OT…..Student Protests.

[TF_daveroberts]

Whilst I am pleased that we live in a democracy that allows the right to protest, am I alone in losing sympathy for people who see it as right to attack a royal convoy, deface statues of Whinston Churchil, throw missiles and cause millions of pounds worth of damage. The general defence seams to be that it was because the protesters were ‘kettled’, that violence occured. If the very first protest hadn’t turned into such a destructive riot (When the police were under prepared) there wouldn’t be a need to forcefully contain protesters.

I was slightly amused by the two gimps trying to break bomb proof glass on the treasury building.

If you stand in front of a police cordon with a masked face whilst missiles fly, acting aggressively, can you complain if you get hit by a baton?

[TF_tractorboy]

I have no sympathy with the students now either.

Why do we allow people to dress like terrorists in our capital city and then hurt people and set things alight and destroy property??

When I saw a picture of a WPC with blood pouring down her face during the first protest’s (riots), I wanted the little bastards battoned.

Only in this country do we allow this to happen. No problem with protests, but riots should be met with the full force of the riot police, although they do look pathetic allowing their police cars to be burnt out.

Some of the so called protesters seem quite happy to see people hurt or maybe killed.

Whats wrong with these idiot students. Most are lazy idle shits who are just after a doss anyway. IMO

[TF_JohnH]

I suspect that the real trouble causers were not students but activists who leap onto any band waggon if it gives them the oportunity to have a punch up.
I oppose these charges and can sympathise with students who only a few months ago were being courted by Lib Dems on a platform of them opposing any increase in fees.
The fundemental problem is that the Universities have been expanded too quickly and many degrees are mickey mouse ones where the graduates are only good for call centers.
We need our technical graduates more than ever if we are to build wealth for all our future pensions and technical degrees should be free to students IMO.By technical I mean the sciences maths etc not media studies.
In reality the end game for where we are now is market forces will mean useless degrees will dissapear the University capacity will shrink and we may once more revert to an affordable higher education system funded by tax payers and based on ability not ability to pay.
Only the top 15% will go to uni not the rediculous 50% aspired to by Blair. Just like it used to be.

[Anonymous]

The thing that worries me is that these people are the supposed future leaders of our once great country ~think !

[TF_joffmiester]

students ~naughty there not students just spoilt kids smash there toys up if they don’t get there own way
i can’t see this being the right way to put your point across
A ITS US THE TAXPAYER THAT WILL FOOT THE BILLS they’ll get not votes from us
B WHAT IF THE DOCTORS AND NURSES acted like that and started smashed the hospitals up
they are the people that need extra
students discount cards cheap beer fu#k that make them pay
educate them in the military they would soon shut up then
or just try hard work like the rest of us
rant over

[TF_Man of Kent]

I agree with JohnH in that the agressive riots are probably instigated by anti-government activists rather than students. Admittedly some student will get swept up in the moment, but i doubt they would start it, as they’d know that kind of action isn’t likely to resolve the issue. I’d expect a peaceful demo from them.

[TF_tractorboy]

My mum works at a uni and the students there seem to have no problem smashing up the student union bar from time to time and basically trashing the place.

I am sure most are non violent kids, but it seems plenty were up for fighting and smashing up London and basic thuggery.

I also am worried about our future if these dickheads are anything to go by.

Its seems everything that has a price is going up as the government battles this countries money problems. Student fees go up too.
Welcome to the real world.

[TF_angler 1Participant]

@joffmiester wrote:

students ~naughty there not students just spoilt kids smash there toys up if they don’t get there own way
i can’t see this being the right way to put your point across
A ITS US THE TAXPAYER THAT WILL FOOT THE BILLS they’ll get not votes from us
B WHAT IF THE DOCTORS AND NURSES acted like that and started smashed the hospitals up
they are the people that need extra
students discount cards cheap beer fu#k that make them pay
educate them in the military they would soon shut up then
or just try hard work like the rest of us
rant over

these are the doctors, surgeons, mp’s ,teachers of the future, making their feelings known. their peaceful protest was hijacked by the usual motley crew of anarchists and trouble makers. but as usual the right wing tory boys that seem to infest this site, don’t let the truth get in the way of a good rant .

[TF_scarf]

but as usual the right wing tory boys that seem to infest this site, don’t let the truth get in the way of a good rant
Spoilt by that last bit angler 1; not all students are anarchists, not all members of this board are old reactionaries. People do and say silly and aggressive things when they are wound up – like you did, above.

