[Debatewise RRT] Re: debatewiserrt Digest V2 #31
- From: nadia siddiqi <nadshi@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: debatewiserrt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:12:39 +0500
BTW who won DOTM in February?
Nadia
On Wed, Mar 10, 2010 at 1:24 PM, nadia siddiqi <nadshi@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> The Government should be compelled by law to cut the deficit by 50% within
> 4
> years
>
> The UK is currently running a budget deficit of 12%, that is higher than
> Greece a country that is in particularly hot water due to its fiscal
> imprudence. Everyone agrees that this has to be reduced, but how quickly
> should this be done and how far does it need to be cut? No one really
> knows.
> Governments do not like making big cuts in services as they are unpopular
> so
> introducing a law forcing a cut in the deficit within a certain time could
> be useful to whichever party wins the election.
>
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/07/deficit-fetishism-govern
> ment-spending<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/07/deficit-fetishism-government-spending>
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8514767.stm
>
> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid 601102
> <http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid 601102&sid=ay3jUtAyftac>
> &sid=ay3jUtAyftac
> dibs. Not taken; I checked.
> Nadia
>
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 10, 2010 at 11:09 AM, FreeLists Mailing List Manager <
> ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> debatewiserrt Digest Tue, 09 Mar 2010 Volume: 02 Issue: 031
>>
>> In This Issue:
>> [Debatewise RRT] General election debates
>> [Debatewise RRT] Re: General election debates
>> [Debatewise RRT] Re: General election debates
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> From: "Alex Helling" <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: [Debatewise RRT] General election debates
>> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 19:08:49 -0000
>>
>> Evening all,
>>
>>
>> Things are slightly different today. Due to the upcoming elections
>> Debatewise will be working with votematch to help give voters an idea as
>> to
>> the issues behind the policies of the parties. This means we have rather a
>> lot of debates to do and unfortunately the people behind votematch have
>> given us very little time in which to do these debates so we need your
>> help
>> to create them.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have listed all the debates that need doing below (we may get some more
>> for Scotland/Wales/NI later) so if you could take them as usual. I have
>> also
>> listed some similar debates for reference. Equally for the ones I have
>> been
>> doing please add to them and I apologise to those of you whose points I
>> have
>> cannibalised in order to create the debates!
>>
>>
>>
>> Because we only have the 19th to create these debates if you take one and
>> then decide you can’t do it please email me in plenty of time so that we
>> can
>> do the debate here at HQ
>>
>>
>>
>> And finally could you please put the debates on our election site rather
>> than the normal Debatewise site: http://electionuk.debatewise.org/ (you
>> can
>> log in with your usual details)
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Alex
>>
>>
>>
>> Debates on the site for you to add to:
>>
>>
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1734-an-independent-board-should-al
>> locate-nhs-resources-to-different-parts-of-the-country<http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1734-an-independent-board-should-al%0Alocate-nhs-resources-to-different-parts-of-the-country>
>>
>>
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1733-the-cost-of-nhs-administration
>> -should-be-cut-by-one-third<http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1733-the-cost-of-nhs-administration%0A-should-be-cut-by-one-third>
>>
>>
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1735-the-government-should-withdraw
>> -troops-from-afghanistan-with-a-year<http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1735-the-government-should-withdraw%0A-troops-from-afghanistan-with-a-year>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Economy:
>>
>>
>>
>> The Bank of England should have overall responsibility for financial
>> oversight
>>
>> The financial crisis and the recession that have affected us over the last
>> few years have shown that we need a change in the regulatory system that
>> provides oversight for the city and the banks. The Financial Services
>> Authority having failed the Conservatives believe that the Bank of England
>> have much more power over the financial sector.
>>
>>
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/5906113/Sir
>> -James-Sassoon-why-I-told-the-Tories-to-scrap-the-FSA.html<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/5906113/Sir%0A-James-Sassoon-why-I-told-the-Tories-to-scrap-the-FSA.html>
>>
>> http://www.publicservice.co.uk/feature_story.asp?id 296
>>
>>
>> http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldeconaf/101/1010
>> 8.htm<http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldeconaf/101/1010%0A8.htm>
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/870
>>
>>
>>
>> The Government should be compelled by law to cut the deficit by 50% within
>> 4
>> years
>>
>> The UK is currently running a budget deficit of 12%, that is higher than
>> Greece a country that is in particularly hot water due to its fiscal
>> imprudence. Everyone agrees that this has to be reduced, but how quickly
>> should this be done and how far does it need to be cut? No one really
>> knows.
>> Governments do not like making big cuts in services as they are unpopular
>> so
>> introducing a law forcing a cut in the deficit within a certain time could
>> be useful to whichever party wins the election.
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/07/deficit-fetishism-govern
>> ment-spending<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/07/deficit-fetishism-govern%0Ament-spending>
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8514767.stm
>>
>> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid 601102
>> <http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid 601102&sid=ay3jUtAyftac>
>> &sid=ay3jUtAyftac
>>
>>
>>
>> All departments should bear the brunt of spending cuts to reduce the
>> deficit
>>
>> Both the Conservatives and the Labour party are promising to ring fence
>> some
>> areas from any spending cuts, areas such as international development and
>> the NHS. However such ring fencing simply means that the cuts have to be
>> bigger elsewhere in order to make up for the inability to cut in some
>> areas.
>> This is unequal. The public may say they care most about the NHS but they
>> may change their tune when they find that the fire service is drastically
>> cut back because their can’t be cuts in other areas.
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/sep/16/public-spending-departme
>> nts-money-cuts<http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/sep/16/public-spending-departme%0Ants-money-cuts>
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/05/financial-crisis-public-
>> spending-tax<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/05/financial-crisis-public-%0Aspending-tax>
>>
>>
>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/artic
>> le7034353.ece
>>
>>
>>
>> Employment and Equal Ops:
>>
>>
>>
>> All companies who employ more than 250 people should be forced to publish
>> an
>> annual report comparing the average pay of men with the average pay of
>> women
>> in the company.
>>
>> Pay between men and women doing the same job is supposed to be equal, but
>> even if and where it is there are many other little inequalities that
>> reducing the earning power of women. Having to publish a comparison
>> between
>> the average earnings of men and women at companies would show which
>> companies are closing the gender gap and which have some way to go. Naming
>> and shaming is a way that may encourage firms to voluntarily equalise pay.
