Anthony Higginbotham

[Paul Waine]

I agree with all of the above. For me the whole system both Commons and Lords needs to change dramatically. The bare faced hypocrisy of some, mainly tories, is staggering. The likes of Jo Gideon being a fine example. In my view if you choose to become an MP then for the whole of your tenure that is the only job you do. Easier said than done but we need change. 850 and rising, the number of members of the Lords, it is just crazy. Nearly 30 of whom are CofE clergy. Bonkers doesn't even begin to cover it.

Hi Corky, I love democracy. I think the UK falls short in a great number of ways. One of things I'd change is that MPs must have worked for at least 10 years in a role 100% separate from politics. I don't want politics to be a career. I want politicians to maintain their connection with the "world outside politics" - and so, I'd allow MPs to continue to work when they are elected as MPs - and allow their electorate to judge whether they put enough effort and time into serving their constituents. I'd not force any MPs to take a job outside politics if they didn't want to, however, I'm totally comfortable about an MP being a mid-wife, a plumber or a lawyer, journalist, teacher or a football manager, even a lorry driver or a taxi driver - and keeping all their earnings from this second job.

I'd not put their MP role as their main or first job - that's up to them and their constituents. Maybe the balance of their time will change if they serve for more than one parliament.

I wouldn't stop a youngster being elected as an MP. However, I would bar them from being an MP for more than 10 years, until they have completed 10 years as an adult without being involved in a political role. I've worded this way so that it doesn't disqualify anyone who may not be able to work - there are good reasons why people with "other abilities" should have equal opportunities to be an MP.

Taking things a little further, I'd ban any MP being in a relationship with another MP (or person in another political role). There are too many "husband and wife" MPs in parliament, or other family relationships, including parent and child etc. We should limit political appointments as one-per-family group at a time. Leave space for other views from other families - so that there the 650 MPs represent 650 different families.

On the Lords - I'd abolish both the House of Lords and all "Lords and Ladies" titles. I'd set up an Assembly of Knowledgeable Persons, maximum 300 to be appointed (electing them would give them a competing political voice). 100 max would be chosen by the political parties in proportion to their House of Commons seats and they could be retired MPs. The other 200 would be appointed for their knowledge and only people who had not held political roles would be eligible to be part of the 200. No retired politician could be a member of the Assembly of Knowledgeable Persons (KP) for more than 2 parliaments.

[Goodclaret]

I never mentioned liver. Roast chicken was my dish of choice.

And why exaggerate the price of milk and bananas? Bananas are 8 for £1.10 at Sainsbury's, which I know because I got some yesterday. That's 14p each. And the porridge for 10p already had milk in it, half milk half water. Milk costs £1.50 for 7 pints at Farm foods. A bag of bog standard porridge oats costs £1 and makes 20 bowls; 5p each; the milk costs another 5p. 10p a bowl.

The furlough scheme is a different argument to hungry children. The furlough scheme is to keep the economy running. We all know that you would prefer the economy to come to a halt and everyone be put on food parcels and basic income; that isn't relevant to this discussion. What you're on about isn't a double standard or anything like it. If you answer two different questions in two different ways, it's not a double standard - it's just a different answer.

You have to understand you are from a well educated and, I assume, balanced and supportive family? If you haven't been taught any of these things by being, unfortunately, born in to a family who isn't then you know no difference to whatever food costs - you accept the McDonalds and think that is the norm. Again, we are talking about children here. If children are hungry and we, as a collective 60 odd million people, can do something about it then surely we give it a go.

I appreciate, to fix the longer term problem, we need to invest in educating people but it will still not put an end to poverty. As a few have already said on this thread, so called scroungers/benefit grabbers (call them what you want) are working 30/40 hours a week and still struggle on minimum wage. There aren't enough well paid jobs in this country as it is, even without a pandemic going on. The billionaires/millionaires need people to be paid peanuts to ensure they can carry on making those extra millions. It is so, so wrong.

This isn't a direct dig at you dsr as I know you have worked very hard to get to where you are in your profession but, at some point in your life you were given the opportunity to do so. These poor children will never get that same opportunity without help from others. We have to balance increased education for the next generations with helping the ones who are already with us. Decisions like the one passed in the HoC yesterday are actively neglecting those kids who have no chance and, in such a rich society as ours, that is just not on.