[TF_wightangler]

could’nt agree more scarf.~clap ~clap ~clap
economic violence is being practised by this coalition and their backers who seek long term privatisation of public services for profit and eventual lower taxes for their backers at expense of ordinary english common people -expect far more unrest and widespread protests after xmas when the cuts kick in.
there’s currently a load of i’m all right Jacks who defer to money and will demonise anyone less well-off – bet they’ll change their tune and bother to think when their friends and family are affected!

[TF_angler 1Participant]

scarf wrote:

but as usual the right wing tory boys that seem to infest this site, don’t let the truth get in the way of a good rant
Spoilt by that last bit angler 1]
not wound up one little bit matey, just speaking as i find it. there does seem to be a lot of daily mail/sun type readers who actually believe what’s been fed to them , then spout it on forums such as this. by the way i didn’t say all students were anarchists, i said their peaceful protest was hijacked by them .have a nice day.

[TF_daveroberts]

My original post suggested nothing of my political beliefs or support and I hope no one is making assumptions towards that.

If the protest organisers came out and said we condemn these acts or our protest was hijacked then people will still listen but spouting rubbish about police brutality and fighting back against oppression just makes them look stupid. Likening themselves to people like Dr Martin Luther King…..get out of here!

If I’m honest I lost sympathy as the fire extinguisher was flying through the air at the first protest.

[TF_Decaff]

Education is a right !

Is further education ?

Why do they feel they do not have to pay a reasonable amount for it,after all it’s their future?

[TF_angler 1Participant]

@Decaff wrote:

Education is a right !

Is further education ?

Why do they feel they do not have to pay a reasonable amount for it,after all it’s their future?

and ours.

[TF_Decaff]

True enough Angler 1…worrying~think

[TF_C.S.HParticipant]

With you on this Angler 1.

However I wouldn’t necessarily accuse all other posters on the site as being right wing tories, although some do come to mind.
I think its more a case of people formulating opinions based upon the right wing tory information they are fed by the BBC and daily rags.

I would be interested in the learned Professor’s opinion on this subject.

[TF_caster robParticipant]

@C.S.H wrote:

With you on this Angler 1.

However I wouldn’t necessarily accuse all other posters on the site as being right wing tories, although some do come to mind.
I think its more a case of people formulating opinions based upon the right wing tory information they are fed by the BBC and daily rags.

I would be interested in the learned Professor’s opinion on this subject.

That’s a joke right:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23873043-bbc-chief-mark-thompson-admits-left-wing-bias.do

even their own DG admits they’re a bunch of state-funded lefties.

[TF_Gavin]

Someone’s got to pay for the jocks to have free uni, and the taff’s to have it cheap ~naughty

Not justifying the idiots (polite in a public forum), especially those at Churchill’s statue (public flogging for them should they be caught I reckon) but it comes to something when a Spaniard can go to a British Uni (those in Wales) than someone from England can!

[TF_Dodge]

@daveroberts wrote:

My original post suggested nothing of my political beliefs or support and I hope no one is making assumptions towards that.

If the protest organisers came out and said we condemn these acts or our protest was hijacked then people will still listen but spouting rubbish about police brutality and fighting back against oppression just makes them look stupid. Likening themselves to people like Dr Martin Luther King…..get out of here!

If I’m honest I lost sympathy as the fire extinguisher was flying through the air at the first protest.

daveroberts …. it seems you have missed THE REAL issues of the many , many , many student protests up and down the country over the past 4 weeks or so, they havent just been protesting in London as Sky News (murdoch)etc would like you to believe , they have infact been protesting all over the country where no violence has taken place !
Nick Clegg went totally against a fundamental election pledge by supporting the tuition fee hike, so has Vince Cable …… not lost on huge numbers of students who voted for the first time at last mays general election for the Lib Dems on the back of Cleggs promises. The Universities will now have an 80 % cut in funding after yesterdays vote ….. this will be made up with a trebeling in Student tuition fees up to £9000 pound a year , its no wonder a generation of young people are going ballistic !
Also, maybe the Metropolitan Police have been playing a political football with the high profile protests as they are also facing severe cuts themselves ! ~think

[TF_caster robParticipant]

Reminiscent of 2001 when Blair said:

“We will not introduce top-up(tuition) fees and have legislated to prevent them.”

[TF_C.S.HParticipant]

Perhaps not right wing enough for you Caster Rob?

Surely its all relative.

Swinging to the more anarchic side of the left myself, I percieve the BBC as nothing more than a medium for tory propaganda.

