Sunday 25 October 2015

Corbyn's weekly message

Friday 23 October 2015

the extreme difference in wages

I sure am glad I'm a first class citizen so am able to get the full wage. o.0


"The National Living Wage will be £7.20 an hour from April for workers aged 25 and over, rising to £9 by 2020.
The minimum wage will continue to function as before for those under 25.
Workers aged between 18 and 20 are currently entitled to at least £5.30 per hour while 16 and 17-year-olds have a minimum wage of £3.87 an hour.
Apprentices aged 16 to 18 and those in the first year of their apprenticeships have a minimum wage of £3.30 an hour."
-BBC article


First check rent prices, then take into account zero hour contracts.  It's a sad time to be a citizen of the UK, although, at least its better than a lot of other places. Saying it is better for us than other places is not a reason to just be content and expect more... people don't say that that is how you get to places in work, or education, and the same applies for the government. To make a difference you have to actively request it, and also, importantly, vote. Politicians are going to ignore us younger people until we can organise as a bloc of voters who can damage a party which doesn't vote for us. I am sick and tired of feeling unspoken for, the only politician who really is saying something for us, is Corbyn. Rent controls (mostly younger people are renting), actually affordable housing and council housing which predominately younger people will be using. etc. People, please can we get moving and actually make a difference. Please help the young people around you to care about politics, because it really is affecting them, right now.

This is where Momentum comes in, and I have a good feeling about it, but I'm not fully in touch because of my avoidance of social media. The real way to win support is to go out and talk and convince people with good arguments on ALL issues which they may bring up. Even if you don't think you have brought them round, its important they hear the argument and they may just ponder your impassioned plea later, on the bus to work, in the shower, or wherever.  A constant turn around isn't needed, just the other side of the argument which the most vocal and widespread media channels aren't giving. Its something we can learn from the SNPs campaign in Scotland, and it may be important in the EU In/Out campaigns, if you are that way inclined. We need to invigorate people, I think firstly non-voters, and then afterwards those who did not vote Labour.

Sorry about the rant!

Thursday 22 October 2015

Not great when you get a simple judgement so wrong George...

"It comes down to a very simple judgement, do you think our system is too expensive, do you think we should move to a higher wage lower welfare economy "
George Osbourne 2015/10

Simply, the reason for cutting tax credits does not boil down to this George.

Argument 1 -  they are too hard too fast. If you will only bring up the 'National Living Wage' in parts... presumably to not shock businesses, why not show the same respect to normal working people?

Argument 2 - for the economic arguments why austerity isn't necessary to cut the deficit flick through this blog:  But generally, if you borrow to invest and your return is higher than the costs due to that borrowing, that equals getting a strong economy and then actually running a surplus..

Argument 3 - Politically/socially - the fact they said they wouldn't cut these, the fact it may force people out of jobs onto benefits again, and in poverty again, not to mention the expected number of children they are pushing back into poverty, when they said they care about social mobility and keeping children in the classroom because this education is a major factor in opportunities later.

Thursday 15 October 2015

Osbourne gets his 'vacuous and irrelevant' budget responsibility bill through

Osbourne's bill passed this evening.
A similar bill he derided when Labour introduced one in 2010.
Strangling investment and cutting back the government. Let's watch it unravel before their eyes, but it may well get tough for people first. Worrying that a lot of Economists wouldn't endorse the bill.  Its important to note that the Tories want to put through their bills through no matter what the terrible effects on working people's lives. Here they are laughing at our problems:
Laughing at the housing crisis
Laughing at making people not as well off as them, even worse off

Are they the working people's party?

According to BBC around 20 Labour MPs abstained, and I hope they are appropriately punished by the Labour Leadership. They don't represent the membership, and don't deserve to have the privelidge of representing us or their constituents.

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Tories laughing at us

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/watch-tories-laugh-when-jeremy-corbyn-raises-housing-crisis-with-david-cameron-a6693811.html
Need more evidence that they are insincere and out of touch and couldn't care less about you?

People need to see this.

Tories laughing at you


Update on Guardian website during PMQs
"As Tories laugh, he says this is not funny to Matthew or other people. "

The true Tories are coming through now..
'Worker's party' my ***

Much Trumpeting but divide increases

The UK employment figures rose, but not everywhere is benefiting...

The same old inequalities over North and South, lack of investment by the government and the Northern Powerhouse promise drifting away... Devolution for the North East now!

