UK government to hand over Santa’s Christmas present delivery services to G4S

Is it true that G4S are diversifying into the hospitality trade with the idea of hosting convivialities at the source of manufacture?
That has to be a winner – even they couldn’t mess that up – surely?

Tom Pride's avatarPride's Purge

(satire?)

Despite controversies over the Olympics and two separate ongoing Serious Fraud Office investigations, the coalition government has announced security company G4S is to take over all UK Christmas present delivery services from Santa.

The scandal-ridden group, which admitted its failure to provide enough staff for the London Olympics was a “humiliating shambles” and is now embroiled in Serious Fraud Office probes into both its contract for tagging criminals and its welfare-to-work contract, is to take over the Christmas Day delivery contract which has historically been provided by Finnish company Santa Claus.

G4S is expected to bring new technology to the delivery of Christmas presents across the UK, with a fleet of 20 specially-adapted brand new Peugeot Boxer vans with GPS replacing the more traditional magic flying reindeers and a team of 150 highly-trained unemployed workfare ‘volunteers’ ready to climb down chimneys and hand-deliver presents to every child in every…

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Mr Gove: A Christmas Carol…

Deserves the widest possible audience, hence the reblog. Keep up the good work – I’d grade it but I haven’t yet got my head round whether it is the high numbers, or the low numbers, that denote a high level of attainment.

paulbernal64's avatarPaul Bernal's Blog

Mr Gove Christmas Carol Cover

Mr Gove was not quite sure about Christmas.

There were some things he loved about Christmas. He liked the services. He liked the singing. More than anything else, though, he loved the Tradition. Mr Gove loved Tradition.

But there were some things he hated about Christmas. All that laziness. All that self-indulgence. And the schools, wasting so much time. Letting the children have too much fun, when they should be working hard. When they should be competing in the Global Race.

Mr Gove was thinking about all these things when he was having his dinner. Tradition, particularly. He enjoyed his dinner very much, though he wondered if he might have eaten too much Stilton afterwards.

When he went to bed, he felt a little strange. When he drifted off to sleep, it was a restless sleep, and he found himself dreaming.

Mr Gove Christmas Carol Closer

Mr Gove shivered and opened his eyes.

Before him…

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For Balance…

Herewith, for the record and for the sake of fairness and balance, is the full voting record for Division No. 164, 18 December, per Hansard – with transcript of the debate.

 

gogwit

The 296 MPs who voted AGAINST investigating food banks use and UK hunger: THE LIST

msjackmonroe's avatarCOOKING ON A BOOTSTRAP

Taken from Hansard, 18th December 2013.

Adams, Nigel

Afriyie, Adam

Aldous, Peter

Amess, Mr David

Andrew, Stuart

Bacon, Mr Richard

Baker, Steve

Baldry, rh Sir Tony

Baldwin, Harriett

Barker, rh Gregory

Baron, Mr John

Barwell, Gavin

Bebb, Guto

Beith, rh Sir Alan

Benyon, Richard

Beresford, Sir Paul

Bingham, Andrew

Blackman, Bob

Blackwood, Nicola

Blunt, Mr Crispin

Bone, Mr Peter

Bradley, Karen

Brady, Mr Graham

Brake, rh Tom

Bray, Angie

Brazier, Mr Julian

Bridgen, Andrew

Brine, Steve

Brooke, Annette

Browne, Mr Jeremy

Bruce, Fiona

Bruce, rh Sir Malcolm

Buckland, Mr Robert

Burley, Mr Aidan

Burns, Conor

Burns, rh Mr Simon

Burstow, rh Paul

Burt, Lorely

Byles, Dan

Cable, rh Vince

Cairns, Alun

Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair

Carmichael, Neil

Carswell, Mr Douglas

Cash, Mr William

Chishti, Rehman

Chope, Mr Christopher

Clappison, Mr James

Clark, rh Greg

Clarke, rh Mr Kenneth

Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey

Coffey, Dr Thérèse

Collins, Damian

Colvile, Oliver

Cox, Mr Geoffrey

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No to Colmore Academy

Experience tells us that the phrase “…investigate seeking academy status…” more often than not takes the meaning that most of the groundwork for conversion has already been undertaken and that a decision, in principle, if not on paper has already been taken.
Assertions that no decision has yet been taken, often made by the governors, are – technically – accurate since the matter will not have been voted on by governing body at this point in time.

askparentsfirst's avatarAsk Parents First

Colmore Junior and Infant Schools in Kings Heath recently announced their intention to ‘investigate seeking academy status’.

 

Parents have been given until 31st January to send in comments but no parents’ meeting has so far been arranged.

