Robin EU

EU President Jose Manuel Barroso has told the UK not to reverse the Robin Hood myth of "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor". It's ironic as Robin provided a tax rebate for English serfs who, even in the 13th Century, paid extortionate taxes to their Norman (French) masters.

Robin's name echoes down through the centuries for rallying Anglo-Saxons against this Norman oppression and fighting as free Englishmen. Did Robin keep a percentage of all liberated wealth for "administrative purposes" like the EU does?

If Robin Hood were not a myth, unlike signed off EU accounts, would he be turning in his grave knowing that the English were still being cajoled, threatened and robbed by European 'barons'!?!

National Pension Savings Scheme

Who will keep the contributions to the National Pensions Savings Scheme if an individual dies before or shortly after they retire? The Government or the 'pension' provider?

Why should anyone contribute 4% of their post tax earnings when about 40% of their gross earnings is already spent by Government?

When road pricing is introduced, hitting commuters particularly hard, a point will soon be reached when people are better off by not working!

Rational pension planning

Will the Turner report mean more money in your pocket? Only if you spend your life supported by state benefits your entire life. For everyone else, it is likely that you will be expected to pay more tax for longer to fund current pensioners whilst saving more to fund your own retirement.

Why is this sensible when savings are taxed, state pensions are means tested, residential care in England is paid for by the individual and the Chancellor takes 40% of your estate following your death?

For the majority of people, it is far more sensible to be a burden on the state in old age!

English congestion charge

If the Edinburgh Central constituents of Transport Secretary Alistair Darling rejected a proposed congestion charge by about 3 to 1, why seek to impose a similar congestion charge on English cities?

Campaign for capitalism

Does David Cameron welcome the entrepreneurial spirit shown by drug dealers as young as 14 who do not consider 'profit' to be a dirty word and are customer focused, offering a broad range of drugs to people who enjoy "a private life" 24/7?

Conservative Pension Crisis

When will the Conservative Party start representing the average person in the street on the pensions crisis rather than make cheap political capital out of whether Gordon Brown is trying to "sabotage" the Turner report or not.

If the Conservative Party ever reflected the views of people such as these ( highly recommended on the BBC Have your say website), they would be a serious threat to Labour. The views are currently the most highly recommended on the website.

I've given up caring now. Too much money is wasted on those who can't be bothered to help themselves - unless it's someone elses money. Stop giving money to those who cannot be bothered to work (or can't stop breeding) then there will be more to go around. I am fed up with people getting more in benefits than I am earning. I have a pension plan, I just can't afford to put enough into it.

JoJo Kavanagh, eSSEX ,Recommended by 100 people, Added: Thursday, 17 November, 2005, 18:50 GMT 18:50 UK

The Government is charging me
1 - more in income tax
2 - more in National Insurance
3 - more in Council Tax
4 - more for my passport
5 - I am paying £6000 a year to support my children through university
6 - I am being told I am not saving enuogh for my retirement (is there any wonder)
Now I have to work an extra 2 years to fund an increase in pension that I will not be entitled to because of my company pension - all so that the people who have spent a life on benifits do not have take a drop in their annual income.
This labour governement seems intent on making the working to middle classes pay for everything and get nothing back in return

Ted Matron, Selby, United Kingdom, Recommended by 92 people, Added: Thursday, 17 November, 2005, 13:14 GMT 13:14 UK

Stop giving all our hard-earned money to scroungers and help us people that want to save for our and our children's futures but cannot because we are so heavily taxed.

I read nearly everyday about yet another stealth tax dreamt up to milk us even more for our money. Gordon Brown - PLEASE leave our money alone!

[Lukeandmum], Recommended by 87 people, Added: Thursday, 17 November, 2005, 12:18 GMT 12:18 UK

While government workers retire at 60 on index-linked final salary pensions the rest of the population are expected to work to death to pay for them. It's good to see that people are finally waking up to this injustice. DO NOT LET LABOUR MAKE YOU PAY FOR THEIR CRONIES. Enough is enough.

Lance Grundy, Liverpool, United Kingdom, Recommended by 62 people, Added: Thursday, 17 November, 2005, 13:17 GMT 13:17 UK

Tommi - The milk of human kindness is difficult to maintain when you have to get up at 6am daily to sit in rush hour for 80 minutes, work full time, come home and run a home every day. All with the promise that your hard earned cash will be given to those who can't be bothered to work and at the end of it all you'll be too skint to have the heating on in winter.

Vikki Webb, Manchester, United Kingdom, Recommended by 61 people

Racist Arts Council (3)

Following my poor response from the Arts Council England, a letter has now been sent to the Commission for Racial Equality.

The Arts Council England is running a competition only open "to residents of the UK from an African, Asian or Caribbean background"

Does this breach the Race Relations Act? Would a similar competiton only open to UK residents of a European background be treated any differently?

Why is the Arts Council England allowed to exclude UK residents from a South American background?

BBC Prisoner abuse

Never missing an opportunity to discredit coalition forces in Iraq, the BBC begins a report on a prisoner abuse scandal in Malaysia by comparing it to "abuses perpetrated by coalition forces in Iraq".

To their credit, Malaysia's leaders did not even draw breath before condemning the video, which came to light on Friday

By implication, coalition leaders do "draw breath" before condemining "prisoner abuses" in Iraq.

