ECCOnoob

Devolved powers are already coming. As for all this political "elite" guff, please spare us. Like it or not, someone has to take charge. It cannot be a mirrored parliament utopia where every single day to day decision is put to a public democratic vote. The UK election has a total of 27 different potential groups which people can vote for be them "parties" or "other candidates" It is totally logical that over the course of 27 options the COMBINED votes of those losing parties would be higher than the total votes of the ONE winning party. But lets be sensible here. 26 "combined" figures vs 1 "winning" figure is not a realistic comparison. We can all scream about not getting who we wanted or more didn't want xxxx but how else is it supposed to work. The election would never end. Its not a two horse race and there has to be a clear winner at some stage otherwise what is the point. What exactly are people bothering to vote for. ---------- Post added 17-05-2015 at 01:06 ---------- Lets try to flatten this issue once and for all here. Ok, so these silly people are out having their tantrum on the street because the tories got in. They have 331 members in the house and a small majority allowing them to form a government. BUT, they are missing a really big point. In that house there are still 319 NON TORY members sitting there. That's 319 non tory people with their mouths who can speak up on behalf of their consituants who choose to vote them in. That's 319 non tory members who, if they so choose, can vote against any proposal the government bring in. That's 319 non tory members who can chant, question, petition against and generally open their gobs against anything they don't like about the government. Why all this talk about "not having a voice" and "people not represented". 319 people in that house are not tory. Its still a big enough crowd isn't it. Its up to those 319 non tory MPs to do what they are paid to do and stand up for their allegedly hard done by voters.

Personally I have no objection to some kind of PR system. Accordingly to recent dummy results Cameron would still have been likely PM and would have had first crack at forming a government anyway. At the end of the day, its nothing but a popularity contest. We vote for a candidate in our respective areas either for their personality or their party. The most seats wins. Who gives a toss what the people who voted for a losing candidate think. Its not their say. Millions of people vote for some talentless drone on the x-factor. Some vote for person A. Some vote for person B or C. You really think those who vote for B and C have a right to kick off and change the result because A got the most votes??? ---------- Post added 17-05-2015 at 00:32 ---------- MAJORITY OF SEATS WINS. That is the system. What part of this are you not understanding? This has been the way for decades. If people want change so badly why they hell were they not protesting for all the previous elections. Its just cos its a tory government init. Look at it this way. My constituency was a typical Labour Hold. Over 7000 more people DID NOT vote for labour over those who did. That's 58% of the populous in my area "not getting a voice". Can I go out and protest on the housing estates about how unfair it all is?? Maybe all the losing voters in all 650 constituencies should do that eh? Now that would be true democracy?? Shame that no government would ever get formed eh but....

Would you be saying that if Labour won? Where were you banging on about the disgrace of the system prior to this election? Have you been out screaming for PR all these years???

So what? More than that DID NOT vote for labour either. Until the system changes its the same results process as has been for all the other elections in the past. None of this fuss seemed to happen when Labour won with the SAME SYSTEM in the 1997 or 2001 or 2005 or even the coalition results of 2010 come to think of it. Its a load of lefties whining and whinging just because the Tories have took control for a change. Time to get over yourselves. Concentrate on getting your "way" in 5 years time if you are so passionate. I have very little belief that more than a handful of those on the streets chanting have actually been affected by any of the supposed austerity. Hardly looked destitute any of them. The public have spoken. Tories won most seats and highest number of votes. Nearly 2 million more votes than labour and over 2.5 million more than SNP/UKIP/Liberal and Greens votes combined. That's how it works at present and nothing these idiots with their "tories out" cardboard signs will change that.

