Author Topic: UK election 2024  (Read 33410 times)

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #225 on: May 28, 2024, 12:08:55 PM »
'Abbott Labour race row probe finished in December', bit of a farce really now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8vv4ep92y8o

Aruntraveller

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #226 on: May 28, 2024, 12:43:59 PM »
'Abbott Labour race row probe finished in December', bit of a farce really now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8vv4ep92y8o

Fucking ridiculous.
Before we work on Artificial Intelligence shouldn't we address the problem of natural stupidity.

Gordon

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #227 on: May 28, 2024, 02:12:01 PM »
I'm getting a bit pissed off by various Tories bleating about Labour 'not having a plan' - they've been in power for 14 years now so, presumably, we can assume the current situation is exactly as they planned it would be.

Aruntraveller

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #228 on: May 28, 2024, 02:19:12 PM »
I'm getting a bit pissed off by various Tories bleating about Labour 'not having a plan' - they've been in power for 14 years now so, presumably, we can assume the current situation is exactly as they planned it would be.

Yes. Clearly a soundbite they have been told to push. Mind you if I hear Rachel Reeves say she is "laser-focused" one more time I may need to invest in a new TV.
Before we work on Artificial Intelligence shouldn't we address the problem of natural stupidity.

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #229 on: May 28, 2024, 02:58:44 PM »
I'm getting a bit pissed off by various Tories bleating about Labour 'not having a plan' - they've been in power for 14 years now so, presumably, we can assume the current situation is exactly as they planned it would be.
There's no acceptance of their actions. Either it was the world's fault, or the nasty Liz Truss, or they were mind controlled by Jeremy Corbyn. Cleverley's performance on Kuennsberg was a litany of lying.

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #230 on: May 28, 2024, 03:01:00 PM »
Yes. Clearly a soundbite they have been told to push. Mind you if I hear Rachel Reeves say she is "laser-focused" one more time I may need to invest in a new TV.
Most of them are unwatchable. Reeves's great quality here is that she comes across as if she could be a story. For an election that appealing to those voters who left Labour to vote Tory, that's a positive, no matter what I might like.

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #231 on: May 28, 2024, 09:23:50 PM »
BBC reporting that Abbott is being allowed back as a Labour MP but that the deal is she doesn't stand for election.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-69040616

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #232 on: May 29, 2024, 08:49:28 AM »
BBC reporting that Abbott is being allowed back as a Labour MP but that the deal is she doesn't stand for election.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-69040616
  Abbott has texted BBC to confirm she is banned from standing. Labour Party look weak in not controlling the information, vindictive in their actions, and not transparent if the case was decided in December.






Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #233 on: May 29, 2024, 10:11:29 AM »
.

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #234 on: May 29, 2024, 11:48:50 AM »

'Tories would swap 'rip-off' degrees for apprenticeships' - rather like their national service fagpacketry, there is a germ of a good idea here but they can't be bothered to do the work and are going for the soundbite. University education needs a general review but it should be about fitting it into an overall strategy not this which looks like a mess.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clmmry99y4po

ProfessorDavey

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #235 on: May 29, 2024, 12:19:14 PM »
'Tories would swap 'rip-off' degrees for apprenticeships' - rather like their national service fagpacketry, there is a germ of a good idea here but they can't be bothered to do the work and are going for the soundbite. University education needs a general review but it should be about fitting it into an overall strategy not this which looks like a mess.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clmmry99y4po
What they have failed to mention is that the current apprenticeship levy that companies pay is woefully underutilised to provide apprentice training. So recently there was around £3B in unspent levy available to fund more apprenticeships. So it is disingenuous in the extreme to imply that money needs to be diverted from University funding (I'll come back to that later) to fund more apprenticeships. The money is already there.

I have a very strong professional interest in this area and the reasons why companies don't take on more apprentices is because they need a business reason so to do as, although the training costs are covered by the levy, they are employees and there wages need to be covered by the company. No company will take on more staff, particularly in the current economic environment, unless they need to do so.

There is another problem - the current apprenticeship system is very inflexible and bureaucratic - it takes years to get a new apprenticeship scheme approved and typically this is very rigid so doesn't provide the nimble and flexible approach companies need in a fast changing world to upskill and reskill their workforces. I have been in many meetings with various Education ministers over the past 5 years or so making these very points (along with industry leaders making the same points). But they have fallen on deaf ears.

Back to university funding - the government does not fund the fees - these are covered by student loans so I'm struggling to understand how the government can divert student loan money to apprenticeships (which are not funded via that route).

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #236 on: May 29, 2024, 12:45:28 PM »
What they have failed to mention is that the current apprenticeship levy that companies pay is woefully underutilised to provide apprentice training. So recently there was around £3B in unspent levy available to fund more apprenticeships. So it is disingenuous in the extreme to imply that money needs to be diverted from University funding (I'll come back to that later) to fund more apprenticeships. The money is already there.

I have a very strong professional interest in this area and the reasons why companies don't take on more apprentices is because they need a business reason so to do as, although the training costs are covered by the levy, they are employees and there wages need to be covered by the company. No company will take on more staff, particularly in the current economic environment, unless they need to do so.

There is another problem - the current apprenticeship system is very inflexible and bureaucratic - it takes years to get a new apprenticeship scheme approved and typically this is very rigid so doesn't provide the nimble and flexible approach companies need in a fast changing world to upskill and reskill their workforces. I have been in many meetings with various Education ministers over the past 5 years or so making these very points (along with industry leaders making the same points). But they have fallen on deaf ears.

Back to university funding - the government does not fund the fees - these are covered by student loans so I'm struggling to understand how the government can divert student loan money to apprenticeships (which are not funded via that route).
Applaud.

