Uk Election Results

[alex100]

Anyone but the Tories. Thatcher did more to <deleted> the UK and its inhabitants than Blair could ever do.

Scouse.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maggie was only a touch behind Winston in terms of greatness. Got rid of all those wasteful polluting coal mines and at last made the working classes pay a decent share of costs towards local services. She was truly the Iron Lady.

[Thomas_Merton]

Anyone but the Tories. Thatcher did more to &lt;deleted&gt; the UK and its inhabitants than Blair could ever do.

Scouse.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maggie was only a touch behind Winston in terms of greatness. Got rid of all those wasteful polluting coal mines and at last made the working classes pay a decent share of costs towards local services. She was truly the Iron Lady.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, alex, you know there is virtually nobody in Britain who would express views such as yours.

Did all Thatcherites take their money and run off to Thailand?

[taxexile]

Oh, alex, you know there is virtually nobody in Britain who would express views such as yours.

actually , i reckon there are hundreds of thousands of hard working self made men and women who are tired of paying out up to 51% in direct taxation only to see that money poured into inefficient and wasteful public services and an out of control benefit system that seems to help everybody except those poor souls who really do need and deserve help from the state.

its become a country where the working people (of all political persuasions) are funding a bloated benefit system that is out of control.

cut back on the benefits and let able bodied men and women fend for themselves a bit more. put the money into improving the hospitals , let those that wish to educate their kids privately (like most labour politicians) or seek private health care without being penalised for it.

look after the victims of crime better , and prosecute all criminal acts in a strictly enforced policy of zero tolerance.

instead of dumbing everything down to a lowest common denominator one size fits all society , how about raising the bar a bit and giving people something to aspire to , rewarding success and effort and punishing laziness and yobbery.

the decrease in standards of everything over the past 20 years has been sad to see , we have been sadly let down by all our politicians since thatcher in her early days.

[Rinrada]

Anyone but the Tories. Thatcher did more to &lt;deleted&gt; the UK and its inhabitants than Blair could ever do.

Scouse.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maggie was only a touch behind Winston in terms of greatness. Got rid of all those wasteful polluting coal mines and at last made the working classes pay a decent share of costs towards local services. She was truly the Iron Lady.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Like Mummy.....like Son.

[alex100]

Anyone but the Tories. Thatcher did more to &lt;deleted&gt; the UK and its inhabitants than Blair could ever do.

Scouse.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maggie was only a touch behind Winston in terms of greatness. Got rid of all those wasteful polluting coal mines and at last made the working classes pay a decent share of costs towards local services. She was truly the Iron Lady.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, alex, you know there is virtually nobody in Britain who would express views such as yours.

Did all Thatcherites take their money and run off to Thailand?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No I took the money I got from a Forces Pension greatly increased by Maggie invested it in a busniess which allows me to spend 6 months of every year in Thailand and six in the UK - she was truley a lovely lady.

[Thomas_Merton]

actually , i reckon there are hundreds of thousands of hard working self made men and women who are tired of paying out up to 51% in direct taxation

How do you reach this figure? I pay much less direct taxation than the 50-60% in income tax I paid in Scandinavia.

only to see that money poured into inefficient and wasteful public services and an out of control benefit system that seems to help everybody except those poor souls who really do need and deserve help from the state.

While accepting that no system is perfect, this observation of yours is opinionated by your professed political views.

Whereas my opinion is that any inefficiency in any British enterprise is more attributable to the undeveloped "work ethic" inherent in many of us compared to the rest of Europe, the USA and the Far East. No amount of political shenanigans will change this unethical state of mind.

its become a country where the working people (of all political persuasions) are funding a bloated benefit system that is out of control.

You are repeating yourself.

cut back on the benefits and let able bodied men and women fend for themselves a bit more.

Isn't this one of the acts Thatcher achieved?...

put the money into improving the hospitals ,

...but then she gave the money to the better off instead of investing in the hospitals.

let those that wish to educate their kids privately (like most labour politicians)

I see no objection to how you choose to educate your children, whether as some labour politicians do, or do not.

or seek private health care without being penalised for it.

Uncontrolled monies directed to a private medical service is an important factor in the lack of funding for the NHS - the only service that has ever provided free health care to the nation's poorest.

look after the victims of crime better , and prosecute all criminal acts in a strictly enforced policy of zero tolerance.

