Ricky

It doesn't matter if they get more votes, they got less seats. Like it or not this is the numbers of the political system.

I don't think there is any bases to that other then political comment. All the lib dems including Vince Cable find themselves in a situation of having to comprise to make some of there ideas implemented in government, none of them wanted VAT rises as they spelled out in the election. It's a choice, you can be in opposition and have no effect or be a 1/5 part of a coalition and make some effect.

Well, I'm actually finding the discussion greatly refreshing from the usual tripe. At least Tyron and Danny are putting up well reasoned points with researched data. I don't mind discussion anything with someone who is informed and open to consideration as they are.

Yeah, your technically correct. What I'm getting at is that the Lib Dems where not voted for, they actually lost 5 seats so implementing Lib Dem policy is not possible. They are less then 19% of the coalition so while they have some influence it's not that much.

I hope so, I think it, yes

I've just voted and now checking what others think(didn't want to check before so it didn't influence myself). I voted for only four for those supposed above the line ones.

Hardly. Lib Dems are a minor part of the coalition not the policy makers. The majority of the country voted Conservative so conservative policy is what you get tinted with a dash of Liberalism.

This seems sensible although I have not been following the case. Basically I think this says(and correctly me if I'm wrong), as long as there is a cooperatively situation to resolve copyright issues then copyright infringement is not a problem as long as the process of resolving issues is going on.

While I agree with you in concept you seem to be making an oversight here. Zero rated items still have a small element of VAT in them due to the distribution process, for example kids clothing will be shipped from the supplier with VAT transportation cost, both the capital outlay on say a lorry or a van plus the additional VAT on the fuel and the cost of any packaging/boxes also with extra VAT, then it arrives to be stored in shop requiring heating/lighting with VAT and business rates for the building also additional VAT, so this zero rated items still will increase although somewhat less then other items.

I'm not sure if it's a typo for liberal-conservatism but the budget was not a libertarian budget. Libertarian is about reducing(and possible abolition) of the state and the taxes. An increase in VAT should in no way be associated with libertarianism. I didn't think the budget was good. The increase in VAT is concerning, as doesn't target any problems. The figures on 2011 growth of 2.3% seem like a fairy tale, for those to be correct there would have to be massive increase in exports or a devaluation of the currency. The former looks unlikely due to a struggling situation in the US and Europe, the latter currency devaluation would be problematic for debt repayment - which was the whole idea of the budget. So in short the government published growth figures seem politically motivated fiction, no doubt as dubious and fictional as the Labour party figures previously.

I noticed the iTunes ads, which you only get if your logged out no longer work. No big deal....except for Phil.

I agree that a Greece situation for the short term is most unlikely, even without an political energy to resolve the issue; long term is a different story. What is more likely to follow if spending is not cut is the situation that Spain found itself it. Economically Spain where caught between a rock and a hard place. They had to implement austerity measures as it's debt liabilities had become problematic. I don't want to see the UK going there, hence I see the action to reduce spending as appropriate. Yes, it's a fine balance between no action, acting appropriately and over-reacting. I like the analogy Nick Clegg give by saying it's like pruning a tree, if you prune it appropriately it flourishes afterwards. If you prune it to hard it may die. I'd like a pruning that leads to a flourishing afterwards.

Indeed, Greece rioting is where we are heading if we don't get a grip of our debt. And unlike Greece there will be no Germany to bail us out. Basically we are in the $h!t without a paddle ever since the banks rippped us off got bailed out.

I think there will be a so called double dip recession. It's not a bad thing in my books, I see the reduction in expenditure more like a sick patient taking the medicine. In terms of how the UK government are going to achieve cuts I have no real idea. Cutting trident seems an inevitability economic action that can't yet be announced for political reasons. Some direct cost cutting, for example, freezing now and ending later payment into all public section pensions is the scale of the type of cuts required - this is not cutting wages directly, which is another option. Having followed the activity of the coalition so far, I must say I'm impressed by the effective way they work, especially Cameron. Still it's a very tough job and many problems involved, not least of which is the uninformed public.

Agree about shirt pulling. Do we know if it's actually allowed according to the FIFA rules? Here is a pulling moment from the Algeria game. http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j313/predicta/bis/Nopulling.jpg

No Johnson please but otherwise okay, especially the two times Cole. It's important the players play in positions they are best at, not that 4-4-2 formation against Algeria.

Gjr4qjHncVA :P

0-0 Full time. Goosh, no words.

I've seen Exeter City play better football then England have so far today.

O-O at half time. No yellow cards. Quite uneventful really.

A poor start for England, it's not looking pretty at the moment.

I tend to agree on ability, the various goalie options all can make big mistakes, but this decision is made so Fabio Capello doesn't get blamed if there is a further goalie error tonight.

2-2 full time. A great result for England.

Yeah, it's far from clear if Germany will be top/second/ or not qualify in Group D. If England qualify(which seems likely) they could play Germany, Ghana or Serbia

Slovenia 2 : 0 United States :o