[TF_caster robParticipant]

@C.S.H wrote:

Perhaps not right wing enough for you Caster Rob?

Surely its all relative.

Swinging to the more anarchic side of the left myself, I percieve the BBC as nothing more than a medium for tory propaganda.

They’re not remotely right-wing, anyone can see that, including the bloke in charge of it.

I do find it extremely condescending that the default position of left-leaners is that those they judge to be of the right are only like it because they’ve been brain-washed by the wicked media and are incapable of observation, assimilating their own life-experiences, and formulating original thought.

[TF_NoCarpPlease]

I’m aware that I’m writing from within a glass house, as I was at university when there were no tuition fees.
But that won’t stop these random thoughts ….

I agree with 95% of JohnH post.

A target of x% graduates needs to be as a result of an economic strategy that guides the mix of skills that we need in the workforce (we certainly can’t have 50% managers!)

Apart from direct vocational qualifications, or teaching, the main benefits that further education can provide is to improve so-called transferrable skills. For my line of business, the most important of these are problem solving, analytical skills, presentation, communication, negotiation. yet I see precious few graduates with these skills. Is University the best way to develop such skills?

Student protest was historically in support of other people’s causes – this campaign just makes them look selfish and self absorbed.

Is there any real benefit in your taxes paying for 50% of school leavers to go to University? There will not be 50% of jobs high paying to return that invested capital by way of taxes in the future.

Students in general seem to have a rather higher standard of living than in previous decades (cars, phones etc) – there must be several opportuntiies to reduce any debts on graduation. However, accomodation costs are ludicrously high due to the massive overvaluation of property in this country.

Life is not fair – get used to it!

On the flip side – i detest the fact that all of this (recession/depression) has come about because some undeserving chancers have hoodwinked a load of money out of all of our hands through the miracle of financial instruments! Mind you – we should have had our eyes open 7 or 8 years ago 🙂

[TF_spadger]

My thoughts exactly on the police Dodge.
I have a feeling they may have a wry smile regards the demonstrations and the lack of man power to police it.
Summer is commonly known as rioting season and i don’t think we have seen the last of the demonstrations against this shambolic government.
No-one voted for a co-alition, it was forced upon the electorate. Come the summer there will be mass demo’s all over the country when they hit the working man hard in the pocket.
The one saving grace of the co-alition is that it will see the end of the Lib Dems for many, many years to come.

[TF_lloydy1970]

The problem in my eyes is the fact that there are hundreds of courses that basically lead to nothing. I think there needs to be a review of courses so that the ones that are beneficial are totally funded and the Mickey mouse courses that don’t lead to anything self funding. I sat next to the Rep on holiday this year and she had just dropped out of university and said she only went for the lifestyle, now it can’t be right for us to pay for that

[TF_caster robParticipant]

Agree lloydy, a consequence of Blair’s stated aim to have over 50% of the population with degrees.

The job market doesn’t require this and cannot sustain it because the demand isn’t there.

A lot of the degrees awarded nowadays aren’t even from proper Univesities, just jumped up polytechnics with a grandiose name change.

[TF_NoCarpPlease]

shock horror – politiicans break election pledge!!!! shock horror – minority party in coalition has to make compromise on previous policy!!
Isn’t real life all about compromises?

At least they have managed to retain decent funding for early years – where by far the biggest difference is made for social mobility.

[TF_daveroberts]

@Dodge wrote:

@daveroberts wrote:

My original post suggested nothing of my political beliefs or support and I hope no one is making assumptions towards that.

If the protest organisers came out and said we condemn these acts or our protest was hijacked then people will still listen but spouting rubbish about police brutality and fighting back against oppression just makes them look stupid. Likening themselves to people like Dr Martin Luther King…..get out of here!

If I’m honest I lost sympathy as the fire extinguisher was flying through the air at the first protest.

daveroberts …. it seems you have missed THE REAL issues of the many , many , many student protests up and down the country over the past 4 weeks or so, they havent just been protesting in London as Sky News (murdoch)etc would like you to believe , they have infact been protesting all over the country where no violence has taken place !
Nick Clegg went totally against a fundamental election pledge by supporting the tuition fee hike, so has Vince Cable …… not lost on huge numbers of students who voted for the first time at last mays general election for the Lib Dems on the back of Cleggs promises. The Universities will now have an 80 % cut in funding after yesterdays vote ….. this will be made up with a trebeling in Student tuition fees up to £9000 pound a year , its no wonder a generation of young people are going ballistic !
Also, maybe the Metropolitan Police have been playing a political football with the high profile protests as they are also facing severe cuts themselves ! ~think

I’m perfectly aware of the country wide demonstartions as I was held up for 10 minutes in the traffic during A demo in hereford. It didn’t bother me and I thought ‘Good on them’. There were no arrests and they got my attention and sympathy.