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/jan/06/equality-bill-pay
>>
>>
>> http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2009-09-14/gender-pay-gap-stays-as-wide-
>> as-ever<http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2009-09-14/gender-pay-gap-stays-as-wide-%0Aas-ever>
>>
>>
>>
>> The total hours allowed in a working week should not be decided by the EU
>>
>> The French and the Europeans generally are stereotyped in Britain and the
>> US
>> as being much more fun loving and wishing to work shorter working weeks
>> than
>> ‘Anglo-Saxon economies’ such as Britain. However the European Union now
>> has
>> a big say over many areas of regulation that were previously the preserve
>> of
>> Westminster. The amount of time we work is one of them. The working time
>> directive is one of them. It limits us to a working week of 48 hours,
>> however we are perfectly at liberty to set our own national limits on
>> working weeks that are less than 48 hours as several European countries
>> have.
>>
>>
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timcollard/100007914/the-working-time-dire
>> ctive-the-one-jewel-in-the-eus-plastic-crown/<http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timcollard/100007914/the-working-time-dire%0Active-the-one-jewel-in-the-eus-plastic-crown/>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/17/eu-work-and-careers
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/818
>>
>>
>>
>> People on job seekers allowance who refuse a job should lose their
>> benefits
>>
>> When there are millions looking for work people should be given every
>> incentive they can be to make sure that if they get offered a job they
>> take
>> it. It is a simply a drain on the state’s resources if someone refuses a
>> job
>> and carries on collecting jobseekers allowance the state should not nanny
>> people until they happen to find a job that they like. Job seekers should
>> be
>> given the option of either taking the first job they are offered or losing
>> their benefits if they wish to turn it down.
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7176032.stm
>>
>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6605850.ece
>>
>>
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/1574822/Tor
>> ies-to-strip-benefits-if-jobless-refuse-work.html<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/1574822/Tor%0Aies-to-strip-benefits-if-jobless-refuse-work.html>
>>
>>
>>
>> Immigration and Asylum:
>>
>>
>>
>> Asylum seekers should be allowed to work while waiting for their
>> application
>> to be processed
>>
>> Asylum seekers sitting around doing nothing is of no use to anyone. They
>> should instead be doing something productive while waiting to see if their
>> asylum application is granted. Not allowing them to work forces them into
>> poverty while they wait for our slow system of processing applications to
>> pass them through the system. If they are allowed to work and if at the
>> end
>> of it all they are rejected at least they will have gained something
>> during
>> their stay and contributed to the economy.
>>
>>
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-let-as
>> ylumseekers-work-1609199.html<http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-let-as%0Aylumseekers-work-1609199.html>
>>
>>
>> http://www.newstatesman.com/global-issues/2007/10/asylum-seekers-work-amnest
>> y
>>
>>
>> http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/campaigns/livingghosts/destituteanddesperat
>> e
>>
>>
>>
>> ID cards should be compulsory for immigrants and asylum seekers
>>
>> The Home office keeps getting into difficulties with asylum seekers,
>> either
>> through having more than predicted or with failures to deport asylum
>> seekers
>> who then go on to commit crimes. Having ID cards compulsory for immigrants
>> means that it is much more difficult for the home office to lose people.
>> ID
>> cards are meant to reduce the numbers of people working illegally so this
>> makes immigrants an obvious target group and they provide a test case for
>> any eventual role out for everyone.
>>
>>
>> http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/managingborders/idcardsforforeignnationals/
>>
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1793151.stm
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jun/09/labour-id
>> -cards<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jun/09/labour-id%0A-cards>
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/1
>>
>>
>>
>> People committed of crimes who were not born in this country should be
>> deported
>>
>> People who have committed crimes who were not born here should consider
>> themselves to have forfeited their right to stay in the UK. While it seems
>> obvious that where possible we should deport violent criminals who are not
>> native there are many circumstances where it would not be appropriate.
>> Should we be deporting everyone convicted for petty crimes? What do we do
>> if
>> the country they come from is not safe?
>>
>>
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1563890/Foreigners-commit-fifth-of-cr
>> ime-in-London.html<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1563890/Foreigners-commit-fifth-of-cr%0Aime-in-London.html>
>>
>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6211514.ece
>>
>>
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/7149720/Failure-to-deport
>> -foreign-criminals-costs-60m-a-year.html<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/7149720/Failure-to-deport%0A-foreign-criminals-costs-60m-a-year.html>
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/691
>>
>>
>>
>> Parliamentary Reform:
>>
>>
>>
>> There should be a referendum on changing the electoral system for General
>> Elections in the next Parliament.
>>
>> The current first past the post electoral system that we have in this
>> country no longer interprets the people’s wishes very well. It is very
>> possible that the conservatives may get a bigger percent of the votes
>> while
>> getting fewer seats than Labour. The Liberal democrats and other small
>> parties will almost certainly be even worse off. Although it might not
>> include a range of possible electoral systems a referendum would at least
>> allow a debate on the issue of electoral reform and it is likely than any
>> system decided on would be more representative than our present one.
>>
>> http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/votingsystems/systems.htm
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/09/bill-define-election-bro
>> wn-legacy<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/09/bill-define-election-bro%0Awn-legacy>
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8492622.stm
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/155
>>
>>
>>
>> The number of MPs should be reduced by 10%
>>
>> During this parliament many MPs have discredited themselves and the Houses
>> of Parliament with their excessive expenses claims. While there have been
>> reforms put in place to reduce these claims there are still a total of 646
>> MPs in the House of Commons. The House of Representatives in the USA has
>> 435
>> congressmen to represent a population almost five times the size.
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7294330.stm
>>
>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6078282.ece
>>
>>
>>
>> The Government should legislate for elections to the House of Lords within
>> the next Parliament
>>
>> Labour has been promising an elected House of Lords since they were
>> elected
>> in 1997, there has been progress with hereditary peers leaving however
>> there
>> has been no movement to having the House of Lords elected rather than
>> appointed. If we are going to lecture dictators on the benefits of
>> democracy
>> we should show that we believe in them too, an appointed chamber such as
>> we
>> have now shows that we do not take democracy seriously. But is legislating
>> to create an elected House of Lords really a priority with the economy in
>> such a bad state?