All political parties agree on these aims, it is just that Thatcherites would never pay for it.

instead of dumbing everything down to a lowest common denominator one size fits all society , how about raising the bar a bit and giving people something to aspire to , rewarding success and effort and punishing laziness and yobbery.

I think you read the Daily Mail and the Express to often. There will always be cases where apparently an individual appears to confirm your assumption, but equally your generalised conclusion is untrue.

the decrease in standards of everything over the past 20 years has been sad to see , we have been sadly let down by all our politicians since thatcher in her early days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

An observation made by every nostalgic middle-aged person since the beginning of time.

The only difference here is the gender of the Saviour.

[taxexile]

How do you reach this figure? I pay much less direct taxation than the 50-60% in income tax I paid in Scandinavia.

40% top rate of income tax and 10% n.i. = 50% (which is what i meant to say.)

While accepting that no system is perfect, this observation of yours is opinionated by your professed political views.

obviously

Whereas my opinion is that any inefficiency in any British enterprise is more attributable to the undeveloped "work ethic" inherent in many of us compared to the rest of Europe, the USA and the Far East. No amount of political shenanigans will change this unethical state of mind.

as someone who worked in the nhs for a long time , you will just have to take my word for the fact that the amount of waste in time , materials and manpower due to bloated systems , practices and compliance regulation could have funded much in the way of tangible improvements to service.

your comments are an insult to the work ethics and dedication to duty of actual health care workers in the uk nhs , however your comments are accurate when applied to the non -health care workers (managers , accountants , pen pushers and other passengers on the nhs gravy train...... most of them given jobs as a result of labour government policy in a misguided effort to improve the service)

benefits should be directed at poor pensioners , redundancy victims with families to support and the genuinely sick , not unemployed graduates , school leavers , and illegal immigrants with 10 kids to feed.

...but then she gave the money to the better off instead of investing in the hospitals

she gave nothing to the better off , she just allowed them to keep more of their earnings (and i'm not discussing inherited wealth here , i'm talking about self employed business people who risk their earnings to invest in their businesses and perhaps create jobs for those without the money or risk taking personality to do it themselves)

Uncontrolled monies directed to a private medical service is an important factor in the lack of funding for the NHS - the only service that has ever provided free health care to the nation's poorest.

nonsense.funding for the nhs comes from taxation.

by spending ones own money to fund your healthcare you are freeing up services and shortening waiting times.

think you read the Daily Mail and the Express to often. There will always be cases where apparently an individual appears to confirm your assumption, but equally your generalised conclusion is untrue.

telegraph actually !

An observation made by every nostalgic middle-aged person since the beginning of time.

so should i celebrate 25 years of declining standard then ?

your arguments and intellectual references cannot hide the truths about the state of british society these days.

blair has had eight years to sort out the supposed mess that he inherited and he has failed to do so.

he has used his lawyers guile and undoubted skill as a speaker to literally hypnotise the country into a deluded belief that everything is ok.

we have been badly served by our politicians for many decades ,but socialism has NEVER worked in any country , (eastern europe , russia , italy ,albania ,india etc.etc.) but thatcher was an outstanding politician , promoting hard work and efficiency , the industries that she closed down were uneconomic to operate , and she rightly refused to subsidise them.

you and i will never agree on politics , and i always feel sorry for socialists , as i said before , its the politics of envy and greed.

[Thomas_Merton]

we have been badly served by our politicians for many decades ,but  socialism has NEVER worked in any country , (eastern europe , russia , italy ,albania ,india etc.etc.) but thatcher was an outstanding politician , promoting hard work and efficiency , the industries that she closed down were uneconomic to operate , and she rightly refused to subsidise them.

you and i will never agree on politics , and i always feel sorry for socialists , as i said before , its the politics of envy and greed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think Social Democracy as practised in Scandinavia has functioned much more effectively than any political system practised in the UK, demonstrating that Socialism, in these countries, is the politics of solidarity and compassion.

On the subject of the NHS: I have only experienced this system as a patient for illnesses that by any yardstick would be considered serious (read life threatening). I have no complaints.

