DEM not gonna CON dis NATION: Rolling UK politics in the short-lived Cleggeron era

"Feminism has trumped egalitarianism" is a line from his book from last year, which focussed on the (now quite fashionable in left-leaning circles) idea that the baby boomers fucked things for the generations that came afterwards. If falls down because a) feminism IS egalitarianism and b) Tories by and large don't believe in egalitarianism in the first place. However I don't think he's actually attacking feminism even if the Daily Mail desperately wants to present him in that light.

feminism IS egalitarianism

yeah in the abstract, but he is talking about something specific, about university-educated women and that

but ya obvi the tories don't really like egalitarianism

But I think it certainly widened the gap in household incomes because you suddenly had two-earner couples, both of whom were well educated, compared with often workless households where nobody was educated.

solution is to ban marriages between same-education-status couples? if you have a degree you must only marry someone who has had no education. problem solved!!!

yh there is quite a nuanced argument in here (and one which is being had on the left) about the intersection of gender and class, and how the workforce has been changing, and stuff-- but seeing 'feminism' as the cause is historically illiterate and also, as a politician, he is in full knowledge of what messages that sends.

and tbh i'm in a funny position here because i find myself thinking 'but how can you even talk about this when it's going to get soundbitten down into something that ignores all the nuances?'-- which is something I don't want to think, because i would like to believe that these nuanced arguments can be available to all and comprehensible by all.

Isn't it the case that after campaigners in the 70s won the battle to have mortgages based on wives' incomes as well as husbands', house prices more or less doubled overnight? Not sure if this is strictly relevant, tbh.

Also pretty sure Willets went to public school, not grammar.

Isn't it the case that after campaigners in the 70s won the battle to have mortgages based on wives' incomes as well as husbands', house prices more or less doubled overnight?

an exaggeration i think, but that is how the housing 'market' works: the more 'credit' available, the higher the prices

a beautiful thing

xp it was a grammar school when willetts was there.

Willetts, in certain parts of the country, is a synonym for dingleberries. #fyi

So disgusting:

Jobcentres tricking people out of benefits to cut costs, says whistleblower: Soaring number of sanctions against unemployed amid claims that DWP staff are being told to trip people up with paperwork

winnets, surely.

can't believe dole offices indulge in class-based discrimination

Most workers want to work on when they reach 65, Iain Duncan Smith claimed yesterday.

He insisted that higher life expectancy meant people should – and usually want – to work for longer before taking their pension.

The Work and Pensions Secretary made the extraordinary claim on the eve of unveiling reforms that could push the retirement age beyond 70.

The idea that employees do not want to stop work at 65 was rubbished by critics last night.

Ros Altmann, of Saga, said all the research showed most over-50s wanted to retire as soon as was practical. ‘There are terrible consequences for many people if you increase the state pension age too quickly,’ she added.

hate to be 'that guy' but people living longer does kinda imply a recalculation. im sure most people over 50 (or indeed 20) would like to retire but paying for 'em for the next three-four decades is a 'practical' problem, no? and this has been coming down the track for a minute. idk, both my parents are working in their mid-60s.

Agreed but would still like to know what research Iain Duncan Smith is basing his working on.

Except he's making it all up, natch.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-12952344

Scottish Tories aim to get "time-wasters" out of school at 14. I hope there's enough apprenticeships to go round - last I heard youth unemployment in Scotland was soaring and 1000 apprentices were being made redundant every year. I suppose Job Seeker's is cheaper than school.

I hear conservatives complain all the time about kids these days not being able to do maths without a calculator, or young people lacking proper grammar - you have to have a little respect for an ideology that is so oblivious to it's contradictions.

Shouldn't that be 'its contradictions'? *waves a cane while thinking 'kids these days'*

Damn.

what is the point of toby young? http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/04/pro-cuts-rally-against-debt

I can't imagine that even people who agree with him like the smug little bastard.

his entire schtick is "who haven't i pissed off yet?", right

He insisted that higher life expectancy meant people should – and usually want – to work for longer before taking their pension.

this is actually true (well idk about "want")

Going to balaclava up and head down to the protest to reasonably set fire to a waxwork of Laurie Penny and stuff banknotes into the letterbox of a former polytechnic.

occupy a lidl, vandalise it

stuff mocking banknotes into the letterboxes of anti-cuts protesters LIKE ME

Reactionary little shit. You know all this activism is the result of not being able to buy a house in Notting Hill, because he was priced out by bankers and furriners, right?

