Ed Miliband has found a policy!

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Wed 5 Jun 2013 19:59
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - jamie745

Ed Miliband this week announced brand new Labour policy which consists of agreeing with the Conservative Party.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22777735

The other Ed has announced new Labour policy which consists of contradicting Labour policy of just a few months ago.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22748914

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Thu 6 Jun 2013 12:09
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - Bromptonaut

Wondered where you'd gone.

These 'changes' are both recognition of the reality LAbour is likely to inherit in 2015. While universality remains an aim it's not made the cut when deciding priority.

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Thu 6 Jun 2013 14:27
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - jamie745

Labour will likely 'inherit' exactly the same situation they left behind 5 years previously.

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Thu 6 Jun 2013 18:58
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - daveyjp
Which the present lot said would be sorted out by then. They are all buffoons.
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Thu 6 Jun 2013 19:27
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - jamie745

Pledging to balance the books within five years was always a stupid thing to say, but people didn't want to hear the consequence of three Labour terms will be at least two terms of cuts.

In 2010 both Governments spoke of 3% annual growth within a year etc and they all factored that in to their plans. Well it hasn't happened, mainly because Britains growth of the last decade was built on state spending and most of our 'friends' in the EU customs union are even poorer than us, making 'exporting our way to growth' looking a fallacy.

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Fri 7 Jun 2013 01:14
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - concrete

I just wish Ed and Balls had found a brian cell each to rub together! Labour, Conservative, Liberals, whatever. They are all so busy fighting over a small section of centre ground to get into power they have completely lost any notion of what and why they are in Parliament for. When the Titanic eventually sinks it will be the likes of you and me fighting for a place on the lifeboat, they will have had theirs launched way ahead of us. I really don't hold any allegiance to any party now. Once in power they cock it up and once in opposition they have all the answers! Marvellous. I do get annoyed though when that goggle eyed wally of a shadow chancellor tells me how I should be running my life, business and everything else, when he is not capable of lacing my boots. I have worked quite successfully for 49 years now, despite the best efforts of government to hamper every move. I think I should be telling him how to run things. Nah, leave the idiot in the dark. Cheers Concrete

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Sat 8 Jun 2013 00:02
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - Avant

It's hardly surprising - but it's frightening - that politicians all make such a pigs' breakfast of their job. Most of us are trained to do our jobs, and those of us with professional qualifications take three or more years of training to get them.

But politicians get none, and most don't even shadow the job they do when in opposition. Come the next reshuffle and - juist as after a general election - new ministers will be responsible for policy-making and taking important decisions while knowing nothing about their subject, and this being totally dependent on the Civil Service.

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Sat 8 Jun 2013 00:15
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - alastairq

and this being totally dependent on the Civil Service.

of which, this Government is intent on divesting itself?
Question is, what are they, and we, going to do without it? This country needs its Civil Service....and not in 'private' hands either. For, without it, the very fabric of that society we so strongly try to preserve, will fall apart. Yup, I'm a Civil Servant.....and, despite hundreds of millions of pounds being spent by successive Governments intent on trying to get my particular job done by the private sector, all was, and still is, to no avail. Time & time again it has been demonstrated that my colleagues and I represent the very best value-for-money for the State. Yet,still, Governments go through the motions to try to prove otherwise. And no, I don't drive a desk. Far from it! In Ed BAlls, I struggle to find any credibility. In fact, I wouldn't buy a 2nd hand car from any of them. Mr Gove, particularly, reminds me of something akin to Mr Bean..? With about as much competence? If only they'd all spend less time blaming the last lot, I'd perhaps take some notice.

Edited by alastairq on 08/06/2013 at 00:17

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Sat 8 Jun 2013 10:20
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - galileo

alastairq, accepted that a Civil Service is necessary to implement Government policy, the general public tend to think the civil servants are partly to blame for whatever evils the 'last lot' did. There is still also a perception (possibly unjustified) there are still "Sir Humphreys" manipulating Ministers in the interest of preserving or expanding their own empires. Statistics about the relative numbers and salaries of MoD staff and frontline servicemen which the tabloids publish also explain why it is seen as politically popular to cut back on the Civil Service.