Your complaints sound very much as those of a perfectionist confronted with an imperfect system (as all systems are), clutching after The Grand Illusionist to make everything alright.

But to end on a not too antagonistic note, permit me to quote one of my favourite stories.

Isaac Bashevis Singer, Nobel Prize winning author, was born in Poland in 1904, experienced Tsarist Russia, spent his youth under Communism, lived in Germany under Hitler, and became a refugee in the USA. He was asked, “Of all the political systems you have lived under, which is the best?”

He replied, “All political systems are like oranges. Wonderful when they are young and ripe. But as time passes, they rot, stink and then die. The only effective system is one built upon constant renewal and revolution.”

[taxexile]

He replied, “All political systems are like oranges. Wonderful when they are young and ripe. But as time passes, they rot, stink and then die. The only effective system is one built upon constant renewal and revolution.”

i cant argue with that.

[alex100]

He replied, “All political systems are like oranges. Wonderful when they are young and ripe. But as time passes, they rot, stink and then die. The only effective system is one built upon constant renewal and revolution.”

i cant argue with that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I still think the NHS service is poor and unfair to higher tax payers - the amount of money I am forced to pay into the NHS would give me a 5 star private service, because the service is poor to have peace of mind I also buy a private policy. But I am not allowed to opt out of the NHS - being forced to subsidise many who don't want to work or live of benefits that is unfair in my book.

[Thomas_Merton]

He replied, “All political systems are like oranges. Wonderful when they are young and ripe. But as time passes, they rot, stink and then die. The only effective system is one built upon constant renewal and revolution.”

i cant argue with that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I still think the NHS service is poor and unfair to higher tax payers - the amount of money I am forced to pay into the NHS would give me a 5 star private service, because the service is poor to have peace of mind I also buy a private policy. But I am not allowed to opt out of the NHS - being forced to subsidise many who don't want to work or live of benefits that is unfair in my book.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could retire to Thailand, and then you would have no worries - until you became ill.

[taxexile]

Patients could be denied certain health treatments because of their age, according to a government agency's draft discussion document.

 

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) has raised the question of social value judgments for the first time in its talks over what should be allowed on the NHS.

The document says members of Nice's citizen's council believe "where age is an indicator of benefit or risk, age discrimination is appropriate".

The document also asks whether patients' lifestyle or habits, such as smoking or over-eating, should be a consideration. Age Concern said about 80 per cent of GPs already believe there is discrimination against older people within the health care system.

Jonathan Ellis, the policy manager for health and social sare at the charity, said: "To suggest that anyone should receive less care and attention simply because they happen to be older is blatant discrimination.

"It also runs contrary to the government's stated aim of tackling the prejudice against older people that exists in health care services.

"Help the Aged will be strongly urging for guidelines that stress the importance of treatment on the basis of need rather than age. In many areas of health and social care people are already suffering age discrimination." Andrew Dillon, the chief executive of Nice, said: "The institute has to make difficult decisions about how well treatments work and which treatments offer the NHS best value for money.

"We know that factors such as age and lifestyle can influence how clinically or cost- effective a treatment is."

He pointed out that the document also says that health should not be valued more highly in some age groups rather than others and that people's social roles, at different ages, should not influence considerations of cost effectiveness.

"Nice has made judgments that take age into account in the past," he said. "For example, our guideline on fertility treatment recommends that IVF should be made available to women between 23-39 as treatment is most likely to be effective in this age range.

"Nice also recommends that drug treatments for flu should be made available for people over 65 as they are a vulnerable group and likely to be more seriously affected by flu than younger people."

but never mind , our tony has pledged that britain will do all it can to help eradicate poverty in africa as soon as possible , and health cutbacks for the british elderly who have paid into the system for 50 years will no doubt provide an increase in funding for trips made by politicians to africa.

its all wrong.

[alex100]

He replied, “All political systems are like oranges. Wonderful when they are young and ripe. But as time passes, they rot, stink and then die. The only effective system is one built upon constant renewal and revolution.”

i cant argue with that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I still think the NHS service is poor and unfair to higher tax payers - the amount of money I am forced to pay into the NHS would give me a 5 star private service, because the service is poor to have peace of mind I also buy a private policy. But I am not allowed to opt out of the NHS - being forced to subsidise many who don't want to work or live of benefits that is unfair in my book.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could retire to Thailand, and then you would have no worries - until you became ill.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My point exactly my BUPA policy covers Thialand for my six month stays peace of mind guarnteed the best Thai hospitals are better the NHS in many, many cases.