>>
>> http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm41/4183/ref-08.htm
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/20/parliament-reform-house-
>> of-lords<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/20/parliament-reform-house-%0Aof-lords>
>>
>> http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/article.php?id0
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/1223
>>
>>
>>
>> Pensions and Retirement:
>>
>>
>>
>> Pensions should be tied to average earnings in the next Parliament
>>
>> Margret Thatcher in 1980 abolished the link that there had been between
>> pensions and average earnings meaning that the state pension has been
>> falling in value relative to earnings in almost every year since. This is
>> obviously unfair, however it would be very costly to restore the link and
>> the public purse is in no position to foot the bill in the near future.
>>
>>
>> http://colineldridge.org.uk/news/000025/bring_back_link_between_pensions_and
>> _earnings_say_lib_dems.html<http://colineldridge.org.uk/news/000025/bring_back_link_between_pensions_and%0A_earnings_say_lib_dems.html>
>>
>>
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tories-target-state-pension-in
>> -battle-to-balance-books-1787328.html<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tories-target-state-pension-in%0A-battle-to-balance-books-1787328.html>
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/790
>>
>>
>>
>> The retirement age should be scrapped
>>
>> Scrapping the retirement age would potentially solve numerous current and
>> future problems. It could help reduce our budget deficit if the state
>> retirement age is increased meaning less is paid out while if more people
>> are working then there will be more money coming in to the treasury. So
>> long
>> as there is a retirement age it is easy for companies to pressurise people
>> who want to work into retirement. In the future having no retirement age
>> would help combat the problems of an ageing population such as a shrinking
>> workforce and their being less people to pay for pensioners pensions.
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jan/25/retirement-age-scrapped-equality
>> -commission<http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jan/25/retirement-age-scrapped-equality%0A-commission>
>>
>>
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/7309292/State-pe
>> nsion-age-should-be-70-PwC-says.html<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/7309292/State-pe%0Ansion-age-should-be-70-PwC-says.html>
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/848
>>
>>
>>
>> Sovereignty and Devolution:
>>
>>
>>
>> There should be an English Parliament
>>
>> We have a Scottish Parliament, a Welsh Assembly and a Assembly at Stormont
>> for Northern Ireland that has just voted to have policing and justice
>> powers
>> devolved to them. This leaves England, with most of the British population
>> without its own parliament. In many cases the MPs for Wales, Scotland and
>> Northern Ireland can vote on laws that can only affect England while
>> English
>> MPs have very little say over what happens in those areas with their own
>> assemblies, this represents a democratic deficit that has to be sorted
>> out.
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/18/devolution-england-pseud
>> o-democracy<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/18/devolution-england-pseud%0Ao-democracy>
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8558466.stm
>>
>>
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/philipjohnston/7396040/David-C
>>
>> ameron-will-have-to-finally-address-English-resentment-over-devolution.html<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/philipjohnston/7396040/David-C%0Aameron-will-have-to-finally-address-English-resentment-over-devolution.html>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/1246
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/3
>>
>>
>>
>> There should be a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the
>> European Union.
>>
>> We were denied a vote on the Lisbon treaty that many wanted, although so
>> far
>> the results of the treaty have been less than spectacular. The UK has
>> however had a referendum on its membership and voted to become a member of
>> the EEC, so should a referendum simply be on the changes that have taken
>> place since then? There is very little in the way of referendums in
>> Britain,
>> so such a referendum on leaving the EU should only occur if a party that
>> has
>> promised one in its election manifesto wins the election. Many would like
>> to
>> have a referendum on the continued membership of the EU so putting aside
>> questions about what do we do if we leave the EU should we get to vote?
>>
>>
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/9238909/Would_Britain_vote_to
>> _leave_the_EU/<http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/9238909/Would_Britain_vote_to%0A_leave_the_EU/>
>>
>>
>> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1225053/A-referendum-Mr-Cameron-CO
>> ULD-people.html<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1225053/A-referendum-Mr-Cameron-CO%0AULD-people.html>
>>
>>
>> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23763500-tories-set-to-retrea
>> t-on-eu-referendum-pledge.do<http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23763500-tories-set-to-retrea%0At-on-eu-referendum-pledge.do>
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/846
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/784
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Tax:
>>
>>
>>
>> Marriage should be incentivised through the tax system.
>>
>> David Cameron has proposed a that marriage should be incentivised,
>> although
>> he rapidly had to retreat due to not having the proposal all costed. The
>> Conservative proposals would have a transferrable tax allowance for all
>> married couples costing £3.2 billion. The tax system is regularly used to
>> incentivise or punish behaviour such as smoking or drinking. So it should
>> incentivise things that are good for us such as marriage which provides
>> for
>> more stability, particularly for children.
>>
>>
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7005840/Marriage-is-good-for-u
>> s-its-time-to-support-it.html<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7005840/Marriage-is-good-for-u%0As-its-time-to-support-it.html>
>>
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jan/18/family-marriage-tax-came
>> ron-labour<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jan/18/family-marriage-tax-came%0Aron-labour>
>>
>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6992961.ece
>>
>>
>>
>> Estates less than £1million pounds should not be liable for Inheritance
>> Tax
>>
>> Inheritance tax, often portrayed as the ‘death tax’ by its opponents.
>> Everyone dislikes having to pay tax, but why should we be bothered about
>> paying taxes on unearned wealth. An inheritance is a windfall so it makes
>> no
>> difference to those gaining the windfall if the taxman shares in the gain.
>> Does it make a difference if it is a relatively small amount?
>>
>>
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clarke-back-in-line-on-inherit
>> ance-tax-cut-policy-1652601.html<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clarke-back-in-line-on-inherit%0Aance-tax-cut-policy-1652601.html>
>>
>>
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/alicethomson/3554424/Ive-chang
>> ed-my-mind-on-inheritance-tax.html<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/alicethomson/3554424/Ive-chang%0Aed-my-mind-on-inheritance-tax.html>
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/1182
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/333
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/1052
>>
>>
>>
>> People earning less than £10,000 pounds a year should not have to pay
>> Income
>> tax
>>
>> Income tax for an income below £10,000 seems like a pointless excercise.
