um pahars

An interesting point and considering RBS is effectively a Public Sector body, you would have thought the Government could have applied the same approach. It gets even more confusing when you look at the contradictory viewpoints expressed by the Conservatives. Boris seems in line with public opinion when he calls it "absolutely bewildering" and suggests the Government could and should do something about it with his claim they "should step in and sort it out". Fallon on Newsnight was stating that the Government and it's investment arm had intervened to get the bonus reduced, suggesting they are able to modify the amount. Osborne didn't deny they could intervene, instead he was arguing from a position that it was the best deal given the circumstances and the alternatives. From all those I read that the Government could certainly do something, just that they didn't feel it appropriate, which is a totally different argument and one which is hard to swallow when "we're all in this together!".

Fair enough Thorpie, but I would probably counter that our recent form plus the injuries we seem to be picking up, which in turn exposes our threadbare squad, means that I don't think we will go up automatically. I think our air of invincibility, confidence and riding the crest of promotion has worn off and we're finding it hard to replicate the confidence and success of earlier in the season. A couple of decent signings might change things, but for now I see a play off place at best. Even then, my worry is that we would go in to the play offs on the back of a relative slide. Not moaning, because I think we'll beat my top 10 finish I had us down for, just perhaps a tad deflated, something which I think the team and even Adkins seem a bit as well.

Dont get me started on Holmes!!!!!!!! If our opening sub is Holmes coming off the bench then we're going to struggle.

We comprehensively beat a sheite 10 man Forest, and people's reactions have not been based on the back of one match, we have been relatively poor for quite a while now.

Simply not good enough. Nice enough guy and pleases the Twitterati, but his signing wasn't a sign of pushing on.

Even more of a reason to want Portsmuff to fold and all their results expunged.

The £4m contingent liability is definitely due to Aviva on return to the Premiership (and I think even then a part of it is only payable if we stay there!). It was a part of the negotiations when ML came in and Aviva accepted a lower one off fee than what they were owed, in return for a future promise.

Impressed if true. Being greedy Id like both, but would probably prompy for Rhodes over Hooper if it came to it.

Why should the Club be pizsed off??? Thousands of supporters don't surf the net or get to read the Official Site and for them the Echo is their primary source of information about Saints. Why shouldn't the Club work with the Echo to spread the word to these people? I'm sure both sides have been wronged in the past, but why put a petty feud in front of a working relationship that could be mutually beneficial? Regardless of whether the Club should be working with the Echo (and vice versa), the tweet from Sibley was infantile and just so unnecessary.

If Gove can't find a sponsor for his bibles then the DFE (ie the taxpayer) will fund this folly. Gove simply does not live in the real world. #bonkers

Didn't see much healthy debate between Cameron and Gove on this one.

The problem is that Im a bit of a Monarchist (which as well as being somewhat anti EU integration, which makes me a special kind of centre lefty!!!!), so my issue wasn't the funding of it per se, instead it was the timing given we're supposed to be all in this together.

Because there are some options/scenarios that shouldn't even make it past the blue sky thinking stage and suggesting that a Royal yacht should be funded from the Public Purse in these austere times is one of them. For Gove to put it in writing just shows how out of touch he is. The way Cameron and others in the cabinet quickly slapped it down is a recognition of what a foolish idea it was.

Gove is simply deluded and out of touch with the reality facing many in this country. Given the current climate of austerity there is no way the Government will be funding such a project and given the hardship faced by many it is almost obscene to be suggesting this "gift". Even if the Government opted for some Keynesian deficit spending, then I think this would still be way down on the list. I'm sure there are many more worthy and beneficial projects to UK PLC than this mad scheme Like many of his hair brained schemes he is just out of touch with the reality facing many in this country.

Did you mean this article??????? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14679657 Interesting reading and certainly makes you think about how we generalise races and ethnic groups

K Definitely reports from a number of passengers that the user drill was planned for this afternoon. As you say I thought it was standard to do almost as soon as the gangplank was up. On the QE recently we had our muster drill as we were sailing down Southampton water.

Cracking result!!!!! Really impressed considering we've not done too well against some of the weaker teams. Bit of a break to Leicester as well. Good day all round

Hasn't she been over at Marchwood MP for a few days????

But surely if the SNP lose the referendum then we'll still be stuck with the "leech" that is Scotland. And as for your tongue in cheek cleaving off of the North, then I'm surprised you don't want to dump the few urban areas in the South that are also areas of relative deprivation (e.g Plymouth, Portsmouth & Southampton). Problem is you'd have to follow Hamble, Follands or Sarisbury Sparks

But surely if you want to cut them adrift then you must be at odds with Cameron and his approach as IMHO it will only marginalise the SNP and put independence back a few decades.

GM, are you for or against Scottish independence??? I totally agree with Cameron's stance and as a supporter of the Union have to say I think his forcing of the issue (inc an in or out vote and no "devolution max") will mean that the SNP will not succeed. Seems as though you're happy for them to go it alone, but think Cameron's approach makes that less likely.

Luker and I'm sure Oldknow both undertook surveys whilst we were at SMS and the results were that we had a "relatively" older season ticket fanbase than other clubs. Obviously things may change but that was a true 3/4 years back. Although the Dells capacity definitely restricted "newcomers" I think they also accepted that the cost of tickets was also putting many off. Of course that therefore might have changed with the offers we have had recently. And as aintforever says above, many of our fanbase still get their info from the Echo, hence why I'm always pushing for a mutually beneficial relationship between them and the Club.

Wouldn't have thought he would be tweeting that as sure he doesn't partake in Twitter (hence his "too many tweets make you a tawt line")

Some would probably add that it should be allowed when sexual violence/rape has been used during the murder as well. However, I remember that Tom and Tackle murder where the bloke admitted it and spent 27 odd years in nick only to be released when he later appealed. I just can't agree with the death penalty on two points. Firstly, we convict to a standard of "beyond reasonable doubt" not 100% definite (and when people say but there are some that are definitely definite, then the problem is where on that sliding scale does the definite fall away) and of course there's no way back from the death penalty!!! Secondly I really just don't believe in the State taking an individual's life (eye for eye leaving you blind, those who seek vengeance should dig two graves etc etc etc). But I agree with Duckhunter in that the life sentence should mean just that and that the tariff appears to be too lenient nowadays.