[Thomas_Merton]

Patients could be denied certain health treatments because of their age, according to a government agency's draft discussion document.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) has raised the question of social value judgments for the first time in its talks over what should be allowed on the NHS.

The document says members of Nice's citizen's council believe "where age is an indicator of benefit or risk, age discrimination is appropriate".

The document also asks whether patients' lifestyle or habits, such as smoking or over-eating, should be a consideration. Age Concern said about 80 per cent of GPs already believe there is discrimination against older people within the health care system.

Jonathan Ellis, the policy manager for health and social sare at the charity, said: "To suggest that anyone should receive less care and attention simply because they happen to be older is blatant discrimination.

"It also runs contrary to the government's stated aim of tackling the prejudice against older people that exists in health care services.

"Help the Aged will be strongly urging for guidelines that stress the importance of treatment on the basis of need rather than age. In many areas of health and social care people are already suffering age discrimination." Andrew Dillon, the chief executive of Nice, said: "The institute has to make difficult decisions about how well treatments work and which treatments offer the NHS best value for money.

"We know that factors such as age and lifestyle can influence how clinically or cost- effective a treatment is."

He pointed out that the document also says that health should not be valued more highly in some age groups rather than others and that people's social roles, at different ages, should not influence considerations of cost effectiveness.

"Nice has made judgments that take age into account in the past," he said. "For example, our guideline on fertility treatment recommends that IVF should be made available to women between 23-39 as treatment is most likely to be effective in this age range.

"Nice also recommends that drug treatments for flu should be made available for people over 65 as they are a vulnerable group and likely to be more seriously affected by flu than younger people."

but never mind , our tony has pledged that britain will do all it can to help eradicate poverty in africa as soon as possible , and health cutbacks for the british elderly who have paid into the system for 50 years will no doubt provide an increase in funding for trips made by politicians to africa.

its all wrong.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think first if you are going to produce long quotes such as this, we are in our right to demand you quote your source.

Secondly you do not state the true nature of NICE and its relationship to the NHS, which is (as taken from NICE's web site):

NICE is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health. On 1 April 2005 NICE joined with the Health Development Agency to become the new National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (also to be known as NICE).

Thirdly you ignore, in your conclusion, the consultative nature of the original document.

Taken from NICE's press statement:

The consultation document describes the social value judgements that the Board believe should guide NICE’s decision making – it will not be issued as guidance for the wider NHS.  The consultation document was issued on 4 April and consultation closes on 30 June.  It can be found on the website at: http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=250583. 

Fourthly, you (or the Telegraph) have not read the other points made in NICE's press statement:

Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of NICE said: “The Institute has to make difficult decisions about how well treatments work and which treatments offer the NHS best value for money. We know that factors such as age and lifestyle can influence how clinically or cost effective a treatment is, and we are asking people whether NICE is getting it right when we take this type of factor into account during the development of our guidance”.

Further more, the press release goes on to state:

One section of the consultation document deals with age. It states that when NICE is

making decisions:

• Health should not be valued more highly in some age groups rather than others. 

• Individuals’ social roles, at different ages, should not influence considerations of cost effectiveness.

• Where age is an indicator of benefit or risk, age discrimination may be appropriate.

IMHO you should ensure you quote your sources and get your facts right, before using TV for your pernicious political propaganda.

[custard]

High taxes

Low salaries

&lt;deleted&gt; food

Crap weather

Abysmal public transport

Miserable people

Growing yob culture

Poor health care

Binge drinking

Uncontrolled immigration

Etc.

I see no point in returning to the UK in the foreseeable future ....

[Thomas_Merton]

He replied, “All political systems are like oranges. Wonderful when they are young and ripe. But as time passes, they rot, stink and then die. The only effective system is one built upon constant renewal and revolution.”

i cant argue with that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I still think the NHS service is poor and unfair to higher tax payers - the amount of money I am forced to pay into the NHS would give me a 5 star private service, because the service is poor to have peace of mind I also buy a private policy. But I am not allowed to opt out of the NHS - being forced to subsidise many who don't want to work or live of benefits that is unfair in my book.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could retire to Thailand, and then you would have no worries - until you became ill.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My point exactly my BUPA policy covers Thialand for my six month stays peace of mind guarnteed the best Thai hospitals are better the NHS in many, many cases.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Then you are a very lucky person.