The Right Answer

McDonnell made the right choice yesterday and I am excited for today's PMQs

The quicker we see reform to give party members more voice on policy the better.

The a worldwide economic slowdown looming,  and the UK in deflation, investment and Keynesian economics are going to be key again.
Short term may see some improvements for workers with fuel prices low, but with the attack of the government on them, how long will it be OK?

The charter and some notes


Why Labour voted against George Osbourne's charter:

"1. It commits every government to running a budget surplus in normal times from 2019 onwards. However since 2010, Osborne has missed his own deficit targets and changing the law won't help him to do any better."  << It is true that targets haven't been working, and it is also comprehendible that the targets aren't being reached quicker because of stifled government investment. The US has had a QE policy, giving more money to be lended out for investment and their recovery seems less fragile than ours which seems to be teetering waiting to swallow itself back up again. Just look at job losses in the North, employment falling in the North East where desperately investment is needed. The government consistently says that they don't want to borrow, and compare it to a microeconomic level household money cycle which it is not, but for instance, to put it in this way which they might understand: if you spend more than you can afford (or a company pays on your behalf) by borrowing so you can train a skill for a better job, or get a car which enables you to get to a better job, then over time you will recoup the costs, or the company which paid for you to train will benefit from better output. It isnt rocket science. And anyway, George is willing to miss targets on the deficit if it is in the form of tax breaks for the rich.
2. Effectively it is a big political stunt from George Osborne so that he has an excuse to keep making ideologically-driven cuts.  << They are ideological, as we can tell by the above economic arguments against them and the fact the chancellor is choosing to cut welfare rather than tax higher earners more and introduce a Tobin tax, etc.
3. But it's a dangerous stunt because if the Charter is followed to the letter it binds the hands of future governments, making it illegal to borrow money for investment in infrastructure or housing even at times when investment would lead to faster economic growth.  << we may yet regret it. It depends on what are 'normal times'... could the government invest in a bailout for the steel industry for example? It will become an excuse not to interfere, even where state interference may be the best option. This is the crux of the ideology in the cuts and the bill which passed: 'government should be as light handed as possible'. Its an ideology seen in some economic spheres based entirely on impossible assumptions of free markets and government/market failure. The best simple examples in microeconomics - social costs (climate change for an example) which are not accounted for by individuals/companies, and monopolies, oligopolies, natural monopolies (railways for example).
4. In fact, the best way to reduce the deficit now is to invest to grow our economy. It’s for this reason that most economists disagreed with George Osborne's cuts  << see above, and note even the IMF have said the cuts are too much.
5. It could also force a government to keep making cuts, irrespective of the impact they have on public services and working families.  << this is the role of government too. The Conservatives claim they are the only choice because of the economy - but there are choices on this, and they are not doing a great job on the rest of their responsibilities. Note the tax credit cuts they misled everyone about, saying they wouldn't do what they are now doing. Look at Redcar and the steel industry crisis...
A final note from Labour's McDonnell:
"It is crucial that we reduce the deficit, and Labour takes this mission seriously, but it must never be on the backs of the most vulnerable, or at the cost of the key public services we all rely on.
"
They are not deficit deniers, but the Tories are leading their assault on the poor full throttle, with Boris Johnson trying to reign it in (albeit with words not actions).

Tuesday 13 October 2015

CAMERON SHAME

CAMERON SHAMED INTO U-TURN ON SAUDI DEAL

Corbyn said it, and eventually Cameron was shamed into admitting it, even if it took Gove to push it...

Monday 12 October 2015

wolf in sheep's clothing

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/living-wage-not-being-paid-workers-proportion-falls-a6690451.html

"Mr Cameron effectively ruled out cutting the benefit before the election, telling a voters Question time that he "rejected" proposals to cut tax credits and did not want to do so. "

Would you trust the Tories again?

Friday 9 October 2015

People's Momentum

Check the website and join here

pssst Peoples Momentum = PM!

Tax Credit Cuts and the week (41)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32276492

Conservatives plan to save 5bn gbp by cutting tax credits...  but they're willing to cut 1bn worth of tax income from inheritence tax..

this is a good thought on it:
http://guerillawire.org/politics/first-tory-budget-giveaways-for-the-obscenely-rich-funded-by-the-poor/

it really is starting something of a class war potentially.