I’m also aware of how organisations manipulate situations to make a point but I belive you are missing the REAL issue here.

If I walk down the street now and throw a rock (or a fire extinguisher) at the local bobby I would be locked up straight away. I would also (due to the way I was brought up) be bringing shame on my family and friends, and that matters to me. I would also be letting them down if I was stood alongside someone doing the throwing. By associating with hooligans they are all tarred with the same brush.

As I said earlier my point was raised towards genuine public decency and how to gain sympathy for a cause. All they have to do is denounce the public dissorder but they aren’t so how can they expect to be taken seriously.

I’m not interested in political wrangling. I’m interested in how badly this generation has been brought up that they believe it is acceptable to lower their standars and stand shoulder to shoulder with people who have the intent to cause serious injury!

[TF_pr@ngler]

NUS consistently condemns violent protest whilst calling for full investigation into police tactics

http://www.nus.org.uk/en/News/News/NUS-consistently-condemns-violent-protest-whilst-calling-for-full-investigation-into-police-tactics/

The sad thing about this thread is that some people just see what they want to see.

[TF_youngy]

If the government doesnt listen to the people, then the people have the right to make them listen.
And lets be honest the tories and Libs have well and trully shafted the kids and therefore deserve a good kicking over it.
This government are going to have to get used to protest in future!.
And the police just love it, loads of overtime and an excuse to baton some 16 years old who cant fight back, remember the miners strike!..like pigs in shit.
Its good to see kids actually doing something about politics and expressing it is there right to do so, maybe the rest of the workers should be down there with them and protest about the other cuts being made, cost of fuel etc.

[TF_caster robParticipant]

@youngy wrote:

If the government doesnt listen to the people, then the people have the right to make them listen.
And lets be honest the tories and Libs have well and trully shafted the kids and therefore deserve a good kicking over it.
This government are going to have to get used to protest in future!.
And the police just love it, loads of overtime and an excuse to baton some 16 years old who cant fight back, remember the miners strike!..like pigs in shit.
Its good to see kids actually doing something about politics and expressing it is there right to do so, maybe the rest of the workers should be down there with them and protest about the other cuts being made, cost of fuel etc.

Which people, the ones trashing the buildings?

The “cuts” are merely reducing public expenditure to that of 2005/06, hardly destitution levels.

Perhaps you think the government should borrow some money?

[TF_Dodge]

@daveroberts wrote:

@Dodge wrote:

@daveroberts wrote:

My original post suggested nothing of my political beliefs or support and I hope no one is making assumptions towards that.

If the protest organisers came out and said we condemn these acts or our protest was hijacked then people will still listen but spouting rubbish about police brutality and fighting back against oppression just makes them look stupid. Likening themselves to people like Dr Martin Luther King…..get out of here!

If I’m honest I lost sympathy as the fire extinguisher was flying through the air at the first protest.

daveroberts …. it seems you have missed THE REAL issues of the many , many , many student protests up and down the country over the past 4 weeks or so, they havent just been protesting in London as Sky News (murdoch)etc would like you to believe , they have infact been protesting all over the country where no violence has taken place !
Nick Clegg went totally against a fundamental election pledge by supporting the tuition fee hike, so has Vince Cable …… not lost on huge numbers of students who voted for the first time at last mays general election for the Lib Dems on the back of Cleggs promises. The Universities will now have an 80 % cut in funding after yesterdays vote ….. this will be made up with a trebeling in Student tuition fees up to £9000 pound a year , its no wonder a generation of young people are going ballistic !
Also, maybe the Metropolitan Police have been playing a political football with the high profile protests as they are also facing severe cuts themselves ! ~think

I’m perfectly aware of the country wide demonstartions as I was held up for 10 minutes in the traffic during A demo in hereford. It didn’t bother me and I thought ‘Good on them’. There were no arrests and they got my attention and sympathy.

I’m also aware of how organisations manipulate situations to make a point but I belive you are missing the REAL issue here.

If I walk down the street now and throw a rock (or a fire extinguisher) at the local bobby I would be locked up straight away. I would also (due to the way I was brought up) be bringing shame on my family and friends, and that matters to me. I would also be letting them down if I was stood alongside someone doing the throwing. By associating with hooligans they are all tarred with the same brush.