What I cannot understand is why you seem unable to be more compassionate over for those less fortunate than yourself.

[ArtfulD]

Its not really a lack of compassion for those less fortunate..but more a sense of frustration and "being taken for a ride" by increasing numbers of scroungers....I have ZERO problems helping charity and helping pay towards people who truly need help (as long as my money is being spent WISELY not wasted on red tape and a seemingly never ending amount of managers, sub managers and other red tape civil servants). Or indeed my money going towards buying playstations, tvs, magazines for criminals in jail. Paying in a huge amount of tax over the years and being turned away for hydro therapy treatment pi$$e$ me off also but if I pay for it privately im still expected to pay for the NHS that denys me it.

Im not sure if you have seen or heard of that Lizzy women from a tv program called "Wife Swap"? She and the ever increasing number of families like hers are what I am looking to leave behind. Basically she was getting 36 000 pounds a year on benefits. Including disability money for her children (she had EIGHT children, something else I highly disagree with...having child after child and expecting others to pick up the tab) and herself who are asthmatic(while she and her husband smoked several packs a day). Her and her husband go out several nights a week to bingo and the local pub while still pleading poverty. Her husband was on incapacity benefit for a "bad back" while he had been caught doing some cash in hand work on a building site...etc etc

Compare her to a pensioner who is trying to get by after working all their lifes and putting into the system. So many people these days just spend all their lifes taking out of the system. People being moved onto Incapacity Benefit so they no longer show in Unemployment figures and look good for the government and just go along happily in life expecting handouts.

Note: Again its not the people who TRULY need help Im having a go at...but this country is being taken for a ride by an ever increasing number of people who just simply want hand out after hand out.

Another thing I highly disagree with is civil servants getting full pensions at absurdly early retirement while the rest of us have to work longer to keep them all. Why should a policeman or a fireman or a teacher an MP or any civil servant be able to retire in their 40s or 50s (not saying all, but a great number I know who have) with a secure full pension while the government expects mugs like us to pay for it all by working longer.

[Abandon]

I truly need some financial assistance - can you send me a tenner ?

[Thomas_Merton]

Its not really a lack of compassion for those less fortunate..but more a sense of frustration and "being taken for a ride" by increasing numbers of scroungers....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Taken for a ride" – what in heaven’s name are you talking about?

You are reasonably well off, with enough money to travel back and forth to Thailand.

You are certainly not letting one penny slip in the wrong direction, and you are million miles away from anything that resembles hardship.

You and your type spend so much time and energy whinging about people you don’t even know; people you read about in your cheap newspapers or see on your even more pathetic TV shows, comparing them with some fantasy bogy men waiting behind the door intent on raping your wife and children.

This evil way of expressing your own disillusionment has historical roots that go back to ancient times.

Find the scapegoat, the Jew or the black, the unemployed or the miner, the Bistand’s client or the asylum seeker, the Muslim and now, of all people, the retired fireman!

Find anybody but yourself who is responsible for the state of disillusionment you are in. Find anybody but yourself who is guilty for the sense of loss and lack of empathy you experience with your fellow citizens. Find anybody but yourselves who has created the pathetic losers you all demonstrate you are.

I laid a wreath at a monument today, remembering those who gave their lives fighting a subhuman ideology that had blamed another race for their supposed misfortunes.

These brave and wonderful men and women made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could live in a better world. A world where we could have a National Health Service, a free educational system, and a social security net for the underprivileged.

These heroes offered themselves so that their children would remember that the only real bogy men where the whiners like you, who because of your consummate self pity and selfishness would create conditions and ways of thinking that would open the flood gates for yet another creature from H*ll – someone who would make your beloved Thatcher seem like a Mother Teresa in comparison.

God help us if any of you should ever get in political power again.

