bridge too far

Wes, Inheritance Tax thresholds were raised not too long ago and, additionally, the exclusion for a deceased partner where the husband / wife is still living is passed on to the living partner, effectively doubling the threshold at which IHT would be paid when the surviving partner eventually dies (if that makes sense )

What about them? I think you're missing the point Pap is making about the morality of some money making schemes. But I'd be interested to know what you think people on very low wages should do about their housing if the rents charged by landlords are possibly more than they earn. More importantly, what about their children? And don't give me the 'well, they shouldn't have children if they can't afford to house them' line. Many people on housing benefit could have been in low paid jobs but working to pay their way when the rug was pulled from under them by being made redundant. Housing Benefit wouldn't need to be so costly if landlords charged sensible rents.

Obviously they have their salaries for being MPs and government ministers but they both come from very wealthy families. Mrs Cameron is also independently very wealthy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cameron http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantha_Cameron http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Osborne

Not all of them - Cameron and Osborn for example. Their wealth is largely inherited.

'Equality' is a funny notion. I don't actually subscribe to the idea of equality per se but I do strongly believe in equality of opportunity. Of course everybody is different. Some are clever, some are creative (many are both), some are caring and some are lazy and criminal. But no-one starts life with any of these qualities; they develop them in an atmosphere of decent parenting, schooling, health and housing. One of the most successful things the last government did was to set up Sure Start centres that were charged with helping very young children and struggling families to achieve their potential by giving them a grounded start in life. Sadly many of these centres have closed or are earmarked for closure. Such a shame.

But, but, but - so many people are so quick to blame the 'public sector' for apparent inadequacies. 'Tis only right that a more balanced picture is painted. And remember, with the public sector, the government / local government is subject to scrutiny, challenge and, ultimately, with losing power. The private sector isn't accountable to the people paying its bills (thee and me). I see G4S is also in the news again today http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-19788062

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19782917 Poor, poor man

Conferences are paid for out of party funds. Security, outside the normal DPG afforded to leading politicians (both government and opposition) will also be paid out of party funds. So it doesn't really cost the taxpayer anything and does bring a little boost to the local economies (I had to pay my own hotel bills when I was a conference delegate). Hold conferences in the Commons and all parties will be seen to be even more out of touch with ordinary people and 'Londoncentric'.

My grandmother left me £200 (20 years ago) and I bought a piano. My children are all still quite musical

http://www.itv.com/news/2012-09-30/bbc-jimmy-savile-accused-of-sexually-abusing-girls-in-itv-exposure-documentary/ http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?40391-Now-then-now-then-what-have-we-here

He's Chief Whip for the Tories. This means his job is to ensure there's discipline within the ranks. How the hell can he enforce discipline when he's not even capable of disciplining himself to behave sensibly.

No I reckon he wears plus fours and a Norfolk jacket

But if a Minister of State calls someone a f***ing pleb, then that is in poor taste.

I didn't say it was MORE insensitive - I said it was insensitive.

From Wiki "In British, Canadian, Irish, Australian, New Zealand and South African English the back-formation pleb, along with the more recently derived adjectival form plebby,[2] is used as a derogatory term for someone considered unsophisticated or uncultured" If you're content with a posh boy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Mitchell) insulting a member of the police force in such a way, well so be it. Particularly insensitive given what happened to those two police officers in Manchester.

Very slightly away from the main thrust, but I'm watching the Andrew Marr programme about the History of the World right now and he's just mentioned that, as soon as civilisations began to farm animals, humans started to get TB

from international football http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19695430

I like this word. A drunkard's logic, perhaps?

'From the get-go' (although I may well have posted this before)

How many of the delusional phew travelled to Nottingham?

Here's the Registered Office

I wasn't. Because one event can't be compared to another, it doesn't follow that the consequences can't be appreciated by us all. And, in the interests of historical correctness, I think a fair few women gave their lives to the fight against Nazism too.

I beg to differ. What they've done is to show us all that sometimes there are big official cover-ups and we should be grateful for that. Maybe the powers-that-be will learn that they ARE accountable to us and that they can't sweep things under the carpet.

What is he saying here? I don't understand what he means. Does he mean the club can go into administration 18 times (they're well on the way)?

http://cultso.com/artist-takes-every-drug-known-to-man-draws-self-portraits-after-each-use/