Under 25s could lose housing benefit - Cameron

[Webbo]

I would have an Alf Garnet avatar but Hairy beat me to it.

[ADK]

People who back a political party like it's a football team irritate me.

[Captain...]

People who back a political party like it's a football team irritate me.

Me too.

[Rincewind]

I'd vote for that. When does the campaign bus leave?

[Guest MattP]

People who back a political party like it's a football team irritate me.

and people who hate one like it's a football team....

[FoxyPV]

Landsley and Goves reforms were always going to be unpopular given the bodies they affect are full of Labour members, Lansley clearly hasn't presented his case well as we have all seen, but I think Gove has got a raw deal, every change he has tried to make recently appears to be highering the bar of our educational standards and I think that's something we should all aspire to. The dumbing down of exams and standards under the Labour party was embarrassing and he seems to be trying to rectify that.

The rise in exam results is because the exam boards became quangos and started to compete against each other for students, meaning that examiners were told what the grade boundaries were by senior staff in the exam board. MsFoxy is a senior examiner and has set the grade boundaries, only for them to be changed because there wasn't a large enough percentage of A grades. If you knew what students received marks for, you'd be shocked.

Could he really do anything else at the time? It was either let the Tory boys run with a minority, go with them into a coalition or prop up Labour in the most farcical rainbow coalition ever seen in a Government.

The Liberals should be commended, they took a hard decision that destroyed them electorally to try and do something for the greater good of the country.

They did it, not for the greater good of the country, but for the promise of power. They didn't form a rainbow coalition with Labour etc because they knew at the time Labour were political poison and that despite the Tories not winning the election, Labour definitely lost it.

It'll take a generation before anyone takes the lib dems seriously again. Hopefully their total failure prevents any other whimsical left wing cowards from getting anywhere near power for the forseeable future.

The Lib Dems aren't remotely left wing.

People who back a political party like it's a football team irritate me.

Why? Politics is much more important than football.

[davieG]

BBC

The UK economy shrank by 0.4% in the final three months of 2011, compared with previous estimates of a fall of 0.3%, official figures show.

The estimate for the first quarter of this year was unchanged, showing the economy shrank by 0.3% in that period.

The estimate for the UK's gross domestic product from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) was the third estimate of the Q1 data.

The estimates show the recession has been deeper than previously thought.

A recession is commonly defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.

Construction activity fell by 4.9%, its sharpest fall since the first quarter of 2009.

The figures showed that household spending was constrained, with expenditure falling 0.1% compared with a previous estimate of 0.1% growth.

That was driven by lower spending on financial services, which was offset to some extent by an increase in spending on food and drink and leisure.

Boost

The weak picture of the economy was further underlined by figures also released on Thursday showing that government spending grew between January and March at its fastest rate in nearly seven years.

Vicky Redwood, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said the figures boded ill for the rest of the year, particularly because of the effect of the Queen's Jubilee holiday: "Given the negative impact of June's extra bank holiday, GDP is likely to have contracted again in the second quarter."

Some economists said they expected the Bank of England to restart next week its programme of quantitative easing, designed to boost the economy by buying government debt which in turn injects money into the economy.

David Tinsley, of BNP Paribas, said although the details were not encouraging, there were some brighter elements.

He said: "I don't think it is all doom and gloom. The underlying position in final demand is a little bit stronger than the GDP figures would suggest.

"The survey figures suggest there is still some forward momentum. But overall growth will look very close to zero this year."

[Rincewind]

The rise in exam results is because the exam boards became quangos and started to compete against each other for students, meaning that examiners were told what the grade boundaries were by senior staff in the exam board. MsFoxy is a senior examiner and has set the grade boundaries, only for them to be changed because there wasn't a large enough percentage of A grades. If you knew what students received marks for, you'd be shocked.

They did it, not for the greater good of the country, but for the promise of power. They didn't form a rainbow coalition with Labour etc because they knew at the time Labour were political poison and that despite the Tories not winning the election, Labour definitely lost it.

The Lib Dems aren't remotely left wing.

Why? Politics is much more important than football.

a sensible reply.

I was a bid of a LIb Dem person before the election. I thought with a little bit of power be it through more MP's or coalition they could end the bickering between the two party system and help bring in policies that helped those that needed it most and have more moderate policies. This has not Happened. Clegg was promised some power on the proviso that he would not rock the boat too much and go against anything that the Tories bring in however devastaing they would be for a lot of lesser well off, disabled and vulnerable people.

Clegg is a wimp.

They will have to find a very good leader before I support them again.

[RobHawk]

BBC

The UK economy shrank by 0.4% in the final three months of 2011, compared with previous estimates of a fall of 0.3%, official figures show.

The estimate for the first quarter of this year was unchanged, showing the economy shrank by 0.3% in that period.

The estimate for the UK's gross domestic product from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) was the third estimate of the Q1 data.

The estimates show the recession has been deeper than previously thought.

A recession is commonly defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.

Construction activity fell by 4.9%, its sharpest fall since the first quarter of 2009.