[Rinrada]

Did all Thatcherites take their money and run off to Thailand?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No I took the money I got from a Forces Pension greatly increased by Maggie invested it in a busniess which allows me to spend 6 months of every year in Thailand and six in the UK - she was truley a lovely lady.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

British taxpayers provided your little windfall...nothing really to do with the old trollop just a victum of circumstances....enjoy

[Thomas_Merton]

I truly need some financial assistance - can you send me a tenner ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I’ve just been meditating on your £10 for the last half hour.

It is now on its way via the transcendental highway to you. Please close you eyes and check you mail.

By the way, when are you going to enlighten us about Dhammic Socialism?

[ArtfulD]

Im not simply blaming another race for problems, I see the problems within my own race also...im not discriminating on race in my former post at all.

Also these wonderful brave women and men were fighting a man ###### bent on world and race domination...they were not fighting to give people access to unemployment benefits and free education dont try and mix the different issues.

Note: Im not trying to say free education etc is bad either dont go making a comment about that.

At the end of the day I have made my comments and now I see no reason to comment further...you have your mind set on what you think and believe , and so do I. We are not going to change each others minds in any way. You live your life the way you want to live it, and I`ll do the same.

[Abandon]

I truly need some financial assistance - can you send me a tenner ?

I’ve just been meditating on your £10 for the last half hour.

It is now on its way via the transcendental highway to you. Please close you eyes and check you mail.

By the way, when are you going to enlighten us about Dhammic Socialism?

ty ty

Old Maggie got to power on the rhetoric of giving Britain a 'bitter pill' economically, saying it will take 10 years but she would change the attitude of the British worker. And she was voted in. Labour get to power saying 'we will match Tory spending plans'. Maggie proved that Monetary policy works, and that the old Labour Keynsian economic policies did not, and the fact that this is accepted pretty much as fact now in the developed world justifies her courage. But it is hard now to imagine a time when monetary policy was rejected by Labour and other parties in other countries, thus forgetting her accomplishment. Blair took Labour into Monetary policy economics and sold it to the public (with Brown as the brains behind it) and gained my vote in doing so. Unfortunatley in his Maggie worship, he also took the UK into the Iraq war, losing my vote in doing so. I would vote for Gordon Brown in an instant, though it is far from clear how he would govern over the Home or Foreign office. He has proven himself worthy of a chance.

The really sad thing though, is that while stringent Monetary policy is now the proven norm for developed nations, it is being forced on third world countries through the economic slavery of the World Bank and IMF leaving countries such as Jamaica without chance of competing, and leaving the multinational corporations with their inhumane profit-motivated stranglehold ever tightening on such nations. I really hope that one day the developed nations realise that the solutions that have worked for their economies will only ever worsen the situation when forced upon the smaller nations.

In this line Gordon Brown (the British chancellor who guides the British economy) proposed a well intentioned plan to re-value or sell off some of the international gold reserves in an effort to cancel third world debt. I have no idea it it would work, but am sure that he is a far better economist than I will ever be. Of course though, the Corporate Yanks scuppered the idea.

[taxexile]

"Taken for a ride" – what in heaven’s name are you talking about?

ejaculated thomas merton.

well ,

maybe this is what we are talking about. !!

 

RAF pays woman to train as stripper

By Tom Peterkin

(Filed: 09/05/2005)daily telegraph.

An RAF aircraftswoman received money from the Ministry of Defence to re-train as a stripper, it was disclosed yesterday.

 

Stephanie Hulme, 23, was given a resettlement grant to go on a pole dancing course in the West End of London and is now working in a lap dancing club in the capital.

The disclosure angered politicians, who claimed that it was a waste of taxpayers' money at a time when the Armed Services were facing dramatic cuts.

A reduction in Government defence spending has meant the amalgamation of regiments and a reduction in RAF manpower from 48,500 to 41,000.

Miss Hulme, who worked in air traffic control and was latterly stationed at RAF Aldergrove near Belfast, took the £490 course run at the For Your Eyes Only dancing school.

Yesterday Miss Hulme claimed that the RAF paid her £2,100 to cover the course, flights to England, accommodation in a four-star hotel and expenses over four weekends.

"My request to go on a table-dancing course certainly raised a few eyebrows," she said. "The RAF is obliged to help you prepare for work away from the military and has people to help you choose a career or trade. Most people opt for things like plumbing or electrical work, but that didn't appeal to me."

