Awol

What's the difference between Jade Goody and Wendy Richards? I'd still **** Wendy Richards. ---------------------------- Spoke to a mate today, said he had some bad news from the doctor, the big C! "Fcuking hell mate, cancer?" I asked. "No," he said. "Dyslexia."

Edit: Too much

You could turn that question around and look at Blair's 2005 speech slating the FSA for trying to regulate banks too heavily. The implication of that is clearly that political interference to do less was preventing the FSA carrying out it's job of regulating banks. But of course it all started in 'Amerika' and had nothing to do with anyone in government, ever. Apart from when banks were raking it in and the government were taking all of the credit.

Ianrobo So the case off BCCI in 1991 was the reason regulatory powers were taken from the BoE seven years later? If that's the case shouldn't the FSA have been defunct when Northern Rock went down, and if not then why not if the same standards are being applied? And you still haven't really explained why you call for stronger regulation on one hand and then suggest that such measures wouldn't have made a difference anyway?

The same BOE independence that Cameron said of BoE independence is one of the best things (along with the minimum wage) that Labour has done. Stripping them of regulatory powers over other banks is one of the stupidest things Labour has done*. *Obviously not including the Iraq debacle. they los the power because they **** up so much over BCCI, the question is would be any benefit it they had had it, I doubt it would have made a difference Sorry mate but not entirely clear on your meaning. Are you saying that if the BoE had retained strong regulatory powers the same culture of reckless lending would have grown up? Let's suppose you're right, why do you call for much tougher regulation if you don't think it makes a difference, and at the same time directly blame it's absence for the situation we're in now? Doesn't make much sense to me unless I've misunderstood you?

Like Mr T " warmonger, shite PM, lying bastard extraordinaire" Blair you mean? Or maybe Mr " It's all Amerika's fault, I didn't **** up the entire economy, honest guv" Brown? Trying to pull me up for use of the F word doesn't really make you morally superior either. Face it, Labour are lying, warmongering clueless scum, currently wreckers in chief of everything we in Britain used to stand for. You're proud of that, it says more about you than your favourite newsapaper, although it's funny that when the Guardian slag Labour's assault on civil liberities you are strangely absent from the debate..... Who extended drinking hours again leading to an increase in drink related crime? They'd sell their own mothers for the chance of more tax. Hope you're proud of these 'socially progressive' fucktards.

No Ian, just because you say it 'cheapens' an arguement doesn't mean it isn't a point of view that millions are now recognising. Lets face it, the party you support are anti civil liberties, anti democracy, basically the worst government this country has had in living memory. I don't expect you to admit that but to be honest it doesn't matter, Labour are ****, utterly, absolutely and not before time. Let's just hope that the new Government take the idea that an Englishman by definition is a free man, more seriously than the current control obsessed Stalinist fuckwits. I suggest you read Matthew Parris in the Times today because he puts it rather well. Your lot are now fundamentally irrelevant, all that remains to be seen is how much damage Labour will be able to inflict before they are **** off. PS. I bet you're well proud of Jacqui Smith, the only Villa fan I'dlike to see shot in the face, sleazy clearing in the woods that she is. Hot tip: Blame the house of lords

What Gringo said is absolutely spot on, but you keep on voting for the western equivalent of the Stasi Ian, fortunately it no longer matters now that the British public have woken up to what lying bellends the Labour party really are. Only fifteen years or so until you can start blaming Maggie again...

The road to hell is paved with good intentions (and poorly drafted law, which allows the home secretary to frame these requirements as mandatory conditions for all licensed premises using those dodgy statutory instruments permitted under the abolition of parliament act which where only ever, ever (promise) to be used to tidy up old legislation and never ever to try and squeeze in slightly controversial amendments such as the one last month to exempt MPs expenses from the FOI act). Owned.

The same BOE independence that Cameron said of BoE independence is one of the best things (along with the minimum wage) that Labour has done. Stripping them of regulatory powers over other banks is one of the stupidest things Labour has done*. *Obviously not including the Iraq debacle.

Oh. Has gordo rolled back the market reforms it has introduced and is trying to expand in education and health markets? Didn't notice it. Therefore rather difficult to attack 'dave' for something gordo is keeping on, keeping on. he wants to go much further tha Labour did (a policy has you know I disagreed with from the start) You may well disagree with it but it doesn't change the fact that priviatisation of education IS part of Labour's policy. Therefore attacking the Tories for backing it is surely the same as condemning the party you support - but I've never ever heard you doing so?

Lovely list of names from the 1990's Ian, the Bill you linked had eleven supporters. Remember how many Labour MP's were opposed to tuition fees on principle back then? They were allowed to change their minds and financially fist the students of this country, does it not therefore follow that Tories who opposed the minimum wage ten years ago may also have also changed their minds? If they hadn't then that Bill would have had considerably more support, non? I think it's a fair bet that isn't correct.

Eleven Tory MP's sponsoring the Bill, not exactly a return to feudalism in the making mate. You could probably find a similar number of Labour MP's to sponsor a Bill stating that everyone should be forced to drink bitter, race whippets and sing the Red Flag at BBC close down every night. A few odd thinkers do not make a policy. I could say with equal uncertainty that Labour plan to turn the sky green after the next election, it doesn't mean it's true.

Seems like some "crackers" have the truth in them :-) Tory plans to allow for minimum wage opt out What a shame eh? That sounds like the thin end of the wedge to me and I don't like Mr Chope's idea at all, although the suggestion to allow refuges to work seems long over due. Thing is this is a Private Members Bill Ian not Tory policy and shouldn't be misrepresented as such.

Ahh - and which party made it their aim to kill unions again? Be very careful for what you wish for - removal of workers rights, removal of minimum wage all coming to you with a Tory gvmt Where did you read that, in a cracker?

Tony Our manufacturing sector is still bigger than that of France and they followed radically different policies to those of Maggie and Tony.

Haven't read the thread but for me it's yes and no. I don't think there is a old bloke with a beard sitting in the sky but I think life itself is 'God'. I guess that makes me either a Jedi or a Pagan although my core beliefs about the treatment of others are shaped by Chrisitianity.

So another Head of MI5 being 'misquoted' again about the creation of a police state? I'm afraid your poor attempt at spin makes me laugh Ian.

^ The amount of people in the know that keep warning of a police state in the UK keeps on growing but enforcing more and more state control seems to be hard wired into Labour's DNA. Read in the paper this morning that under the new counter terror laws you can arrested for photographing a policeman, that's another potential check on their behaviour removed. But we are just paranoid conspiracy theorists Gringo...

^ UK Population Statistics 2012: England - 5 million* NI - 2 million Wales - 500,000 Scotland - 52.5 million *Could not be rescued from the matrix.

That Snowy, was exactly my point.

Can you imagine if we had not got rid of all of our industry? Or our financial regulation... BTW we still have a bigger industrial base than France.. Thatcher, Major, Blair and Brown. The four horsemen of the economic apocalypse.

Following the lead off topic, if ever a man deserved a gobfull for being a slimy, duplicitous vacuum of integrity, it's Keith Vaz. I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire. Well said Boris.

Probably by saying "oh really, and where are you going to find another 10 billion Mr Brown?"

It is an idea, but it's a rubbish one! The budget is only about thrity billion (about 2.2% of GDP), what exactly do you suggest is cut? Even if you binned the armed forces entirely it would probably only be enough to bail a bank out for six months anyway. Cable is the only person in politics who seems to have a clue at the moment, I suggested way back on this thread that the entire banking system needs to be nationalised and then re-privatised over a ten-fifteen year period. I don't think there is anywhere else left to go.