General Politics Thread

[ICTJohnboy]

5 minutes ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

 

 

 

So you've still got that sheep outfit.

[strichener]

25 minutes ago, jupe1407 said:

Skye is fucking rammed just now and it's not even proper high season yet. The roads are seethe inducing. Anyone that doesn't think places like this are struggling to cope is a fucking buffoon quite frankly.

That will be the SNP Westminster leader you are talking about.

Quote

Skye has witnessed a drop in tourist numbers this year because of the “nonsense” suggestion that the island became “full” last year, the local MP has suggested.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford criticised the publicity surrounding the pressure on Highland tourism hotspots, although he admitted that certain pinch-points had been “overwhelmed”.

 

[strichener]

45 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Dafty. Inverness to the World via Schiphol is the way to go.

Works the same to London.

[lichtgilphead]

3 hours ago, strichener said:

Works the same to London.

Right, because all the London airports are a short walk from each other.

Flying to Schiphol usually means changing to a flight out of Schiphol. Is that true about flying into 'London' for a connecting flight?

 

[doulikefish]

[welshbairn]

13 hours ago, strichener said:

Works the same to London.

Not if you want to avoid APD.

 

[ICTJohnboy]

Watching a recording of a debate on the late John Smith in the House on the 25th anniversary of his death.

Some good contributions here reminding us what a thoroughly decent politician he was - there's not many around in this day and age. Ian Murray and Jamie Stone spoke very well as did Madam Deputy Speaker, Eleanor Laing, who revealed she originally hailed from the West of Scotland. A little research revealed this interesting information. 

MPs' expenses scandal[edit]

Main article: Disclosure of expenses of British Members of Parliament

In 2007, Laing voted against MPs' expense claims being made public.^[6] In 2008 she was one of 172 MPs who voted to preserve what critics called a lax and over-generous system of Parliamentary expenses, which permits Members of Parliament to claim for expenses without producing receipts.

After details of MPs' expense claims were released by the press it was shown that Laing had avoided paying £180,000 capital gains tax on the sale of her Westminster flat by declaring it as her primary residence. This was due to its having a higher value than her constituency home, making it her primary residence under CGT rules. However she had registered the flat as her second home with the Parliamentary Fees Office, and by doing so had claimed through her Additional Costs Allowance some of the interest due on her mortgage.

Her constituency is Epping Forest, which is close to London and less than an hour's journey by tube. When questioned, she said that prior to the sale of the flat she had sought the advice of her solicitor.^[7] Laing was cleared by the Legg Inquiry; nonetheless, she voluntarily repaid £25,000 as a "moral gesture".^[8] As a result of the scandal, an unsuccessful attempt was made to deselect her by her constituency party, led by the Leader of Epping Forest District Council.^[9]

Private life[edit]

Laing is a fan of Rangers F.C., and the vice-chairman of the Westminster Parliamentary Rangers Supporters' Club.^[10]

 

^{RIP John Smith}

[Granny Danger]

3 hours ago, ICTJohnboy said:

Watching a recording of a debate on the late John Smith in the House on the 25th anniversary of his death.

Some good contributions here reminding us what a thoroughly decent politician he was - there's not many around in this day and age. Ian Murray and Jamie Stone spoke very well as did Madam Deputy Speaker, Eleanor Laing, who revealed she originally hailed from the West of Scotland. A little research revealed this interesting information. 

MPs' expenses scandal[edit]

Main article: Disclosure of expenses of British Members of Parliament

In 2007, Laing voted against MPs' expense claims being made public.^[6] In 2008 she was one of 172 MPs who voted to preserve what critics called a lax and over-generous system of Parliamentary expenses, which permits Members of Parliament to claim for expenses without producing receipts.

After details of MPs' expense claims were released by the press it was shown that Laing had avoided paying £180,000 capital gains tax on the sale of her Westminster flat by declaring it as her primary residence. This was due to its having a higher value than her constituency home, making it her primary residence under CGT rules. However she had registered the flat as her second home with the Parliamentary Fees Office, and by doing so had claimed through her Additional Costs Allowance some of the interest due on her mortgage.

Her constituency is Epping Forest, which is close to London and less than an hour's journey by tube. When questioned, she said that prior to the sale of the flat she had sought the advice of her solicitor.^[7] Laing was cleared by the Legg Inquiry; nonetheless, she voluntarily repaid £25,000 as a "moral gesture".^[8] As a result of the scandal, an unsuccessful attempt was made to deselect her by her constituency party, led by the Leader of Epping Forest District Council.^[9]

Private life[edit]

Laing is a fan of Rangers F.C., and the vice-chairman of the Westminster Parliamentary Rangers Supporters' Club.^[10]

 

^{RIP John Smith}

John Smith was as right wing as anyone in the Labour Party.  If he had lived and become PM we would now be decrying him for his policies and premiership.

