David Dimbleby is joined in Birmingham by Philip Hammond MP, John Denham MP, Christine Blower, Sir Richard Lambert and Polly Toynbee.
Miss CD says -
1. Teacher's pensions
2. Public sector strikes, and Ed Miliband's refusal to join in.
3. Greek bailout and riots
4. Gaddafi and war crimes trial
Only four today. Will be very long winded on strikes/pensions.
Leaderboard Update
Measured - 22.5
Mark Wadsworth -19.5
Botogol -19.5
Dick the Prick -16.5
Appointmetotheboard - 16
Nick Drew -15.5
GSD - 15
Bill Quango MP -15
Miss S-J - 15
Malcolm Tucker -14.5
Hatfield Girl -13.5
Miss CD -12
Timbo614 - 12
City Unslicker -10.5
Philipa -9
Budgie -8
Andrew - 6.5
Hopper -2.5
Amy -2.5
Blue Eyes -2.5
Lilith - 2.5
Hovis -2
26 comments:
Strikes - union mandate given tube nonsense
pensions - public v private
greece - leading to EU discussion
lloyds job losses?
Andy Murray/Wimbledon - pug for BBC coverage tomorrow
1. biggest strike in the history of big strikes. Should it have gone ahead?
2. Pension. How much contribution do public sector workers make to private sector pensions?
3. Millie Dowler & victims on trial
4. Greek bailout
5. Smoking ban in cars
1. is this the year for plucky Brit Murray to win Wimbledon, or will the lazy Scots git bottle it again ?
2. is this the year Greece fails / the EUR fails etc etc
3. is this the year we see China beginning its long takeover of Europe / the world ?
4. is it right to send weapons to the rebs in Libya ?
5. more than one qn on the pensions / strike thing (which may yet stuff me at LHR later today). Will be interesting to see how the BBC allows this latter debate to be conducted, as there is one hell of a lot of briefing and 'framing' going on, e.g. "everyone accepts the public sector pensions can be afforded, that's not the issue"
1. Teacher's pensions/strikes - is Greece a foretaste of the industrial action to follows once the savage Tory cuts tear apart the fabric of society (etc)?
2. Conviction of that bloke for murdering at least three young women including Milly Dowler - is it time to reconsider the death penalty?
3. This was supposed to be The People's Olympics, so how come so few people have got the ticket they applied for and why are they so expensive? (answer - if more people applied than got tickets, then the price was actually too low)
4. Should the Prime Minister/Alex Salmond/Royal Family attend if Andy Murray gets through to Wimbledon final?
5. Should David Cameron have done more to insist that China respects people's Yuman RIghts rather than just waffling on about them importing more from us (which they aren't going to do in a million years - they're just buying up UK factories)?
-----------------------
Also rans = organ donation, selling drivers' details, libya, train delays in hot weather/climate change.
1. Teacher's & other invaluable front-line resource workers strikes. Was it right for teacher's to strike. Shouldn't they have done it in the holidays? {That was a particularly stupid question from a caller to LBC. Same caller also said that union bosses should take a days pay freeze today. Surely, today, they are actually earning their money? I bet they've been up since dawn.}
2. Pension debate. Can't anyone just get an independent pensions adviser, preferably from another EU country, to explain who's paying what, for how long, to who.
3. Milly Dowler and the disgraceful stunts that the defence lawyers pulled.
4. Greek bailout and riots. Will the Greek austerity measures that seems to be bringing 25 billion Euros to PS pensions cuts be a warning for our own public sector?
{no}
Don't think it will make 5.
Why should Birmingham not have a high speed railway line running through Amersham?
Is it ill-mannered of the state-funded to call their stoppage on Thursday rather than a Friday when everyone could have got off to a good start to the weekend?
Why can't anarchists in London give as good street fighting as anarchists in Athens (or in Brum, come to think of it)?
Is it acceptable for journalists to plagiarise and lie to communicate a higher, progressive, truth?