As I said earlier my point was raised towards genuine public decency and how to gain sympathy for a cause. All they have to do is denounce the public dissorder but they aren’t so how can they expect to be taken seriously.

I’m not interested in political wrangling. I’m interested in how badly this generation has been brought up that they believe it is acceptable to lower their standars and stand shoulder to shoulder with people who have the intent to cause serious injury!

dave, Having standards and being quiet gets you absolutely zilch in todays world. The student protests have been taken absolutely seriuously around the world because they made the TV headlines and newspaper front pages ……. so have the Metropolitan Police and their tactics ! Its all politics at the end of the day however anyone sees it imho.

[TF_youngy]

trashing the buildings because they aint heard by this government or any in fact. Should they just take it up the arse and except it?..no. The workers strike in france and the country get behind them, in this country we have too many people who read “Murdochs” papers and believe the lot!. You have been brain washed to believe that it is wrong to protest when you should be supporting them.
Its the old US and THEM bollocks, north and south. Im all right jack right wing dross.

[TF_NoCarpPlease]

Dave

apologies for misconstruing your original post and responding with a policy & spending priorities essay!

I agree that any real student demonstrators that joined in the violence were demonstrating that they, in particular, do not deserve to have their education paid for by taxpayers.

But where do we draw the line?

Remember the filmof the g20 bystander maliciously pushed over by a policeman for being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Did that happen again here? Is self defence an excuse for a violent response?

Also – when does peaceful protest become “unacceptable” direct action? when the protestors block a road by sitting down in it?

[TF_caster robParticipant]

You may have a point there Dodge.

I reckon that’s one of the reasons why so many people try to get on talent/reality TV.

[TF_caster robParticipant]

@youngy wrote:

trashing the buildings because they aint heard by this government or any in fact. Should they just take it up the arse and except it?..no. The workers strike in france and the country get behind them, in this country we have too many people who read “Murdochs” papers and believe the lot!. You have been brain washed to believe that it is wrong to protest when you should be supporting them.
Its the old US and THEM bollocks, north and south. Im all right jack right wing dross.

I respect your opinion but please refrain from the tired insult about being brain-washed by Murdochs papers.

The Times is now behind an online paywall and I never read the Sun anyway.

There are other sources of information you know.

[TF_daveroberts]

@pr@ngler wrote:

NUS consistently condemns violent protest whilst calling for full investigation into police tactics

http://www.nus.org.uk/en/News/News/NUS-consistently-condemns-violent-protest-whilst-calling-for-full-investigation-into-police-tactics/

The sad thing about this thread is that some people just see what they want to see.

In all fairness the NUS have appealed for peacuful demonstration from day 1 but it’s the evolvment of the LSA and NSA that’s causing damage.

Their press conference this morning was very damaging towards the students cause and they openly critisised the NUS for their lack of intensity. They’re dragging the NUS down IMHO.

[TF_proper tidal boy]

The old saying of when the Englishmans back is against a wall he comes out fighting, well just maybe the yooouth have taken it that bit further by using the french way of protesting to get the media involved, at the way cuts are being forced upon us all. Lots of people sit on the fence and do nought im not condoning the violent side of a demonstration but some one has to start the ball rolling
As for the old bill and our national security services allowing one member of royalty to be put in the thick of it is very poor organising, had it been the queen she might of had a ticker prob then what would of happened????. Just maybe the students have a valid point about starting there working career with a major debt in there hands bit like a few other proffessions?????so on this point i ask when are we going to look after our own and stop giving handouts to all and sundry~think

[TF_dirkdiggler]

strange times we live in aren’t they.
when i was growing up there was very little chance of going to university and if your choice was to try your parents had to pay or you had to get a job to fund it yourself.
so now it’s no longer miners striking it’s students protesting that they’d now like me (private sector) to pay their way for them so they can spend god knows how long in further education on their way to a useless degree in david beckham?

my how times have changed i remember when people used to want to make things for a living.
all i find now is when younger people come for a job is most are next to useless with nothing to offer but no work ethic and a head full of magic
~think

[TF_caster robParticipant]

You’re right there Derek.