I would. Dogs are supposed to be looked after and cared for by owners with the means to do so. Dogs live in domestic homes with proper food and shelter. Dogs are to be walked regularly, groomed and bathed. "plenty of free food" - what a joke. Scraps and leftovers from bins? yeah, really good for a dogs health that. "free vet care" errrm, I think not. Someone has to pay for that "free" service and if its not the owner of the dog who is it? Oh yeah, us working people having to donate OUR money to fund it. Dogs also restrict a homeless person from getting access to all and every available accommodation option as many places will not accept pets. Therefore they are restricting and creating their own difficulties which in turn puts more strain on the homeless services. So yes, I very much do begrudge so called "homeless" people sitting there having a pet. If they "allegedly" are in such a position that they cannot sort out themselves with food and shelter how they hell are they supposed to care for an animal. If anybody else had a dog and kept it outside 24 hours a day and fed it nothing but scraps and leftovers people would be screaming the place down and getting the RSPCA involved, yet somehow its perfectly acceptable for our "homeless" person to have one. Nonsense.

Roma beggar = con artist. Die my backside. Stop giving to the parasites and they will soon bugger off somewhere else. Having lived in London for several years I used to see these "beggars" and the gang masters targeting vulnerable tourists for hours on end before making off in a parked car somewhere to do it all over again the next day. These people would enter the Tube spending hour on end going round the network hassling people multiple times. They would carry babies with them and their "no English" spiel became a running joke to locals seeing them day after day. Just like the infamous "Gemma" or the bloke outside the train station who every day without fail needed 30p to get his train to Nottingham, they are complete frauds. The state provides in this country. Unless they have desperate mental health issues or are here illegally there is no need for ANYONE to be on the street begging.

Oh the Daily Mirror. Yes, what a "source" that is. Opinion from people about what MIGHT happen. That was the basis of the OP's rant. Having read the words "may" "it was claimed" "talked about" "Former Labour Mayor says...." "Paul O Grady commented...." all in the space of a short article forgive me if I don't care right now. I might be more interested in the OP's rant when they actually have some FACTS and EVIDENCE of what the Tories actually will do. The Daily Mirror source might as well be the Beano for all its worth. You couldn't get more biased.

What? What exactly have we become? Jesus god the way some people on here talk you would think that every hospital and GP surgery overnight has suddenly put up barriers with a entry fee and list of prices before patients are seen. It hasn't. Get a grip. Some parts of the overfunded and badly managed NHS have been put forward for PROPOSED sell off. Some parts have already been shipped out to private business. A lot of which was done by LABOUR not the conservatives. All this faux outrage about things which have not even happened yet (if at all) is becoming tiresome. Lets get some facts. The NHS is in crisis. Its demands and needs have changed dramatically since its inception. The population has not only dramatically increased but people are also living much longer. The lifestyles of the population has changed dramatically and it cannot continue in its current form nor can it be a continually bottomless money put which absolutely must never ever be shrunk or criticised. Not all nurses and doctors are angels. Not all aspects of the NHS are essential services which should be funded by taxpayers. A lot of it is unnecessary waste and its damn right it should be sold off or shut down.

What's the Source?

Hardly very democratic. Should it not be for us to decide if we want it or not? I doubt that the queen would be coming out and saying "Citizens, Im reforming the entire electoral system as of next term and you have no say in the matter. ." Its all nonsense anyway. Sour grapes from a load of leftie rent a mob with a handful of kippers thrown in. None of this fuss was around about the so called unfair FPTP system when Labour got in during the 1997-2010 periods. Nor during the tory rules of 1979-1997. There was none of this fuss when the coalition government was formed in 2010. Its just a load of losers protesting for the sake of protesting stirred up from some of the worst media bias (from both sides!) I have ever seen. The Mirror should be ashamed of themselves for their almost Labour PR rag stance. Equally the Express with its UKIP donation and PR machines for the purples and finally the Mail and Telegraph with its city boy support. All this together with the accidental Xenophobia created by the pro/anti SNP stances have created what I feel has been one of the worst campaigns ever. Its stirred up the moron brigades and, as is traditional this time of year, has given a perfect excuse for an annual riot. Quite frankly, its nothing to do with the Party in Power, nor the so called austerity, nor the unfair election process. It was an inevitable mad moment.