[Damo]

Screenshot_20201023-200523_Twitter.jpg (644.37 KiB) Viewed 2150 times

Its great to see capitalism feeding children when the socialist state let's them starve

[Jakubclaret]

I'd rather starve than eat a mcdonald's but people do like them especially children so it's a nice gesture, encouraging fastfood might be straying onto a different topic so I'm leaving that there.

[Devils_Advocate]

Screenshot_20201023-200523_Twitter.jpg

Its great to see capitalism feeding children when the socialist state let's them starve

If only we could now twist their arm in lending us Ronald to run the country it'd be a double win

[TheFamilyCat]

I'd rather starve than eat a mcdonald's but people do like them especially children so it's a nice gesture, encouraging fastfood might be straying onto a different topic so I'm leaving that there.

Be honest, you're just miffed that McD's have stolen your thunder after you'd planned to feed the poor with Gregg's sausage rolls.

[Jakubclaret]

Be honest, you're just miffed that McD's have stolen your thunder after you'd planned to feed the poor with Gregg's sausage rolls.

[Billy Balfour]

There's an absolute groundswell of opinion against this. Even most of my dyed-in-the-wool Tory relatives think it's mean and wrong. A massive own goal on Johnson part to whip his MPs into voting against extending the provision.

[TheFamilyCat]

There's an absolute groundswell of opinion against this. Even most of my dyed-in-the-wool Tory relatives think it's mean and wrong. A massive own goal on Johnson part to whip his MPs into voting against extending the provision.

There's some good come out of it then.

[ksrclaret]

It's even worse when you see the amount these charlatans claim back on their own food allowances. The stuff circulating on that is a sickening read when applied to this context, to be honest.

[Claretincraven]

Financial discipline. Unfortunately never learned by many. An article on the BBC website today highlighted the heartache experienced by a couple, with 2 kids, who had remortgaged their house in order that they could book a 2 week holiday to Florida. The problem was in getting their refund, not that they had shown no acumen whatsoever in increasing their debt in order that they could have "a holiday of a lifetime"
Financial discipline. Maybe it should be included in the National curriculum.

[Cubanclaret]

You'd think as a wannabe Tory candidate, giving him Burnley was probably seen as quite a tall order when he was put in.
When voters actually voted him in, I remember him saying that a constituency like Burnley would benefit from having an MP that could go an knock on the PM's door to get things sorted, rather than an opposition MP who could only snipe from the sidelines.
Let's face it, he was a vote for Brexit in Burnley.
It will be interesting to see how things unravel in the coming years. For those of us who see Brexit as a great risk we never needed to take, we watch on with interest. But what I have seen of him so far, with his voting record and quotes on various issues, he seems to be an unsavoury type, a career politician, and probably someone I would have not got on with at school, due to his self-centred personality and questionable ethics.

[AndrewJB]

Financial discipline. Unfortunately never learned by many. An article on the BBC website today highlighted the heartache experienced by a couple, with 2 kids, who had remortgaged their house in order that they could book a 2 week holiday to Florida. The problem was in getting their refund, not that they had shown no acumen whatsoever in increasing their debt in order that they could have "a holiday of a lifetime"
Financial discipline. Maybe it should be included in the National curriculum.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53421787

The article is here, but it doesn’t go into much detail (did they own their house outright, so were they taking a loan at mortgage rates rather than personal loan rates, for example?). I largely take the same view that it’s better to save for things, but then their children might be at the right age for such a trip, and be too old for when the money could be saved. Either way, they’ve missed out.

[AndrewJB]

You'd think as a wannabe Tory candidate, giving him Burnley was probably seen as quite a tall order when he was put in.
When voters actually voted him in, I remember him saying that a constituency like Burnley would benefit from having an MP that could go an knock on the PM's door to get things sorted, rather than an opposition MP who could only snipe from the sidelines.
Let's face it, he was a vote for Brexit in Burnley.
It will be interesting to see how things unravel in the coming years. For those of us who see Brexit as a great risk we never needed to take, we watch on with interest. But what I have seen of him so far, with his voting record and quotes on various issues, he seems to be an unsavoury type, a career politician, and probably someone I would have not got on with at school, due to his self-centred personality and questionable ethics.

I think there was a lot of work put into winning these red wall seats. Work that began a year or so before the election. Cooper was attacked constantly on social media, and it was always “she does nothing for Burnley. She’s useless.” Before long people were parroting it endlessly. Vacuous, but just effective enough.