>> The
>> treasury is not likely to get much money out of the tax and at the same
>> time
>> will be encouraging those people who earn such small amounts to stay on
>> welfare payments instead of spending their time working in return for
>> their
>> pittance. However even if they do pay income tax the chances are they will
>> be able to get as much back in benefits and means tested allowances. They
>> still use the free services of the state such as the NHS and the education
>> system so should they not pay for it?
>>
>>
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexsingleton/8046867/Its_inefficient_and_
>> unfair_to_make_poor_people_pay_income_tax/<http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexsingleton/8046867/Its_inefficient_and_%0Aunfair_to_make_poor_people_pay_income_tax/>
>>
>> http://debatewise.org/debates/1013
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Use Revisewise @ http://revisewise.debatewise.com/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 19:26:30 +0000
>> Subject: [Debatewise RRT] Re: General election debates
>> From: Victoria Hilliard <victoria.hilliard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>
>> Can I take asylum seekers should be allowed to work? Thanks.
>> On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 7:08 PM, Alex Helling <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> > Evening all,
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Things are slightly different today. Due to the upcoming elections
>> > Debatewise will be working with votematch to help give voters an idea as
>> to
>> > the issues behind the policies of the parties. This means we have rather
>> a
>> > lot of debates to do and unfortunately the people behind votematch have
>> > given us very little time in which to do these debates so we need your
>> help
>> > to create them.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I have listed all the debates that need doing below (we may get some
>> more
>> > for Scotland/Wales/NI later) so if you could take them as usual. I have
>> also
>> > listed some similar debates for reference. Equally for the ones I have
>> been
>> > doing please add to them and I apologise to those of you whose points I
>> have
>> > cannibalised in order to create the debates!
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Because we only have the 19th to create these debates if you take one
>> and
>> > then decide you can’t do it please email me in plenty of time so that we
>> can
>> > do the debate here at HQ
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > And finally could you please put the debates on our election site rather
>> > than the normal Debatewise site: http://electionuk.debatewise.org/ (you
>> > can log in with your usual details)
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> >
>> > Alex
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Debates on the site for you to add to:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1734-an-independent-board-should-allocate-nhs-resources-to-different-parts-of-the-country
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1733-the-cost-of-nhs-administration-should-be-cut-by-one-third
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1735-the-government-should-withdraw-troops-from-afghanistan-with-a-year
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > *Economy:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The Bank of England should have overall responsibility for financial
>> > oversight
>> >
>> > The financial crisis and the recession that have affected us over the
>> last
>> > few years have shown that we need a change in the regulatory system that
>> > provides oversight for the city and the banks. The Financial Services
>> > Authority having failed the Conservatives believe that the Bank of
>> England
>> > have much more power over the financial sector.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/5906113/Sir-James-Sassoon-why-I-told-the-Tories-to-scrap-the-FSA.html
>> >
>> > http://www.publicservice.co.uk/feature_story.asp?id 296
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldeconaf/101/10108.htm
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/870
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The Government should be compelled by law to cut the deficit by 50%
>> within
>> > 4 years
>> >
>> > The UK is currently running a budget deficit of 12%, that is higher than
>> > Greece a country that is in particularly hot water due to its fiscal
>> > imprudence. Everyone agrees that this has to be reduced, but how
>> quickly
>> > should this be done and how far does it need to be cut? No one really
>> knows.
>> > Governments do not like making big cuts in services as they are
>> unpopular so
>> > introducing a law forcing a cut in the deficit within a certain time
>> could
>> > be useful to whichever party wins the election.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/07/deficit-fetishism-government-spending
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8514767.stm
>> >
>> > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid 601102&sid=ay3jUtAyftac
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > All departments should bear the brunt of spending cuts to reduce the
>> > deficit
>> >
>> > Both the Conservatives and the Labour party are promising to ring fence
>> > some areas from any spending cuts, areas such as international
>> development
>> > and the NHS. However such ring fencing simply means that the cuts have
>> to be
>> > bigger elsewhere in order to make up for the inability to cut in some
>> areas.
>> > This is unequal. The public may say they care most about the NHS but
>> they
>> > may change their tune when they find that the fire service is
>> drastically
>> > cut back because their can’t be cuts in other areas.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/sep/16/public-spending-departments-money-cuts
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/05/financial-crisis-public-spending-tax
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article7034353.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > *Employment and Equal Ops:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > All companies who employ more than 250 people should be forced to
>> publish
>> > an annual report comparing the average pay of men with the average pay
>> of
>> > women in the company.
>> >
>> > Pay between men and women doing the same job is supposed to be equal,
>> but
>> > even if and where it is there are many other little inequalities that
>> > reducing the earning power of women. Having to publish a comparison
>> between
>> > the average earnings of men and women at companies would show which
>> > companies are closing the gender gap and which have some way to go.
>> Naming
>> > and shaming is a way that may encourage firms to voluntarily equalise
>> pay.
>> >
>> > http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/jan/06/equality-bill-pay
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2009-09-14/gender-pay-gap-stays-as-wide-as-ever
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The total hours allowed in a working week should not be decided by the
>> EU
>> >
>> > The French and the Europeans generally are stereotyped in Britain and
>> the
>> > US as being much more fun loving and wishing to work shorter working
>> weeks
>> > than ‘Anglo-Saxon economies’ such as Britain. However the European Union
>> now
>> > has a big say over many areas of regulation that were previously the
>> > preserve of Westminster. The amount of time we work is one of them. The
>> > working time directive is one of them. It limits us to a working week of
>> 48
>> > hours, however we are perfectly at liberty to set our own national
>> limits on
>> > working weeks that are less than 48 hours as several European countries
>> > have.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timcollard/100007914/the-working-time-directive-the-one-jewel-in-the-eus-plastic-crown/
>> >
>> > http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/17/eu-work-and-careers
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/818
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > People on job seekers allowance who refuse a job should lose their
>> benefits
>> >
>> > When there are millions looking for work people should be given every
>> > incentive they can be to make sure that if they get offered a job they
>> take
>> > it. It is a simply a drain on the state’s resources if someone refuses a
>> job
>> > and carries on collecting jobseekers allowance the state should not
>> nanny
>> > people until they happen to find a job that they like. Job seekers
>> should be
>> > given the option of either taking the first job they are offered or
>> losing
>> > their benefits if they wish to turn it down.