Unfair charges?

The BBC recently highlighted that how unfair it is to be charged for withdrawing your own money from certain cash-machines. Is that any worse than being charged to watch your own TV!?!

For those wishing to avoid the TV licence fee, TVlicensingbiz is very informative. The public service BBC omits it from their "related links" for some reason!

Pub research needed

If research has found that term time work "lowers grades", how much research is needed to identify a link between longer pub opening hours and lower grades?

Racist Arts Council England (2)

I have received a reply from the Arts Council England following my complaint about a writing competition that is only open to entrants "from an African, Asian or Caribbean background".

Dear xxxx xxxxxxxx,

Thank you for your enquiry.

The reason for the original decibel definition of African, Asian and Caribbean was that there was clear evidence that these groups which are what you could term 'majority-minority groupings' within England i.e. they are the biggest minority groups had not benefited from our funding programmes to the level you would expect from the demographics.

http://www.theshortstory.org.uk/prizes/index.html This link will provide you with information about other short story competitions. If you are interested in prizes for other writing formats please let me know and I can look into this for you.

Arts Council England does not consider this competition to be unlawful under the Race Relations Act.

Best wishes,

Tania

The Arts Council England may not consider this competition to be unlawful under the Race Relations Act but I still do!

Update My response:

Tania

Thank you for your prompt response. What is the "clear evidence" that you refer to? Are you implying that Art Council England funding is inherently racist as it unfortunately excludes minority groupings using current spending formulae?

Looking through the short story competitions that you helpfully provided, not one single competition is exclusive to English residents, obviously ignoring the smaller regional competitions. Why is this? Is this an oversight? Ironically, the 'Rhys Davies Short Story Competition' is only open to writers "born or currently living in Wales" whilst the 'Scotsman Orange Short Story Award' is only open to Scottish writers!

Unfortunately, you have not explained why the Art Council England is running a competition open to UK residents. Surely the competition should only be open to UK residents from the 'minority groupings'? Wouldn't it be ironic if a Welsh or Scot won an Art Council England competition!?!

Regards

xxxx

PS Do you consider London teachers to be another 'minority' grouping who have not benefited from your funding programmes to the level you would expect from the demographics? "The Creative Writing Competition for London Teachers 2006" - Booktrust, in association with Arts Council England, London Metropolitan University and the Arvon Foundation are running a writing competition for London teachers.

Dishonourable Members of Parliament

Labour MPs should be ashamed that supported a Bill that amounts to a retrospective amnesty for fugitives wanted in connection with some of the most heinous terror crimes in Northern Ireland. It dishonours the House of Commons and all those families affected by the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. Why should any fugitive escape justice because it's "not fair" that they should be imprisoned when others were released following the Good Friday agreement?

What is the fear that drives Labour MPs to support such a Bill if the peace process is "lacking momentum"? More bombings? "If you don't let fugitives return from a self-imposed exile, we will not be very happy and could start bombing and murdering again..."

Guaranteed pay rises

If only the private sector could look forward to guaranteed pay increases regardless of performance each year.

Four candles

The British Government has said that the lights will not go out this winter "under any scenario whatsoever" according to the Trade and Industry Secretary, Alan Johnson. Candles and batteries are therefore essential purchases for any household.

If Government is unable to accurately estimate the number of priority cases for the flu vaccine, how can it possibly predict future demand for gas and fuel supplies across the UK this winter?

Fat chance of rebate

Will there be a fat tax rebate for people denied NHS treatment as they are too fat?

If fat people are disqualified as their condition is invariably "self-inflicted", will A&E treatment for drunks also be rationed?

Inner city blight

What does Lord Rogers thinks needs to change to encourage the middle classes to move into inner city areas? Beyond a certain income, quality of life is far more important than money. Middle class families cannot be subsidised to move to the inner cities.

There can be few places worse than central London for raising a middle class family. Most people strive to escape London's pollution, poor education, high crime rates and broad social mix before starting a family.

Whilst social integration is an admirable goal, many find reasons why it is not desirable for their immediate families. Does Lord Rogers live in Brixton or is he a "victim" of poor social planning in the past!?!

Motiveless murder?

Why is the motive for the murder of Christopher Yates "unclear" when one of the murderers shouted "We have killed the white man. That will teach an Englishman to interfere in Paki business."?

The motive seems quite clear, Christopher was murdered simply because of the colour of his skin, just like Anthony Walker.

Cameron on Devolution (2)

If David Cameron proposed income tax cuts of 3p but only applicable in England, there would be widespread outrage amongst Welsh and Scottish nationalists.

So why does news of Scottish Conservative proposal of a 3p income tax in Scotland cause no outrage in England? Maybe politicians are right to treat England with such contempt as nobody complains!

Citizens Pension

If the Liberal Democrat proposal of a "Citizens Pension" is based upon UK citzenship rather than previous national insurance contributions, what is the 'benefit' of paying national insurance contributions?

A "citizens pension" is another Liberal Democrat example of rewarding the workshy at the expense of those in work.

Cameron on devolution

If David Cameron, the Conservative leadership contender, believes in Scottish devolution "heart and soul", will he also allow England to have a devolved Government?

How dare he support a reduction in Scottish income tax with no similar reduction in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Why should the English in particular receive less for their tax money whilst paying income tax at a higher rate!?!