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I work in social housing.

The government has re-introduced right to buy on council housing (some but not all of our stock is covered by this) with huge discounts.
This on the surface sounds great when Cameron promises to build a house for every one sold. THIS IS A LIE!!!

The treasury takes 75% off the top of any right to buy sale. So after a 40% discount and 75% treasury grab we would be left with 15% in order to fund building a new house.

Organising a new build project on a scale necessary for replacing the stock sold will take more than 5 years.

The central grant for providing social housing has been cut by over 60% and the new "Market Rent" price structure will just result in higher Housing benefit bills for councils despite that being cut for most claimants.

On a different note:

The over riding philosophy of organisational management is to delegate. If you don't have anyone to delegate to; you employ a new person to do the job. This ends up with a self perpetuating managerial class that does nothing more than delegate out ever more pointless administrative crap. Targets are for managers not nurses and doctors.

I want my doctors target to be getting me well not getting me out of a bed.
I want a teacher to teach my kids to be knowledgeable and how to teach themselves; not to pass stupid tests. The world of work is an open book exam. Teachers do not need 3 national curriculum documents with no date that all state that they are the definitive document; especially when they are all fething different. Intelligence is a special need just as autism is; but it is not recognised by those who design the educational system. The philosophy of all political parties are aimed at encouraging mediocrity.
I want to know that I am paying my fair share of tax and that HMRC doesn't let huge companies off huge tax bills or allowing the rich to evade tax.
I want a socially mobile society where those that are crap at being at the top can face the long fall and it is possible for the bright and intelligent to go up.

The main problem with British public services is that the Administrators out rank those that actually practice and deliver services. The main aim of these administrators is to avoid "special measures" and this just leads to everything bumbling along as OK. You get punished for failing but you never get rewarded for excelling.

Grrr... I am Mr Angry Sonophos today.

Wow, this thread was misleading, I was expecting Robo-Regan and Robo-Thatcher to be running around Germany trying to defeat the 'Evil Red Empire.'

FabricatorGeneralMike wrote:

Wow, this thread was misleading, I was expecting Robo-Regan and Robo-Thatcher to be running around Germany trying to defeat the 'Evil Red Empire.'

You appear to be 40 or 50 years in the past...

FabricatorGeneralMike wrote:

Wow, this thread was misleading, I was expecting Robo-Regan and Robo-Thatcher to be running around Germany trying to defeat the 'Evil Red Empire.'

Why would Britain's hypothetical robot politicians be running around Germany? And why would Britian have a Robo-Reagon with plenty of their own political figures to choose from?

AustonT wrote:

FabricatorGeneralMike wrote:

Wow, this thread was misleading, I was expecting Robo-Regan and Robo-Thatcher to be running around Germany trying to defeat the 'Evil Red Empire.'

Why would Britain's hypothetical robot politicians be running around Germany? And why would Britian have a Robo-Reagon with plenty of their own political figures to choose from?

Bad joke on my part that went sideways?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

FabricatorGeneralMike wrote:

AustonT wrote:

FabricatorGeneralMike wrote:

Wow, this thread was misleading, I was expecting Robo-Regan and Robo-Thatcher to be running around Germany trying to defeat the 'Evil Red Empire.'

Why would Britain's hypothetical robot politicians be running around Germany? And why would Britian have a Robo-Reagon with plenty of their own political figures to choose from?

Bad joke on my part that went sideways?

Also probley a little to much 'light reading' on that era. I dunno why I just can't get robo-regan out of my head.

It's part of an insidious plan on the part of the Tories to retake Canada.

AustonT wrote:It's part of an insidious plan on the part of the Tories to retake Canada.

The Tories couldn't take Canada, snakes wouldn't survive the winter.

Sonophos wrote:

AustonT wrote:It's part of an insidious plan on the part of the Tories to retake Canada.

The Tories couldn't take Canada, snakes wouldn't survive the winter.

I think the appropriate term is: Boom!
Well played...

Thank you. I'll be here all week.

Sonophos wrote:Thank you. I'll be here all week.

....And that's how it's done folks....I guess I rolled for my joke test =o[

AustonT wrote:It's part of an insidious plan on the part of the Tories to retake Canada.

Canada is still a dominion of the Queen. They are, therefore, still ours.

Joey wrote:

AustonT wrote:It's part of an insidious plan on the part of the Tories to retake Canada.

Canada is still a dominion of the Queen. They are, therefore, still ours.

I dare you to shout that in Quebec.

Canada belongs to the Queen not us. It is like the UK technically, a constitutional Monarchy.

Sonophos wrote:

Joey wrote:

AustonT wrote:It's part of an insidious plan on the part of the Tories to retake Canada.

Canada is still a dominion of the Queen. They are, therefore, still ours.

I dare you to shout that in Quebec.

Canada belongs to the Queen not us. It is like the UK technically, a constitutional Monarchy.

A constitutional monarchy by agreement.
That agreement being the monarchy doesn't try anything and we don't either...

I'm no expert but...pretty sure from the Balfour Declaration, some nonsense in the 50's, and the Canada Act that Canada is most certainly not "yours." but I'm just guessing.

Canada is an independent state which is a constitutional monarchy and has the Queen as monarch and titular head of state. In other words, she performs some ceremonial and symbolic functions.

Canada is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Obviously in all key respects the Canadians run their own defence, economic and foreign policies and so on.

Like I said.

Basically Canada has the same legislative structure as the UK.

It has the same deal with the monarchy but with less castles, palaces and gaudy horse drawn carriages.

Could an accurate description be that it's a personal union? Ala Scotland 'n' the UK before 1707?

Sonophos wrote:Like I said.

Basically Canada has the same legislative structure as the UK.

It has the same deal with the monarchy but with less castles, palaces and gaudy horse drawn carriages.

Pretty much this^ The Queen is head of state in name only. We have a goverenor general who is appointed by the prime minister who is supposted to be the queens repersenitive in Canada. All the GG really does is collect a paycheque and earn alot of air-miles on the tax payers dime

I'm sure the GG does more than that. I'm sure he turns up to posh parties and looks important; Cuts ribbons; Smashes expensive bottles of champaign on ships; Talks to the queen; Hands out Medals; You know all those really stressful things that ordinary people find so important and make huge changes in the world.