bridge too far

Think about a lot of words / slang that arose during the second world war. Particularly the words used by RAF crews. And words like 'spiffing', 'what-ho' etc. And a lot of words adopted from our time as an Empire e.g. 'tiffin', 'doolally'.

slow

I watched that programme last night and thought it showed the sect up for what it was. But, immediately after the 10 o'clock news, there was another programme. One of the stories featured was of a woman whose family belonged to a Christian sect. Judging by the headscarves the female members wore, I think it was the Plymouth Brethren. The poor woman was cut off from her family because she chose to leave the sect. She directly attributed her eating disorders to the pressure the sect put on her.

I think you'll find the BBC was just reporting on a leak published in the Torygraph. In a private letter to David Cameron, leaked to the Daily Telegraph, he said he would refuse to back any substantial cuts to the armed forces. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11432620

Oh, like we never used incorrect grammar or cool words when we were teenagers

Apparently, this afternoon alone, one new member joined the Labour Party every minute! What is a geek?

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Coffe cake (without walnuts but loads of coffee icing), lemon drizzle, and fruit cake are winners for me.

Ah well, no risk of that then

Right, here's the info straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/inheritancetax/pass-money-property/exempt-gifts.htm#2 So you COULD give away millions if you wanted to. However, should you die within 7 years of making such a gift, your estate would be eligible for IHT. Is that right? How would HMRC know? For example, when my mother died last year I gave each of my children a substantial sum from her estate (that had been willed to me). If I pop my clogs tomorrow, are those sums liable for inclusion for IHT (since they'd come out of my estate so to speak)?

Not bad at all for a first major speech I thought. He'll grow into it, and do very well, I have no doubt.

The Labour Party IS ahead in the polls ATM - but I'll concede it's early days

Thomas

But a bloody fortune in divorce fees and marriage licences

I think there are 'special exemptions' too - for example you can gift more than £3K (or is it now £5K) as a wedding present for your child / grandchild.

It's me being in my 'hitting my head against a brick wall' mode. If people denigrate one party for an apparent fault, I aim to point out that other parties have their (similar) faults too. It's an attempt to balance the argument. My post simply served to illustrate how other parties elect their leaders. Did you want that information suppressed? I wasn't the one who went off at a tangent about the voting system. I don't think EM is either gimpy or unelectable.

I think some Conservative MPs get to vote twice in their leadership elections - the Conservative MPs first vote to produce a short-list of two candidates that is then put to the general membership. So a Conservative MP will vote first to choose the short-list and then to finally choose the MP. Apparently there were moves to change their system in 2005 but this didn't get the support of the Parliamentary Conservative Party: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-01366.pdf

fishpaste

unethical

It's not offered or managed by the NHS though, is it. It's just local businesses offering discounts in the same way as they do to other large employers. The only discounts available to me seemed to be for things I'd never want from businesses near where I worked.

That seems fair enough. If you don't support the Labour Party, you shouldn't be voting to choose its leader. I don't support the Conservatives and I didn't have a vote to choose its leader.

Oh OK. I don't know of any other medics apart from doctors who get such trips.

Technically not as the prices were competitive. However, he was dismissed for not following proper procurement procedures and for being 'influenced' to decide who to award the contracts to. We all know there's an element of 'buggins turn' in the construction industry. In fact, the Audit Commission (now defunct) produced a list of big construction companies who benefited from cartels and rigged bidding. I bet such companies are rubbing their hands in glee now that the Audit Commission has been disbanded. I don't understand your second sentence.

For Consultants - who are self-employed FYI Public sector workers aren't allowed to receive perks - they can be construed as bribery. When I was in Procurement for the NHS I couldn't even accept a 'complimentary' pen! An audit colleague of mine was instrumental in securing the dismissal of a capital projects manager who received golf days and bottles of whisky in return for awarding contracts to a construction company.

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