Not ncessarily right or fair, but that seems to be how it is.

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Sat 8 Jun 2013 18:38
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - alastairq

'perception' is the new 'truth?'

The fact of the matter is, Civil Servants are the punch-bags of politicians and the public.

And the public wonder why Civil Servants actually [probably] don't care what the public think?

I know I certainly don't!

But I am happy with the knowledge that, when civil service posts get cut and cut, Joe Public will find it ever harder to get what they want from life.

I'm not talking about the high-end civil servants.....but the thousands out there on poverty wages, [according to government stats] actually keeping the administration of this country moving.

Against all the odds.

One day, Joe public will wake up to discover, that appealing to populist opinion will have resulted in throwing out the baby with the bath water!

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Sat 8 Jun 2013 21:17
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - Dutchie

I wonder if anybody cares anymore.Our health service is heading to privitisation,problaby in the future we ae all chipped and jump to orders.If we allowe this to happen keep watching football and the celebety shows.

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 15:49
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - concrete

Good points from Avant and alistairq. My 5 year apprenticeship included 4 years of night school for qualifications. Then more after that for my own advancement, and that is just the start of learning, you could not buy my experience, except Balls knows best!! I agree the Civil Service is vital and provides the continuity throughout the constant changes of 'management' imposed on it. Not so unlike the workforces of many private commercial companies actually. Here is a radical thought! What if the Civil Service was actually asked to re- organise itself? Who else better to know and provide the neccessary information to achieve efficiency and value. The incentive being that savings would provide a financial bonus for existing staff who can complete the work to hand, probably with less people and managers. So, in the light of efficiency savings there would be no pay cuts or freezes but inceases in pay or maintained pensions rights. Anything that can be achieved without involving politicians must have a head start to success. Come the revolution!! Well we can dream. Cheers Concrete.

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 21:51
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - alastairq

..............................all of which pretty much goes on anyway in many Civil service Departmetns [including mine]...performance-related bonus systems for ...amongst other reasons, making savings.

A bonus system , however whereby, whilst those who desreve a bonus are recognised...all are placed 'in a pot', and only a small percentage are then selected to actually receive that bonus.

I refuse point-blank to submit any evidence for a 'bonus'....regardless of what I have...or have not...done!

I refuse to waste MY time and effort when the outcome is but a lottery anyway.

Luckily for me, and my employer, I actually enjoy what I do for a living..I enjoy getting up in the morning for work [at my age, it is a joy to simply wake up?}...and I shall continue doing my job until I'm past 70....health permitting my licences to be retained!

Since there has been a Cabinet Office ban on recruitment, I am not keeping a youngster{?} out of a job at all........indeed, it is my immediate managements' problem that the skilled workforce is getting older by the minute. And grumpier. And more argumentative...and we're always right, too!

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Thu 13 Jun 2013 01:22
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - concrete

Hello alistairq, it is a pity that individual effort is not recognised. A pool bonus is all well and good but individual effort needs to be recognised, that is a management function and carefully applied is a good incentive. This is where I parted company with the unions many years ago. Bonus schemes which were intended to increase productivity were feared by the 'jobsworths' who might actually have to break sweat, but welcomed by most who were providing for families and eager for betterment. However at the meetings where voting was a show of hands, many backed off, so they got what they deserved and the keen workers moved on to non-union companies. The union was good for getting a minimum rate but ridiculous for trying to dictate a maximum earnings rule to protect the indolent. Whether you present your accomplished work for assessment or not, I bet your line manager knows what you do and how well. I am glad you enjoy your career and wish you well to continue with it. My son tells me 'there is no substitute for youth' but I retort ' there is definitely no substitute for experience'. Nice to 'converse' with you. Cheers Concrete

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Sat 15 Jun 2013 15:03
Ed Miliband has found a policy! - Dutchie

Iam all for individual effort being recognised but how often is it the case that it is not what you know.But who you know and grovel to.The way of the world.

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