An alternative Queen's speech.

I tell you what, I'll leave this thread to you, shall I, and put my sarcastic comments, as you call them, on the other thread.
If you find my comments tedious, do not respond. If you do, I'll just be more sarcastic. You obviously enjoy that.

Cameron wants to restrict all union rights, but does not do similar on the right of politics.

What does this sentence mean, please, dj?

There is a crackdown on political campaigning and funding by unions, but not by employer organisations. Gagging laws restrict campaigning by civil society organisations and charities, but commercial lobbying is still allowed.

dj - do you see all Tory MPs as one mass.

Do you see all Tory voters as one mass?

Thanks, dj.

mediareform.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ca407d4765e6b4879b06b0d5b&id=6b3a3c9727&e=418311f20a

I do not think media and TV censorship is a good idea, either.
Sign this if you agree.

Keir Starmer's maiden speech was on the Human Rights Act.

www.theguardian.com/law/2015/may/28/keir-starmer-defends-human-rights-act-in-maiden-commons-speech

Gove said he'd heard stuff straight out of Dickens. Rich coming from him.

In the queen's speech there was mention of keeping tax below 30 hours minimum wage. Apparently 44% of workers earn less than the tax threshold at the moment.

The BBC is going to do a Hunger Games programme to set off those earning less than £15,500 against each other.

"The BBC has defended a new TV reality show pitting unemployed and low-paid workers against each other for a cash prize, which has been accused of echoing film the Hunger Games, arguing it is a “serious social experiment”.

The show, called Britain’s Hardest Grafter, is seeking 25 of Britain’s poorest workers with applications limited to those who earn or receive benefits totalling less than £15,500 a year.

The five-part BBC2 series will pit contestants against each other in a series of jobs and tasks with the “least effective workers” asked to leave until one is crowned champion.

The winner will receive a cash prize of about £15,500, the minimum annual wage for workers outside London."

Not quite sure where they get the £15,500 as minimum wage. I worked that out to be on a 46 hour week.
I think it's an appalling idea. There are too many reality programmes that put down the poor. Don't they need a bit of dignity? It's a cheap prize, too.

Good grief dj that is disgraceful.

Simply needs ignoring - that will soon be dropped.

www.change.org/p/the-british-broadcasting-corporation-stop-exploiting-the-poorest-in-society-for-cheap-entertainment

There is a petition to stop it.

I wonder if like the first Big Brother programme, which was in Holland, this could be a serious social experiment. It might highlight the real difficulties faced by those earning such low wages, if it's on over a number of weeks.

I'd be surprised and appalled if the BBC was really setting up the low-waged to make fools of themselves and be humiliated in order to win £15,000.

You just have to look at the Benefits Street style programmes to see how the poor are humiliated. To see poverty as a game show is despicable in my opinion. Those in power will not be saying let's put up the minimum wage so they have enough to live on.

At the same time, the government is trying to get rid of the unions so that there will be nobody to stand up for workers' rights.

www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/05/29/the-government-are-trying-to-kill-off-the-trade-union-moveme

Over 12000 signatures on this petition.

www.change.org/p/the-bbc-stop-the-bbc-s-hunger-games-style-show

It's very disturbing to think that the BBC feel that this type of programme is what the public want to watch. I abhor the exploitative aspects. I wonder how many people will be tempted to participate because they are desperate for money. How humiliating

I know it would be their choice to enter the competition, but if they're desperate they would be willing to try anything.

It occurs to me that although the 'winnings' are, presumably, not taxable, their benefits may be affected because it will take them over whatever the threshholds currently are? So they wouldn't actually gain in the end. Not sure about that . . .

Thanks for that link dj. I was unaware of this programme but have signed the petition and note that in the short time since it was started, fewer than 2000 signatures are now needed to hit the 15000 target.

I signed it today too - appalling!

They do not have to be on benefits, minimouse, just low-paid. I presume they also have to be single, as anyone who is part of a family will probably have housing benefits taking them above that amount.

If the winner has double the money in one year, they will only pay tax on it just like any other person whose pay goes up to £30,000 in a year.

No doubt they will then want to do another programme following the winner around to find out what he or she has squandered the money on!

durhamj you old cynic you

If it wasn't in the contract before, it will be now, MiniMouse! Me, a cynic!

14 927 signatures. Wonder how long it will take to get 20,000.

On the subject of trade unions contributing towards the Labour Party, in The I today was a small report which said:

"The Conservatives banked more money from donations than all the other political parties put together, the latest Electoral Commission figures showed".

"The Tories were given £15.4 million of the £30.6 million received by the parties in the first three months of this year, compared with £9.33 million collected by Labour............"

"The figures emerged as Labour braces itself for the loss of several million pounds a year following changes to trade union funding announced in this week's Queen's Speech."

Members of trade unions now have to actively authorise that part of their membership fee go towards funding the Labour Party. It would also be nice if it was incumbent on large companies such as Next, Warburtons, Betfair and Addison Lee Taxis to inform their customers that they donate to the Conservative Party, in order that their customers can also make an informed decision as to whether they wish to to take their custom elsewhere.

I read that, too, Eloethan.
I agree that we should be told when big companies donate to any party. Often people say it's not the company, it's the individual who donates. We need transparency in all donations.
It's easy enough to look at the theyworkforyou website to find out who donates to individual MPs, but it takes a lot of time and effort.

www.theguardian.com/business/2015/may/30/hotel-workers-bullied-underpaid-few-rights-uk

Just been reading this about Trade Unions. The Tories do not need another bill. Employees in hotels do not have many rights as it is.
The people who are going on strike outside London hotels are being very brave. It seems like they do not have much to lose.

Over 22,000 signatures now on the Hunger Games petition.

I heard this morning on the local radio someone talking about the local foodbank, and having a fun day to raise funds. Sorry but fun and foodbanks do not go together in my mind.

"The bill will in effect break the link between the benefits cap and median earnings. The coalition always argued the cap was fair because it was calibrated to ensure no workless household received in benefits income more than the £26,000 earned by the median household. The reduced level would mean unemployed households’ total benefits income would be capped at a sum far less than median earnings. Given that low-paid working household income is inflated beyond £26,000 by tax credits, the income gap between households in work, and those which are not, will widen. "
A quotation about the Welfare Bill and how the Libdems used to be able to temper the Tories in the coalition. It seems strange to miss the Libdem influence.