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General Election 2015 official thread

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  • Ed Milliband on TV the other day said his words not mine that the labour party will Ban and remove Zero Hours contracts

    EXPLOITATIVE zero hours contracts
  • Chizz said:

    Are Ukip getting better or worse?

    Here's a selection of items from the Ukip 2005 manifesto:

    1. They claimed that leaving the EU would "save" £12bn a year. And they said that would "use this sum entirely on an increase to the state pension". So, in other words, the whole financial benefit (although utterly questionable) would be splashed on people who do not work, do not employ and do not otherwise contribute to the economy.

    2. "Scrap the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to stop interference by government and bureaucrats in setting standards for GCSE and A level examinations". Yeah, because those pesky qualifications are a real drag, aren't they?

    3. "Financial support for approved young farmers to assist with start-ups".

    4. "Fishing licences to stipulate acceptable practices such as mesh sizes of nets".

    5. "Support our independence and our defence industries by buying British-made equipment where possible".

    In 2005, Ukip fought 496 seats and lost every one.

    Here's a selection of items from the Ukip 2010 manifesto:

    1. "Ukip feels the [lack of success of British teams] is largely a legacy of many British teams having too few British players in the team, and teams like Arsenal have taken to the field in the recent past with none whatsoever … Ukip would place a maximum of three foreign players in the starting line-up, as this would free up places for British players in the youth academies of these teams and spur the future development of home teams".

    2. "Ukip will encourage a return to proper dress for major hotels, restaurants and theatres – smarter dress is part of Britishness, although it is also a British virtue to encourage innovation in fashion".

    3. "Ukip will return London's Circle line to a circle – the complete circular service recently stopped. We will build grade-separated junctions to improve the number of trains and their reliability at Edgware Road, Gloucester Road and Aldgate".

    4. "Ukip will encourage a return to the glamour, grace and style of the railway companies of the past through its railway policies. Ukip seeks a return to 'Pullman' trains where justified, with appropriate branding such as 'Great Western Railway', one of the most successful British brands ever".

    5. "The unseemly haste with which National Express destroyed the quality GNER brand by painting out its heraldry on service trains standing at rail stations was a disgrace. As with the iconic red bus in London, so the government should insist on a modernised form of traditional branding – chocolate and cream for Great Western, scarlet red for Midland, apple green for the east coast. These are icons of Britishness. Go-Ahead has shown the way with an excellent, tasteful branding of its Southern network".

    In 2010, Ukip fought 558 seats and lost every one.

    Looks like a big bag of Barnham statements to me; something for everyone to agree with. As much as I like some of them myself, given that we keep hearing how overworked our MPs are I think most people would be, quite-rightly, pretty miffed if they actually wasted any time on this stuff though.
  • Everyone , especially those who suspect the Tories are losing it and dhucking bribes around, should read this


    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/liamhalligan/11547132/David-Cameron-will-regret-his-spending-promises.html


    from Liam Halligan in the Telegraph. Among other things it sheds light on what zero hours is really doing to the economy.

    Liam Halligan is no leftie, hell no, which is all the more reason to take notice

    Interesting article. I was not aware of him (The Telegraph not being a newspaper I would ever read) but I googled him and noted he has commented extensively on the Russian/Ukraine conflict and I have to say, in my view, he speaks a lot of sense on the subject;unlike the majority of the UK media. I know you completely disagree with me on that Prague but we shouldn't begin that debate on this thread!
  • Ed Milliband on TV the other day said his words not mine that the labour party will Ban and remove Zero Hours contracts

    Don't get too caught up in this mate. He doesn't mean the likes of you. He means large established ftse companies that use these contracts to avoid paying workers any form of pension or sick pay;paid breaks; holiday pay;enables them to sack employees on the spot; that kind of thing. Basically exploiting workers here in the uk the same way they exploit their work force in the undeveloped world.