The national service thing is in terms of what is trying to be addressed related but sticking 2 backs of a fagpacket together is beyond the Tories it would seem.

Their 'Royal Commission' should be looking at all of the issues you've highlighted, and how that would apply if you wanted to add in some form of citizenship duty. If they had been thinking ahead, a semi coherent semi costed grand plan could have been rolled our. So far, I get the picture of some panicked brainstorming where they all decided to drown their sorrows afterwards with a suitcase of booze.

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #237 on: May 29, 2024, 01:24:18 PM »
  Abbott has texted BBC to confirm she is banned from standing. Labour Party look weak in not controlling the information, vindictive in their actions, and not transparent if the case was decided in December.
Starmer saying she isn't banned from standing. Message definitely not being managed.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-69072113

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #238 on: May 29, 2024, 01:26:06 PM »
'ITV to host first general election leaders' debate' with Sunak and Starmer. I hate these presidential style debates in a non presidential election.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqee7mdm5llo
« Last Edit: May 29, 2024, 01:50:46 PM by Nearly Sane »

ProfessorDavey

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #239 on: May 29, 2024, 02:47:28 PM »
Applaud.

The national service thing is in terms of what is trying to be addressed related but sticking 2 backs of a fagpacket together is beyond the Tories it would seem.

Their 'Royal Commission' should be looking at all of the issues you've highlighted, and how that would apply if you wanted to add in some form of citizenship duty. If they had been thinking ahead, a semi coherent semi costed grand plan could have been rolled our. So far, I get the picture of some panicked brainstorming where they all decided to drown their sorrows afterwards with a suitcase of booze.
I don't think the two issues are related at all.

Apprenticeships aren't just for 18 year-olds, nope they are also for 16 year olds and for people who are already comfortably in their careers - for example if you are already a graduate you might do a level 7 (masters level) apprenticeship.

And there is a broader in-work skills agenda that the apprenticeship levy should also be addressing. Increasingly employers want their employees to upskill in the form of 'micro-credentials' of short courses that bundle together to form a broader qualification. This can be at any time in the employees working life.

And if you are an employer with an apprentice, you are paying them - so quite reasonably you will expect their contracted hours to be spent either doing their job or released from they job to be getting trained in the relevant apprenticeship skills. Currently it is quite tricky to balance the work hours and off the job (but in contracted hours) study/training time. Employers aren't going to be happy (to say the least) if the government expects them to release their apprentices to do some community service that may have no relevance to their actual employment but in their paid employed hours.

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #240 on: May 29, 2024, 02:59:46 PM »
I don't think the two issues are related at all.

Apprenticeships aren't just for 18 year-olds, nope they are also for 16 year olds and for people who are already comfortably in their careers - for example if you are already a graduate you might do a level 7 (masters level) apprenticeship.

And there is a broader in-work skills agenda that the apprenticeship levy should also be addressing. Increasingly employers want their employees to upskill in the form of 'micro-credentials' of short courses that bundle together to form a broader qualification. This can be at any time in the employees working life.

And if you are an employer with an apprentice, you are paying them - so quite reasonably you will expect their contracted hours to be spent either doing their job or released from they job to be getting trained in the relevant apprenticeship skills. Currently it is quite tricky to balance the work hours and off the job (but in contracted hours) study/training time. Employers aren't going to be happy (to say the least) if the government expects them to release their apprentices to do some community service that may have no relevance to their actual employment but in their paid employed hours.
The unthought out proposals are related to the same questions being asked about what is the best for business, for young people, for the country, for their education.

Your last paragraph argues that they should be joined up because of the impact of one upon the other 
« Last Edit: May 29, 2024, 03:19:56 PM by Nearly Sane »

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #241 on: May 29, 2024, 07:03:09 PM »
Suspended MP won't stand at general election, not Abbott but Geraint Davies

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg33ndx10gvo

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #242 on: May 29, 2024, 07:36:51 PM »
Russell-Moyle suspended and won't be allowed to stand. Can't say I'm broken hearted


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5114q1x09eo

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #243 on: May 29, 2024, 10:45:46 PM »
Political journalist standing for Labour in Rochdale. Good luck to him. Hope the vetting was good.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy99vwzgjnko

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #244 on: May 30, 2024, 09:07:33 AM »
"Tax online giants to help kids' mental health, say Lib Dems" - I note Labour's taxing private schools  money seems to be being used for another thing here. I understand the drive to show policies are fully funded but it ends up giving an impression of widely hypothecation taxes which doesn't apply. And while I don't doubt the Lib Dems have good intentions, it doesn't look at mental health as an issue that one should have a strategy on but a series of tactical sticking plasters.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crggq5jpx5do

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #245 on: May 30, 2024, 09:38:49 AM »
"Faiza Shaheen not endorsed to be Labour candidate in east London amid questions over social media posts". Is there a cull on left wingers" as Abbott claims?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/faiza-shaheen-not-endorsed-to-be-labour-candidate-in-east-london-amid-questions-over-social-media-posts/ar-BB1nhPG1

Aruntraveller

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Before we work on Artificial Intelligence shouldn't we address the problem of natural stupidity.

Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #247 on: May 30, 2024, 11:07:04 AM »
More on the 'cull of left wingers'. I think Jeremy Hunt's line is a clever one "If Keir Starmer can't deal with Diane Abbott, how on Earth is he going to deal with Vladimir Putin?"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c800pzlz9k8o




Nearly Sane

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #248 on: May 30, 2024, 11:12:57 AM »

Aruntraveller

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Re: UK election 2024
« Reply #249 on: May 30, 2024, 11:22:41 AM »
Can't believe there's another six weeks of this shite.

Cheer up - it's only five weeks.
Before we work on Artificial Intelligence shouldn't we address the problem of natural stupidity.