A group of concerned parents have set up ‘No to Colmore Academy’ to campaign against the proposal and to press the school for a fully accountable and democratic consultation. You can follow them on Twitter here or join the Facebook Group here.

Colmore parents are encouraged to contact the school to make sure it holds a parents’ meeting before the end of January.

The school emails are: enquiry@colmorej.bham.sch.uk and enquiry@colmore-inf.bham.sch.uk

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Gogwit’s Pick of the #LoveTAs Timeline…

Various posts on this subject have appeared in Gogwit’s Blog since June of this year.
Here are a few of them…

Let’s stand up with UNISON to champion the unsung heroes of the schools system

Pride’s Purge

Teaching Assistants in Woolwich ask the Public to Support Them

Cheryl Drabble’s “Dear Mr Gove…”

If you Tweet, make Friday 29 November a day to praise Teaching Assistants – using #LoveTAs – they are not teachers but they are key to the consistent delivery of inclusive education – day in, day out – in UK schools.  Do not let the leaders of your local schools make the mistake of seeing them as a soft target for saving money: those savings will likely prove short-lived and, over time, costly.

Use the hashtag #LoveTAs on 29/11/13!

Related articles

Let’s stand up with UNISON to champion the unsung heroes of the schools system

please read this; view the video and join the thunderclap.
support teaching assistants – help make the head and governors of your local school think twice about treating their TAs as a soft target for cutting costs.

 

leftstream's avatarLeftstream

This Friday, the UK’s largest education union, UNISON is planning a special day of celebration of teaching assistants (TAs) as the unsung heroes of education.

With tremendous changes within the schools system, teachers and support staff face increasing amount of pressures for the delivery of decent education to children. Earlier this year, it was reported that the government asked the teachers review body to look at teachers’ contracts – with a view to them taking on duties currently performed by teaching assistants. This summer, the value of teaching assistants came under sharp attack from the influential think tank, Reform.

Teaching assistants (TAs) carry out a huge variety of tasks, working with teachers to help children learn and develop to be the best they can be. 

They provide one-to-one support for children who need additional help. One-to-one support are often not provided by a teacher due to the importance of delivering lessons…

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Service Birmingham Profits Are The Teeth In The Jaws Of Doom

Sobering thoughts…ahead of the local budget consultations across Birmingham.
I don’t much care to think of our great city getting rolled like a sailor on leave. I’d previously heard about Bailey’s analysis. It is a good piece which deserves wider coverage.

Birmingham Against The Cuts's avatarBirmingham Against The Cuts

dec 5th draft B council house gradientthe following article by David Bailey, detailing how Capita’s IT contract with the council is costing us so much money it could, if ended go a substantial way to stopping cuts in council services and social security support, was published by the Birmingham Post

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6 facts that PROVE the Tories are leading the GREENEST government ever!

Also… the mouldy, rotten remains of the monetarist experiment which were dug up to replenish the Tories are green – glow in the dark, putrid green.

Tom Pride's avatarPride's Purge

(satire?)

Credit where credit’s due.

Before the last election, David Cameron said he would lead the greenest government ever.

Well he’s been true to his word!

Here are 6 facts that prove the Tories are leading the greenest government ever:

1) The Chancellor is Green.

Before the UK’s entire economy was put in his hands, George Osborne’s only previous job was as a towel folder in Selfridge’s. You can’t get much greener than that!

2) The Party Chairman is Green

Tory Party chairman Grant Shapps did some of his dodgy business deals under the pseudonym Michael Green. Shapps is Green!

3) Tory Party Donors are Green

Well one of the main ones is anyway. Philip Green – owner of Top Shop, Burton’s and BHS – has been one of the Tory Party’s biggest donors. And he manages to do it without even paying any taxes. Now that’s the kind of…

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2014-2015 Budget Consultation Meetings

Birmingham Against The Cuts's avatarBirmingham Against The Cuts

Don’t forget to attend your local budget consultation meeting (details below).
Be aware that the council wants to turn these meetings into discussions on how to find volunteers to run council services for nothing.

Monday 9th December – 10am – 2pm – The Library of Birmingham

Tuesday 10th December – 5:30pm – 7:30pm – The Lighthouse Suite, St Barnabas Church, High Street, Erdington

Wednesday 11th December – 6pm – 8pm – South Yardley Library, Yardley Road

Thursday 12th December – 6pm-8pm – Nishkam Centre, Soho Road, Handsworth

Wednesday 18th December – 6pm-8pm – Bournville College, Longbridge

To book a place at any of these consultations, to explain any access requirements or for more information please contact servicereviews@birmingham.gov.uk

consultation meetings

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