Spot on post.

very well said. As they say in the lottery, you have to be in it to win it. If you don't vote because you THINK it wont make a different you cant start crying when your choice fails to win. Those 17 million non votes could have completely changed the result. Even half of those could have been a complete game changer. They didn't and the result is what it is.

ok , I will concede that £35k severance is a hell of an amount to receive but lets not pretend severance pay is a privilege just for MPs. Lots of companies can and do offer a severance package to departing staff, particularly bigger firms seeking large reductions. Sometimes the package is a lesser amount but sometimes it could be way more than £35k particularly for high level staff and managerial staff. I know of one person who received over £60k from their departure from a well known retail company. As for the winding up allowance, that is not for the individual pocket its for the OFFICE of the MP. That could be leases, fixtures, staffing costs and other expenses which would have to paid off as a result of a departure. - so no it wont as you say, "soften the blow". I get the point you are trying to make but at least put some facts with it.

I don't know. Im not a news editor. Sky news have reported it and its currently in the C block on on BBC News. What's the editorial priority you seem to be demanding? Its the same May protests that we get every year. We had them in the G20 summit. We had them during summer 2013. Round and round it goes. Maybe they feel that the anniversary of VE day is a bit more newsworthy than a load of cry-babies protesting about austerity (again!).

What apart from this lot.... http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/anti-tory-protests-live-updates-5670515 http://news.sky.com/story/1480956/scuffles-at-london-anti-austerity-protest http://metro.co.uk/2015/05/09/impromptu-anti-austerity-protest-turns-london-into-a-war-zone-5189826/ http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/may/09/anti-austerity-protesters-take-to-uk-streets-after-tory-election-victory http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11595097/Police-officer-injured-as-anti-Tory-protesters-gather-outside-Downing-Street-and-Whitehall.html http://www.itv.com/news/2015-05-09/scuffles-between-police-and-protesters-and-anti-tory-demonstration-at-downing-street/ http://rt.com/uk/257201-uk-protest-tory-cameron/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32678518 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-10/riots-erupt-in-london-against-re-election-of-david-cameron/6458098 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/05/09/downing-street-anti-austerity-protest_n_7249008.html http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/anti-austerity-protesters-march-on-downing-street.125593462?utm_source=www.heraldscotland.com&utm_medium=RSS%20Feed&utm_campaign=Scottish%20News http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11595097/Police-officer-injured-as-anti-Tory-protesters-gather-outside-Downing-Street-and-Whitehall.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3074752/Voice-angry-angel-Charlotte-Church-protests-against-Conservative-party-s-general-election-triumph-says-ve-given-reins-bogey-men.html Hardly anything eh? They all need to grow up. Democracy has taken place. 11+ million people voted for the conservatives. That's 2 million more than labour and over 8 million more than Liberals. Even adding all the minority parties put together it still falls to around 3 million votes less than the Tories. There is all this screaming about vote fixing and PR. But what rent a mob seem to forget is we had a chance to change it quite recently. The public said NO. Even if we did have a so called PR Tories would still be the lead party based on the sample conversion figures and so would still take a lead in things. Its pure sore losers. They are protesting about things that "might" happen. Protesting about things that have not even been formally pledged. Protesting about things that have been stirred up by the media. Protesting for the sake of protesting. Jesus Christ there are far more important things happening right now. Austerity is not the end of the world and those who scream the word "Poverty" in a country with a welfare state as generous as ours need to be dragged to see what REAL POVERTY looks like. As to the NHS, quite frankly some of it needs to be sold off. Whilst essential services should remain just that, funded by taxes and free at source, why is nobody actually admitting there are far too many administrative departments, quangos, sub departments, joint partnerships, special projects, community services, cosmetic treatments, non practicing consultants, auditors, assessors, supply chains, maintenance, transportation, public relations, media, legal, compliance and even hospitality divisions all leaching millions from the health budget and all with their own layers and layers of management topped off with a handful of well paid Chiefs which personally I don't think would or should be classed as taxpayer funded necessities. I think, like many civil service dinosaurs there is quite a lot of it which could quite well be sold off to private sector. I am sick of the NHS being treated as this perfect and untouchable diamond that cant do a thing wrong and has an entitlement to a bottomless pit of funding. Its all horse crap.