The figures showed that household spending was constrained, with expenditure falling 0.1% compared with a previous estimate of 0.1% growth.

That was driven by lower spending on financial services, which was offset to some extent by an increase in spending on food and drink and leisure.

Boost

The weak picture of the economy was further underlined by figures also released on Thursday showing that government spending grew between January and March at its fastest rate in nearly seven years.

Vicky Redwood, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said the figures boded ill for the rest of the year, particularly because of the effect of the Queen's Jubilee holiday: "Given the negative impact of June's extra bank holiday, GDP is likely to have contracted again in the second quarter."

Some economists said they expected the Bank of England to restart next week its programme of quantitative easing, designed to boost the economy by buying government debt which in turn injects money into the economy.

David Tinsley, of BNP Paribas, said although the details were not encouraging, there were some brighter elements.

He said: "I don't think it is all doom and gloom. The underlying position in final demand is a little bit stronger than the GDP figures would suggest.

"The survey figures suggest there is still some forward momentum. But overall growth will look very close to zero this year."

Yet people still beleive the current government are tackling the current econmoic crisis. People need to realise that because we have no growth the amount of debt this country is in is only going up! The current chancellor is only taking us one way - backwards!

[Rincewind]

He's trying to get money back by hitting the most vulnerable. The PM by installing into minds the 'blame' culture is able to do this there is installed into many I'm OK why should I worry about others' mentality. Well not everyone at the bottom started there.

[Guest MattP]

The rise in exam results is because the exam boards became quangos and started to compete against each other for students, meaning that examiners were told what the grade boundaries were by senior staff in the exam board. MsFoxy is a senior examiner and has set the grade boundaries, only for them to be changed because there wasn't a large enough percentage of A grades. If you knew what students received marks for, you'd be shocked.

They did it, not for the greater good of the country, but for the promise of power. They didn't form a rainbow coalition with Labour etc because they knew at the time Labour were political poison and that despite the Tories not winning the election, Labour definitely lost it.

I can only imagine what goes on behind the scenes of examination boards now, I've seen some of the basic revision some 15 year olds do now and it was quite shocking compared to what I did. We both agree it needs reform so I think Gove is doing some good things from what I have read so far, like I said the key thing appears to be he wants to raise standards and that's what we need.

Clegg did have to put his points across why they were doing it but I still think he few other options, had he let the Tories govern with a minority we would just end up with another GE within a few months and nothing else was a real alternative. I still think he did the right thing and I hope history is kind to him.

[FoxyPV]

I can only imagine what goes on behind the scenes of examination boards now, I've seen some of the basic revision some 15 year olds do now and it was quite shocking compared to what I did. We both agree it needs reform so I think Gove is doing some good things from what I have read so far, like I said the key thing appears to be he wants to raise standards and that's what we need.

Clegg did have to put his points across why they were doing it but I still think he few other options, had he let the Tories govern with a minority we would just end up with another GE within a few months and nothing else was a real alternative. I still think he did the right thing and I hope history is kind to him.

If Cameron had have had the balls, I would have forced the LD and Labour to vote them down as a minority govt. He would have had the moral high ground and, I would have thought that, he might have squeaked a majority in the next GE.

I would argue that by taking the profit motive away from the exam boards, it reduces their reason to compete for students with each other, and that they would then be able to mark as guided by the examiners rather than business managers. I would also make sure that schools have to take their local exam board except where that particular board doesn't offer the subject. This would stop schools from moving to perceived easier boards for better results.

[Daggers]

I think Gove is doing some good things from what I have read so far, like I said the key thing appears to be he wants to raise standards and that's what we need.

Go on then - what has he done that has improved education provision in the UK since his appointment? List them.

[Webbo]

BBC

The UK economy shrank by 0.4% in the final three months of 2011, compared with previous estimates of a fall of 0.3%, official figures show.

The estimate for the first quarter of this year was unchanged, showing the economy shrank by 0.3% in that period.

The estimate for the UK's gross domestic product from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) was the third estimate of the Q1 data.

The estimates show the recession has been deeper than previously thought.

A recession is commonly defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.

Construction activity fell by 4.9%, its sharpest fall since the first quarter of 2009.

The figures showed that household spending was constrained, with expenditure falling 0.1% compared with a previous estimate of 0.1% growth.

That was driven by lower spending on financial services, which was offset to some extent by an increase in spending on food and drink and leisure.

Boost

The weak picture of the economy was further underlined by figures also released on Thursday showing that government spending grew between January and March at its fastest rate in nearly seven years.

Vicky Redwood, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said the figures boded ill for the rest of the year, particularly because of the effect of the Queen's Jubilee holiday: "Given the negative impact of June's extra bank holiday, GDP is likely to have contracted again in the second quarter."

Some economists said they expected the Bank of England to restart next week its programme of quantitative easing, designed to boost the economy by buying government debt which in turn injects money into the economy.

David Tinsley, of BNP Paribas, said although the details were not encouraging, there were some brighter elements.