Should the King Edward's foundation schools be expanded sufficiently to take in all the secondary pupils in Birmingham, seeing as these are the schools most people want to go to?
Why outsource city council jobs all the way to South Asia instead of stopping at Balsall Heath?
Going for 4 questions, and not even sure we'll make it past 3 with PT bloviating on the panel.
1. Should we bring private pensions up to public standard instead of dragging public pensions down?
2. Teachers striking - is it right for teachers to strike as it only affects kids and their parents?
3. Are the Greeks going to default anyway, and should any of us care as only the Evil Bankers will be affected?
4. Why do we let defence barristers actually defend their clients? (fairly sure it won't be phrased like this).
1. Public sector pensions/ teachers’ pensions – are they unaffordable or is it that the Government does not want to afford them?
2. Does it really pay to strike.. i.e. how can these people afford to strike?
3. Greece – will the chaos spread here? Devalue..default..decline. How does everyone stimulate vely slong glowth? I hope someone mentions that the EU is asking for a rise in the UK’s contribution and hopes to afford a new swanky HQ.
4. R v. Levi Bellfield Was it justified to put the Dowler family through so much? I hope someone says the Bar Standards Board needs to look at the transcript of the proceedings, consider it and then possibly ask Mr Samuels QC (yes, we know his name) to comment in the light of paragraph 708 against paragraph 303 before considering whether a charge for professional misconduct should be brought. I am sure he was following instructions, but there are ways of wording questions and he should always retain his integrity.
5. Limits to growth. Can this country cope with its population growth?
I think you have got them all Bill & as someone says Millie Dowler, what order that is the question.
1. Strikes by the public sector. Should government pass new laws to ensure because life is fair?
2. Greek crisis. Was it extreme folly or sensible pragmatism to lend a bankrupt country billions secured on nothing more than waiter's aprons, olives and sun loungers.
3. Changes to bail. Are judges unaware of their stupid decisions or are they doing it on purpose?
4. Pensions. Its all affordable as long as everyone just shuts their eyes and sticks their fingers in their ears.
5. Levi Bellfield. Death penalty called for by members of the public. Won't change a thing but at least they got a chance to get some payback.
Word up Commies
(Seriously, is that the best panel they could drag out of the bins?)
1) Strikes - Go brothers; less than 3 weeks into a job and i'm already striking! - Get In!!
2) Cuts - ppphhwww - Toynbee may offer value but you've gotta want it
3) Localism - is it a joke? Why is Brum so shite?
4) Jobs, investment - engineering; play to their skills
5) Sport - Rory Macelroy or Murray.
Hmm.
Together we stand, divided we fall and all that jazz etc etc
DtP
There has to be more than one Qu on the strikes, it's right up the BBC's street. I am torn between two or three..
1- are public sector workers just being greedy about pensions
2- is it ever right for public sector workers to go on strike
3- can you be an effective leader of the opposition if you are in the pocket of the unions
4 - what can be done to protect the rights witnesses and victims in the courtroom
5- is it acceptable to stab a burglar
Hmmm, such a lot to choose from this week...
1) Strikes and marches Do they actually achieve anything today?
2) Pensions debate, the public sector is guaranteed at least to pay out - Is it worth the risk for the private sector?
3) Police Bail problem - how much will this cost us in our litigious society in unlawful imprisonment claims and such like?
4) Greece again, riots, and heavy handed police / Greece is doomed to default even having sold the house and the family silver.
Just 4 Q's as they will be long and possible boring :)
1 Strikes and legislation to stop them - if less than 50% of the workforce voted in favour (not 50% of those who voted) then should it be banned - impact on MPs and their democratic mandate
2 Strikes and pensions - are the MPs and Judges pensions being cut back too
3 The royals in Canada - if we cant afford our own country, why do we hang on to the colonial
4 Greece - recovery underway or just another stumble in the drunkards walk towards default.
5 Unemployment- something about 15000 lost at lloyds and birmingham being the seat of UK manufacturing
i'm late, I'm late!
