According to recent research, 25% of Conservative MPs are also private landlords (compared to 12.5% of Labour MPs and 15% of Lib Dems).

I expect the usual comments from the usual people.

Which are?

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According to recent research, 25% of Conservative MPs are also private landlords (compared to 12.5% of Labour MPs and 15% of Lib Dems).

I expect the usual comments from the usual people.

Nice, makes up for the Thameslink debacle.....

Bombardier wins Crossrail deal

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About time!

Councils call for powers to tackle betting shop blight

However, local councils have only themselves to blame in forcing businesses out of the area due to high business rates. Tough call to make but they can't have their bread buttered both sides.

....and added to this, high rents too......

....and cutting the wages of some of their employees by (in my case) about 7%, whilst creating new 'executive posts' (as in the case of my employers) with a package of some £180k!!!

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Don't take life too seriously, as you'll never come out of it alive!

About time!

Councils call for powers to tackle betting shop blight

However, local councils have only themselves to blame in forcing businesses out of the area due to high business rates. Tough call to make but they can't have their bread buttered both sides.

....and added to this, high rents too......

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The Kite Fliers

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Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

About time!

Councils call for powers to tackle betting shop blight

However, local councils have only themselves to blame in forcing businesses out of the area due to high business rates. Tough call to make but they can't have their bread buttered both sides.

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Anyone remember "two way family favourites" on the radio in the 1950's on Sunday lunchtimes? It had Cliff Michelmore and his wife Jean Metcalfe in London and Bill Crozier in Cologne. The BFPO's abroad worked very similar to those in WW1. i.e. damn fast and you didn't need a 1st class stamp! But that was a hangover from the world wars when nothing was too good for our lads. Come peacetime, Royal mail was run for different reasons, mainly financial.

Anyone remember the Sunday ritual carried out by mother and oh yes, Sing something
simple.....every Sunday evening and so mind numbingly boring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ieth9gTRaZI

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The Kite Fliers

--------------------
Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

Another reason why our politicians are so out of touch....

Tory MP de-selected

The dispute between the MP and the local association, believed to be a clash of personalities rather than based on policy differences, has been the subject of an internal investigation by Conservative Campaign Headquarters.

A leaked report earlier this month suggested the local party was beset by "factions" and the situation had "spiralled out of control".

Really is amazing what occurs behind closed doors

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Anyone remember "two way family favourites" on the radio in the 1950's on Sunday lunchtimes? It had Cliff Michelmore and his wife Jean Metcalfe in London and Bill Crozier in Cologne. The BFPO's abroad worked very similar to those in WW1. i.e. damn fast and you didn't need a 1st class stamp! But that was a hangover from the world wars when nothing was too good for our lads. Come peacetime, Royal mail was run for different reasons, mainly financial.

I think a copy of this report should be handed to every MP and the question asked - Why was it sold off so cheaply?

Then and Now - ain't progress a b*tch!

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Talk about calling the kettle black!

MP's say bonuses irresponsible

...and your expenses fiddling was not?

Depends who got the bonuses. If they're given to the people who did well at whatever they do then fair enough, if they're given to everyone that it's more questionable.

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

I shall carry on carrying on ...

Maybe Iceland should be proactive about this and put their out-of-date stuff on a big shelf outside the store, for free, with a big disclaimer sign saying 'anything taken from this shelf and consumed is at your own risk, Iceland will not be held liable.'
If they did that, they can advertise that they're reducing food waste in this time of austerity and spin the PR to their advantage.
That's what i'd do.

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

Talk about calling the kettle black!

MP's say bonuses irresponsible

...and your expenses fiddling was not?

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It's OK, you were technically correct, HS2 already exists in some form. In terms of the selling off ECML I have previously agreed that it doesn't make much sense to me either. And do note that the Lib Dems are against it, this is Tory business, as they believe in privately run franchises.

Thanks for that titbit, wasn't aware they were against it.

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It's OK, you were technically correct, HS2 already exists in some form. In terms of the selling off ECML I have previously agreed that it doesn't make much sense to me either. And do note that the Lib Dems are against it, this is Tory business, as they believe in privately run franchises.

Yes of course HS2 Ltd already exists HS2 Ltd but I read their site as being as they quote

HS2 Ltd is the company responsible for developing and promoting the UK’s new high speed rail network and is wholly owned by the Department for Transport.

I didn't see it as the final operating company, like HS1 Ltd is. So fair comment.

Sorry Chris I did not intend it to sound harsh. From the report It is pretty obvious that HS2 will go the same way as HS1.

What I am finding difficult to understand here is that the government will be holding onto both HS1 & HS2 so why sell off another profitable railway in their hands?

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Yes of course HS2 Ltd already exists HS2 Ltd but I read their site as being as they quote

HS2 Ltd is the company responsible for developing and promoting the UK’s new high speed rail network and is wholly owned by the Department for Transport.

I didn't see it as the final operating company, like HS1 Ltd is. So fair comment.

One issue I have not seen in any report regarding HS2 is WHO will be controlling it once it has been built?

HS1 Ltd holds the concession from government to operate, manage, and maintain, the high-speed railway infrastructure until December 2040. I would imagine that HS2 Ltd will be set up in due course.

HS1

It seems that you do not read the reports you link into.

"The review had been shared with HS2 Ltd, which is a company wholly owned by the Department for Transport with a remit to design and promote the new rail link."

So again, it begs the question, why are they selling off the ECML yet keeping control of HS2? Is it because they know it will be nothing but ££££££££ in their eyeballs?

Also, why another company set up and owned by the government? Why not just hand it to the DOR, after all they have proved over the last five years that they have been highly efficient!

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One issue I have not seen in any report regarding HS2 is WHO will be controlling it once it has been built?

HS1 Ltd holds the concession from government to operate, manage, and maintain, the high-speed railway infrastructure until December 2040. I would imagine that HS2 Ltd will be set up in due course.

HS1