[Politics] Tory meltdown finally arrived [was: incoming]...

[BrianB]

Lib Dem Mid Sussex put through my door yesterday , it does look like they and Labour are finding ways to help each other , obviously depending how true the statement is .

 

[Peteinblack]

Lib Dem Mid Sussex put through my door yesterday , it does look like they and Labour are finding ways to help each other , obviously depending how true the statement is .

Apparently, there are dozens of seats (many in southern England) where Labour and the Lib Dems are unofficially agreeing not to campaign energetically against each other if only one of them has a realistic chance of defeating the Tories. In my constituency of Bath, Labour has no chance of winning, so would-be Labour voters are quietly encouraged to vote Lib Dem to defeat the Tory candidate.

There are also now a number of online 'vote-swapping' sites, where, say, a Labour supporter in a constituency agrees to vote Lib Dem (if the Lib Dems have the best chance of defeating the Tory candidate), in return for a would-be Lib Dem voter in another constituency voting Labour. Obviously considerable trust is involved!

Needless to say, the Tories are complaining about 'dirty tricks' - something they are world-leading experts in!

 

[rippleman]

Apparently, there are dozens of seats (many in southern England) where Labour and the Lib Dems are unofficially agreeing not to campaign energetically against each other if only one of them has a realistic chance of defeating the Tories. In my constituency of Bath, Labour has no chance of winning, so would-be Labour voters are quietly encouraged to vote Lib Dem to defeat the Tory candidate.

There are also now a number of online 'vote-swapping' sites, where, say, a Labour supporter in a constituency agrees to vote Lib Dem (if the Lib Dems have the best chance of defeating the Tory candidate), in return for a would-be Lib Dem voter in another constituency voting Labour. Obviously considerable trust is involved!

Needless to say, the Tories are complaining about 'dirty tricks' - something they are world-leading experts in!

This is good news. At last some grown-ups in the room. Absolute sense not to split the anti-Tory vote.

I like the idea of voters "pairing" although I have my doubts how effective that is likely to be on a practical level. Worth a try though. Whatever needs to be done to consign these nasty Tory shisters to oblivion.

 

[virtual22]

Benefit or not, being forced to pay tax on something that was taken from you as a tax in the first place is f***ing obscene.

Same happens with Petrol. You actually pay VAT not just on the petrol you put in the car, but on the fuel duty for that petrol. Double taxation at it's finest.

 

[Eric the meek]

Same happens with Petrol. You actually pay VAT not just on the petrol you put in the car, but on the fuel duty for that petrol. Double taxation at it's finest.

..and for many people, petrol is paid for out of their taxable income, so the money they spend on petrol has already been taxed through PAYE. That's triple taxation.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

As a current PhD student I'm involved enough in the department to see how it works, but with enough distance to critically reflect on whether it's worth continuing with after I graduate.

My current answer is a resounding no. I see junior lecturers with excessive teaching loads, endless bureaucracy, faculty infighting and poor organisation, not to mention the expectation that you're meant to be publishing constantly at that stage of your career to simply keep your job. Sending out emails on a Saturday at 1am regularly, and funding calls are no picnic either.

Then you have the resentment of the undergrads who seem to think they're entitled to a degree because they paid tuition, and there's more and more of them but no extra staff because the universities are desperate for money even at prestigious unis. Assessment takes forever and then as you say the cheating has got more complex and AI will only continue to worsen that (though maybe the true skill we should be training is how to use AI properly).

All this for a starter salary in probably the high 30k range? Or even more likely, precarious short term contracts? "The passion for the work" doesn't make that worthwhile, no matter how much the cult of academia insists upon it.

Not that there are even enough jobs to go around.

Yes, I can't disagree with that.

What I would say to anyone interested in doing research is: crack on. Most of the 'noise' in academia is by-passable. And there are all sorts of opportunities to consult, edit a journal, etc, to bolster income.

Yes, the landscape is disappointing, but the one constant I have seen over 40 years is the poor quality of most people involved, meaning that they probably get what they deserve. This includes PhD students who slip into a comfy routine then pop out the other end without a clue what to do next.

I am in a committee meeting right now. You have never heard such a load of old bollocks. I said my bit then switch the mic and camera off...

And good luck!

 

[Peteinblack]

..and for many people, petrol is paid for out of their taxable income, so the money they spend on petrol has already been taxed through PAYE. That's triple taxation.