[Dy1geo]

The consensus is that it is kids that are suffering and what is the best way the get fed. I still don’t believe giving extra money is the issue as parents who are not feeding them now will not necessarily do with another £20 per kid.

I think it is time we took a radical approach and extended the Lib Dem proposal from free school meals to all KS1 kids to all children under 16 whether in school or out. I personally wouldn’t mind a penny or so added to my tax rate and it takes the politics out of this.

As for the family who booked the Florida holiday it begs the question why didn’t she have any unemployment income cover

[nyclaret]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3Rzyql7IYU

[Lowbankclaret]

You'd think as a wannabe Tory candidate, giving him Burnley was probably seen as quite a tall order when he was put in.
When voters actually voted him in, I remember him saying that a constituency like Burnley would benefit from having an MP that could go an knock on the PM's door to get things sorted, rather than an opposition MP who could only snipe from the sidelines.
Let's face it, he was a vote for Brexit in Burnley.
It will be interesting to see how things unravel in the coming years. For those of us who see Brexit as a great risk we never needed to take, we watch on with interest. But what I have seen of him so far, with his voting record and quotes on various issues, he seems to be an unsavoury type, a career politician, and probably someone I would have not got on with at school, due to his self-centred personality and questionable ethics.

It was interesting watching him at the count, I did congratulate him at about 11:30 as it was obvious he was going to win. He got more nervous as the count went on after that. Watching the outgoing MP was hilarious as she stood looking at count tables in disbelief. Her behaviour when the result was announce was a disgraceful in my opinion. You should lose with grace and professionalism, not strop off like 15 year old.

[Lowbankclaret]

I think there was a lot of work put into winning these red wall seats. Work that began a year or so before the election. Cooper was attacked constantly on social media, and it was always “she does nothing for Burnley. She’s useless.” Before long people were parroting it endlessly. Vacuous, but just effective enough.

Well she was useless and as above her behaviour at the count was a disgrace.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Suppose we should all just be glad our MP isn’t Ben Bradley!

[Elizabeth]

Andrew , kids don’t have to go to Florida for a holiday so there is no ‘the clock is ticking’ about it. Such a wet way of looking at this and typical of this entitlement attitude that exists in today’s society caused by the recent and current generation

[Lowbankclaret]

Andrew , kids don’t have to go to Florida for a holiday so there is no ‘the clock is ticking’ about it. Such a wet way of looking at this and typical of this entitlement attitude that exists in today’s society caused by the recent and current generation

But it is a Holiday of a lifetime.
I thought I would hate Florida but loved every minute.
My holidays as a kid were fruit picking !

What a different world we live in.

[Rileybobs]

Andrew , kids don’t have to go to Florida for a holiday so there is no ‘the clock is ticking’ about it. Such a wet way of looking at this and typical of this entitlement attitude that exists in today’s society caused by the recent and current generation

Surely the 'entitled generation' that you refer to was brought up by your generation. So is your generation not to blame for bringing up your children with a sense of entitlement?

[Burnley Ace]

I think there was a lot of work put into winning these red wall seats. Work that began a year or so before the election. Cooper was attacked constantly on social media, and it was always “she does nothing for Burnley. She’s useless.” Before long people were parroting it endlessly. Vacuous, but just effective enough.

I’m surprised about social media as that is normally a medium that’s dominated by Labour. What would you say are Julie Coopers top 3 achievements for Burnley?

[Lowbankclaret]

Surely the 'entitled generation' that you refer to was brought up by your generation. So is your generation not to blame for bringing your children with a sense of entitlement?

I would say the world evolved. Is that parents fault, not really.
When Iwas a teenager in the 70’s having a car was a luxury for most families.
I can only think of one family I knew who went to Spain on Holiday.
I went to Corfu when 19 with 3 other lads as we were working.

Now holidays can be anywhere in the world. Every child will know someone who’s been to Florida.
Cars are throw away items almost now.

[Rileybobs]

I would say the world evolved. Is that parents fault, not really.
When Iwas a teenager in the 70’s having a car was a luxury for most families.
I can only think of one family I knew who went to Spain on Holiday.
I went to Corfu when 19 with 3 other lads as we were working.