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7176032.stm
>> >
>> > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6605850.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/1574822/Tories-to-strip-benefits-if-jobless-refuse-work.html
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > *Immigration and Asylum:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Asylum seekers should be allowed to work while waiting for their
>> > application to be processed
>> >
>> > Asylum seekers sitting around doing nothing is of no use to anyone. They
>> > should instead be doing something productive while waiting to see if
>> their
>> > asylum application is granted. Not allowing them to work forces them
>> into
>> > poverty while they wait for our slow system of processing applications
>> to
>> > pass them through the system. If they are allowed to work and if at the
>> end
>> > of it all they are rejected at least they will have gained something
>> during
>> > their stay and contributed to the economy.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-let-asylumseekers-work-1609199.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.newstatesman.com/global-issues/2007/10/asylum-seekers-work-amnesty
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/campaigns/livingghosts/destituteanddesperate
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ID cards should be compulsory for immigrants and asylum seekers
>> >
>> > The Home office keeps getting into difficulties with asylum seekers,
>> either
>> > through having more than predicted or with failures to deport asylum
>> seekers
>> > who then go on to commit crimes. Having ID cards compulsory for
>> immigrants
>> > means that it is much more difficult for the home office to lose people.
>> ID
>> > cards are meant to reduce the numbers of people working illegally so
>> this
>> > makes immigrants an obvious target group and they provide a test case
>> for
>> > any eventual role out for everyone.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/managingborders/idcardsforforeignnationals/
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1793151.stm
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jun/09/labour-id-cards
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > People committed of crimes who were not born in this country should be
>> > deported
>> >
>> > People who have committed crimes who were not born here should consider
>> > themselves to have forfeited their right to stay in the UK. While it
>> seems
>> > obvious that where possible we should deport violent criminals who are
>> not
>> > native there are many circumstances where it would not be appropriate.
>> > Should we be deporting everyone convicted for petty crimes? What do we
>> do if
>> > the country they come from is not safe?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1563890/Foreigners-commit-fifth-of-crime-in-London.html
>> >
>> > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6211514.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/7149720/Failure-to-deport-foreign-criminals-costs-60m-a-year.html
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/691
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > *Parliamentary Reform:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > There should be a referendum on changing the electoral system for
>> General
>> > Elections in the next Parliament.
>> >
>> > The current first past the post electoral system that we have in this
>> > country no longer interprets the people’s wishes very well. It is very
>> > possible that the conservatives may get a bigger percent of the votes
>> while
>> > getting fewer seats than Labour. The Liberal democrats and other small
>> > parties will almost certainly be even worse off. Although it might not
>> > include a range of possible electoral systems a referendum would at
>> least
>> > allow a debate on the issue of electoral reform and it is likely than
>> any
>> > system decided on would be more representative than our present one.
>> >
>> > http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/votingsystems/systems.htm
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/09/bill-define-election-brown-legacy
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8492622.stm
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/155
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The number of MPs should be reduced by 10%
>> >
>> > During this parliament many MPs have discredited themselves and the
>> Houses
>> > of Parliament with their excessive expenses claims. While there have
>> been
>> > reforms put in place to reduce these claims there are still a total of
>> 646
>> > MPs in the House of Commons. The House of Representatives in the USA has
>> 435
>> > congressmen to represent a population almost five times the size.
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7294330.stm
>> >
>> > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6078282.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The Government should legislate for elections to the House of Lords
>> within
>> > the next Parliament
>> >
>> > Labour has been promising an elected House of Lords since they were
>> elected
>> > in 1997, there has been progress with hereditary peers leaving however
>> there
>> > has been no movement to having the House of Lords elected rather than
>> > appointed. If we are going to lecture dictators on the benefits of
>> democracy
>> > we should show that we believe in them too, an appointed chamber such as
>> we
>> > have now shows that we do not take democracy seriously. But is
>> legislating
>> > to create an elected House of Lords really a priority with the economy
>> in
>> > such a bad state?
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm41/4183/ref-08.htm
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/20/parliament-reform-house-of-lords
>> >
>> > http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/article.php?id0
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1223
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > *Pensions and Retirement:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Pensions should be tied to average earnings in the next Parliament
>> >
>> > Margret Thatcher in 1980 abolished the link that there had been between
>> > pensions and average earnings meaning that the state pension has been
>> > falling in value relative to earnings in almost every year since. This
>> is
>> > obviously unfair, however it would be very costly to restore the link
>> and
>> > the public purse is in no position to foot the bill in the near future.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://colineldridge.org.uk/news/000025/bring_back_link_between_pensions_and_earnings_say_lib_dems.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tories-target-state-pension-in-battle-to-balance-books-1787328.html
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/790
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The retirement age should be scrapped
>> >
>> > Scrapping the retirement age would potentially solve numerous current
>> and
>> > future problems. It could help reduce our budget deficit if the state
>> > retirement age is increased meaning less is paid out while if more
>> people
>> > are working then there will be more money coming in to the treasury. So
>> long
>> > as there is a retirement age it is easy for companies to pressurise
>> people
>> > who want to work into retirement. In the future having no retirement age
>> > would help combat the problems of an ageing population such as a
>> shrinking
>> > workforce and their being less people to pay for pensioners pensions.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jan/25/retirement-age-scrapped-equality-commission
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/7309292/State-pension-age-should-be-70-PwC-says.html
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/848
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > *Sovereignty and Devolution: *
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > There should be an English Parliament
>> >
>> > We have a Scottish Parliament, a Welsh Assembly and a Assembly at
>> Stormont
>> > for Northern Ireland that has just voted to have policing and justice
>> powers
>> > devolved to them. This leaves England, with most of the British
>> population
>> > without its own parliament. In many cases the MPs for Wales, Scotland
>> and
>> > Northern Ireland can vote on laws that can only affect England while
>> English
>> > MPs have very little say over what happens in those areas with their own
>> > assemblies, this represents a democratic deficit that has to be sorted
>> out.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/18/devolution-england-pseudo-democracy
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8558466.stm
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/philipjohnston/7396040/David-Cameron-will-have-to-finally-address-English-resentment-over-devolution.html
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1246
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/3
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > There should be a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the
>> > European Union.