*pant pant pant*
OK, no problem if I'm disqualified this week, but I've just got in and not turned on the TV. But I'm going to make a desperate bid for a couple of points all the same.
1. Pensions
2. Striking
3. Greece
And that's all I can come up with. Nurse, bring the Defibrillator!
Everybody ready?
Unions & super liberals panel vs gov'ment & business.
1. What message are teachers sending.{oddly phrased. Leaving room to ask the same question again in a minute}
Everyone answers & its all pointless. Audience seems to think, as has been reported all day, its the banks fault. Banks are the new Thatcher. 18,000 banking jobs lost just today. Will the teachers pay THEIR early retirement? 9 teachers lost their jobs in 30 years. If you have a safe, secure, decent job, stfu.
{and at BQ Industries today that was the moderate view!}
Strange Labour have already decided not to back the unions. Early decision. Milliband could have easily faced both ways for a lot longer. Wonder why he did. No one expected him to come out against a strike.
Anyway recap : Its the banks and the fault of the private sector for not paying higher pensions.
Blood pressure monitor on.
Q2. Should unions regret support for Ed Miliband?
Denham thinks not. Lots of booing teachers in the audience. Toynbee manages to get an Ashcroft in!
Also manages to claim unions losing their power has caused greater disparity in incomes equality.
Denham mentions the car industry. In Birmingham? Its still a sore point around the Rover works there John.
Audience says public sector pensions are amongst the lowest in OECD. Does that include Greece? And Portugal and Spain?
{BBC's web page fact check on pensions today is quite reasonable. for a brief overview of who claims what.}
Dimby hurrying panel along..no..no 4 qs is plenty.
Q3. Is being able to stab a burglar one step too far?
Hand wringer in chief PT says yes.
Lawyer in the audience says there is no change to the law. seems he's right.
Q4. Is it too early to withdraw troops from Afhanistan? Last week Dimby! That was last week!
Just agreed with Polly. I don't believe its necessary to keep pouring troops into conflict because we have suffered casualties and it would dishonour the dead.
I'll be weeping over the loss of the film council next!
Q5 Chinese premier visit. {Longbridge! Ahhh.. what a clue!}
NUT leader seems to be more communist than the communists. Wants to lecture China.Sir Dickie agrees with CU. China signed with Merkel. We are just not that important to them.
The mental union activist who kicked the show off gets a good slapping from Hammond and the audience. People want jobs. set in stone Ideology is for the Independent, and other people who never need to make a profit.
That young union rep with the funny glasses over her haird must be one of the dimmest people ever to be on QT - yet Dimbers let her speak twice.
I noted too the huge round of applause for her incoherent first stab....bbc fail to stop union infiltration.
That anon is me CU!
When did Gisela Stuart cross the floor? I must have missed that on the news...
Scores.
BQ -1½ and that's generous. Foxed by the brummies.
CU 1½+½ for 5 qs -2
Malc T - ditto - 2
Nick Drew: well - 2½ + ½ for 5qs = 3 Not bad for a person who was in the air at the time.
MW - 1.5 for teachers/pensions - .5 for 5qs & 2 for the arrow in the bullseye on the China question. = 4 quality answers.
Hatfield Girl. - 1 for strikes. .5 for outsourcing = 1½ So many missed opportunities on this QT. {Afghanistan .! Its only a relief they didn't do the NHS again.}
Hopper - greetings. .5 point for 1st go! + 1.5 for pensions/strikes + a very generous .5 for the barrister/defence q which i know you meant Levi, but managed to make ambiguous enough to possibly be Ken's latest utterance. - 2.5
Come back next week.
Measured: 2 + .5 for 5 qs. And it was outrageous not to mention the Levi case. It was perfect for QT. - 2.5
Anon - nah..I was way off tonight.
