Weston Super Saint

A little bit I guess....

So, just so I understand your anecdote. HMRC have dealt with complex VAT cases, literally for ever. They have now decided to outsource some of their work realising that money can be saved when people work efficiently, but are starting with the more simple cases in order to build up the experience of the private company. Your mate, though, is sceptical that this private company, the employees of which have probably not gained the experience of HMRC where complex cases are concerned, may struggle to complete the work should it be given to them by HMRC. Might I suggest that when the time comes for them to take on the complex cases, they may just poach the staff from HMRC to increase their knowledge base?

Certainly seems like a crucial issue for this election

Hopefully the people who tackled Britain's least succesful terrorist (by the way, his name should NEVER be published so he never gets any recognition for his pathetic acts), will be recognised in some way for their actions today. They must have seen he had a 'vest' and no way they could have known it was a fake but they still tackled him and took his knife away. Fair play to them.

He'll probably be wherever his protective detail tell him to be - I doubt he has any influence in these issues!

What if you're planning to abstain because, frankly, the choice isn't very appealing?

Is that the withdrawal agreement that was likened to 'May's agreement with some lipstick on it'? Surely that had been scrutinised to death so three days would have been more than sufficient to examine the allegedly minor differences, pal. But of course, in your world you can clearly have your cake and eat it.

Unlike the 'honourable' IRA sympathiser?

So you're saying it would still apply, pal? Seems a bit redundant to mention the whole three day thing when you knew full well that 'the hardest, most energy sapping part of negotations' was still to come. Almost like you're a parody of a tabloid headline.

Excellent, I guess the charities will look forward to the fivers tucked into their crimbo cards

Would "The hardest, most energy-sapping part of the negotiations is still to come" not have applied with the most important bills in peacetime history?

Would "The hardest, most energy-sapping part of the negotiations is still to come" not have applied with May's WA?

Could they not, you know, put a clause or two into the contract or is that an idea that is way off the charts? Maybe a clause that says something along the lines of 'raise the prices of drugs and the contract is void'. Would that be impossible to implement??

And yet that is exactly what your original post was proclaiming!

And yet that is exactly what your original post was proclaiming!

To be fair, I'd still say that these people need to have a major rethink of their priorities in life - I would suggest, and feel free to correct me if you think I'm wrong, that buying food and putting it on the table for yourself and your family should come way above paying Sky subscriptions, going to pubs or clubs to watch football or buying football merchandise! Yes, there is a huge disparity in society - not convinced that is ever going to change, even in a communist society where some people are most definitely 'more equal' than others! I'd still say that there is something far more fundamentally wrong in a society that is happy for people to withdraw food from a food bank - for free! - whilst spending the money they earn / get on football related activities. Does that not strike you as wrong in any way?

There is one simple solution, if you don't like what's on social media, stay off it!!

I'm under no illusions that that is already the case - I do think there is one important word in your sentence though.....

Do you honestly, hand on heart, believe that that happens - genuine question!! - or are you using your food bank example as you seem to do for every point you make? If there are 'genuinely' people paying £40, £50, £60 on a ticket to watch a football match AND relying on food banks, I'd have to question either their intellect / ability to budget for the important things in life (no, I don't think a ticket to a football match is more important than putting food on the table!!) or the set up of a food bank system that will allow someone to blow their money on a football ticket (or alcohol, drugs etc) knowing that it doesn't matter as there is 'free food' around the corner anyway!!!

Doesn't that describe all people using facebook?

What? You really don't think that kids in third world countries are not accessing information that they previously had no hope of getting hold and changing their lives for the better as a result? Maybe it's a necessary evil that the tyrants and idiots have a platform in order for the rest of the world to benefit?

What if internet companies are actually allowing far easier access to information, information that is then used by people who wouldn't ordinarily have access to it who then go on to improve our world?

You seem surprised that not one, but two, 'two horse' races would produce polarising views!

Nothing like a personal insult!

No, you're getting them confused with the 'thick racist scum'...