 

[Granny Danger]

https://news.sky.com/story/hearing-held-in-jail-after-alleged-serial-rapist-joseph-mccann-refuses-to-go-to-court-11715629

I am pretty liberal (small ‘l’) and left of centre; but I would have forcibly removed this c**t from his cell, shackled him and taken him to court.  Gagged him if need be.

 

[ICTJohnboy]

1 hour ago, Granny Danger said:

John Smith was as right wing as anyone in the Labour Party.  If he had lived and become PM we would now be decrying him for his policies and premiership.

 

 

That's what I liked about him.

Is Corbyn nearer your end of the political spectrum?

[Granny Danger]

39 minutes ago, ICTJohnboy said:

 

That's what I liked about him.

Is Corbyn nearer your end of the political spectrum?

Definitely.

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

Not if you want to avoid APD.
 

Separate tickets or 24 hour gap required though to reduce the APD on an itinerary departing from the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/air-passenger-duty-and-connected-flights

The London to Rio via Madrid explains it quite well.

This not reducing APD by the Scottish Government is just another broken promise buried by a convenient sudden environmental emergency.

[welshbairn]

50 minutes ago, UsedToGoToCentralPark said:

Separate tickets or 24 hour gap required though to reduce the APD on an itinerary departing from the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/air-passenger-duty-and-connected-flights

The London to Rio via Madrid explains it quite well.

This not reducing APD by the Scottish Government is just another broken promise buried by a convenient sudden environmental emergency.

Thankfully flights from the Highlands and Islands are exempt from this nonsense and hopefully will continue to be so.

[strichener]

12 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Not if you want to avoid APD.

 

Yes it does - INV - LHR -XXX avoids APD as long as you are connecting in London and not stopping over.

[strichener]

23 hours ago, lichtgilphead said:

Right, because all the London airports are a short walk from each other.

Flying to Schiphol usually means changing to a flight out of Schiphol. Is that true about flying into 'London' for a connecting flight?

 

As far as I am aware, the only London flight from INV is into LHR but there are transport links from there to STN, LGW, LTN and LCY that would allow you to avoid APD from 'London' airports.

 

[strichener]

Add VAT as the latest tax that the SNP have decided that the status quo is best.  After lobbying for taxes raised in Scotland to be assigned to Scotland this is just the latest in a series of issues that they have walked away from.  VAT, SDA, ADT is hardly a ringing endorsement of devolved powers.

The delays to devolving the other 10 benefits has been put back to 2023 and gives some kind on perspective on how likely the SNP would have been able to set up iScotland in the 18 months that the stated in 2014.

Edited May 9, 2019 by strichener

[welshbairn]

20 minutes ago, strichener said:

As far as I am aware, the only London flight from INV is into LHR but there are transport links from there to STN, LGW, LTN and LCY that would allow you to avoid APD from 'London' airports.

 

There are flights to Luton and Gatwick as well. Not sure how you avoid APD by taking Easyjet to Gatwick and even a connecting flight with the same airline. Explain your big trick please.

Edited May 9, 2019 by welshbairn

[Granny Danger]

Every LibDem by election candidate reminds me of Jasper Carrot’s ‘nutter on the bus’.

 

[Kuro]

10 minutes ago, strichener said:

Add VAT as the latest tax that the SNP have decided that the status quo is best.  After lobbying for taxes raised in Scotland to be assigned to Scotland this is just the latest in a series of issues that they have walked away from.  VAT, SDA, ADT is hardly a ringing endorsement of devolved powers.

The delays to devolving the other 10 benefits has been put back to 2023 and gives some kind on perspective on how likely the SNP would have been able to set up iScotland in the 18 months that the stated in 2014.

VAT was a trap designed to cut Scotland's budget and demonstrate exactly what you've just said, benefits is actually due to WM being unable to comply.  Do some research.

[BawWatchin]

5 hours ago, strichener said:

Add VAT as the latest tax that the SNP have decided that the status quo is best.  After lobbying for taxes raised in Scotland to be assigned to Scotland this is just the latest in a series of issues that they have walked away from.  VAT, SDA, ADT is hardly a ringing endorsement of devolved powers.

The delays to devolving the other 10 benefits has been put back to 2023 and gives some kind on perspective on how likely the SNP would have been able to set up iScotland in the 18 months that the stated in 2014.

Tell me. What do you think would happen to the Scottish Budget from Westminster if the SNP increased taxes in Scotland? Go on, work it out.

Scotland wouldn't run into the same issues if/when it comes to setting up an iScotland, because the UK Government would no longer be in a position to play constitutional games over devolution. The devil is in the detail. The SNP don't return powers because they don't want the Scottish Parliament to have more powers, they hand them back, because they find traps hidden within the details designed to cause sabotage should those powers be enacted. It's entirely deliberate from Westminster to fool people like yourself into believing that Scotland can't run it's own affairs.