Miss Hulme changed career after spending five years in the RAF.

Patrick Mercer, the Conservative defence spokesman, said: "While the resettlement package is very important to help servicemen and women back on to civvy street I do think there is a limit. The MoD has lost sight of its priorities on this one."

An MoD spokesman said: "All members of the Armed Forces after five years service are entitled to a resettlement grant to go out and get their personal affairs in order unless they are medically discharged."

those poor soldiers that you laid wreaths for yesterday must be spinning in their graves at the madness of it all.

[custard]

Just found this on the BBC News website and thought it was interesting

[Abandon]

didn't the monster raving looney party nominate the pub's pet cat as party leader after Screaming Lord Such died?

[Thomas_Merton]

"Taken for a ride" – what in heaven’s name are you talking about?

ejaculated thomas merton.

well ,

maybe this is what we are talking about. !!

 

RAF pays woman to train as stripper

By Tom Peterkin

(Filed: 09/05/2005)daily telegraph.

An RAF aircraftswoman received money from the Ministry of Defence to re-train as a stripper, it was disclosed yesterday.

 

Stephanie Hulme, 23, was given a resettlement grant to go on a pole dancing course in the West End of London and is now working in a lap dancing club in the capital.

The disclosure angered politicians, who claimed that it was a waste of taxpayers' money at a time when the Armed Services were facing dramatic cuts.

A reduction in Government defence spending has meant the amalgamation of regiments and a reduction in RAF manpower from 48,500 to 41,000.

Miss Hulme, who worked in air traffic control and was latterly stationed at RAF Aldergrove near Belfast, took the £490 course run at the For Your Eyes Only dancing school.

Yesterday Miss Hulme claimed that the RAF paid her £2,100 to cover the course, flights to England, accommodation in a four-star hotel and expenses over four weekends.

"My request to go on a table-dancing course certainly raised a few eyebrows," she said. "The RAF is obliged to help you prepare for work away from the military and has people to help you choose a career or trade. Most people opt for things like plumbing or electrical work, but that didn't appeal to me."

Miss Hulme changed career after spending five years in the RAF.

Patrick Mercer, the Conservative defence spokesman, said: "While the resettlement package is very important to help servicemen and women back on to civvy street I do think there is a limit. The MoD has lost sight of its priorities on this one."

An MoD spokesman said: "All members of the Armed Forces after five years service are entitled to a resettlement grant to go out and get their personal affairs in order unless they are medically discharged."

those poor soldiers that you laid wreaths for yesterday must be spinning in their graves at the madness of it all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whatever for?

The RAF has at least moved on from the types who sublimated their sexuality by sniggering at the risqué jokes in the Revellie or got a hard on if you mentioned a girl's name.

A Thatcherite and a Moral Crusader?

An interesting combination for someone who spends a lot of time in Thailand.

[custard]

didn't the monster raving looney party nominate the pub's pet cat as party leader after Screaming Lord Such died?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heard the Blair Must Go Party was secretly financed by Gordon Brown and other Labour rebels ?

[taxexile]

Whatever for?

The RAF has at least moved on from the types who sublimated their sexuality by sniggering at the risqué jokes in the Revellie or got a hard on if you mentioned a girl's name.

A Thatcherite and a Moral Crusader?

An interesting combination for someone who spends a lot of time in Thailand.

a reply that evades the issue in true blair style !!

the issue is wasting taxpayers money , not sexism in the raf.

thatcherite , yes.

moral crusader , probably not but i would take it as a compliment.

especially from someone who has hijacked the name of a respected monk.

[Thomas_Merton]

Whatever for?

The RAF has at least moved on from the types who sublimated their sexuality by sniggering at the risqué jokes in the Revellie or got a hard on if you mentioned a girl's name.

A Thatcherite and a Moral Crusader?

An interesting combination for someone who spends a lot of time in Thailand.

a reply that evades the issue in true blair style !!

the issue is wasting taxpayers money , not sexism in the raf.

thatcherite , yes.

moral crusader , probably not but i would take it as a compliment.

especially from someone who has hijacked the name of a respected monk.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why is it a waste of money to train a service woman so that she can work when leaves the RAF?

Didn't they train you?