bridge too far

Yes - build up just started on Sky

I won't hold my breath!

And does that 'income' include their parachute payments I wonder?

"Since David Cameron became Prime Minister in 2010, the average wage has fallen in real terms every single month apart from April this year. The reason that average wages increased slightly in April was not that wages actually increased for the majority, but because the figures were skewed by the fact that thousands of high earners deferred their 2012 bonuses until then so that they could take advantage of the Tory income tax cut for the super rich" Not my words but in tune with my thoughts.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/picture/2013/aug/06/polar-bear-climate-change-sea-ice

Panorama tonight - BBC1 - covers this subject

Lol - I just get a blank page Reflecting the level of thinking at Conservative Home?

Viking, I suspect that many supply teachers and nurses are agency workers. By being on an agency's books, they are entitled to holiday pay at the very least and, because they are in demand, they can call the shots about when they work and know pretty much how much they'll earn. My SiL, a teacher, briefly looked into supply teaching because of the incredibly long hours required of him as a permanent member of staff but found that he couldn't afford to do it as a 'full time' job as they could only guarantee to pay him for 3 days a week (regardless of whether he worked or not). But many people, and there have been a number of them on TV today, can't call the shots, and will get lower hourly rates than properly contracted employees at the same firms, don't get holiday pay, are dragooned into working with very little notice and know that they probably won't get asked again if they refuse. They have no certainty of income and this means they can't undertake rental agreements / mortgages / bank loans etc. They'd be constantly claiming and unclaiming benefits and losing their future entitlements to state pensions. That means we all, in the future, will have to pick up the bill to pay pension credits. Barry's right - it's a chase to the bottom and does nothing to inspire loyalty and commitment from employees. Commitment is a two-way process.

So, if someone is on a zero hours contract, they presumably aren't required to pay National Insurance? That would have serious implications for their state pensions as these are calculated on contributions over the average working life. So, if someone is on a zero hours contract, what are their chances of finding somewhere to rent, when landlords and letting agencies require references and proof of earnings? They won't have satisfactory proof of earnings as it's an unknown. What are their chances of opening a bank account since banks are very choosy these days about who they offer accounts to. If one (or both) of a couple of parents is on a zero hours contract, how can they qualify for basic state child support since it's now a prerequisite that both parents have to be working to get things like childcare vouchers?

Last time they'll see 18K crowd at Fatpipes!

My daughter and SiL had a villa in Ibiza in May half term this year with their 4 yo and a 6 month old. Not too hot for the little one and they had a great time.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/aug/02/telecoms-bt-vodafone-cables-gchq

Coventry docked 10 points, FL confirm http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23548760

Slightly off topic but look at this interesting article from the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23529849 It would seem from this that selfish people have evolved less than selfless people!

On the back of many of the countries whose residents now seek to live here.

BBC says they'll be dismissed from the Football League Edit BBC speaking with forked tongue! Surely no company can continue to operate if it's liquidated? BBC now saying FL 'could' expel them from the league. Owners saying 'only part of the club is liquidated' - sounds familiar.

Been liquidated

Maybe they'd be cute enough to work the zero hours contracts to their advantage by ensuring that employees only worked enough hours to earn £19,999.00? Just saying

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jun/08/immigration-opposition-falls-benefits-survey http://www.redpepper.org.uk/immigration-the-real-story/ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/halting-immigration-would-cost-uk-18bn-in-five-years-8555344.html

If people are on JSA and they turn down a zero hours contract, would their benefits be stopped? I'm just wondering what rights people have in such a situation.

Viking - there's a difference between 'relief' contracts as you put it and having 20,000 part-time employees on zero hours.

Zer hours contracts particularly mitigate against people who have caring responsibilities. A working parent, for example, has to contract with a nursery / child carer to provide x hours / days a week. If that parent doesn't know with any certainty that they'll actually be called upon to work, they could well find it uneconomic to work such a contract. As others have said, it's different if you're self-employed (and I have been so I do understand). If you've got an ounce of business sense, you'd factor in your holidays when working out the rates you charge for the work you do. My SiL has a very successful graphic design company. He works very long hours and has been courted by other companies to work for them. He'd rather have the flexibility of being self-employed as it means he can, for example, undertake some child care when necessary and make up the lost time in the evenings and / or weekends. It's a sad indictment of our society that we expect people to be available 24/7 without offering them basic rights such as sick pay and holiday pay and some certainty of income.

The Co-op is pretty good for wine too, I've found - unless it varies from store to store.

You beat me to it, Bexy! Also concerning is the fact that Cameron is praising TalkTalk as an example to follow - this is the same TalkTalk that uses Huawei, the Chinese firewall company, to 'control' its censorship. There you have it folks - the Chinese will be watching your every move!

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/five-things-george-osborne-doesnt-want-you-know-about-economy