Miss S-j 2 + .5 for 5 qs = 2.5 too.
Dick the Prick: 1 + .5 for investment +.5 for 5 qs =2
{Go brothers; less than 3 weeks into a job and i'm already striking! - Get In!!} Clarification needed.
Botogol: On a roll - 1.5 for strikes/pensions double bubble for stabbing a chav plus the Miliband question + .5 for the Botogol Number of questions rule = 5 Superb.
Timbo614 - just 1.5. We are not having a good season. Waiting for the recess. = 1.5
Andrew. Think that's probably 2 for strikes and pensions + ½ for the 5qs = 2½.
appointmetotheboard = working late again? = 1.5 for pension/strikes = 1.5
GSD- Never mind. I never put up the reminder yesterday. Worked all day, went to bed at 7pm and woke up at 8am.
You get 1/2 for turning up. = ½
Miss CD - 1.5 strikes + 1 for Miliband = 2.5
Winner is Botogol with 5
That's shaken it up at the top.
Anon/Cu - She was very ill informed. I wanted to kick her on her first dumb question but audience clapped their hands pink. Once she talked about telling the Chinese to get stuffed the car workers were less impressed.
She looked really disappointed.
appointmetotheboard - Gisela Stuart was Iain Dale's choice to replace Dianne Abbott on this week.
[F1 style]
Eddie/David: What went wrong today Timbo?
Timbo: Well, I got off to a poor start what with the qually 3 mess an all, and then then really the types weren't round enough or wide enough, then what with the suspension damage from the crash in practice, and the KERS doesn't really work properly, but y'know the team are great and really working hard towards the second half of the season. We're gonna bring really round tyres to 'Derry and new wings 'n stuff. So we are really hopeful that we will catch the leaders and the team will be really great to get to that point by September.
David: Good luck I know how hard it is.
Eddie: (You're gonna need it)
Timbo: Thanks Guys, it's really gonna look up now ... we are so confident.
woo hoo!
gosh, should have got the chinese question, what with Longbridge an' all. I actually spent a good 5 mins thinking to myself 'what went on in birmingham last week' and also wondering if the chinese visit was still fresh enough to come up... D'Oh
Did Dimbo say there was just one more week to go until the end of the series? If so I reckon measured has the trophy pretty much sewn up...
BQ, ta. Remember - there is no 'loss of Film Council' to weep for. All the money and staff were merely transferred to British Film Institute.
pleased to report that by yesterday evening they were well on top of the situation @ LHR: longer queues for sure, but very effectively marshalled
round one to t'management, but I'm not counting my chickens, there's a lot more travelling in the weeks ahead...
Timbo- Its a game of two halves. Not over until the fat lady sings. Full support of the board ..and other votes of no confidence.
Botogol - Looks like you're right.
1 more match. 7 July - Basingstoke
Mark Wadsworth. Surely not the FDs and chairmen and so on? A double management structure? It wouldn't totally surprise but still...
Still in with a chance -
Measured - 22.5
Mark Wadsworth -19.5
Botogol -19.5
Dick the Prick -16.5
Appointmetotheboard - 16
After that we're into the realms of 'Mathematically its still possible..'
ND - From Guido yesterday
BBC 24 hours cuts coverage.
Update live
Our reporter is in Chester.
“Well, there’s no potato painting going on here today. I expect these children will suffer in their colouring in tests. Harry Potter is going unread today. ”
and at the council offices in Norwich..
“Its a sad day. No equality targets can be attained today. Many boxes on forms are being left unticked...
I saw paving stones with cracks in the high street going unfixed,as they surely would have been even if there were no strike. The grass on the town’s roundabouts is millimeters higher today.”
And at the port of Dover…
“Yes, here there are no checks on anyone coming from abroad at all. But I understand they are not on strike here. This is just normal procedure.”
Well, we’ll be back to let you know how the very fabric of society has been ripped apart by this very necessary protest
But first some more adverts for Luther-. '
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