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[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Hopefully it sets a precedent and is either the start of a rush or the start of companies behaving ethically.

Course it could also result in the unfortunate third option of businesses just moving to another tax haven.

[Audax]

http://www.dw.com/en/uk-teens-suspected-of-killing-man-from-poland-in-hate-crime/a-19515662

[yoda]

Good. It means I'm annoying you.

FYI there has been a chronic lack of investment in the North of this country's infrastructure by successive governments for for the past 50 years. Blaming chocked roads on a Bank Holiday on immigrants isn't just pathetic - it's laughable.

[Amo]

http://www.dw.com/en/uk-teens-suspected-of-killing-man-from-poland-in-hate-crime/a-19515662

And already the media are exploiting this man's death for political advantage.

[Baz]

And already the media are exploiting this man's death for political advantage.

The media exploiting people? Surely not

[perthblue02]

Apple ordered to pay back 13 Billion Euros in back taxes. Hot damn!

That is good news for Britain , if Ireland hands it over at todays exchange rate it means they only owe Britain another 4 Billion GBP for bailing them out a few years back, maybe their mates in the EU can lend it them to clear their debt

[Baz]

That is good news for Britain , if Ireland hands it over at todays exchange rate it means they only owe Britain another 4 Billion GBP for bailing them out a few years back, maybe their mates in the EU can lend it them to clear their debt

The Irish government has appealed the decision.

As earlier- just to help out - ill keep the money in a safe place for them.

[Husky]

.

FYI there has been a chronic lack of investment in this country's infrastructure by successive governments for for the past 50 years. Blaming chocked roads on a Bank Holiday on immigrants isn't just pathetic - it's laughable.

Who remembers good old Stanworth Wood? Back in the good old footballing days of 95.

[Husky]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37268320

Proper punishment. Bring it back here and let's get rid of the scum.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

So grammar schools, yay or nay?

I'm in favour personally, conversely because I think they do the opposite of what many liberals say they do. Gotta stress that the following only applies to grammar schools, not private schools which I'm against. I think grammar schools actually help encourage social mobility and disrupt the traditional class system. If you've got a bright kid who's parents are poor and comes from a poor area containing rough schools, that kid currently has no option but to go to one of those schools. Schools that are gonna hinder the kid's education in terms of class disruption and arguably poorer general standards. If the same kid passes his/her 11+ (or whatever the modern version would be) and goes to a grammar school then their intelligence is nurtured and they can fulfil their potential. I think grammars offer a way out from a repeating cycle for some kids.

However I do appreciate one of the points that has been made by those against, that wealthier parents can have their kids tutored to pass the exam and the class system is solidified in that way. I think the way round that is for the government to do its very best to make the exams "tutor proof", in effect make it as much an IQ test as possible, just based loosely around what is taught in primaries.

[jim mk2]

I "gotta" say I hope the return of grammars won't see the light of day - and I attended one of the best in the north of England. There's no evidence they're "gonna" enhance social mobility - in fact, they are more likely to entrench it - and they will set back the success of the Academies programme initiated by Labour and carried on by the coalition government. Grammars amount to nothing more than right wing dogma on the part of May and even many Conservative MPs are against the idea.

Also, the return of grammar schools plan was not in the Tory manifesto, so peers in the House of Lords are not bound by the “Salisbury convention” that allows the passage of government bills. Even if a grammar schools bill gets through the Commons there's a good chance the Lords will stick it in the dustbin of the past where it belongs.

[Husky]

I'm all for grammar schools.

The social media generation certainly need grammar lessons.

[Baz]

So grammar schools, yay or nay?

I'm in favour personally, conversely because I think they do the opposite of what many liberals say they do. Gotta stress that the following only applies to grammar schools, not private schools which I'm against. I think grammar schools actually help encourage social mobility and disrupt the traditional class system. If you've got a bright kid who's parents are poor and comes from a poor area containing rough schools, that kid currently has no option but to go to one of those schools. Schools that are gonna hinder the kid's education in terms of class disruption and arguably poorer general standards. If the same kid passes his/her 11+ (or whatever the modern version would be) and goes to a grammar school then their intelligence is nurtured and they can fulfil their potential. I think grammars offer a way out from a repeating cycle for some kids.

