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I don't think anyone is at all suprised to see any of this or those names on the lists. The question is what do we do about it when so many 'masters of the universe' are involved, including those in top level politics. Even if Cameron doesn't beneift from it now, his privileged upbringing certainly did. Does he have any defense when HMRC go after ordianry people with a vengence, and 'we are all in it together' sounds more hypocritical than it ever has.

And libraries offer free internet and other services besides the loan of books. For the unemployed and poor with children, libraries are a valuable resource. How much do we put on the cost of every child having an equal stab at literacy for example, of which early access to books and language plays a huge part. Small local libraries tend to be used by the young and the old. And if you take a look at any of the large libraries offering things like study space, they are always oversubscribed. These things can not be measured in terms of financial profit. They are a public service central to both culture and learning. Just on the point of there being two libraries within walking distance of each other, well Lambeth are closing both - so that's not really an argument is it. If one were being closed and the other kept open that would be different. Lambeth are doing to the Library system the same thing that has happened with other sectors, by trying to centralise the service into larger venues. But they are completely missing the point of libraries.

I'm an 'IN' vote.

I also think that what is behind this is a money raising exercise. There can be no other explanation for replacing a public service with a commercial enterprise. There is no interest whatsoever from the council in the keeping libraries open. It's the same with the Cressingham and Central Hill proposals - no interest in community led alternative porposals over profitable sell offs to the highest bidder. A shelf of books within a gym is NOT a library, neighbourhood or otherwise, and Lambeth are taking people for fools if they think no-one sees past the stupid use of words to try and suggest otherwise.

The behaviour of some councillors has been childish and disgraceful. This is something to take up with their CLPs - especially given that they are paid around ?15k a year to serve - more if they hold cabinet or special positions. If they are going to make unpopular decisions, they should stand and defend those positions.

Bic Basher Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Lambeth Labour is apparently being run by a right-wing faction of the party called 'Progress' > who have voted through these extensive cuts to library services. That might also explain why they are trying to demolish Cressingham Gardens and Central Hill estates too instead of considering alternate proposals for refurbishment. Equally baffling is why in the leadership election, Camberwell and Peckham CLP voted to support Liz Kendall - the candidate that I would say least represented the social makeup of those wards. There does seem to be a disconnect between some local Labour CLPs and the people they represent.

I agree with Burbage. If Lambeth council were closing one to keep another open, I think we could accept cuts as part of the reasoning. But what is happening is turning it into a gym with a side room labelled as a 'neighbourhood library'. I'm guessing the proceeds from the gym will fund the side room - except I've heard it will be staffed by volunteers, so not even a paid librarian. Lambeth council don't use the word 'gym' though. They use the words 'healthy living centre'. It's not a huge building. It's clearly the imposition of a commercial interest in place of a public service.

You have my support. Can't be there due to work but totally disgusted that a Labour council are doing this.

What is the point of AV, firewalls, malware defenders etc if they don't stop these things? I had something get through that turned windows updater into a massive CPU leak and ended up having to completely reinstall my laptop.

The government might backtrack on this though. Don't think even they want Teachers striking as well as junior doctors.

We got back from an Easter break to have completely missed the storm but our back garden looks like the gnomes all had a rave before collapsing in drunken heaps. No trees down though thankfully.

There is a school that still teaches side saddle for 'ladies'. I grew up with horses but I can't recall ever seeing anyone compete riding so. As a mount it's as steady as riding cross saddle but I can't see it being more comfortable. A rider needs to be able rise and I would imagine side saddle being much harder work, especially at a trot. My wife beats me every time being a nordic giant Loz. She was born wearing skis I think and gets right down into a fetal position when hurtling down the piste. As for me, my 6 ft plus doesn't do crounching and wind resistance alone keeps me in my place. I'm not a great skier - a bit of a scaredy cat really :D

Female downhill skiers tend to be very tall though. I don't know the physics of it all but all things being equal there has to be more to it, otherwise every skier would achieve the same speed. Om half pipe etc, I wonder if it's just a case of less girls snowboarding. How many girls skateboard for example?