[Anonymous]

Youngy its people like you that make me smile with your biased views towards the police..You talk about people being brain washed ! i suggest you look at yourself first before casting aspersions about others.
I would suggest that after planning by resource departments a large number of the officers on duty for the protests were their being paid a normal days wages and a large number had probably had their rest days cancelled which would simply be re rostered and given back to them at a later date with no enhanced payment so where do you get all of this paid over time crap from ! Do you think that the police are immune from all of the government cuts that are taking place ?
As for your comment about the miners strike,that was almost a generation ago in terms of a police officers working career so i doubt very much that there would have been one single police offer present at the student protests that were actually on duty during the miners strike so where you draw your comparison from is any ones guess.
You lambast police officers,yet if you were in the unfortunate position of being the victim of an aggravated burglary (god forbid) its my guess that you wouldn’t hesitate to call on the services and help from possibly these very same officers.

[TF_lloydy1970]

Had a couple of kids(1 18 and 1 20) start at my work on the last couple of years and the way they think the world owes them a living is beyond belief .

This Murdoch brainwave tripe is getting a bit boring.

Common sense, the country is in a deep mess through overspending. Wherever the cuts are, someone is going to be affected. Degrees are given out like confetti when they were designed to find the best people for the job.
They’ve made exams at school easier so that record kids get a+, what’s the point in that. When too many get a, the exams should be made harder so that employers and university’s can recruit the right candidates. Too many youngsters think we owe them a living.

[TF_D.W.]

Simply put, if you want further education outside what is mandatory in the UK, you pay pay for it. If I wanted to do the same degree’s as most of these protesters, I would have to pay for it out of my own pocket, so why shouldn’t they?
Maybe they might rethink that student life means sitting in the city centre getting drunk every night with the money that could be paying for their tuition…….
The only exceptions to tuition fees should be for medical training and only if the students are born & bred in England and are willing to sign a legal document saying that they will not go overseas within a set period of time to work in that field else they would have to pay the tuition fees for the time spent in university.

[TF_youngy]

Everyone has the right to free education!. Would you be bothered if they scrapped the NHS?..Im sure you would be.
Woody99 – Sorry mate, but ive no respect for the police, been on the wrong end of them for too long, and too many times. Could just be the dickheads in liverpool though and not your country bobby.

[TF_Snooty Fox]

Here’s my tuppence worth……..

I listened to two striking interviews on the radio this week –
The first one was from a german student studying in Germany (it’s free there) who stated that if they got more than ONE WEEK behind with their course work they were hoofed out. This was good because it stopped people going to uni for an ‘easy ride’.

The second one was from a soldier who was leaving the Army and had decided to do a 3 year uni course on Forestry Management. He would be getting no help AND WOULD BE PAYING ALL THE FEES FROM HIS ARMY SAVINGS.

As for all these ‘cocks’ who are protesting, I belive there is a large % who are anarchists.
The biggest ‘cock’ of all is the scruffy twat who is the leader of these these protests who blames everybody for the riots EXCEPT the students.

Finally, the thing that made me laugh the most was when Charles car got attacked and someone was shouting ”Tory Scum” at him – do they forget which Government INTRODUCED Uni fees ?

Higher Education ? – seems most of these idiots haven’t had a lower education !!

[Mick209]

Too many upper class tax dodgers hiding behind solicitors and accountants, manipulating the media so we end up blaming each other for the situation were in. We, being the classes below. Vince Cable believes the bank bonus scheme works wonders, why would he say that I wonder? Over 60% on the poverty line now, the divide between rich and poor growing rapidly and some of us are having a go at the only people willing to stand upto this nonsense? Pensions? Gas and Electric prices? Job cuts? NHS system? Privatisation?
Its a shame there has been violence and damage, cause and effect. Threats of locking people up, using tear gas, feeling the full force of the law? What effect will that have on the situation? Maybe a quick look at football crowds in the past will remind you?

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

I dont think destruction and violence are right but its certainly raised awareness for tuition fees whether you support the fees or not the topic is on the tip of everyones tongues at the moment.

[TF_Hillbilly]

I think the student protests (right or wrong) are just the tip of the iceberg. Petrol price hikes will see even more unrest with the possibility of lorry drivers blocking roads and motorways to get their point across. Then there is the domestic and industrial fuel price rises that are set to hit consumers at the worst possible time whilst the suppliers gleefully announce a 38% rise in their profits. A 50g pack of tobacco that costs around £3 abroad is now nearing £13 to buy here!! This is rip off Britain at its worst and it seems that the only way to complain is to demonstrate and even then we are ignored. ~hand

[TF_Dodge]

Two excellent posts from Mick209 and Hillbilly ~clap ~clap

Food for thought there !