...and pre-2010 it was all so much better. Right?

Well said. Thomas Cook did nothing wrong. They were not personally liable for the deaths. They were not owners of the hotel. They were not in control of nor responsible for the boiler in question. Tragic as this incident was, they have publicly expressed their sorrow for the loss of life. What more do people want? Why the hell should they be bullied into publically apologising for something they did not do. Things happen. People fall off balconies, people drown in swimming pools, drunken idiots injure themselves walking into or falling off things, people eat dodgy food and get stomach problems..... the list goes on. Does not necessarily mean that the travel company themselves are responsible and should have to apologise. Even the Package Tour Regulations 1992 does not automatically bind a tour operator responsible. Such matters are often assessed on "local" safety standards. Which as per would be the responsibility of the hotel. The Media is a smear campaign and its people like the OP who are being hooked.

Libel?? I think you need to look up the word. Its been reported in the public media. TT even made a statement on it. It not the only controversy about their organisation either.... http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iain-duncan-smith-accuses-food-bank-charity-the-trussell-trust-of-scaremongering-9021150.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3054749/Trussell-Trust-charges-1-500-set-food-banks-telling-money-needed-branding-PR.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2608606/No-ID-no-checks-vouchers-sob-stories-The-truth-shock-food-bank-claims.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11555010/Number-of-different-people-visiting-foodbanks-is-500000-not-one-million-says-Trussell-Trust.html The so called A-Political TT seemingly in bed with the DWP.... http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/03/12/jobcentre-food-bank_n_4948413.html The so called A-Political TT and its directors past and present seemingly have links and memberships all over the place..... https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/mel-kelly/well-trousered-philanthropists-tory-party-chums-and-food-parcels-for-poor Now you have your opinion. I have mine. Like I said, my opinion is another A4e just waiting to happen.

I disagree that its "obviously failing". Footfall may well be less than predictions but that's always a problem with guessing something. Its just that. A guess. Its only been open a couple of years and things always take time to settle. I bet even Castle Market has its ups and downs over its 40 years of operation. The Moor Market still has 70 odd tenants still trading and paying rent, it has most of its retail units now filled and operating, There is still ongoing work being done on the Moor with Phase 2 and Primark due to move in which one assumes has been factored in to the projections for the Moor Market and its supposed trading figures. I don't deny that footfall is probably down and I don't deny that some of the stalls cant hack it. However, others can. Maybe its not all about the building and the council. Maybe just maybe some of those traders are just not giving what people want. Decent opening hours might be a start. With Sainsburys across the street open until 7.00 every night, shops open on bank holiday but the market firmly closed, shops open on Sunday but the market firmly closed, very little offering beyond what is already available in 100s of other shops. They are not exactly helping themselves. When the Continental Markets come to town or the Specialist Crafts etc they are flooded with people, tills are ringing and people are buying. Why not a little more of that available in the market. That would certainly tempt me in more and im sure I cant be alone.

And there we go.... its a perfect la la la not listening moment. Attacking class now are we? Pathetic. WAS THE Soul of the city. Less well off USED TO shop. POUNDLAND B&M HERON FOULTONS ICELAND WILKINSONS ASDA TESCO PRIMARK MATALAN MORRISONS SAINSBURYS NETTO LIDL ALDI That's where they shop now. That's where they have started to and have been increasingly shopping more and more for the past 40+ years.

So what would you prefer? Something had to be done that's clear. Leave the rotting corpse of castle market and their handful of customers? Have no market at all? Or attempt to create a brand new modern retail block in the right location which has now attracted new tenants and is a key part of the overall improvements to the area?

Where are all those? Can only think of Arndale Market ??? ---------- Post added 02-05-2015 at 22:08 ---------- Because it was a decaying mess that nobody was using. It was at the wrong end of town It was not near the shops It was an expensive eyesore that the majority of the city residents were delighted got closed down.

