 doesn't seem that high though, especially not for two people. That's not even considering kids in the mix. How much lower could it realistically be?
Would be better if joint income were the criteria rather than individual income though.

A friend of mine is affected by this law. His wife is from Dominican Republic, but she can't live here because his income is too low.

In his specific circumstance, he's a pub landlord who had a bad year, meaning his profit for the year was a little under the requirement. The law completely ignores that he's a business owner and that in his case his business is also his home so he has significantly lower outgoings than someone with a regular job. He would also be in a position to employ his wife and ensure she has an income if she was actually allowed to live and work here.

It's just a silly law that doesn't take individual circumstances into account.

[Grumpy David]

Really interesting analysis into how the Tories won Copeland:

https://youtu.be/0oh83kiiMlw

[Knoyleo]

banana split ALARM



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39097019

Disability benefits should go to "really disabled people" not those "taking pills at home, who suffer from anxiety", a key Theresa May aide says.

No 10 policy unit head George Freeman said personal independence payments (PIP) reforms were needed to roll back the "bizarre" decisions of tribunals.

Mr Freeman, who is Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk and leads the Downing Street policy board, had been defending the changes in an interview on Pienaar's Politics on BBC 5 Live.

"These tweaks are actually about rolling back some bizarre decisions by tribunals that now mean benefits are being given to people who are taking pills at home, who suffer from anxiety," he said.

"We want to make sure we get the money to the really disabled people who need it."

He added that he and the prime minister "totally" understood anxiety. "We've set out in the mental health strategy how seriously we take it," he added.

Because strawberry float mental health, right? You're not really disabled if you're not missing a limb or something.

[Meep]

The idea that mental illnesses are less serious than physical ones is plain wrong. A man who uses a wheelchair and is psychologically normal is more able to work than man who can walk but has panic attacks whenever he goes out in public.

[Squinty]

I'm not surprised that is being said. Benefit reforms are usually about saving cash. Mental health doesn't really seem a priority to the UK government.

And I hate to be saying this, but if you only want to spend a certain amount of money on this then some people are going to lose out. I don't think it's right, this is an extremely important issue, but I can understand the thought process of prioritising people with a physical disability. They are basically trying to reduce their welfare budget. Mental health funding and money for sufferers is an easy cut for them to make.

It would maybe soften the blow a bit if they had adequate funding to attempt tackling this, but they don't. Austerity FTW.

[Moggy]

Gerald Kaufman dies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39099489

That'll be another by-election for Corbyn to lose then.

[Moggy]

I thought the Sun were supporters of deporting foreign criminals back to where they came from?

[DML]

banana split ALARM



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39097019

Disability benefits should go to "really disabled people" not those "taking pills at home, who suffer from anxiety", a key Theresa May aide says.

No 10 policy unit head George Freeman said personal independence payments (PIP) reforms were needed to roll back the "bizarre" decisions of tribunals.

Mr Freeman, who is Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk and leads the Downing Street policy board, had been defending the changes in an interview on Pienaar's Politics on BBC 5 Live.

"These tweaks are actually about rolling back some bizarre decisions by tribunals that now mean benefits are being given to people who are taking pills at home, who suffer from anxiety," he said.

"We want to make sure we get the money to the really disabled people who need it."

He added that he and the prime minister "totally" understood anxiety. "We've set out in the mental health strategy how seriously we take it," he added.

Because strawberry float mental health, right? You're not really disabled if you're not missing a limb or something.

That is absolutely disgusting.

[Moggy]

That is absolutely disgusting.

Yep and things are only going to get worse as Brexit bites and Labour continue to fade into obscurity.

It's going to be a scary 8 years or so.

[satriales]

What is their obsession with taking money from the disabled?

If they really want to improve the economy then they could start by going after the tax-dodging companies.

Benefit fraud (all types, not just disability benefits) is estimated to cost £1bn a year, but people and companies dodging tax costs us £34bn a year.

[Errkal]

What is their obsession with taking money from the disabled?

If they really want to improve the economy then they could start by going after the tax-dodging companies.

Benefit fraud (all types, not just disability benefits) is estimated to cost £1bn a year, but people and companies dodging tax costs us £34bn a year.

Yeah but they would be going after their own so thats a no go.

[Rex Kramer]

It isn't even benefit fraud though, it's rolling back to attitudes to mental illness that we thought we'd moved past. The old 'smile and everything will be alright' position. banana split.