  • Chizz said:

    Ed Milliband on TV the other day said his words not mine that the labour party will Ban and remove Zero Hours contracts

    EXPLOITATIVE zero hours contracts

    That bit never came out of his mouth

    Ed Milliband on TV the other day said his words not mine that the labour party will Ban and remove Zero Hours contracts

    Don't get too caught up in this mate. He doesn't mean the likes of you. He means large established ftse companies that use these contracts to avoid paying workers any form of pension or sick pay;paid breaks; holiday pay;enables them to sack employees on the spot; that kind of thing. Basically exploiting workers here in the uk the same way they exploit their work force in the undeveloped world.


    I really hope your correct I am worried enough about how many kids I didn't father that will become my responsibility again if labour get in without having to worry where the money will come from to do it
  • edited April 2015
    Stig said:

    Chizz said:

    Are Ukip getting better or worse?

    Here's a selection of items from the Ukip 2005 manifesto:

    1. They claimed that leaving the EU would "save" £12bn a year. And they said that would "use this sum entirely on an increase to the state pension". So, in other words, the whole financial benefit (although utterly questionable) would be splashed on people who do not work, do not employ and do not otherwise contribute to the economy.

    2. "Scrap the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to stop interference by government and bureaucrats in setting standards for GCSE and A level examinations". Yeah, because those pesky qualifications are a real drag, aren't they?

    3. "Financial support for approved young farmers to assist with start-ups".

    4. "Fishing licences to stipulate acceptable practices such as mesh sizes of nets".

    5. "Support our independence and our defence industries by buying British-made equipment where possible".

    In 2005, Ukip fought 496 seats and lost every one.

    Here's a selection of items from the Ukip 2010 manifesto:

    1. "Ukip feels the [lack of success of British teams] is largely a legacy of many British teams having too few British players in the team, and teams like Arsenal have taken to the field in the recent past with none whatsoever … Ukip would place a maximum of three foreign players in the starting line-up, as this would free up places for British players in the youth academies of these teams and spur the future development of home teams".

    2. "Ukip will encourage a return to proper dress for major hotels, restaurants and theatres – smarter dress is part of Britishness, although it is also a British virtue to encourage innovation in fashion".

    3. "Ukip will return London's Circle line to a circle – the complete circular service recently stopped. We will build grade-separated junctions to improve the number of trains and their reliability at Edgware Road, Gloucester Road and Aldgate".

    4. "Ukip will encourage a return to the glamour, grace and style of the railway companies of the past through its railway policies. Ukip seeks a return to 'Pullman' trains where justified, with appropriate branding such as 'Great Western Railway', one of the most successful British brands ever".

    5. "The unseemly haste with which National Express destroyed the quality GNER brand by painting out its heraldry on service trains standing at rail stations was a disgrace. As with the iconic red bus in London, so the government should insist on a modernised form of traditional branding – chocolate and cream for Great Western, scarlet red for Midland, apple green for the east coast. These are icons of Britishness. Go-Ahead has shown the way with an excellent, tasteful branding of its Southern network".

    In 2010, Ukip fought 558 seats and lost every one.

    Looks like a big bag of Barnham statements to me; something for everyone to agree with. As much as I like some of them myself, given that we keep hearing how overworked our MPs are I think most people would be, quite-rightly, pretty miffed if they actually wasted any time on this stuff though.
    2005 and 2010 manifestos. They mean f-all in this year's election. Why not post up the current manifesto for 2015?

  • Ed Milliband on TV the other day said his words not mine that the labour party will Ban and remove Zero Hours contracts

    Don't get too caught up in this mate. He doesn't mean the likes of you. He means large established ftse companies that use these contracts to avoid paying workers any form of pension or sick pay;paid breaks; holiday pay;enables them to sack employees on the spot; that kind of thing. Basically exploiting workers here in the uk the same way they exploit their work force in the undeveloped world.

    Classic bogeyman, "they don't mean people like you", applied to immigrants, people on benefits and businesses.
  • Ed Milliband on TV the other day said his words not mine that the labour party will Ban and remove Zero Hours contracts

    Don't get too caught up in this mate. He doesn't mean the likes of you. He means large established ftse companies that use these contracts to avoid paying workers any form of pension or sick pay;paid breaks; holiday pay;enables them to sack employees on the spot; that kind of thing. Basically exploiting workers here in the uk the same way they exploit their work force in the undeveloped world.

