Ex Lion Tamer

Dont really know why Burnley would sell him when they have a chance of staying in the Premier League, esp as any fee would be minimal

Stirring rendition of OWTS ringing around the ground

Great video. I remember thinking in our promotion season that we didn't score many spectacular goals; last season was an improvement but this season had been sensational

I'd love a recording of some of their coverage to surface, sadly I imagine it is lost in the mists I of time

Interesting, I'll have to check it out - I admit my source was just an article in the New Statesman Edit: I've had a quick look at the paper and cant see anything about graduating for under 21s - can you provide an exact quote?

Different issue, but here's why I think the Greens aren't that thorough. They're in favour of a compulsory living wage, but the trouble is that NIESR research suggests it would cost 160,000 jobs. That's why labour isn't doing it even though could probably get loads more support on the left if they made the easy promise. The same goes for renationalising the railways, it's a populist choice but I'm not convinced that a return to BR is really what we want

I thought you'd all be excited to read the email I had from Ed today: People sometimes say that they don't know what we — what I — stand for, so I'll put this in the simplest terms I can. This country is too unequal, and we need to change it. So here are the promises I'm making to you about the kind of Britain I will lead: First, I will undo the damage the Tories have done to our country: I will scrap the Bedroom Tax, which unfairly punishes the disabled and the vulnerable I will scrap the Health and Social Care Act, which damages and undermines our NHS I will scrap the gagging law, which limits our freedom of speech and right to campaign I will reverse the Tories' £3bn tax cut for millionaires, so we get the deficit down but do it fairly Second, I will take on the powerful vested interests that hold millions back: I will force energy companies to freeze gas and electricity bills until 2017 I will give power back to those who rent their homes, by scrapping letting fees and stabilising tenancy agreements I will raise money from tobacco companies, tax avoiders, and a mansion tax to fund doctors, nurses, careworkers and midwives for our NHS I will reform our banks so that they properly support small businesses I will stop recruitment agencies hiring only from abroad Third, I will start to rebuild a fairer, better Britain: I will raise the minimum wage, to ensure that everyone that does a hard day's work is properly rewarded I will promote the living wage by giving tax breaks to companies that pay it I will ban the damaging zero-hours contracts that exploit British workers I will bring in a lower 10p income tax rate, cutting taxes for 24 million workers I will support working parents with 25 hours of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds I will help more young people get on the housing ladder by getting 200,000 homes built every year

Sadly I agree. Regardless of policies, he carries himself much better and that's what people vote for

"Tories 'to match Labour spending'" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6975536.stm The situation would have been better if we had been running a surplus. The main issue though was deregulating the banks. Unfortunately both the major parties were caught up in international neo-liberal groupthink.

Whether we should cut foreign aid and whether a portion of what we spend should go to India are separate questions. My answers would be no and no. Aid to India is being phased out by next year anyway

You realise the lib dems support an elected House of Lords right?

That's really not the problem. The problem for the NHS isn't people at death's door but an ageing population that is more likely to have treatable illnesses. Labour has some interesting plans to save the NHS from its unsustainable funding needs, and health professionals are all behind it, but of course the public doesn't know about it

The problem is they've spent years developing a wide ranging policy programme. Any new leader would need to accept miliband's policy platform or work VERY quickly to get their new ideas in place

They realised that the economy would never start growing if they didn't ease up on austerity

I'm depressed about Miliband's performance but you also have to bear in mind it is massively difficult to return to government after one term. The public still blames Labour for the global financial crisis

To be fair, Cortese supposedly wanted to sack Poch

He always underestimated how important the manager role was. I would rather we sold a player and paid for a quality manager than got some cheap nobody in (Wigley, Gray, the Dutch duo). Of course, Schneiderlin has been a great signing for us in the very long run, but that was a lot of money to spend at a time when we apparently couldn't afford a decent manager. Then we cashed in on Gareth Bale's sell on clause the same year!

I presume you were campaigning against banking deregulation back in 1986 Whitey?

Perhaps the real mistake was electing Margaret Thatcher, who set the political weather for the next 25 years

Well as I said earlier, they were faced with the choice of two neo liberal parties, which isn't much of a choice. But equally, Labour was trying to occupy the centre ground, and where that centre ground sits is set by public attitudes. Labour knew the press and the public would jump on any hint that it was "anti business", and adjusted its policies / leaders accordingly. So yes, we all have to share some responsibility for what happened.

I suppose what I mean is that it is frustrating to hear rightwingers use deregulation of the banks as a stick to beat Labour with, when not only would their party have done the same, but such an approach is central to their political instincts. Ultimately I would like Labour (or another party if necessary) to be electable as a centre left party, but for that to happen the public needs to realise that the problem wasn't Labour in itself, it was Labour in a period when it had abandoned its principles and been taken over by neo liberals.

The most frustrating thing about all of this is that Labour gets blamed for the financial crisis when the reality is that both of the main parties were lost in a neo-liberal bubble of deregulation. No one foresaw what was about to happen. And Labour only moved to the right because the public wouldn't elect them otherwise!

Repost for your benefit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6975536.stm "A Conservative government would match Labour's projected public spending totals for the next three years, shadow chancellor George Osborne has said. He pledged two years of 2% increases. The final year total would be reviewed." And Whitey G, the Tories started banking deregulation in 1986. Nigel Lawson has argued that the seeds of the financial crisis began with the "big bang" deregulation of the City in 1986: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang_(financial_markets)#Consequences Yes New Labour continued it but if you think a Conservative government would not have done the same in order to stay "competitive" with similar reforms in the US, then you are living in dreamland.

Everyone was at it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6975536.stm "A Conservative government would match Labour's projected public spending totals for the next three years, shadow chancellor George Osborne has said.He pledged two years of 2% increases. The final year total would be reviewed."

I'm calling bull**** on that one. Long has natural pace and stamina that many pro footballers don't have. It's harder than it looks