The Last Question Time today...
- 30 March 2011 08:4399248...at least for now. Our beloved MP's shuffle off on their Easter break afterwards. Golly they have a nice easy life dont they, they have only just returned to the fray from the previous break...but anyway, Im rambling off. To get back to the point.
Today is the last Question Time for now, so... will it be possible for Labour Leader Ed Miliband to knock some dents in the Cameron Prime Ministerial armour and leave the Labour troops in rallying mode after a poorish period?? There is no doubt Cameron is good at Question Time. However, some of his Prime Ministerial dignity gets lost though, does it not, in some of the schoolboy guffaws and the cheap shots, and although Miliband hasn't rammed home any knockout blows he seems to soldier on with a quiet dignity that might..might just appeal to the voter further afield.
His questions are certainly topical and to the point and they have caused Cameron some uncomfortable moments. Outside the Commons Mr Cameron's personal standing seems to be good. He has handled the Libya situation very well and wisely did so with the co-operation of the French...wars tend to rally the populace behind the Prime Minister, at least for the period of the war..remember Churchill.
But today might just be fiery and might just be worth tuning in to see...today from 11.30 BBC2..the Questions themselves kick off at 12 but allow some time for the pre match build up.email: dover7@msn.com - 30 March 2011 10:0699260Today's announcement of Red Ed's forthcoming nuptials could make for some interesting moments, congratulations can almost be guaranteed but maybe also a comment about not having a best man.
- 30 March 2011 15:1699283Yes indeed it started off with a little bit of jovial banter about his forthcoming wedding....and all lighthearted , but it didnt stay that way for long.
Two burning issues of the moment were featured.
Tuition Fees...oh gawd not that again I hear you shriek
and
Frontline Policing.
I think its almost certain now that frontline police numbers are being cut. I think we all basically recognise it and accept it. Nick Herbert, government minister, was on R4 this morning squirming heroicly or painfully depending on your point of view, under questioning from Justin Webb, and he could not say yay or nay, but prevaricated with lots of figure juggling and semantics.
This policing issue came up under PMQ as you would expect, but again the Prime Minister just as his minister did earlier in the day, could not or did not accept it. Its all juggling isnt it, but the Police themselves have said its a cut to frontline policing and thats it. The rest is wriggling and a failure to admit it.
The other one, Tuition Fees..and I know we are all exhausted on this one. I exhausted myself on this one before. How will I explain it. Well the max a university is allowed to charge students under this new regime, according to Gove again, he of the 'out ot lunch' demeanour..is £9000 with the proviso that they will have to fulfill allsorts of heavy grade and tough criteria. The base line for universities to charge is £6000.
And what have 80-90% of them opted to charge because they all fullfil the 'very tough' criteria...
YES you've guessed it
the full monty of £9000...and why wouldnt they? Its almost like the full ministerial team never had a job in the real world. Tell businesses that they can charge max for a sandwich of £4..then expect them all to charge £2 is not showing much nouse. Of course they are all going to charge £4.
If the tuition fees go to this level at almost all universities and its beginning to look that way then its going to cost the Treasury more money rather than save them money.email: dover7@msn.com - 30 March 2011 15:4499292PaulB
Leading analysts are asking what actually qualifies as front line policing? Some cops are listing allsorts of odds and sods (mainly positions held by retired officers and re-employed) as front line whilst uniform staff are reduced.
I have mentioned it before but a copper retires at 55yrs with a golden handshake and indexed linked pension. After a short sojourn in the Sycelles with his missus , paying off his mortgage and buying a new motor he is immediately re-employed doing a desk job so receiving yet another income. Why not take them off active service at 55 but continue to deploy them as back room boys.Finally retiring at 65 yrs in line with other professions and reducing their salay to an admin level. He will still retain his pension and handshake but remain on one salary not 2 .Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter) - 30 March 2011 17:4499309i always think that front line is being seen in public.
this is not just reassuring to people but offputting to ne'er do wells. - 30 March 2011 22:1699365The cuts in the police force go parallel with the cuts in the numbers of Border Agency employees: the more staff are taken away from the borders (ports and airports), the more stuff smugglers willk manage to get through.
Add to all this the idea of less Police on the streets, and it all gets much worse than one originally feared!Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
Rule Britannia!
Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
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31 March 2011 16:5099427alex,fear is a mind game,the more you spread it the worst it gets.
rather than have a phisacal border as the uk have [ie,passport controll at calis and other ports,]have none at all.the stuff you mention can and is being done,is lead by inteigence lead inisatives.