However I do appreciate one of the points that has been made by those against, that wealthier parents can have their kids tutored to pass the exam and the class system is solidified in that way. I think the way round that is for the government to do its very best to make the exams "tutor proof", in effect make it as much an IQ test as possible, just based loosely around what is taught in primaries.

Im against them, purely because of 2 reasons, firstly that it segregates kids at too young an age, and secondly that this constant shift of grammar to secondary to academy, to ditching gcses to grammar schools just looks from the outside as a way of knowing the system is failing, not having a clue how to fix it, and just picking another novel idea. And that goes back through the last 30 years of governments.

[Steve Moss]

Thousands of women are interned as accused witches in Africa.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/708997/Witches-imprisoned-Ghana-witchcraft-prison-camp-world

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I "gotta" say I hope the return of grammars won't see the light of day - and I attended one of the best in the north of England. There's no evidence they're "gonna" enhance social mobility - in fact, they are more likely to entrench it - and they will set back the success of the Academies programme initiated by Labour and carried on by the coalition government.

Hahaha good one Jim! Repeating the slightest of typing slang back to me in some pompous, pathetic put-down. Man you're a hoot. I'm so glad I try to start debates on here so I can put up with another one of your petty, boring little digs.

Actually no I'm not, yet again (and for the last time this time) I'm thinking what the hell am I doing trying to talk to complete tools on the internet. I'll leave you to it. Oh and you went to a grammar school, should have know. The blummin poster boy along with Corbyn, Abbot and the rest for left-wing intelligentsia hypocrisy. I'm all right Jack, pull up the ladder!

[jim mk2]

Your myopic view of the world is summed up in that last sentence. I don't suppose it occured to you that you can be part of a rotten system and see its faults and want it to change.

Congratulations for raising the subject of grammar schools though. They're a contentious subject and a worthy debate. It's a pity you can't continue it without using phrases like "a complete tool". Did you learn that at private school?

[Mike E]

The grammar school system with the 11+ (as it was way-back-when) looks like the best system in education in terms of beine a good mix of idealism and pragmatism.

I feel there should also be a certain amount of 'guarantee' though. Eg: One place in every five (as a minimum) should be awarded to children from a poor background, taking in those whof pass the 11+ first.

I say that because poor children who are intelligent can still occasionally be let down by a poor primary education, through disruptive classes etc. I like SKHT's idea of making the 11+ nearer to an IQ test than anormal academic test. Maybe use the modern CAT test, used in putting children into 'sets' at secondary?

[joey_big_nose]

I see the brexit camp have dropped the £350m per week pledge to the NHS. This is really really troubling. It was absolutely central to their campaign, plastered all over the battle bus. Totally unacceptable.

Could be used as a lever for a second referendum I think, once a deal is hammered out with the EU.

[ultrablue]

Couple of months delay on that post joey?

[Mike E]

I see the brexit camp have dropped the £350m per week pledge to the NHS. This is really really troubling. It was absolutely central to their campaign, plastered all over the battle bus. Totally unacceptable.

Could be used as a lever for a second referendum I think, once a deal is hammered out with the EU.

They dropped it about a week before the result

[Baz]

They dropped it about a week before the result

They dropped it the morning after the vote.

[joey_big_nose]

I'm referring to this story, also in other major news outlets.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brexit-nhs-350m-a-week-eu-change-britain-gisela-stuart-referendum-bus-a7236706.html

[Husky]

The NHS is going private whatever happens.

The 'Americans' always get their way in the end.

[Baz]

I see government papers recently released show Thatchers government applying pressure to the police to find ways of prosecuting the Miners at Orgrave, and some officers of the day finding that the statements they made at the time being changed before they went to court.

I wonder where we've seen that before? Oh yes Hillsborough.

[Baz]

Also see Cameron has decided to resign.

His legacy:

Drove 1m to foodbanks through austerity measures.

Tanked the pound and economy.

Ran up more debt than all previous governments.

Left NHS failing

Created shortage of teachers, doctors and nurses through decreased funding.

Doubled homelessness.

Closed thousands of local libraries and other services.

Massive increase of zero hour contracts.

Slashed support for disabled and vulnerable people.

Was bullied into a Brexit vote he didn't want - by his allies - lost and ran away

Doubled the wealth of the richest 1,000 people in the UK.