>> >
>> > We were denied a vote on the Lisbon treaty that many wanted, although so
>> > far the results of the treaty have been less than spectacular. The UK
>> has
>> > however had a referendum on its membership and voted to become a member
>> of
>> > the EEC, so should a referendum simply be on the changes that have taken
>> > place since then? There is very little in the way of referendums in
>> Britain,
>> > so such a referendum on leaving the EU should only occur if a party that
>> has
>> > promised one in its election manifesto wins the election. Many would
>> like to
>> > have a referendum on the continued membership of the EU so putting aside
>> > questions about what do we do if we leave the EU should we get to vote?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/9238909/Would_Britain_vote_to_leave_the_EU/
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1225053/A-referendum-Mr-Cameron-COULD-people.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23763500-tories-set-to-retreat-on-eu-referendum-pledge.do
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/846
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/784
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > *Tax:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Marriage should be incentivised through the tax system.
>> >
>> > David Cameron has proposed a that marriage should be incentivised,
>> although
>> > he rapidly had to retreat due to not having the proposal all costed.
>> The
>> > Conservative proposals would have a transferrable tax allowance for all
>> > married couples costing £3.2 billion. The tax system is regularly used
>> to
>> > incentivise or punish behaviour such as smoking or drinking. So it
>> should
>> > incentivise things that are good for us such as marriage which provides
>> for
>> > more stability, particularly for children.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7005840/Marriage-is-good-for-us-its-time-to-support-it.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jan/18/family-marriage-tax-cameron-labour
>> >
>> > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6992961.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Estates less than £1million pounds should not be liable for Inheritance
>> Tax
>> >
>> > Inheritance tax, often portrayed as the ‘death tax’ by its opponents.
>> > Everyone dislikes having to pay tax, but why should we be bothered about
>> > paying taxes on unearned wealth. An inheritance is a windfall so it
>> makes no
>> > difference to those gaining the windfall if the taxman shares in the
>> gain.
>> > Does it make a difference if it is a relatively small amount?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clarke-back-in-line-on-inheritance-tax-cut-policy-1652601.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/alicethomson/3554424/Ive-changed-my-mind-on-inheritance-tax.html
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1182
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/333
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1052
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > People earning less than £10,000 pounds a year should not have to pay
>> > Income tax
>> >
>> > Income tax for an income below £10,000 seems like a pointless excercise.
>> > The treasury is not likely to get much money out of the tax and at the
>> same
>> > time will be encouraging those people who earn such small amounts to
>> stay on
>> > welfare payments instead of spending their time working in return for
>> their
>> > pittance. However even if they do pay income tax the chances are they
>> will
>> > be able to get as much back in benefits and means tested allowances.
>> They
>> > still use the free services of the state such as the NHS and the
>> education
>> > system so should they not pay for it?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexsingleton/8046867/Its_inefficient_and_unfair_to_make_poor_people_pay_income_tax/
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1013
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Use Revisewise @ http://revisewise.debatewise.com/
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 23:30:37 +0000
>> Subject: [Debatewise RRT] Re: General election debates
>> From: Harriet Lowe <tehexile@xxxxxxxxx>
>>
>> People on job seekers allowance who refuse a job should lose their
>> benefits
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 7:08 PM, Alex Helling <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> > Evening all,
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Things are slightly different today. Due to the upcoming elections
>> > Debatewise will be working with votematch to help give voters an idea as
>> to
>> > the issues behind the policies of the parties. This means we have rather
>> a
>> > lot of debates to do and unfortunately the people behind votematch have
>> > given us very little time in which to do these debates so we need your
>> help
>> > to create them.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I have listed all the debates that need doing below (we may get some
>> more
>> > for Scotland/Wales/NI later) so if you could take them as usual. I have
>> also
>> > listed some similar debates for reference. Equally for the ones I have
>> been
>> > doing please add to them and I apologise to those of you whose points I
>> have
>> > cannibalised in order to create the debates!
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Because we only have the 19th to create these debates if you take one
>> and
>> > then decide you can’t do it please email me in plenty of time so that we
>> can
>> > do the debate here at HQ
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > And finally could you please put the debates on our election site rather
>> > than the normal Debatewise site: http://electionuk.debatewise.org/ (you
>> > can log in with your usual details)
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> >
>> > Alex
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Debates on the site for you to add to:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1734-an-independent-board-should-allocate-nhs-resources-to-different-parts-of-the-country
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1733-the-cost-of-nhs-administration-should-be-cut-by-one-third
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://electionuk.debatewise.org/debates/1735-the-government-should-withdraw-troops-from-afghanistan-with-a-year
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > *Economy:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The Bank of England should have overall responsibility for financial
>> > oversight
>> >
>> > The financial crisis and the recession that have affected us over the
>> last
>> > few years have shown that we need a change in the regulatory system that
>> > provides oversight for the city and the banks. The Financial Services
>> > Authority having failed the Conservatives believe that the Bank of
>> England
>> > have much more power over the financial sector.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/5906113/Sir-James-Sassoon-why-I-told-the-Tories-to-scrap-the-FSA.html
>> >
>> > http://www.publicservice.co.uk/feature_story.asp?id 296
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldeconaf/101/10108.htm
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/870
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The Government should be compelled by law to cut the deficit by 50%
>> within
>> > 4 years
>> >
>> > The UK is currently running a budget deficit of 12%, that is higher than
>> > Greece a country that is in particularly hot water due to its fiscal
>> > imprudence. Everyone agrees that this has to be reduced, but how
>> quickly
>> > should this be done and how far does it need to be cut? No one really
>> knows.
>> > Governments do not like making big cuts in services as they are
>> unpopular so
>> > introducing a law forcing a cut in the deficit within a certain time
>> could
>> > be useful to whichever party wins the election.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/07/deficit-fetishism-government-spending
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8514767.stm
>> >
>> > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid 601102&sid=ay3jUtAyftac
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > All departments should bear the brunt of spending cuts to reduce the
>> > deficit
>> >
>> > Both the Conservatives and the Labour party are promising to ring fence
>> > some areas from any spending cuts, areas such as international
>> development
>> > and the NHS. However such ring fencing simply means that the cuts have
>> to be
>> > bigger elsewhere in order to make up for the inability to cut in some
>> areas.
