A report from the Mancunion reported a large drop in students numbers and one article mention 3 student halls of residences in Fallowfield were empty: http://mancunion.com/2012/09/27/fallowfield-hall-empty-after-drop-in-student-numbers/. They even had an article about the rise of Asian Universities, another reason student numbers in Manchester will go down. The Daily Telegraph also had an article about the large number of course vacancies and especially mentioned Manchester Metropolitan University: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9574429/Universities-still-advertising-vacancies-before-term-starts.html.
And with the planning department and committee refused planning permission for a student block on Coupland Street; 095082/FO/2010/S1 and another on Boundary Lane: 099782/FO/2012/S1 until the need for further student commendation was proven.
Both Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester University both opposed these developments with a statement;
‘The statement essentially indicates that there is a real danger of overprovision within Manchester resulting in a high level of vacancy. This is influenced by the introduction of the full £9000 tuition fee for undergraduates, an 8% reduction in applications to higher education and the trend for more local students to live at home. MMU has seen 27% reduction in application from first year students to live in halls’.
So where is the requirement to build student accommodation on Birley Fields? And I thought it totally hypocritical of our councillors who were against these applications whilst still supporting the Birley Fields proposals.
SKWalkers views on George Osborne’s speech
A thoughtful critique on George Osborne’s speech and all it entails. I would not agree with the writer that things were improving under Labour. I see them both, as seriously evil, political parties that protect the rich and corrupt. And have not taken on-board, the fact we have to move away from this ‘growth’ mentality. We live on one planet but living as if we live on three.
I’ve been a bit out of circulation since yesterday evening because of work travel, so maybe someone else has already done this. But maybe not. Most of the media reports I’ve seen on George Osborne’s speech yesterday at the Tory party conference have centred on his laughable scheme to have employees swap their employment rights for shares in their employer’s company. I’ll take a look at why it’s ridiculous too, but first I want to take a look at the other things he said and what they say about him.
My mother used to love reciting the old saying, ‘Whenever you point a finger at anyone else, you’re pointing three back at yourself’. Of course, that that was a form of finger-pointing never seemed to occur to her – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t often true!
So, let’s take a look at Osborne’s speech in some detail (though I’m…
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Ripped-off Britons: Key political fibs, and some tips on how to refute them
I have posted before, that the UK, especially the City of London Corporation is the biggest Tax Haven in the World. Our political elite, Labour and Conservative constantly tell us they cannot tax the rich because the financial sector would leave this country. They also tell us, it is unfair to tax the rich, because success should be rewarded. But we know, they have only been successful by acting in a criminal way and evading tax. That, money will trickle down, but for generations we have seen the reverse. The article below gives some answer, you can use in reply to the nonsense being peddled by the political elite.
Ripped-off Britons: Key political fibs, and some tips on how to refute them.
You can send a message by signing the following petition, asking for a reform of the banking sector:
The papers are full of stories of how the Conservatives are going to cut benefits, claiming tax-payers are sick of paying for the work-shy. Most of those who are on benefits have no choice, there is no paid work for them. The way the Economy is modelled, does not take account of those who do unpaid work, such as housewives and those who care for relatives. We are going back to the times of Dickens, were the poor were thought to have brought on themselves and deserved punishment. Whilst the rich fleece each other in a very corrupt business world.
Jobless and big-families lose benefits
I wonder, are those who are in employment and earn more than the average wage, will continue to receive child benefits, even though they do not need it? The cuts are supposed to be in the region of £10 billion but the Government is taking about spending £70 billion of a Trident missile program replacement, not mentioned in the papers.
And of course this ‘Green’ Governments commitment towards renewable energy, which has seen the Chancellor talk about tax-breaks for ‘fracking’. Has disillusioned major energy companies, who are now talking not investing in the UK.
Six Reasons Why Politicians Believe They Can Lie | Psychology Today
An interesting article on why politicians lie. And it is very pertinent to Manchester and the Labour run council. For years now councillor Richard Leese and Howard Bernstein have been trumpeting the success of their regeneration plans for the City. This is despite their are hundreds of office and retails units empty, some for years since being built. Then, there is the high unemployment, deprivation, poverty, fuel poverty and homelessness. Even despite all this evidence, their plans have not succeeded but have been proven to be a waste of tax-payers money. And in some cases, this money cannot be accounted for, but no criminal investigation or charges have been made. Still, their loyal following, including members of Labour’s shadow cabinet, think everything is fine. In the meantime, the real Mancunians (no matter what their colour), suffer. And the reason why, is explained in the article below.