George Osbourne:
"That tax credit bill would go up and up and up, the country couldn't afford it"

If he introduced the higher minimum wage, without cutting the tax credit, why wouldnt that cut the cost? That would be much more logical...

its all unravelling as more and more reports of the ill effects of the tax credit cuts come out, from amongst conservatives themselves. The Tories may be falling apart right in front of us. From desperate attacks by Hameron on Corbyn with out of context quotes,  with nasty Tory Theresa May's speech, and now this. We will see the erosion of the majority Cameron has.

Or maybe an alignment of centrists in Conservatives and Labour?

And lets not forget the problem of the government U-turn on renewable energies.. two solar panel companies going bust today.

very interesting article

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/it-makes-no-sense-to-separate-refugees-from-economic-migrants-a6685911.html
Interesting article on how migrants and refugees arent easily labelled seperately of each other.

Wednesday 7 October 2015

David Hameron Assault on Poverty

LOL

Jane Merrick Tweet

Reply to a Tweet

 @janemerrick23 
Labour's gigantic problem: why did I, from a Liverpool comp, who voted for Blair & never voted Tory, agree nearly every word of PM's speech?


The problem Jane, is that you agree but the Conservatives won't deliver what they are saying which you agree with. It'll become clearer and clearer over time up until 2020 elections..

Hameron Cameron and the Human Rights debacle in Saudi

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/who-beheads-more-people-isis-or-the-government-of-saudi-arabia--xy1pn8xX4x

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-attempts-to-defend-squalid-deal-with-saudi-arabia-in-excruciating-interview-with-jon-a6684066.html

http://deceptioninhighplaces.com/the-ministry-of-defence-and-detecting-bribery-in-saudi-arms-deals/

Look who doesn't care about human rights... And they not be our human rights yet (to be cynical), but they may be our human rights they don't care about soon. Hypocritical - He says he doesn't want dirty money in the UK? He gets that from the Saudis and the shell companies which he has failed to prevent being used to put laundered money through to unknown ultimate beneficiaries.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34445201

Who speaks out?
http://jeremycorbyn.org.uk/articles/question-on-corruption-in-the-arms-trade/

Corbyn Speaks to 3x the number of people in Manchester Cameron does (in a way)

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-corbyn-gatecrashes-tory-party-6580114

Further to the previous posts I made speaking of the Tory Conference 'Ring if Steel'. Been heartening to hear that the Tories at some fringe meetings could overwhelmingly here the protesters, showing them that they hadnt managed to mislead everyone in Manchester and the North. Then Theresa May came out and showed the nasty party Right, and Jeremy Hunt made spurious comments on 'working hard' like Chinese and Americans... When on a lot of calculations it is actually French and Germans who are more productive than us: getting more done in the same given time or less. To base a 'cultural sign' on nonsense hours worked; i.e. tax credit cuts, is a crime when it hurts the poorest and least able.

Their cheap rhetoric is painfully under evidenced or totally counter to evidence. Is it patriotic to say we should be like other countries, when your evidence doesnt even add up? I think not. I don't care about patriotism, but if you do, Corbyn is more the patriot!

Guns

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34450841

Absolutely losing sympathy for Americans who just need to learn from the stats that guns are killing them. They're ridiculous...

A Good Response to Today's Speech by May

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-biggest-threat-to-social-cohesion-isnt-mass-immigration-its-tories-like-theresa-may-a6682026.html

Just take a read, quite enlightening about the numbers and the lack of strain on the NHS by immigrants, among other things

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Osbourne's BROKEN Devolution

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34445311

So devolving business rates to the councils sounds great. But it is not true autonomy at all, if you can lower rates (an intention to see a race to the bottom between councils perhaps?) but cannot raise them, except under special conditions. So you need to have a Mayor appointed, and on top of that it is restricted to 2%... and then, only if businesses agree. So you leave councils in need of cash HELD TO RANSOM by their businesses, and not their wider population. They may no even be able to delivery key services and want to raise business rates.. but if the businesses don't see anything in it for them (short termism ahem..) why would they back it?

TRUE devolution would see full autonomy on this. It should be rejected and an amendment requested to receive absolute autonomy to actually raise revenue where the government doesn't have the balls to risk doing it in a way that doesn't take money from the less advantaged in society.

Sunday 4 October 2015

Conservatives Conference

Funny that the 'party for the workers' Conservatives can't even hold a conference in their championed 'northern powerhouse' without a 'ring of steel' defense from the workers around them. It really says it all itself.

Will there be fringe meetings overspilling onto the streets like at Labour's? I hope for their sake and out sake there is, but doubt it.

If you want to listen to something interesting on Corbyn:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06fnmjk

Followers