VAT is also a 'regressive' tax, because it takes more of a poor person's income - a £100 VAT bill is 'nothing' to Richard Branson, but a lot if you're a pensioner.

 

[Since1982]

Lib Dem Mid Sussex put through my door yesterday , it does look like they and Labour are finding ways to help each other , obviously depending how true the statement is .

I'm staggered at the level of support that Labour are claiming to have in Mid Sussex - at the last DC elections they polled 7% - but if true a very good chance the anti Tory vote will split and allow the appalling Kristy Adams in.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

As mentioned earlier, state pension has been defined as a benefit since 1946 - that's in your entire lifetime

Well I could define myself as the master of sarcasm and wit......but..... (you can guess the rest).

 

[keaton]

Oh good. More unresearched culture war BS

Sex education in English schools set to be banned before children are nine

Education secretary Gillian Keegan to announce guidelines for phased discussion of topics depending on pupils’ age

www.theguardian.com

 

[Gabbiano]

Yes, I can't disagree with that.

What I would say to anyone interested in doing research is: crack on. Most of the 'noise' in academia is by-passable. And there are all sorts of opportunities to consult, edit a journal, etc, to bolster income.

Yes, the landscape is disappointing, but the one constant I have seen over 40 years is the poor quality of most people involved, meaning that they probably get what they deserve. This includes PhD students who slip into a comfy routine then pop out the other end without a clue what to do next.

I am in a committee meeting right now. You have never heard such a load of old bollocks. I said my bit then switch the mic and camera off...

And good luck!

Thank you! I think to be honest my opinions on the world of academia fluctuate a lot but having worked in industry for several years before maybe I see both sides of the coin more clearly than some of the other PhD students, and it probably makes me more cynical when I look at the potential job at the end of it.

I guess all you can do is make the most of the situation you're in, and academia does grant a lot of interesting opportunities as well as the chance to actually work on your interests/passions. But it certainly comes with a lot of baggage and expectation.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Lib Dem Mid Sussex put through my door yesterday , it does look like they and Labour are finding ways to help each other , obviously depending how true the statement is .

i certainly hope this is the case. Tories losing mid Sussex would be .

 

[Audax]

i certainly hope this is the case. Tories losing mid Sussex would be .

It's helpful that Mims is switching to the new East Grinstead seat. That'll take the "incumbent" name recognition boost out of the equation for Mid Sussex.

I'm in Uckfield, so at some point I'll need to educate myself on who might be best placed to defeat Mims. Was a minefield in previous elections trying to figure out whether to go Lib Dem or Labour when Uckfield was part of Wealden - from one election to another it would swing (not that it mattered, Nus Ghani was getting 50%+ shares anyway).

Suspect it's going to be Lib Dem.

 

[The Clamp]

Oh good. More unresearched culture war BS

Sex education in English schools set to be banned before children are nine

Education secretary Gillian Keegan to announce guidelines for phased discussion of topics depending on pupils’ age

www.theguardian.com

Taking educational decisions out of the hands of trained, professional teachers and educational staff and putting it in the hands of stupid parents and Tory politicians.

All to snatch votes.

And all at the cost of children’s education. Because we all know that not talking about a subject makes us all much wiser and more sensible about it.

 

[BBassic]

Taking educational decisions out of the hands of trained, professional teachers and educational staff and putting it in the hands of stupid parents and Tory politicians.

All to snatch votes.

And all at the cost of children’s education. Because we all know that not talking about a subject makes us all much wiser and more sensible about it.

Oh no, I'm sure it'll be fine.

They'll get their education from porn and that definitely won't cause them to grow up with some unhealthy attitudes towards sex. Definitely not.

 

[keaton]

Taking educational decisions out of the hands of trained, professional teachers and educational staff and putting it in the hands of stupid parents and Tory politicians.

All to snatch votes.

And all at the cost of children’s education. Because we all know that not talking about a subject makes us all much wiser and more sensible about it.

It's not even " just" their education. As what they can no longer be taught (contraception,STDs, consent) could lead to life changing things for the children and more pressure on the NHS, police etc

 

[HH Brighton]

It's helpful that Mims is switching to the new East Grinstead seat. That'll take the "incumbent" name recognition boost out of the equation for Mid Sussex.

I'm in Uckfield, so at some point I'll need to educate myself on who might be best placed to defeat Mims. Was a minefield in previous elections trying to figure out whether to go Lib Dem or Labour when Uckfield was part of Wealden - from one election to another it would swing (not that it mattered, Nus Ghani was getting 50%+ shares anyway).

