bridge too far

Would the series be in black and white or in colour?

Interesting - I've been emailing stuff to David Conn for some months now and, last week, forwarded Micah Hall's stuff It seems like he's finally taken on board all the info he's been sent and put two and two together. I should add I claim no fame because of the stuff I sent him - I just forwarded stuff that had been posted on here so the credit goes to the sleuths on here. And I'm probably not the only one to do so. But I do have a small shiver of excitement that the stuff interested him - his responses to me suggested that he was very interested in the goings on down the road.

But a very nice looking one

Hmmmm - Max Hastings is an arch Tory so that's a very interesting article by him.

Good programme that. Sue Perkins is also very good when on QI and I loved that series she did with a man whose name I forgot about menus through the ages.

And it was an accident anyway http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/wffc/9976398._I_slipped_on_the_kick_and_shanked_the_ball_/

So, if there's no work for young people in the area that their parents live in???????

But in 'your' day (and mine) it wasn't necessary for both parents to go out to work because, as one example, houses were affordable on a single wage. Both parents working these days IS family responsibility and these days those parents also find they have to house young adults who can't afford to live on their own (even some 30 - 40 year olds) as well as house elderly parents (as grandparents live so much longer these days, often with dementia). Where are they all supposed to sleep? If young adults can't afford to live outwith their parents, how the hell are they supposed to find work if they can't afford to travel, and travel outside their home towns? If they can't afford to work, how can they make contributions? With unemployment so high (and I'm talking full-time work, not part-time work which is being disingenuously being included in 'newly created jobs), there has to be a safety net, particularly for young people.

He's very funny and very endearing and I find him hugely entertaining. But PM? Lawks a mercy! Far too much of a loose cannon IMO.

But I think that's changed to at least 30 hours unless you have children. The information is here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/workingtaxcredit/work.htm

You're only quoting half of what I said. Many families receiving benefits of one sort or another ARE already working but their wages are so low they need state support. So you and I, as taxpayers, are subsidising employers who are paying crap wages. Of course it's wrong that people should be better off out of work on benefits, but in reality withdrawing or cutting their benefits won't automatically mean they'll all go out and get work because the work isn't out there at the moment. And the net outcome will be even more people homeless and even more children in poverty. Apart from us subsidising employers who pay crap wages, another point that needs addressing is the question of childcare costs. It's crazy that a parent can't afford to go to work because of this.

Additionally, the Child Poverty Action group pointed out that many parents in receipt of benefits ARE working but they're so low paid they need state support. Maybe, instead of looking to the state to support people who ARE working for low wages, we should be expecting employers to pay a living wage? It's all very well the government saying people should not be better off on benefits than working. Some people might feel that, with wages so low, they're actually better looking after their families by claiming benefits. Make those employers paying low wages pay a decent wage instead.

I don't 'hate' any celebrity because I don't know any of them well enough to 'hate'. But, with a passion, I dislike Michael Gove and, in spite of being a pacifist, I desperately want to kick him hard in the gonads.

*Like*

This. Leadbitters (used to) work predominately in the public sector (a lot of the hospital contracts I audited used them). I think I'm right in saying they nearly went to the wall a few years ago and I didn't realise Bouyges had taken them over. The big construction companies often rely on changes to specification post contract signature to make money, it is alleged.

Political parties won't always be able to agree on e.g. education, health etc. because the basic tenets of each party are so very different. How would you propose to get MPs of different political persuasions to work together?

Just a reminder from Pompey's own forum about the esteemed Mr McInnes - their words, not mine Posted 02 Aug 2012 16:49 Iain McInnes - Fit and Proper Person? Pompey Supporters Trust revealed today their prospective new chairman - Iain McInnes. He has an interesting business record... 14 dissolved companies and 1 liquidation! Is he really the best person they could find for the role? See link below. Given Pompey fans continue to mention the fit and proper person test, is this the sort of businessman you want at your club after what has gone on in the past? From http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=424&fid=203&sty=2&act=1&mid=2114344497

Jersey police have referred some allegations to the Met in connection with that children's home on Jersey that was in the news a few years ago. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19806312

Gemmel - to be fair to the trust (I'm feeling magnanimous today lol), when they submitted their first bid they were the only game in town weren't they? This second bid will be in competition with Chanrai's, so they would want to keep their cards close to their chest. So I guess they're justified in pleading 'commercial in confidence'

Powerful defence of the NHS too. I like the 'one nation' theme (some Tories will be a bit miffed by that) All in all a very good performance

I think some did come forward when he was still alive but the police took no action http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/uk/sir-jimmy-saville-was-questioned-by-police-over-sex-assault-at-children-s-home-1-2558300 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/paul-gambaccini-claims-sir-jimmy-savile-used-charity-work-to-prevent-sexual-abuse-of-schoolchildren-being-exposed-8191761.html

If the government invested in a serious amount of social housing and housing for sale, then there would be an enormous boost to the economy. Apart from employing loads of construction workers, there would be a huge knock-on effect on other sectors. And it would help solve the housing crisis. Maybe it would be a good idea to tax the land banks. If developers were taxed on their land if they didn't develop it within a timescale, they perhaps wouldn't hang on to it waiting for land prices to increase and that land would be developed sooner.

A bit of a generalisation there methinks! Based on my children's experience, I can tell you that they struggled to survive and they've got old cars, hardly ever go out and I can't remember their last foreign holiday - probably their honeymoons. The problem was that they were having to pay almost £1K a month in rent - tough to do on teachers' salaries when there are student loans to be repaid. My daughters are in their late 30s / early 40s and have only just managed to buy houses in the last 3 - 5 years. I suggest their situation is far more the norm than the 'youngsters' you describe.

It was very straightforward even though there was a 12 year gap between their respective deaths, and had nothing to do with gifting. But then my Dad never tried to wriggle round taxes due. His estate went to my mother when he died and then when she died his tax exemption was added to hers as is the law now.

I think you're wrong there. My father died in 1997 and my mother died in 2009. Dad's IHT allowance was added to Mum's and this meant we didn't have to pay so much IHT on her estate. My father hadn't passed any money to us when he died - it all went to my mother