Six Reasons Why Politicians Believe They Can Lie | Psychology Today.
Bibi’s Crazy UN Speech: Medievalist poses as champion of “modernity” | Sabbah Report
An article which puts the case, well, that the Israelis are bent on supremacy and war with it’s neighbour. No doubt sure, they will receive the backing of the US.
Bibi’s Crazy UN Speech: Medievalist poses as champion of “modernity” | Sabbah Report.
NHS not save in Labours hand either, especially under Ed Miliband
It has been pointed out to me by skwalker1964 that the Guardian had run two articles about Ed Miliband and the NHS.
In the first article, it has Ed Miliband exhorting Labour councils to use Public Health Boards to fight the worst of the Conservative privatisation of the NHS: Ed Miliband Health election campaign.
The second article, it states Ed Miliband stating that he would not sanction money on reversing the Conservative privatisation of the NHS. It does state that a Labour spokesman confirming the party would stick with it’s promise of reversing the NHS bill: Ed Mliband Labour vision.
If anyone thinks that you can trust Labour or the Conservatives must be deluded. Labour promised to improve the railways in the public interest but gave Virgin a monopoly to run the West Coast Line. To Keep the NHS save but they were responsible for the initial stages of privatisation of the NHS through its Private Finance Initiatives. Labour party manifesto 1997.
An lets not forget, Blair took us into two illegal wars, the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. This country urgently needs electoral reform in the form of Proportional Representation like the majority of countries that are democratic countries. Unlike the UK which is not a democratic country and has never been, except before the Norman invasion.
100 Million people will die by 2030 if the World does not act on Climate Change
A new report released on the 26th September 2012, called ‘A Guide to the Cold Calculus of a Hot Planet’, claims 100 Million people will die before 2030, due to the results of Climate Change. This is because of the inactions of Governments and businesses to act on climate change. This has led to a more polluted planet, causing the Global temperature to rise. Unfortunately Governments and business are locked into a fossil-fuel and consumer economy. They have not heeded the calls to invest in real renewable technologies and a move away from ‘business-as-usual’ model.
The report is optimistic, that there is still an opportunity to scale-back pollution and halt Global warming. I feel, it will not happen, till there is a complete collapse in water and food supplies, when it is too late. They put forward the argument that economically (not the first time, it has been argued), it would be the sensible thing to do. It would reduce poverty, hunger and ill-health and opposed to the outcome of pursuing a carbon economy. This is a report all politicians and business people should read and act on it.
At a meeting of Southern Voices a talk given by Washington Alcott ( a Jamaican), entitled ‘Climate Change – A conservation from the South’. Made the point that climate change and the environment agenda;
“It was predominately the white-middle class who dominated the debate and decided the outcomes”.
I agree with him, in fact I would go further, it is the so-called ( predominately white) educated middle-class who are part of the problem. The do not want to change their life-styles, so do not want real change. Even, those espousing to be environmentally aware, still drive the most, shunning public transport and continue to fly abroad multiple times a year for holidays. They consume more than those on reduced incomes, but pay less because of the unequal charging mechanisms. Because of their spending power, they could make a huge difference but they will not. There are ‘OK Jack, sod you’.
Davey vows to fight Tory tea party tendency for a “fairer, greener Britain” – 24 Sep 2012 – News from BusinessGreen
Full of promises, but will they be able to integrate the country into a ‘green economy’. They continually talk about growth, when that is the last thing the planet needs but a transfer to a Green economy. There is no mention about taxing aviation, for the pollution it causes. And it is not the South East were we do not want airport expansion, it is country wide.
Even the CBI is calling for a rejection of massive investment in large-scale gas plant to solve the countries energy crisis. Unfortunately, they do still say they is a need for nuclear, which is prohibitively expensive and not carbon neutral.
The Climate Committee is right – the government created this appalling investment climate – 13 Sep 2012 – James’ Blog: a blog from BusinessGreen.
An article about the continuing sorry state of the lack of Government support for renewable energy and any hope of reducing our dependence on imported energy and our carbon footprint.
Tory donors benefit from contract awarded by Minister
I have been busy trying to do an assignment for a postgraduate module. But this article, struck me as to why we need to bring an number of services back into Public ownership. The only people who have benefited from privatisation of services, from buses, railways, social services and the NHS under Labour and Tories, are business people. There are no benefits for those in need, there is no ‘trickle-down effect. These people make money out of the tax-payer and politicians are happy about this, because they benefit as well.
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