    Classic bogeyman, "they don't mean people like you", applied to immigrants, people on benefits and businesses.
    Classic.

  • Not sure how they can make one rule for small business and another for multi-nationals
  • Chizz said:

    Ed Milliband on TV the other day said his words not mine that the labour party will Ban and remove Zero Hours contracts

    EXPLOITATIVE zero hours contracts

    That bit never came out of his mouth

    Ed Milliband on TV the other day said his words not mine that the labour party will Ban and remove Zero Hours contracts

    Don't get too caught up in this mate. He doesn't mean the likes of you. He means large established ftse companies that use these contracts to avoid paying workers any form of pension or sick pay;paid breaks; holiday pay;enables them to sack employees on the spot; that kind of thing. Basically exploiting workers here in the uk the same way they exploit their work force in the undeveloped world.


    I really hope your correct I am worried enough about how many kids I didn't father that will become my responsibility again if labour get in without having to worry where the money will come from to do it
    Just to be clear, this is what it says on the Labour 2015 manifesto...

    We will ban exploitative zero-hours contracts so that anyone working regular hours for more than 12 weeks will get a right to a regular contract. This sort of job insecurity creates an unnecessary strain on family life.
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  • edited April 2015
    Surprises me there is such an outrage about zero hour contracts that are providing for workers financially, yet so few of the outraged in the political arena (and at a very smaller level, on here), have said a word about the outrageous exploitation of unpaid 'internships', effectively getting people to work for nothing.

    How is that not worse than zero hour contracts ?
  • Surprises me there is such an outrage about zero hour contracts that are providing for workers financially, yet none of the outraged in the political arena (and at a very smaller level, on here), have said a word about the outrageous exploitation of unpaid 'internships', effectively getting people to work for nothing.

    How is that not worse than zero hour contracts ?

    A massive problem in the creative industry. I'm lucky I effectively have a paid internship. I had countless unpaid internships before.
  • Surprises me there is such an outrage about zero hour contracts that are providing for workers financially, yet so few of the outraged in the political arena (and at a very smaller level, on here), have said a word about the outrageous exploitation of unpaid 'internships', effectively getting people to work for nothing.

    How is that not worse than zero hour contracts ?

    It's a really good question. And the only reason I think the two are significantly different is that an internship is (always?) time-bound, usually lasting no more than 12 months, but often shorter. An internship at zero-pounds is therefore probably less exploitative than trapping a worker in a permanent situation where he can't predict his income.
  • Surprises me there is such an outrage about zero hour contracts that are providing for workers financially, yet so few of the outraged in the political arena (and at a very smaller level, on here), have said a word about the outrageous exploitation of unpaid 'internships', effectively getting people to work for nothing.

    How is that not worse than zero hour contracts ?

    While I don't agree with anyone getting unpaid for work, I guess an internship is eventually a means to a better future.

    But I agree this should fall under the same scope. For too many employers, the fact they actually have to pay or reward their workforce seems a real hindrance to them these days. Poor things.
  • Just had an odd moment reading about the bloke signed up to an app he saw on Facebook.
    It was an app to find other people with your name on the register of voters.
    So this fella searches for Harold Shipman. (less than 5 as it happens)

    He then gets bombarded with unsolicited emails from the Labour party. Messages from Milliband, Harman, Gloria De Piero and others.
    The best message (he said) was from Andy Burnham.
    ''Harold, old, young rich or poor, man or woman, no one's life in Britain would be the same without our health service. Harold, click here to see the story of you and our health service''
  • Surprises me there is such an outrage about zero hour contracts that are providing for workers financially, yet so few of the outraged in the political arena (and at a very smaller level, on here), have said a word about the outrageous exploitation of unpaid 'internships', effectively getting people to work for nothing.

    How is that not worse than zero hour contracts ?