Now holidays can be anywhere in the world. Every child will know someone who’s been to Florida.
Cars are throw away items almost now.

I'm sure your generation benefited from luxuries that the previous generation didn't have, like an indoor loo for example. Does that make you entitled?

[Spijed]

I would say the world evolved. Is that parents fault, not really.
When Iwas a teenager in the 70’s having a car was a luxury for most families.
I can only think of one family I knew who went to Spain on Holiday.
I went to Corfu when 19 with 3 other lads as we were working.

Now holidays can be anywhere in the world. Every child will know someone who’s been to Florida.
Cars are throw away items almost now.

Do you think anyone earning £100k should have been entitled to 80% of their wages, or whatever it was on the furlough scheme?

[Devils_Advocate]

The test of the advancement of a society is not merely how much peoples standards of living improve but more importantly how large the gap is between the wealthiest and the poorest.

This is why if you go to places where all of society is very wealthy with a good standard of living then society is normally harmonious and happy.

Also its why you see some more primative society's that are cut off from the modern world where the people are equally poor to also be harmonious and happy

Societys where the poor and needy live alongside the rich and powerful is where you see the most misery and most civil unrest.

All I would add that there are other factors like where the control and power lies and how it is distributed that has similar effects to wealth and standards of living.

Stating a kid in this day and age should be happy because they have a lot more than a kid in say the 50s is no different to saying victorian kids in workhouses should have been thankful of their privileged existence because they didnt have to endure the horrors of kids growing up in medieval times

[Lowbankclaret]

I'm sure your generation benefited from luxuries that the previous generation didn't have, like an indoor loo for example. Does that make you entitled?

Yes we did, we had the free NHS. Try getting an NHS dentist now!
Gas central heating.
Yes an indoor loo.
Plus lots more.

I don’t think it did make me entitled and I don’t think it makes kids today entitled.

The world is going through a reset currently, next year could see a big step back in what kids can have.

[Rileybobs]

Yes we did, we had the free NHS. Try getting an NHS dentist now!
Gas central heating.
Yes an indoor loo.
Plus lots more.

I don’t think it did make me entitled and I don’t think it makes kids today entitled.

The world is going through a reset currently, next year could see a big step back in what kids can have.

I think we're in agreement then that being able to go on holidays, have a car and a smartphone doesn't equate to being entitled. The notion that this generation is entitled seems to be parroted by bitter, old, jealous people.

[Elizabeth]

Quite emphatically ‘No’ riley. Judging from your posts I would say it was your generation definitely

[Rileybobs]

Quite emphatically ‘No’ riley. Judging from your posts I would say it was your generation definitely

Interesting. Can you point to a single post that I've made which would suggest that I, or indeed my entire generation, are entitled?

[ClaretAndJew]

Is this thread the Four Yorkshiremen Sketch but on a forum?

[Lowbankclaret]

I think we're in agreement then that being able to go on holidays, have a car and a smartphone doesn't equate to being entitled. The notion that this generation is entitled seems to be parroted by bitter, old, jealous people.

First sentence I agree.
Second not so sure.

What I do think is there are growing numbers of people who think the state should support them for all of their lives and they should never have to work.

[Elizabeth]

Like the‘ Captain’ thread Riley you are missing the point of what a culture of ‘entitlement’ means

[Elizabeth]

Your generation Riley have let my generation down , you give in too easily to your children, you fail to respect the achievements of the likes of the Captain.
This was not what my generation would have tried to teach you

[Paul Waine]

Do you think anyone earning £100k should have been entitled to 80% of their wages, or whatever it was on the furlough scheme?

Hi Spijed, no, no one earning £100k should have been entitled to 80% of their wages paid under the furlough scheme. In fact, no one earning over £37.5k was entitled to 80% of their wages - the maximum monthly amount was capped at £2,500.

From www.gov.uk:

"Under the scheme announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak last month, employers can claim a grant covering 80% of the wages for a furloughed employee, subject to a cap of £2,500 a month."

Of course, that's not to say that a number of employers may have chosen to pay their employees more than the £2,500 per month grant that the gov't provided.

[Rileybobs]

Like the‘ Captain’ thread Riley you are missing the point of what a culture of ‘entitlement’ means

You won't let this Captain Tom thread drop will you. What an embarrassing overreaction that was.