Newsflash. We are a big hitter. We are still in the top 10 of cities for business locations. We have an local economy of an estimated £7 Billion. We have 2 large universities, bringing in an additional income of around £120 million from their private students We have a major technical research programme, major banking, government departments, legal, and IT corporations based here. We still have a significant presence of large manufacturing based here. The expanding Advanced Manufacturing development created just under 2000 new jobs so far..... Would you like me to go on? Why don't you start getting behind this city you live in rather than looking to put downs all the time.

I am not attacking you. I am setting you straight as you well know. Your response to anything to do with the Market is "council's fault" Your response to anyone who has a different opinion as you is "it was a traditional trading area" Your response to anyone who suggests that the market was in a poor state and needed to be flattened is "la la not listening to you" I certainly don't want to compare Sheffield (a major city) to the small towns of Barnsley, Chesterfield and Doncaster. Its not even in the same league. Incidentally, Barnsley market is much more quiet than you seem to make out with dozens of empty units in its main building and surrounding compound. Doncaster has seen losses in trade since the opening of the more expanded and modernised Frenchgate. Have you also failed to concede the point that all three of your market examples are right in the middle of the main shopping precincts. Unlike Castle Market. See the point?? Nobody was making an effort to walk to the decaying mass that was Castle Market when the shops were at the other end of town. You bang on traditional areas all the time - but why are not understanding that cities evolve. Their needs change. People and business has to change with it. Are you saying that perhaps it should have been the Moor that all closed down and moved to Haymarket instead? Maybe John Lewis should move to park Square to keep your precious market intact eh? Why do you never concede the point that you are on your own on this retention of Castle Market. Where was the flood of applications to protect it. Where were the press campaigns, where were the traders protesting about being moved on, where were the crowds of Sheffielders crying over the loss of their historic trading area?? You are the one who is dreaming. I have never said anything about Leeds or Manchester. I don't have such envy over what other cities have. What I am conscious of though is getting the city centre retail in line with the modern day condition it should be. Im not talking about Harvey Nichols or any such guff, Im talking about getting the shopping areas into ONE AREA. That's what the majority want. That's what the majority are expecting. That's what the majority will get. Now, that constructive enough for you? ---------- Post added 02-05-2015 at 21:54 ---------- Rise in car ownership Rise in people moving away from the city into suburbs Changes in shopping habits Changes in working habits Popularity of superstores Purchasing moving to "weekly shops" Popularity of mail order Development and subsequent popularity of internet shopping New competition by way of bulk / discount retailers

Its not just YOUR city. Its everyone's. You are preaching as if you are owed some duty that it should have been kept. Who do you think actually owes you an apology? Not everyone is on the same side as you. In fact I would say that the majority of people didn't want to keep seeing the eyesore that was Castle Market nor Sheaf Market nor any of the states before those. Times move on. Many people quite frankly could not give a toss about your so called "historic market trading area". That's a nice picture and story for the history books Now its 2015. The entire world's shopping habits changed. The purposes of city centres changed. The whole purpose of a market has changed. It is no longer, and has not been for at least 5 decades, the main source that people buy their provisions from. The whole range of competitors have sprung up since that once historic trading area. People have voted with their feet and have been steadying increasing that vote for years. Markets that have survived have to adapt. offer something totally different to a supermarket. You really need to get over yourself. Your comments are so repetitive and nonsensical they are becoming totally worthless. Look around at other city centres that have managed to have a revival. What do you notice? Shopping has been centralised. Shopping has been made into a "mall" type environment. Big brands. Big names. Sleek, modern environments. These are complimented by selective boutiques, handmade or bespoke trades that includes specialist foods, drinks or products. If Sheffield was to stand half a chance it had to move things together and try to attract those types of independent traders. Castle Market or any patch job alternative stuck at the wrong end of town just wont do. The days of starting off nipping into Woolies on Haymarket, bargain hunting around Sheaf Market, wandering in and out everywhere before finally having a High Tea Special in Atkinsons Restaurant through are well and truly over. Nobody wants that. Nobody is doing that. Why can you not accept that. Offices and Apartments are coming and you aint gonna stop it. Maybe you will be happy if they put a blue plaque or even better a mausoleum just for you to go and grieve in once a week.