[TF_joffmiester]

listen i was quite mad about the all this student business but after reading all the other comments its easily to see there is two sides to every story ~think ~think
my views on the hooded violent protesters hasn’t changed if you think the Coors is worth fighting for why hide behind a scarf,mask or hoods
hillbilly said about the fuel,energy costs rising VAT rising so what would the out come be if we all demonstrated and brought the country to a Holt what would we gain from that,it would just create an even bigger mess
i can’t see a very bright outlook for 2011 ~sick ~sick

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

Whats this Hillbilly insightment to riot ! lol; Your right though theres trouble looming in a few directions we havent even started with Camerons cost cutting exercises yet …….

[TF_bobby-joParticipant]

don,t see how you can blame cameron for trying to stop the country going bankrupt after all the years of reckless spending and letting anybody into the country and handing out benefits to them even thou they have never paid a penny in, we are all going to pay now for the previous governments recklessness and thats a fact

[TF_caster robParticipant]

@bobby-jo wrote:

don,t see how you can blame cameron for trying to stop the country going bankrupt after all the years of reckless spending and letting anybody into the country and handing out benefits to them even thou they have never paid a penny in, we are all going to pay now for the previous governments recklessness and thats a fact

In a nutshell.

As they say.

Sometimes it seems like the previous 13 years recklessness are being air-brushed out of history.

[TF_matt2007]

beat me to it bobby jo~clap

[TF_piperpilot]

Easy to pay for. First save £7.7 billion by scraping ALL overseas aid and secondly massively(90%) tax the overseas billionaires(Who pay very little into the economy) who own English football clubs etc!!. Job Done,

[TF_redarmy]

i can see a day coming soon when all the anglers mass ranks in parliament square as maggots hit £20 a pint and maruyku is only availible on interest free credit.on a serious note the scum bags doing the rioting are the rent a mob anarchists who will turn up at any similar demo with the intent at kicking off and wrecking things.i dont think the police were hard enough ,the arsholes at the front faces covered hitting the police with poles and anything else they could get there hands on ,should have had the dogs set on them and the ringleaders tasered on the spot.these people were there for one thing only and it definately wasnt to protest about tuiton fees.

[TF_redarmy]

ps woody never gets overtime because he,s always fishing~shh

[TF_lloydy1970]

Poverty! Are you having a laugh, my next door neighbour has 2 flat scree TVs in the front room, smokes drugs and has never worked since he’s lived there.
poverty is when you can’t afford food or clothes not when you ain’t got food cus you’ve spent you’re money on beer and gags. When I was younger if I wanted a new TV I had to save for it as its a luxury.

[TF_herbie]

i love a good row~clap ~clap ~clap but im afraid the minute the student yob climbed on the cenataff their cause was lost on me. no respect, no brains,just spoilt louts and girly air heads.stuff em all. why should i pay for a student to train for a job where he will make 10 times my annual salary in bonuses each year. yes we need doctors but do we need to subsidise them when there earnings at the age of 40 could be in excess of the prime ministers. let them pay and spend the money on people who realy need it like the homeless, unemployed, bankers~sick

[TF_budnuddParticipant]

Im disgusted by the Police treatment of these poor students! Waving batons, pushing and jostling with them, utterly ridiculous waste of time,energy and money. Shoot the lazy dossing b@stards!

These divs want free education but for what purpose? to work in call centres? Yep that’s where the majority of graduates work in my personal experience and I haven’t yet met one with the intention of using the qualifications they have ‘earned’!. So many people are obsessed with the idea of ‘Uni’ and why? Lifestyle! out getting pissed, dressing up and generally acting like 5yr olds. This is why so many become career students, course after course, degree after degree. My cousin must be the most qualified person in Britain and by the age of 40 had never done a days work!! Loser!!

Having lived nr Headingley in Leeds all my life (biggest student populous in England I believe?!)I have worked with hundreds of students over the years and have debated this very subject thus have zero sympathy for them. I am in no way a fan of Cameron or his puppet Clegg but i cant knock em on this one!

Send the tanks in…~sick

[TF_scarf]

budnudd ~naughty

Just that

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

@bobby-jo wrote:

don,t see how you can blame cameron for trying to stop the country going bankrupt after all the years of reckless spending and letting anybody into the country and handing out benefits to them even thou they have never paid a penny in, we are all going to pay now for the previous governments recklessness and thats a fact

Not blaming Cameron for cutbacks or for aledgedly trying to stop the country going bankrupt but education in my opinion is the future of our country,Education and health service should be on the state the word priorities springs to mind here havent they just given 9 billion pound to Ireland ? I wouldnt have given em 2 pence.