>> > This is unequal. The public may say they care most about the NHS but
>> they
>> > may change their tune when they find that the fire service is
>> drastically
>> > cut back because their can’t be cuts in other areas.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/sep/16/public-spending-departments-money-cuts
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/05/financial-crisis-public-spending-tax
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article7034353.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > *Employment and Equal Ops:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > All companies who employ more than 250 people should be forced to
>> publish
>> > an annual report comparing the average pay of men with the average pay
>> of
>> > women in the company.
>> >
>> > Pay between men and women doing the same job is supposed to be equal,
>> but
>> > even if and where it is there are many other little inequalities that
>> > reducing the earning power of women. Having to publish a comparison
>> between
>> > the average earnings of men and women at companies would show which
>> > companies are closing the gender gap and which have some way to go.
>> Naming
>> > and shaming is a way that may encourage firms to voluntarily equalise
>> pay.
>> >
>> > http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/jan/06/equality-bill-pay
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2009-09-14/gender-pay-gap-stays-as-wide-as-ever
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The total hours allowed in a working week should not be decided by the
>> EU
>> >
>> > The French and the Europeans generally are stereotyped in Britain and
>> the
>> > US as being much more fun loving and wishing to work shorter working
>> weeks
>> > than ‘Anglo-Saxon economies’ such as Britain. However the European Union
>> now
>> > has a big say over many areas of regulation that were previously the
>> > preserve of Westminster. The amount of time we work is one of them. The
>> > working time directive is one of them. It limits us to a working week of
>> 48
>> > hours, however we are perfectly at liberty to set our own national
>> limits on
>> > working weeks that are less than 48 hours as several European countries
>> > have.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timcollard/100007914/the-working-time-directive-the-one-jewel-in-the-eus-plastic-crown/
>> >
>> > http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/17/eu-work-and-careers
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/818
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > People on job seekers allowance who refuse a job should lose their
>> benefits
>> >
>> > When there are millions looking for work people should be given every
>> > incentive they can be to make sure that if they get offered a job they
>> take
>> > it. It is a simply a drain on the state’s resources if someone refuses a
>> job
>> > and carries on collecting jobseekers allowance the state should not
>> nanny
>> > people until they happen to find a job that they like. Job seekers
>> should be
>> > given the option of either taking the first job they are offered or
>> losing
>> > their benefits if they wish to turn it down.
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7176032.stm
>> >
>> > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6605850.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/1574822/Tories-to-strip-benefits-if-jobless-refuse-work.html
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > *Immigration and Asylum:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Asylum seekers should be allowed to work while waiting for their
>> > application to be processed
>> >
>> > Asylum seekers sitting around doing nothing is of no use to anyone. They
>> > should instead be doing something productive while waiting to see if
>> their
>> > asylum application is granted. Not allowing them to work forces them
>> into
>> > poverty while they wait for our slow system of processing applications
>> to
>> > pass them through the system. If they are allowed to work and if at the
>> end
>> > of it all they are rejected at least they will have gained something
>> during
>> > their stay and contributed to the economy.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-let-asylumseekers-work-1609199.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.newstatesman.com/global-issues/2007/10/asylum-seekers-work-amnesty
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/campaigns/livingghosts/destituteanddesperate
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ID cards should be compulsory for immigrants and asylum seekers
>> >
>> > The Home office keeps getting into difficulties with asylum seekers,
>> either
>> > through having more than predicted or with failures to deport asylum
>> seekers
>> > who then go on to commit crimes. Having ID cards compulsory for
>> immigrants
>> > means that it is much more difficult for the home office to lose people.
>> ID
>> > cards are meant to reduce the numbers of people working illegally so
>> this
>> > makes immigrants an obvious target group and they provide a test case
>> for
>> > any eventual role out for everyone.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/managingborders/idcardsforforeignnationals/
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1793151.stm
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jun/09/labour-id-cards
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > People committed of crimes who were not born in this country should be
>> > deported
>> >
>> > People who have committed crimes who were not born here should consider
>> > themselves to have forfeited their right to stay in the UK. While it
>> seems
>> > obvious that where possible we should deport violent criminals who are
>> not
>> > native there are many circumstances where it would not be appropriate.
>> > Should we be deporting everyone convicted for petty crimes? What do we
>> do if
>> > the country they come from is not safe?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1563890/Foreigners-commit-fifth-of-crime-in-London.html
>> >
>> > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6211514.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/7149720/Failure-to-deport-foreign-criminals-costs-60m-a-year.html
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/691
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > *Parliamentary Reform:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > There should be a referendum on changing the electoral system for
>> General
>> > Elections in the next Parliament.
>> >
>> > The current first past the post electoral system that we have in this
>> > country no longer interprets the people’s wishes very well. It is very
>> > possible that the conservatives may get a bigger percent of the votes
>> while
>> > getting fewer seats than Labour. The Liberal democrats and other small
>> > parties will almost certainly be even worse off. Although it might not
>> > include a range of possible electoral systems a referendum would at
>> least
>> > allow a debate on the issue of electoral reform and it is likely than
>> any
>> > system decided on would be more representative than our present one.
>> >
>> > http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/votingsystems/systems.htm
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/09/bill-define-election-brown-legacy
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8492622.stm
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/155
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The number of MPs should be reduced by 10%
>> >
>> > During this parliament many MPs have discredited themselves and the
>> Houses
>> > of Parliament with their excessive expenses claims. While there have
>> been
>> > reforms put in place to reduce these claims there are still a total of
>> 646
>> > MPs in the House of Commons. The House of Representatives in the USA has
>> 435
>> > congressmen to represent a population almost five times the size.