The block and tackle takes all the strain in sailing and modern racing yachts use winches and rachetts because sails have to be trimmed quickly. And women and men compete against each other in many sailing events. Equestrian is another one. Women don't seem to have any less of a problem sending a horse over huge fences than men do they.

I think Labours problems with the left are a certain type of misguided activist who still dreams of a truly socialist revolution that is never going to happen. And those people would rather see Labour lose elections than seek to truly represent everyone. To be honest, the Tories are now so far to the right in economic thinking that Labour don't need to leave the centre ground on the economy anyway.

So what about sports like curling? Or skiing? Or figure skating? Or sailing? There are plenty of sports that have no discernable difference between men and women. And actually, very few sporting events are televised anyway, even at the top level. Most sport needs massive sponsorship to even exist.

We made some Mary Berry hot cross buns with the kids last weekend and the ingredients were very cheap, so it's hard to see why ?1.50 a bun would be justified, even with the recent rent hikes on retail space in ED.

Sometimes though, the unelectable leaders are needed to get a party to the leader who is electable. It's almost a necessry form of metamorphosis after a long time in power. The Tories went through the same merry-go-round after the demise of Thatcher.

If the Tories ditch Osborne, they may find a replacement that actually knows what they are doing.

Not sure I agree with that. Men setting rules that exclude women from a whole range of activities is as clear as it gets. History is full of examples.

Is Angela Eagle leadership material? http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/angela-eagles-powerful-speech-mauling-7609958

You assume that all sports were originally played by men before women. There is no evidence of that. I would assume that in their earliest forms, most sports were played by kids of both genders playing together, and the same may have been true for adults as well. It is only patriarchy that has developed this false history of sport being for men first.

I'm with Otta. But what I would say is that Corbyn has upped his game of recent at the dispatch box. Maybe he's finally realised that 'a new kind of politics' doesn't work. But I still don't think he will be able to covert enough swing votes to win a GE without a major shift in those 100 or so Tory marginals, many of them rural. Come election time, his stances on defence etc will be ripped into by the Tories and every effort will be made to scare the public. John McDOnnell however has impressed me. He has to cut through the Tory myth that Labour single handedly ruined the UKs economy and he is starting to do that. Given the shambles after the budget that is becomming increasingly easy to do, and Osborne I think is one of the worst chacellors in living memory. He's completely lacking in any ideas or seemingly any understanding of the differences between national economics and household. I haven't heard anything from McDonnell on that level that doesn't make sense yet. I've met the guy a couple of times at Trade Union and Labour events and he's extremely smart. I would prefer him as leader, but still think a fresh face would be more impactful. I'd quite like to see a woman in the role - someone that can deal with Niccola Sturgeon and because Cameron doesn't like debating with women. I thought Emily Thornberry was impressive on Question Time last week. McDOnnell is doing fine as shadow chancellor. BUT a lot is going to happen over the summer, the outcomes of which we don't yet know. Will a poor show by Labour at local elcetions force a leadership challenge before conference enables the NEC to change the rules on challenges in the autumn? Will Cameron and Osborne still be at the head of the Tory party, or will Boris be holding the crown following an out vote on the EU? 2020 seems an age away.

Found this info on premiership clubs. Pretty much all of them have huge debts, barely make annual profits, yet continue to pay huge salaries. Now that's bonkers. http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/29/premier-league-finances-club-by-club

But the problem with all these arguments is that women are constantly being compared to men. Perhaps if we stopped doing that, we might see the merit of the sports they play. I'm pretty sure broadcast companies pay huge megabucks for the rights to televise the womens tennis slam tornaments just as they do the mens, and prizemoney is just a drop in the ocean to the revenues generated by that. And I think that's the point with all sport. If the money coming in can afford X or Y prizemoney, then that's all there is to it. There are plenty of sports that have no huge financial draw for male participants too. That's why we have things like the Olympics. For those few sports people that do make the top, the real money is in the endorsements and sponsorship anyway. Having said all that, I have no interest in sport anyway!