    What, like this you mean?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32346213

  • My guys get more than 12 weeks work, so possibly could effect me,

    I can see me having to re evaluate the whole way we operate, going to have a lot more uncertainty for my team and the service we provide,

    That won't be cheap either to do, have booked a meeting with the accountant and the legal bods to discuss options, both already said you will have to reduce their day rate to do it,

    I potentially will make more money this way so why do I feel so fucked off about it,


  • I potentially will make more money this way so why do I feel so fucked off about it,

    Possibly its because you aren't a greedy turd?
  • He is
  • Surprises me there is such an outrage about zero hour contracts that are providing for workers financially, yet so few of the outraged in the political arena (and at a very smaller level, on here), have said a word about the outrageous exploitation of unpaid 'internships', effectively getting people to work for nothing.

    How is that not worse than zero hour contracts ?

    Benefits! Families on low incomes can get housing benefit, council tax benefit and tax credits to boost their income to enough to live on. These are all dependant on how much you earn and how much you work etc, an unpaid internship will not affect benefits and Therefore the family will be able to live with the realistic chance that at the end of their internship they could get paid employment and eventually come off of benefits but the zero hour contracts means that the benefits can't be accurately worked out or may not be given at all if some months you earn enough to not qualify for help and other months you may not earn anything, imagine MR G has been recently made redundant and has a wife and new baby, they are living in private rented accomadation, by not working at all his rent is paid near enough in full and so is his council tax and his job seekers and child tax credits is enough for them to live on but MR G is proud and don't want to be on benefits so searches 12 hours a day for employment the only thing available is a zero hours contract at a big well known franchise he takes it, it starts well and he works between 30 and 40 hours a week takes his pay slips to the benefit office they decide although it's not huge money he's earned enough not to need any help all his benefits are stopped, 2 months in work starts to dwindle and he's getting for a few weeks no more than 12 hours work, time comes to pay the rent he can't cover it all and has no money for food or bills, he takes pay slips to benefits office and because he came off benefits he is treated as a new claim and has to wait 6-8 weeks for any money meanwhile risking getting evicted and needing to go to a food bank to feed his breast feeding wife. Also turning up at work everyday hoping they can give him some. And so on...
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  • The Office for National Statistics (ONS) says that 697,000 people were employed on zero-hours contracts for their main job, that represents 2.3% of the UK workforce.

    The ONS found that employees on such a contract worked an average of 25 hours a week.

    However, about a third of those on zero-hours contracts want more hours - mostly in their current job - compared with just 10% of other people in employment.

    The CIPD research found that 16% of zero-hours workers said their employer often failed to provide them with sufficient hours each week.
    The ONS said that zero-hours workers were more likely to be women or in full-time education and aged under 25 or over 65.
  • Just had an odd moment reading about the bloke signed up to an app he saw on Facebook.
    It was an app to find other people with your name on the register of voters.
    So this fella searches for Harold Shipman. (less than 5 as it happens)

    He then gets bombarded with unsolicited emails from the Labour party. Messages from Milliband, Harman, Gloria De Piero and others.
    The best message (he said) was from Andy Burnham.
    ''Harold, old, young rich or poor, man or woman, no one's life in Britain would be the same without our health service. Harold, click here to see the story of you and our health service''

    I just read this in this month's Private Eye. Unfortunately Labour have form with exploiting people's personal & private data for propaganda purposes and scaremongering.
  • edited April 2015
    Number crunching.
    £10million
    Value of donations from non doms to the Labour Party whilst in government 2001 2010, when it could see no reason to abolish the tax break.
    £0
    Donations from non doms to labour whilst in opposition which it now sees the need to reform.

    So much hypocrisy from the two main parties has tumbled out in the past fortnight - enough to make any sane voting observer give up altogether.
  • Number crunching.
    £10million
    Value of donations from non doms to the Labour Party whilst in government 2001 2010, when it could see no reason to abolish the tax break.
    £0
    Donations from non doms to labour whilst in opposition which it now sees the need to reform.

