Practical Thoughts

Last night's 7-way TV debate proved (in my opinion) to be a far better experience than expected. There were a couple of times when the debate threatened to fall into chaos, but by and large the speakers made their points reasonably well. The Plaid Cymru speaker was one of the weaker ones, but I liked her (probably magnetised by the lovely Welsh lilt!) and thought she was coherent - but, of course, represented only one corner of the UK. But Nicola Sturgeon (SNP) has made a big name for herself. As a commentator noted, if she didn't represent SNP, her natural allegiance would be to the Labour Party. Indeed, at times she spoke up for what I would call real Labour Party values. That's not to say I thought Ed Milliband did badly - I don't think he did - but his was a more prosaic and manicured performance directed by stylists, whereas Sturgeon seems never afraid to shoot from the hip - a la Nigel Farage. Sturgeon knows that the SNP are going to have a big say at Westmi...

Economic recovery they say: households now better off (by 0.2% on average - and we know what that means), but they don't admit to some of the unmitigated disasters that they have created: 40% of teachers are reported as quitting after one year ( i newspaper, Apr 1, 2015).  The matter has become more critical: the figure quoted 12 months before was 40% attrition in FIVE years ! The Commons Education Committee report says that in 2013-14, 119,760 teenagers were on apprenticeships. The number is significantly down: it compares with 129,890 in 2010 . "Homeless children 'at highest level since 2011'" reported by the BBC Nov 3, 2014. A preponderance of insecure and inadequate jobs as part of their boast of unemployment falling. The list could go on, and on (including reports of suicides because of various benefit cutting measures)... And what do they now indicate?  £12bn further cuts which are sure to crucify the poorest quarter in society, and are not eve...