He said: "I don't think it is all doom and gloom. The underlying position in final demand is a little bit stronger than the GDP figures would suggest.

"The survey figures suggest there is still some forward momentum. But overall growth will look very close to zero this year."

Yeah but

The figures that the ONS provide are interpretive to say the least and should be taken with a pinch of salt as there are plenty of variables that are not evident.

[sphericalfox]

Go on then - what has he done that has improved education provision in the UK since his appointment? List them.

<pulls up chair & applies expression of anticipation>

[Guest MattP]

Go on then - what has he done that has improved education provision in the UK since his appointment? List them.

Go and feed your chickens you fcuking bum.

[Guest MattP]

If Cameron had have had the balls, I would have forced the LD and Labour to vote them down as a minority govt. He would have had the moral high ground and, I would have thought that, he might have squeaked a majority in the next GE.

I would argue that by taking the profit motive away from the exam boards, it reduces their reason to compete for students with each other, and that they would then be able to mark as guided by the examiners rather than business managers. I would also make sure that schools have to take their local exam board except where that particular board doesn't offer the subject. This would stop schools from moving to perceived easier boards for better results.

I would have loved to have seen Cameron have the balls to do that and agree I think he would have got a majority maybe a few months down the line.

Can understand why he did what he did though, the position of PM was there for him to grasp and he took a route to it.

Agree a national exam board is a far better option than companies doing it for profit. I'm just glad we appear to have an education minister who seems to want to raise standards, I hope he has the power and the policies to reverse the trend of what's been happening over the last ten years.

[Daggers]

Go and feed your chickens you fcuking bum.

Feeble. No facts again? I'm shocked.

It really was a very simple question for a very simple man. Come on: what has Gove done that has improved education provision in the UK since his appointment? List them.

You do understand the question, don't you?

[Guest MattP]

Feeble. No facts again? I'm shocked.

It really was a very simple question for a very simple man. Come on: what has Gove done that has improved education provision in the UK since his appointment? List them.

You do understand the question, don't you?

I don't really see why I should bother, I asked you yesterday numerous questions and instead of responding you threw petty insults. You couldn't even be arsed to answer a basic question about what you did for a living.

If you can't be arsed to make the effort I'm not going to bother either.

[MooseBreath]

Yeah but

I was just at a meeting with a business who are doing very well. Must mean we're not in a recession after all. **** the ONS stats, I've got me sum knolej of dem variables.

[sphericalfox]

I was just at a meeting with a business who are doing very well. Must mean we're not in a recession after all. **** the ONS stats, I've got me sum knolej of dem variables.

Good thing you don't use variables Dave, where would we be if you didn't post the same old shite over and over and over and over again? Looking for a desperate bite and some attention.

[FoxyPV]

I would have loved to have seen Cameron have the balls to do that and agree I think he would have got a majority maybe a few months down the line.

Can understand why he did what he did though, the position of PM was there for him to grasp and he took a route to it.

Agree a national exam board is a far better option than companies doing it for profit. I'm just glad we appear to have an education minister who seems to want to raise standards, I hope he has the power and the policies to reverse the trend of what's been happening over the last ten years.

If he really wanted to raise standards across the board, he would have to invest vast sums of money to reduce class sizes, employ more well trained teachers, provide more facilities as well as reforming the exam system.

This won't happen.

The top students will continue to do well and the rest will be left further behind.

[MooseBreath]

Good thing you don't use variables Dave, where would we be if you didn't post the same old shite over and over and over and over again? Looking for a desperate bite and some attention.

Desperate. That's a fitting word to describe your contribution to this thread in the last couple of pages. Are you actually crying as you type? Because it definitely reads that way.

[sphericalfox]

Desperate. That's a fitting word to describe your contribution to this thread in the last couple of pages. Are you actually crying as you type? Because it definitely reads that way.

How can i compete with your superior intellect and contribution - might have to utilise my cockblocker, because <yawn> you are genuinely a ****ing idiot.

[Daggers]

I don't really see why I should bother, I asked you yesterday numerous questions and instead of responding you threw petty insults. You couldn't even be arsed to answer a basic question about what you did for a living.

If you can't be arsed to make the effort I'm not going to bother either.

You said: "I asked you yesterday numerous questions"

:w00t:

You are full of shit.

You asked me two questions - really, if you are going to make stuff up that is actually in this thread don't you think it is easy for everyone to catch you out on it?

In Post 247 you asked if I was in the Public Sector and you got a clear answer.

In Post 251 you asked "I'll go for you don't work, don't contribute anything into the pot but spend all day telling everyone else how we should spend theirs?" To which you are correct, I didn't give you an answer.

Numerous questions?

Two, numbnuts. Two questions, neither of which are of Earth-shattering importance or relevant to the thread.

So, lets try this again...

You said "I think Gove is doing some good things from what I have read so far, like I said the key thing appears to be he wants to raise standards and that's what we need."

What good things has he done to improve education in England and Wales? What standards need raising? Why do we need those standards raising.

Please support your conjecture with someone else's opinion who actually knows something about education.

Go.