Annabelle Fuller, a former adviser to the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, is a leading organiser.

He insisted that higher life expectancy meant people should – and usually want – to work for longer before taking their pension

There's a practical ceiling to this though - in most jobs you can't really go on working much past 65 even if you live for another 35 years. Getting up and working a full-time job when you're nearing your 70s can't really be conducive to increasing your life expectancy. And I can't think of many employers who'd employ someone in their late 60s.

Boris Johnson said: "I cannot conceive of a more fitting celebration of Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne than a majestic flotilla of vessels, large and small, winding their way along the iconic River Thames and showcasing our proud maritime history."

I cannot conceive of a more fitting celebration of Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne than a magnificent floater.

A floater curling out over a four day bank holiday weekend, no less.

Sounds like adult fun - don't forget to drop the kids off at the pool first!

"We're all in in together" they say, and with the price of wheat at an-all time high in austerity Britain, nothing really could sum up 2011 like the Queen of England pinching a loaf.

gah IT, in IT together

"I'm riding down on my Boris bike. Go faster, Petronella!"

ha http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12955239

and indeed ha ha...
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says he wants to stop people getting on in life purely because of "who they know".

What, like he knew that David Cameron?

bonus idiocy http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-12968538

bouncing back - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12967521

The motion was supported and the council will now write to the Prime Minister indicating support for a Bill going through Parliament calling for the Government to research the possibility of switching our clocks.

However, some Cornwall councillors said it would have a negative impact on farmers.

Councillor Pat Lambshead, who seconded the motion, disputed the claims, saying animals did not "wear watches" so would not know what time it was and would not be affected by changes to clocks.

Mike Eddowes responded by saying: "There are farmers who will completely disagree with what Councillor Lambshead has said. The animals do know what time it is and this would disrupt them.

read "clocks" as "cocks" there for a minute

Yeah, but he's got a lambs head so.

Government minister Francis Maude has blamed his children for a rejected claim on the latest round of his parliamentary expenses.

The Conservative MP for Horsham released a statement ahead of publication of the next batch of allowances tomorrow that explains why a claim for £3.95 was turned down.

Mr Maude, a father of five, said it covered the cost of watching blockbuster film Sherlock Holmes, starring Jude Law, which his daughters had purchased without his knowledge.

The Cabinet Office minister added that his children had promised to let him know if they watched pay-per-view films again so he did not "unwittingly" put through claims for the cost.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said only connection to basic free-toair television and broadband packages can be claimed for. Officials confirmed that when MPs submit expenses forms they are responsible for the claims made, which should only be for costs incurred as part of their job.

Mr Maude said: "On Thursday, Ipsa will be publishing the latest round of MPs' expense claims.

"The details will show that on 28 October 2010. I submitted a claim for the combined TV and internet package that is in place at my London home. This related to costs incurred during the month of September.

"A quick investigation showed that unbeknownst to me, my daughters had purchased an on-demand film - Sherlock Holmes. Ipsa was right to reject £3.95 for the film and I should have taken a closer look at the bill."

Mr Maude was criticised at the height of the expenses scandal for claiming for a London home he has a mortgage on while owning a family home elsewhere in the city. At the time he criticised "highly slanted personal attacks" on him in relation to the claims, insisting he had moved to the new flat for "family reasons" and that gain made on it during that period would eventually be returned to the taxpayer.

Clegg's made himself look a right tit over the last couple of days. More than usual, I mean.

FrancMaud is putting in some "lol" entries in his expenses claim, to see if they get picked up.

If this one hadn't, next month three films, and by the time christmas came around, he'd be claiming for buying Necker Island!

opening doors
http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/nov2010/8/4/tuition-fees-protest-pic-pa-794732959.jpg

breaking barriers
http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/dec2010/3/2/image-3-for-student-fees-protest-gallery-181134398.jpg

Smashing through the glass ceiling:

http://i.imgur.com/Yq9tB.jpg

He insisted that higher life expectancy meant people should – and usually want – to work for longer before taking their pension

There's a practical ceiling to this though - in most jobs you can't really go on working much past 65 even if you live for another 35 years. Getting up and working a full-time job when you're nearing your 70s can't really be conducive to increasing your life expectancy. And I can't think of many employers who'd employ someone in their late 60s.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, April 5, 2011 8:55 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark

Wouldn't it better if everyone worked less though? I don't mind working until I'm (a bit) older but I don't want to do 40 hours a week.