So seeing as I'm missing the point, can you please explain it to me. According to you, my posts suggest that my generation is entitled. Surely you will then be able to quote just a single one of my posts in order to demonstrate this?

[Jakubclaret]

Merely questioning Captain Tom's acheivements was completely offensive & out of touch to many.

[Rileybobs]

Your generation Riley have let my generation down , you give in too easily to your children, you fail to respect the achievements of the likes of the Captain.
This was not what my generation would have tried to teach you

How did I fail to respect the achievements of Captain Tom? I donated to his cause.

Did your generation not teach mine? If so then you must have failed miserably if you've let an entire generation become 'entitled'.

[Rileybobs]

Merely questioning Captain Tom's acheivements was completely offensive & out of touch to many.

It's not my fault if snowflakes get offended by something so harmless, and true.

[ksrclaret]

Your generation Riley have let my generation down , you give in too easily to your children, you fail to respect the achievements of the likes of the Captain.
This was not what my generation would have tried to teach you

Hahaha. Brilliant stuff. It's been disaster after disaster from your generation I'm afraid. Young people these days will be paying off the codger's mistakes for decades to come. The least you can do is accept that and keep your head down. Cheers.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Ringo’s had a few again.

[Jakubclaret]

It's not my fault if snowflakes get offended by something so harmless, and true.

True? A few posters were completely astonished at doubting Captain Tom, I think you totally missed the mark & grossly underestimated the mood of the MB it was absolutely incredible.

[Devils_Advocate]

Merely questioning Captain Tom's acheivements was completely offensive & out of touch to many.

I was more offended that within weeks of Captain Tom's monumental effort to raise £35m for the NHS Lizz Truss had blown £30m that one of her close advisors trousered for some faulty PPE he pushed through in secret

Im guessing that your virtue signaling doesnt cover being offended by this scandal though

[ksrclaret]

True? A few posters were completely astonished at doubting Captain Tom, I think you totally missed the mark & grossly underestimated the mood of the MB it was absolutely incredible.

Christ, can we not do this again? It was tedious the first time, another round of "how dare you not lick Captain Tom's boots" would be even more cringey.

[Rileybobs]

True? A few posters were completely astonished at doubting Captain Tom, I think you totally missed the mark & grossly underestimated the mood of the MB it was absolutely incredible.

I don’t post things to play to the mood of the messageboard. I’m not a stand up comedian or club DJ.

[Elizabeth]

As this argument is between you and me ‘cannibal’ Riley, I have no wish to bore people with your disrespectful , crass comments about the Captain on the thread recognising his tremendous achievement. You can bring up the thread yourself if you want. It does however sum up your attitude to the value of ‘respect‘
Many of your posts refer to people as idiotic , jealous , and similar disparaging descriptions, people you regard as having little worth .
My generation supported each other and never saw anyone go short or be left on their own. If anyone was overspending we’d tell them so , not suggest a credit card. We dealt with a broken nail without having a sleepless night.
Sense of entitlement? I could name a dozen aspects of society today that fall under that heading.

[Rileybobs]

As this argument is between you and me ‘cannibal’ Riley, I have no wish to bore people with your disrespectful , crass comments about the Captain on the thread recognising his tremendous achievement. You can bring up the thread yourself if you want. It does however sum up your attitude to the value of ‘respect‘
Many of your posts refer to people as idiotic , jealous , and similar disparaging descriptions, people you regard as having little worth .
My generation supported each other and never saw anyone go short or be left on their own. We dealt with a broken nail without having a sleepless night.
Sense of entitlement? I could name a dozen aspects of society today that fall under that heading.

Cannibal Riley, I like it.

I didn’t make a single crass comment about Captain Tom. I don’t think anybody wants to have that discussion again, but if you keep dragging it up it’s quite difficult not to. Please go back to that thread, have a read and pick a single post where I show crassness or disrespect to Captain Tom or his achievement.

If you lazily label an entire generation of people as entitled then you should expect to be labelled as jealous and bitter. Not sure where you’ve got idiotic from, but if the cap fits.

With regards respect, people earn my respect. I don’t know why you feel you are ‘entitled’ to it.

[Elizabeth]

The only Ringo I know about is the one on this board who I’ve taken to task on many occasions. To think otherwise is foolhardy.

[Elizabeth]

Cannibal, your word Riley in your first response to my opening post on this thread. And you expect me to take you seriously