Sunday 12th February 2012:
Political Lies
The economy: not as bad as feared
Source: YouGov.co
The economy, we are told, is still bad, and perhaps even getting worse. But, explains Peter Kellner, public opinion on the subject is improving.
"Why?"
Monday 13th February 2012:
Political nepotism - Fraud
Expenses Scandal Is Back - as MPs Claims Soar Again
Source: Express.co
Anger over the Westminster gravy train flared again last night as it emerged MPs' claims for expenses are set to soar by £46.7million this year.
Figures have revealed that the taxpayer-funded bill for MPs' salaries and expenses, plus the cost of their staff, is expected to reach a total of £164.7million this financial year.
"Why am I not surprised at the MPs crooked nepotism?"
Tuesday 14th February 2012:
Crime - Court sentencing
Dog owner whose pet tore off six-year-old girl's ear as she played in park is spared jail
Source: Daily Mail - Dog Attack
The parents of a six-year-old girl who lost her ear when she was savaged by a dog reacted with fury yesterday after its owner was spared jail.
Gary Hindley, 56, walked free from court after being handed a 12-week suspended sentence and ordered to pay just £350 compensation for the 'sustained and horrific attack' in which his Staffordshire bull terrier bit off most of her right ear.
"Justiceless justice!"
Tuesday 14th February 2012:
Political nepotistism
50+ of Theresa May's fat cat Home Office bureaucrats bagged bonuses last year just for doing their jobs!
Source: The Sun
Three trousered £42,000 - double the average copper's salary at the same time the Government was laying off 4,000 officers.
Labour MP John Robertson called on Home Secretary Theresa May to put a stop to the public sector gravy train. "This is obscene at a time when we are all suppose to be "in it together", he raged. "The Government like to say they can't act on bonuses in the private sector, but these are public sector, tax-payer funded, bonuses to very well paid top civil servants.
"No wonder we have Occupation Movements and riots!"
Wednesday 15th February 2012:
Political nepotistism
David Cameron hints at minimum alcohol price
Source: The Guardian
David Cameron will signal support for putting a minimum price on alcohol, using a visit to a hospital in the north-east to warn that excess consumption of alcohol costs the NHS £2.7bn a year.
"What the 'ell does he think the poor street-dwellers will do to get their liquor if the prices do rise? Mug more people, raid more homes, shoplift a little more often?"
Thursday 16th February 2012:
Political nepotistism
£4m of salaries for Department of Health advisers paid to companies!
Source: Mirror News - NHS fiddle again?
Salaries totalling more than £4 million paid to 25 Whitehall advisers were made through limited companies, it was reported today.
The payment method, which allows tax bills to be reduced, was used for senior contractors employed by the Department of Health, according to the Guardian.
Officials apologised for any "misunderstanding" over the salaries after health minister Simon Burns told Parliament in a written answer last year that no Whitehall health staff were paid in that way.
"Government Nepotism at work somewhere here?"
Friday 17th February 2012:
Unemployment
Work for free and 'be of benefit' to a multinational like Tesco
Source: The Guardian - Comment
A Tesco job advert offering 'JSA plus expenses' reveals the sinister reality of government work experience schemes
Tesco is among the companies offering placements to jobseekers. Focussed on two things: so-called mandatory work activity (MWA), whereby people are forced - via the threat of their jobseeker's allowance being suspended - to put in 30 hours a week doing work "of benefit to the community"; and other "work experience" schemes, in which people do up to eight weeks of unpaid labour, with one proviso: they can refuse to take part or pull out during the first seven days, but thereafter the work becomes compulsory, under pain of their benefit being withdrawn.
"Legal & General Investment Management Limited are in the top three of Tesco shareholders - have you any idea how many Minister's of the Coalition Government have shares in them in their port-folio's?"
Saturday 18th February 2012:
Crime
Ken Clarke to let criminals hide their record from Employers
Source: The Mirror
2000 thousand serious criminals a year will be able to hide previous convictions under plans touted by Ken Clarke.
The Justice Secretary wants to reform the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act to help former prisoners "wipe the slate clean".
That means they would no longer have to tell prospective employers about their criminal past.
"That's it, go get um Ken... 'Kenneth Clarke the Criminals friend!'"
