A Little Bit of Politics ...........

[MyNameIsTerry]

To be honest, Tony, it's very subjective. What do they believe mental health means? People getting anxious or stressed isn't good or people like us who are in the system? The latter I would need to see from someone like the NHS discussing this as a root cause.

Generally any stress is bad for your health. Social media, poor employment conditions, anything...

But there are a lot of people who conflate clinical with normal levels of stress, anxiety and depression. The break up teens who are depressed, the people who clean a lot who make comments about OCD, etc which are far away from disorder levels.

But I would agreed about the whole sick of it issue. The trouble is the inertia and squabbling. If they had sorted all this a year ago the mood would be better because at least we have something to go on. It dominates TV but then it's such a far reaching issue it is going to dominate our economy for years to come so how can it be any other way? We just have to ensure other domestic issues don't suffer for it or it gets used by politicians/media to distract away from other failures.

They could put the same to businesses and it would be as predictable.

It's worth knowing though.

There is also the danger of trivialising mental health. It's trendy in celeb circles to label oneself without diagnosis and it's something many of us with be unhappy with. So many celebs, here and in the US, have got it totally wrong in claiming they have something e.g. I have OCD and it makes me more productive at work so I'm more successful

I think they may be more stringent in criteria if asked if it is affecting their physical health.

[mezzaninedoor]

Rees Moggs Somerset Capital Management is managed via subsidiaries in the tax havens of the Cayman Islands and Singapore. Rees-Mogg has defended the use of tax havens, saying “I do not believe people have any obligation to pay more tax than the law requires.” But as Rees-Mogg might have quipped himself, crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crevit – the love of wealth grows as the wealth itself grows.

I looked this up as a friend said 'I really like that Rees Mogg, a real man of principal'

I believe he has also set up a post Brexit fund management vehicle in Ireland

[MyNameIsTerry]

As far as Brexit goes, they will all be protecting their assets regardless of whether they steered the ship or lost a Remain vote.

But this whole tax haven and avoidance stuff needs stopping. We can't do it because we aren't the rich. It's legal currently.

A point raised against this is that the rich contribute more tax than many of us so shouldn't they be allowed to earn more? It would be hypocritical to argue I wouldn't feel that way and if any government raises our taxes we complain (ask people if they would add a few % to their taxes to help the NHS or they want to have their holidays and TV's and you will see a lot complaining) but it just feels wrong and set up for the friends of the rich or the politicians whilst services are being slashed.

[mezzaninedoor]

So you thought we had finished with the Expenses scandals.
That these MPs had learnt their lessons and things were all hunky dory in HOC land.
..... well think again !!!!

160 MPs are said to have benfefitted from the taxpayer funded mortgage perk, to the tune of at least £42 million pounds, in fact probably more than that.

Michael Gove had made £870k , Maria Miller £1.23 million, David Treddnnick £2.85 million

Martin Bell, not sure of hes currently an MP, says that all the 160 MPs should pay these profits back.

6 Tories and 1 Labour MP have made £1 million at least each.

...... however under Parliamentary rules they are allowed to keep the gains !?!?! This seems to be a real odd loophole when you consider that they are given the benefit to help them dispense their Parliamentary obligations not to turn a profit by wheeling and dealing around these homes. It feels like the Commons ethics committee needs to tighten up something around these rules with regards to this mortgage perk.

This mortgage perk came in after the Expenses scandal and was meant to make things more transparent and controlled. in fact it has seen things get worse it seems. Average money made by Tories £417,000 each and Labour £193,000 each.

The expenses scandal 10 years ago only hauled back £1.3 million for the public coffers, have things got worse ??? Is this another experience for the public that we have greedy MPs at the trough ???

[MyNameIsTerry]

It sounds like the ended one scheme and just started up another knowing it could be exploited.

Whilst Nick Clegg have £40k back, which is great, I question why he seemed to profit far less than anyone else? Did he invest in a less lucrative property?

It seems to me that MP's may have access to inside information about improvement schemes that increase housing value hence can exploit a scheme like this further.

There could be a valid argument for MP's in here in that they are investing their own money so should expect some level of return but at the same time, as the ex MP campaigning to change this noted, there is the possibility they are claiming far too much because they are able to finance a more valuable property. There should be caps. And there should be guidelines on what is acceptable.

To be honest, why give them a free reign? Give them an allowance value and expect them to find something within a price range. Just because Gove may be able to afford a palace doesn't mean we should allow him more than someone willing to slum it with the rest of us.

Work out what they need to pay back and force them too. Perhaps we can crowdfund a big red bush with "we can save £42m" on it?

[mezzaninedoor]

Work out what they need to pay back and force them too. Perhaps we can crowdfund a big red bush with "we can save £42m" on it?

I really love the idea of a big red bush How do you see this working? Painting individual leaves to show your slogan or projecting the slogan on to it. Hopefully the big red bush isn't on someones personage ?!?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Oops, I meant to write big red bus! Although perhaps a big red burning bush with "thou shalt not steal" on it would be appropriate too? (coveting your neighbours ass too, we mustn't forget those Westminster sex scandals )

We could get "the People" to write a leaf to reflect our thoughts. Some might need to be high up on the bush though so juniors can't read them

No, probably not on someone's personage (what a dirty mind ) but it could spark political vagazzles!!!

[mezzaninedoor]

So.... House of Lords.
What should happen?
Citizens Assembley where we sequestor people like for Jury service?
Do we need a Royal Commission to decide what happens with the UK's second House?

With Brexit delayed are there any big ideas that could fix Politics in the medium/long term?

Is an election the only way out of the impasse? Is it the only way to shift the actuall parliamentary numbers which don't seem to stack up for any option at the moment?

I'm not really sure what I'm saying here but as the MP's are on holiday do we see any way that Theresa May is likely to move things forward or will we see meaningful vote #4 then #5 then ......................

[MyNameIsTerry]

Jury service yes please...as long as I get all their cash payouts!

A Royal Commission sounds a good idea. The Lords was Cromwell's way to feather the nest for our "betters" and it is long out of date. An elected upper house of some kind would make more sense now. Also it is a dumpuing ground for mates of politicians and they use it to make money. I used to work for an insurance company many years ago and they had a Lord on their board who, according to the MD, was only there for purposes of making a smaller company look good and opening doors.

I really don't believe a GE will resolve anything. The most it can do is return a majority for...someone Since a GE is about a lot more than Brexit it's sad they will be blighted by it so everything else is on hold.

Time is that great healer, I suspect. Whether we stay or go eventually people will move on. For some time the average person in the street has been sick of hearing about something they voted on ages ago and just want to dealt with. The more distance, the more normal life and everything else that is a problem will push it off the frnt pages.