Lord Duckhunter

I'm not advocating flat tax , just pointing out that in the strictest sense if the word it is the " fairest" system. My main gripe is people bemoaning tax cuts for the highest earners as " unfair" , and how people who want lower taxes are somehow sticking up for the wrong people. What seems to have been lost from the modern political debate is the argument that lower taxes will pay for themselves. That cutting taxes does not equate to cutting services. This was a debate that I thought had been won. I suspect deep down most politicians know it has, but play to the gallery . There was a reason labour kept top rates at 40%, they knew that's around the optimum figure to increase the take. Now its bash the rich and the Tories don't have the balls to make the case. I get the feeling that Red Ed would rather take 50% of a £1mil salary than 30% of 3 £1mil salaries . To him tax rates are symbolic, they are set to appease the socialist in him, not set to take in the most money. Taxes are too high for the poor, too high for the ordinary and too high for the rich.

Brenda telling the press that Liverpool are in " transition" .

Free school diners for rich kids, free TV licence for elderly rich people, winter fuel allowance for rich people, boob jobs on the nhs, child benefit for kids not in the uk, subsidised labour for multi national companies, some foreign aid, cut the number of sweaty MP's , the sovereign grant, quangos, public information stating the bleeding obvious. If you don't think we can save money you're deluded. This country takes enough of its citizens hard earned cash to look after the people who deserve it , and fund decent public services. The problem is two fold, one it's spread too thinly and two it's wasted by the clowns who take it from us. It's a strange kind of "fair" that means some people have to pay a higher % of their earnings than others. To do so , and then still get critisised and vilified for being "rich" is a joke.

I've never understood how some people paying a higher % of their wages is somehow ' fairer' than everybody paying the same % . Wayne Rooney is far more talented than me , therefore he is worth more to his employer than I am to mine. If I pay 40% of my wages and he pays 40% of his, he'll be paying a damn sight more than me into the national coffers .

Tim, only reason the minimum wage didn't cost jobs is because it is such a low level . Its a political con trick designed by labour to give the appearance of helping the poor. If you have a minimum wage, why on earth do the government top it up to ensure a living amount? Surely if you are saying that it is governments job to ensure people are paid a certain level, that level should enable them to live without being topped up. We don't have a minimum wage, we have a welfare to work programme . As for tax rates. Lowering the top rate clearly can bring more money in. The most graphic example is when Lawson lowered the taste from 82% to 60% and tax take went up. ( Remember labour were so against it, the uproar caused suspension of the house). Tories believe in the Laffer curve and labour did, hence 40% top rate until Browns political elephant trap . Funny that labour called for lowering VAT to bring in more money, but don't apply the same logic to Income Tax. Deep down they know its true, but politically they are dishonest and think there's votes in squeezing the rich until the pips squeak.

Party conferences are a complete and utter waste of time and money . There was a time when the labour one was worthwhile and a forum to formulate policy , but New Labour put and end to that. The Tory one has always been pretty much staged managed . Even the lib/dumbs one is a waste of time as the leadership just ignore the sandal wearers . My mate who is a journo claims that the events away from the main hall are interesting with some decent debates and thought provoking speakers , but that stuff never gets reported. If anybody thinks giving more public money to political parties is a good idea, the party conference season is a great reflection of how the self serving parties don't deserve another penny of our hard earned cash.

Just got in from the game and I see Nigel has ****ed on Dave's chips again. Another defector and rumours on the internet that there's going to be another one on the eve of Dave's conference speech.

Spot on . Some of the comments from our supporters were clearly nonsense. Why do people feel everybody has some sort of agenda is beyond me. We have it with Lawro every time he predicts a loss or a journo writes something negative about us. As Samuels says , why on earth would he have anything against saints. He's just giving his opinion.**** me, we had supporters on here posting much more negative stuff than any journo would ever write. Most neutrals seem pleased we've started so well, even the ones who thought we would struggle appear to be pleasantly surprised.

The problem with this game is that even the best teams struggle to win 6 in a row. That is really going some, unless you're a top top team .

The Treaty of Rome set out a path to "ever closer union" . For the Europeans it has always been more than an economic community , but the British people have never bought into that and never will. We were lied to in the 70's and we're being set up again. The fundamental reforms most British people would want are directly against some of the treasured principles of the EUSSR , free movement of people for one. The EU will never be a economic bloc again, that ship has sailed. As the establishment proved to the sweatys , they will promise anything , frighten anyone and lie to win a referendum . They will use a "stay in" vote in any EU referendum as the green light for ever deeper union and the British people will have another 40 years of treaty's and sovereignty handed to Brussels .

Was down the quay at the weekend and it looks like the guy has opened a bar . Normally I head down the quay via the brewhouse /Blue Boar direction, but found myself coming via Hamworthy on Sunday and saw it . Been open a couple of months. Its just down from Corkers heading towards old bridge. Well worth a visit if you're a Poole based real ale drinker.

"And it has long been the policy at Pompey to keep the postcard on top of the wasp in a cup" WTF is he on about?