[TF_caster robParticipant]

@Anthonywaters wrote:

@bobby-jo wrote:

don,t see how you can blame cameron for trying to stop the country going bankrupt after all the years of reckless spending and letting anybody into the country and handing out benefits to them even thou they have never paid a penny in, we are all going to pay now for the previous governments recklessness and thats a fact

Not blaming Cameron for cutbacks or for aledgedly trying to stop the country going bankrupt but education in my opinion is the future of our country,Education and health service should be on the state the word priorities springs to mind here havent they just given 9 billion pound to Ireland ? I wouldnt have given em 2 pence.

No they haven’t.

They’ve borrowed the money at 2% and lent it to Ireland at 5%.

The profit might pay for somebodys education or health-care.

I wonder if Gordon is watching?

[TF_redarmy]

look at the pictures released today of the main ringleaders never in a million years are they students

[TF_caster robParticipant]

So this is what Labour’s doubling of education expenditure in thirteen years has brought us:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/12/jessica-shepherd-reading-literacy

Must be bad if the Guardian/Observer have admitted it.

Perhaps the money all went on translators and teaching assistants.

[TF_budnuddParticipant]

Scarf~clap

That’s all~sick

[TF_NW Cut Angler]

@bobby-jo wrote:

don,t see how you can blame cameron for trying to stop the country going bankrupt after all the years of reckless spending and letting anybody into the country and handing out benefits to them even thou they have never paid a penny in, we are all going to pay now for the previous governments recklessness and thats a fact

If only that was true Bobby

Depending on your age etc then you will have debt. A vast % of the country have huge mortgages that if somebody came and knocked on the door and said I want the whole debt repaid in 1 week we would all be up the swanny. However, that is not the case is it because we all / well most of go massively into debt and repay it sensibly gradually. We have a decent standard of living whilst we do and we continue to help the economy.

The argument is not would the debt have to be repaid. Whomever is in power today would be repaying that debt. The argument is to pay it back at a sensible rate without damaging economic recovery / growth. Never forget this is a global issue brought about by successive Governments of all persuasion creating legislation that allowed the Financial Sector to act so irresponsibly.

If you want to talk about waste? Why stop with the Labour Government? The Conservative Government wasted some fantastic legacies and happily created a gap between rich and poor not seen on a scale in Modern Day Britain.

So forget any political allegiances, politicians en masse have been screwing us over royally. The difference was / is that as long as you benefit or are not affect 99% of this nation could not give a damn. Even now we have war on the spongers at the bottom but very little said or done by those at the top. Are the Liberals not the party that vampaigns on Equality?

The day people show some collective desire to change things then perhaps something may happen. Far more whole society issues that we should be up in arms about before Student Loans.

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

Caster Rob I stand corrected they have borrowed the money you are right, bit of a gamble though.

[TF_NW Cut Angler]

@caster rob wrote:

@Anthonywaters wrote:

@bobby-jo wrote:

don,t see how you can blame cameron for trying to stop the country going bankrupt after all the years of reckless spending and letting anybody into the country and handing out benefits to them even thou they have never paid a penny in, we are all going to pay now for the previous governments recklessness and thats a fact

Not blaming Cameron for cutbacks or for aledgedly trying to stop the country going bankrupt but education in my opinion is the future of our country,Education and health service should be on the state the word priorities springs to mind here havent they just given 9 billion pound to Ireland ? I wouldnt have given em 2 pence.

No they haven’t.

They’ve borrowed the money at 2% and lent it to Ireland at 5%.

The profit might pay for somebodys education or health-care.

I wonder if Gordon is watching?

Did we not do something similar deacdes and decades previous with numerous countries and then write their debts off Rob?

[TF_NW Cut Angler]

@caster rob wrote:

So this is what Labour’s doubling of education expenditure in thirteen years has brought us:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/12/jessica-shepherd-reading-literacy

Must be bad if the Guardian/Observer have admitted it.

Perhaps the money all went on translators and teaching assistants.

Rob D- for effort and understanding

“Social divisions are definitely an issue for the UK and something that needs to be tackled,” says Michael Davidson, a senior analyst at the OECD.

When did the alarming social division gap open up and who spent 20 years doing nothing about it.

2 stars and a wish

1 Star – your passion for the subject
2 Star – SPAG

Wish – Analyse your sources more carefully and try to be objective

Rob, maybe we should only have a Comprehensive Education System and thereby work toward ending social class division?

[Author]

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