Suspect it's going to be Lib Dem.

Interesting that Mims chose the new East Grinstead and Uckfield seat. She has a history taking the easy option but surely Mid Sussex was a safer bet?

 

[Gabbiano]

Interesting that Mims chose the new East Grinstead and Uckfield seat. She has a history taking the easy option but surely Mid Sussex was a safer bet?

I believe East Grinstead and the surrounding villages lean more Tory than HH and BH, so it makes sense in that regard. Also the parts of Horsham constituency which that seat has picked up are also Tory voting.

 

[Peteinblack]

Yes, I can't disagree with that.

What I would say to anyone interested in doing research is: crack on. Most of the 'noise' in academia is by-passable. And there are all sorts of opportunities to consult, edit a journal, etc, to bolster income.

Yes, the landscape is disappointing, but the one constant I have seen over 40 years is the poor quality of most people involved, meaning that they probably get what they deserve. This includes PhD students who slip into a comfy routine then pop out the other end without a clue what to do next.

I am in a committee meeting right now. You have never heard such a load of old bollocks. I said my bit then switch the mic and camera off...

And good luck!

Yes, there is so much bureaucratic nonsense in Higher Education - the 'educrats' have taken-over, and govern by 'strategies because they've never taught or written a scholarly book in their lives. Yet I would advise you to persevere with academia, because the current regime is unsustainable.

I've increasingly been tempted to take early retirement, but then think "why should I give up a career I've worked so hard for (and for which I am highly-respected by my students and academic colleagues, both at home and those who work in the same discipline overseas) because of the arrogant, incompetent, swaggering, 'suits' who try to micro-manage and endlessly audit us. If you go for a piss, they want to know what strategy or framework you used, and how your toilet visit provided 'value-added' to the university.

I too increasingly find ways of disengaging from this white noise of managerial nonsense; sending my (insincere) apologies to many of the endless committee meetings and Away-Days, not volunteering for extra activities, 'initiatives' or membership of yet another 'working group' or 'curriculum review', and only replying to university or management emails if I get a follow-up or reminder (most of the time I don't).

I focus on what I enjoy, and am deemed to be good at; teaching, and research (currently working on my 19th book) - which is what being an academic should be about, and why I entered the profession. Problem is that in the 1990s, the 'qualitocracy' began colonising academic registry, and spewing endless jargon-filled documents, form-filling, box-ticking, and report-writing.

It is sometimes claimed that "Those who can, do, and those who can't, teach', to which I always add "and those who can't teach become university managers."

In my Department/Faculty, 60% of student fee income is siphoned-off by management to: a) pay for yet more parasitic managers, and b) cross-subsidise Departments which struggle to recruit students (STEM, basically) but are politically or reputationally too important to close. So we are constantly told that there is no more money for extra staff to teach the increased student numbers, but somehow we can always afford a new Director of Arse-Wiping, Assistant Dean of Paper-Clips, and a pro-Vice Chancellor of Photocopying - all of whom then impose yet more idiotic paperwork on overstretched, burnt-out, academic staff.

Universities have the worst of both worlds; operating as educational supermarkets in a neoliberal, competitive, free-market in which students are viewed as customers paying for a product (degree) supplied by service-providers (academics), but at the same time, managed like the former Soviet Union with its stupid 5-year plans and top-down targets, impenetrable layers of faceless bureaucracy, constant micro-management and monitoring of subordinates, endless command-and-control from the centre, but complete lack of accountability by senior managers who instinctively blame front-line staff for everything which goes wrong.

Yet we know what happened to the old Soviet Union in 1989-90, so my advice to any aspiring young academic would still be to hang-on in there, and don't let these managerial bastards deter you. They cannot be allowed to win, and they won't be around for ever.

 

[Since1982]

Interesting that Mims chose the new East Grinstead and Uckfield seat. She has a history taking the easy option but surely Mid Sussex was a safer bet?

EG and Uckfield a much safer bet now for the Tories. I did the local election count a year ago and she and her team spent most of the time watching the Tory vote pile up in those wards while they lost control of everything else. Shortly afterwards she announced she was choosing the new seat. I've been in a brief exchange with Dave Rowntree, the Lab candidate for Mid Sussex, who is pointing to polling, boundary changes, previous GE results in the constituency etc as putting him ahead of the Tories - extraordinary if he pulls it off!