    Again from this month's Private Eye. Shame they don't publish online (although it would destroy their business model if they did) as they do a lot of important work uncovering the corruption and hypocrisy of the parties and newspapers.
  • Number crunching.
    £10million
    Value of donations from non doms to the Labour Party whilst in government 2001 2010, when it could see no reason to abolish the tax break.
    £0
    Donations from non doms to labour whilst in opposition which it now sees the need to reform.

    So much hypocrisy from the two main parties has tumbled out in the past fortnight - enough to make any sane voting observer give up altogether.

    Hypocrisy from the Labour Party as an entity perhaps, but different leaders so I'm not sure what Miliband is hypocritical about - Blair and Brown being in the pockets of big business? Blair being terrified of appearing to be too lefty?

    Anyway, if it's a good policy (and it seems to have near-universal acclaim from the more independent branches of the press on both left and right) then again I'm not sure what the complaint is ? Just because perhaps Labour should have done this 15 years ago doesn't stop it from being a good idea (if it is a good idea) now.
  • Internships are also being exploited as a way companies can get work for nothing. The big difference to that of zero hour contracts is that internships are for those trying to get a start in a career. I doubt many would call work offered on zhc would be classed as a career. Still not right though if done in a exploitative way.
  • I think that working doing a zero hour contract job for Sports Direct, where you have to be available at a moment's notice for no guarantee of work is different to doing an internship at a political party. It is a bit crass to try and equate the two as exactly the same.
  • Chizz said:

    They haven't been individually named, but the The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority revealed the figures. MPs employ 151 on these contracts, including 77 Conservative, 62 Labour, 5 Libs

    Good research! That's one of the brilliant things about Charlton Life - someone can ask a massively-obscure question and, within minutes, someone else can provide a clear, sourced answer.

    However, the numbers do not show that "most" Labour MPs employ zero-hours contracts. There are 256 Labour MPs. So even if they employ one each, it's something like 25%.

    It's also not zero-hours contracts. Instead, IPSA have calculated numbers of staff on "casual contracts", for example, "this may include any short-term staff taken on – for example, to provide paternity, maternity or sickness cover – part-time as well as full-time staff and apprentices and interns whose employment conditions have fulfilled the conditions set out in paragraphs 7.8 and 7.9 of the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses (‘the Scheme’)".

    So, it's not true to say "most" Labour MPs employ staff on zero-hours contracts; nor is this number calculated. It would be true to say that they employ fewer than the coalition (82) and fewer than the Conservatives (77).

    Exploitative zero-hour contracts should be outlawed.
    Not only zero hours contracts used by hypocritical Labour MPs but the even worse use of interns, with the promise of experience in the political field.

    Truly 'free' Labour.
  • Addickted said:

    Chizz said:

    They haven't been individually named, but the The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority revealed the figures. MPs employ 151 on these contracts, including 77 Conservative, 62 Labour, 5 Libs

    Good research! That's one of the brilliant things about Charlton Life - someone can ask a massively-obscure question and, within minutes, someone else can provide a clear, sourced answer.

    However, the numbers do not show that "most" Labour MPs employ zero-hours contracts. There are 256 Labour MPs. So even if they employ one each, it's something like 25%.

    It's also not zero-hours contracts. Instead, IPSA have calculated numbers of staff on "casual contracts", for example, "this may include any short-term staff taken on – for example, to provide paternity, maternity or sickness cover – part-time as well as full-time staff and apprentices and interns whose employment conditions have fulfilled the conditions set out in paragraphs 7.8 and 7.9 of the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses (‘the Scheme’)".

    So, it's not true to say "most" Labour MPs employ staff on zero-hours contracts; nor is this number calculated. It would be true to say that they employ fewer than the coalition (82) and fewer than the Conservatives (77).

    Exploitative zero-hour contracts should be outlawed.
    Not only zero hours contracts used by hypocritical Labour MPs but the even worse use of interns, with the promise of experience in the political field.

    Truly 'free' Labour.
    A bit desperate. It is a point to distract from the massive growth of insecure zero hour contracts the discussion at hand. Doesn't negate that many zero hours contract are truly horrible contracts to work under. Surely this is the point rather than going on about internships.
  • Exploitation of labour is exploitation - in whatever guise.
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