I fear you are right. I remember Michael portillio saying the worst thing that could happen to the anti eu side was a referendum . One thing this Scottish vote has proved is that if the establishment think you're going to walk away, they'll bend over backwards. If Cameron grow a pair and set out his terms and conditions for recommending staying in, we may get a return to the EEC/ common market type arrangements I think most of the country want. At the moment he's planning on doing a Wilson and blagging us with meaningless reforms. I don't think it's quite as clear cut as the Scottish vote. A number of papers may come out for leaving and some of the unions , unless uncontrolled immigration is renegotiated . It would have been easier to get out if the EUSSR had the sweatys gone . Playing the long game , a labour win , but relying on Scottish MP's to govern , more uncontrolled immigration and the people being denied a straight in/out could lead to more resentment of the eu. If labour wanted to kill the chances of leaving the eussr for a generation it should call a referendum as soon as it wins the next election.

Everybody appears to be putting the cart before the horse . Surely the issue is the UK parliament and its role once full and fair devolution is given to all. We do not need 600 odd MP's once all component countries of the UK have the same rights and responsibilities. A federal UK was the inevitable outcome once the sweatys got their parliament . English votes for English laws, although fairer than labours nonsensical pony, is a half way house. What's getting in the way here is the size of the UK parliament and the role of the prime minister. But it doesnt need to be so. If powers are devolved to the nations, then a reduction of MPs will be needed. Half the problem is they don't want to get off the gravy train. Surely the foundations of any democratic government is that its fair to everyone. Like the rest of the UK , the English should have a vote on whether we get devolved powers and how those powers are governed. Do the English want a parliament, do they want English votes for English laws in Westminster, or do they want to maintain the status quo. Arguments about cost or tiers of more politicians should form part of this debate, just as it did in Scotland and Wales. An English parliament away from London voted for by pr , with a smaller federal UK government sitting in Westminster replacing the lords and led by an elected head of the UK state. That would be my solution.

I thought the article OK, nothing to get our knickers in a twist over. My take on what he wrote was basically that it was good that RK came in and started afresh, an incumbent manager would have taken the sales badly. That he hopes the board don't think its easy and feel they can repeat it next year with the same outcome. We've had a relatively easy set of fixtures, but were unlucky to lose to Liverpool, however Swansea and west ham have had some good results so to win away was a good result. There were obviously a few claims that are open to debate, but overall a pretty reasonable article. Personally, my main gripe would be the assumption that Read and co would consider adopting this as a business model as opposed to managing an awkward set of circumstances really well. But I've read and heard a lot more pony from saints fans than Samuel writes here.

To be fair to Liverpool and united, they're both suffering from the loss of their main men this season

Wow, ****enburg has turned the game on its head. Shocking piece of refereeing.

Labour need to take a coherent position over this and the leadership seem unable to do so. Individuals have done so, particularly John Denham , but even two jags on Sunday Politics made more sense than the "line" senior figures are taking. Its laughable that they're saying the solution to English votes should come from the people and not cobbled together by MP's , when the Brown Vow was cobbled together by the establishment and not even debated by elected politicians. Labour need to wake up and smell the coffee, this is not going away. You can not put the genie back into the bottle. Personally, I find myself agreeing with Two Jags, the white paper for the Brown Vow should include a timetable for English devolution, but doesn't necessarily have to run in tandem. The only caveat should be that Scottish MP's abstain from voting on devolved matters in the period in between .

Joel Barnett labour lord said today that he's becoming "increasingly ashamed of having my name attached to an unfair funding system". Lol at labour politicians trying to defend their position on Daily Politics . Andrew Neil is monstering them.

Rodgers is getting found out, the king is in the all together. He blew the league last year and now Hannibal has gone he's clueless . The signing of SRL was him trying to be a clever **** and it's backfired . He paid well over the odds for Adam and it looks like a "flavour of the month " signing. Lovern has surprised me , cause I rate the guy, but he's playing behing Stevie G . Strong management is about getting rid at the right moment , but he didn't have the balls to do so. They'd have been better off pensioning off Gerard and keeping caraghar . I said to a scouser up at anfield that they've bought 3 of our players , but none was needed. The bloke they needed was victor to replace Gerrard. It's not healthy having Gerard around the club as he's not up to it, but Rodgers hasn't got the bottle to do it.

Oh dear

There's already been a Sweaty on Radio calling for another vote if the UK vote to leave the EU.

Would be interested in the wages.Are we paying a large % , or are they cementing their place as the new skates.

I don't think there's anything wrong with having other statues about. I would have one on the kingsland corner , so people see it when they come out of the walkway . leave Ted out front on his own, with Marcus somewhere else.

If Salmond thinks the English will allow their central bank to be lender of last resort to a foreign country , he really is deluded. The only credible option he had is to join the euro and the ECB fulfilling that function. I don't really understand why Salmond didn't propose joining the euro . I know its toxic, but the reason its toxic is that its a currency union without economic union. Which is exactly what salmond proposes by keeping the £. The only difference is that the eurozone nations won't turn round and say they can't join.