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7294330.stm
>> >
>> > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6078282.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The Government should legislate for elections to the House of Lords
>> within
>> > the next Parliament
>> >
>> > Labour has been promising an elected House of Lords since they were
>> elected
>> > in 1997, there has been progress with hereditary peers leaving however
>> there
>> > has been no movement to having the House of Lords elected rather than
>> > appointed. If we are going to lecture dictators on the benefits of
>> democracy
>> > we should show that we believe in them too, an appointed chamber such as
>> we
>> > have now shows that we do not take democracy seriously. But is
>> legislating
>> > to create an elected House of Lords really a priority with the economy
>> in
>> > such a bad state?
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm41/4183/ref-08.htm
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/20/parliament-reform-house-of-lords
>> >
>> > http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/article.php?id0
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1223
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > *Pensions and Retirement:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Pensions should be tied to average earnings in the next Parliament
>> >
>> > Margret Thatcher in 1980 abolished the link that there had been between
>> > pensions and average earnings meaning that the state pension has been
>> > falling in value relative to earnings in almost every year since. This
>> is
>> > obviously unfair, however it would be very costly to restore the link
>> and
>> > the public purse is in no position to foot the bill in the near future.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://colineldridge.org.uk/news/000025/bring_back_link_between_pensions_and_earnings_say_lib_dems.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tories-target-state-pension-in-battle-to-balance-books-1787328.html
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/790
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The retirement age should be scrapped
>> >
>> > Scrapping the retirement age would potentially solve numerous current
>> and
>> > future problems. It could help reduce our budget deficit if the state
>> > retirement age is increased meaning less is paid out while if more
>> people
>> > are working then there will be more money coming in to the treasury. So
>> long
>> > as there is a retirement age it is easy for companies to pressurise
>> people
>> > who want to work into retirement. In the future having no retirement age
>> > would help combat the problems of an ageing population such as a
>> shrinking
>> > workforce and their being less people to pay for pensioners pensions.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jan/25/retirement-age-scrapped-equality-commission
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/7309292/State-pension-age-should-be-70-PwC-says.html
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/848
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > *Sovereignty and Devolution: *
>> >
>> > * *
>> >
>> > There should be an English Parliament
>> >
>> > We have a Scottish Parliament, a Welsh Assembly and a Assembly at
>> Stormont
>> > for Northern Ireland that has just voted to have policing and justice
>> powers
>> > devolved to them. This leaves England, with most of the British
>> population
>> > without its own parliament. In many cases the MPs for Wales, Scotland
>> and
>> > Northern Ireland can vote on laws that can only affect England while
>> English
>> > MPs have very little say over what happens in those areas with their own
>> > assemblies, this represents a democratic deficit that has to be sorted
>> out.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/18/devolution-england-pseudo-democracy
>> >
>> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8558466.stm
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/philipjohnston/7396040/David-Cameron-will-have-to-finally-address-English-resentment-over-devolution.html
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1246
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/3
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > There should be a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the
>> > European Union.
>> >
>> > We were denied a vote on the Lisbon treaty that many wanted, although so
>> > far the results of the treaty have been less than spectacular. The UK
>> has
>> > however had a referendum on its membership and voted to become a member
>> of
>> > the EEC, so should a referendum simply be on the changes that have taken
>> > place since then? There is very little in the way of referendums in
>> Britain,
>> > so such a referendum on leaving the EU should only occur if a party that
>> has
>> > promised one in its election manifesto wins the election. Many would
>> like to
>> > have a referendum on the continued membership of the EU so putting aside
>> > questions about what do we do if we leave the EU should we get to vote?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/9238909/Would_Britain_vote_to_leave_the_EU/
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1225053/A-referendum-Mr-Cameron-COULD-people.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23763500-tories-set-to-retreat-on-eu-referendum-pledge.do
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/846
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/784
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > *Tax:*
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Marriage should be incentivised through the tax system.
>> >
>> > David Cameron has proposed a that marriage should be incentivised,
>> although
>> > he rapidly had to retreat due to not having the proposal all costed.
>> The
>> > Conservative proposals would have a transferrable tax allowance for all
>> > married couples costing £3.2 billion. The tax system is regularly used
>> to
>> > incentivise or punish behaviour such as smoking or drinking. So it
>> should
>> > incentivise things that are good for us such as marriage which provides
>> for
>> > more stability, particularly for children.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7005840/Marriage-is-good-for-us-its-time-to-support-it.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jan/18/family-marriage-tax-cameron-labour
>> >
>> > http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6992961.ece
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Estates less than £1million pounds should not be liable for Inheritance
>> Tax
>> >
>> > Inheritance tax, often portrayed as the ‘death tax’ by its opponents.
>> > Everyone dislikes having to pay tax, but why should we be bothered about
>> > paying taxes on unearned wealth. An inheritance is a windfall so it
>> makes no
>> > difference to those gaining the windfall if the taxman shares in the
>> gain.
>> > Does it make a difference if it is a relatively small amount?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clarke-back-in-line-on-inheritance-tax-cut-policy-1652601.html
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/alicethomson/3554424/Ive-changed-my-mind-on-inheritance-tax.html
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1182
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/333
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1052
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > People earning less than £10,000 pounds a year should not have to pay
>> > Income tax
>> >
>> > Income tax for an income below £10,000 seems like a pointless excercise.
>> > The treasury is not likely to get much money out of the tax and at the
>> same
>> > time will be encouraging those people who earn such small amounts to
>> stay on
>> > welfare payments instead of spending their time working in return for
>> their
>> > pittance. However even if they do pay income tax the chances are they
>> will
>> > be able to get as much back in benefits and means tested allowances.
>> They
>> > still use the free services of the state such as the NHS and the
>> education
>> > system so should they not pay for it?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexsingleton/8046867/Its_inefficient_and_unfair_to_make_poor_people_pay_income_tax/
>> >
>> > http://debatewise.org/debates/1013
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Use Revisewise @ http://revisewise.debatewise.com/
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> End of debatewiserrt Digest V2 #31
>> **********************************
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Work done with anxiety about results is far inferior to work done without
> such anxiety, in the calm of self-surrender. Seek refuge in the knowledge of
> Brahman. They who work selfishly for results are miserable. --"Bhagavad
> Gita."
>
--
Work done with anxiety about results is far inferior to work done without
such anxiety, in the calm of self-surrender. Seek refuge in the knowledge of
Brahman. They who work selfishly for results are miserable. --"Bhagavad
Gita."
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