Manifesto Statements; Election Promises; Electioneering Guff - Believe it or Not

HK - just to note that my OP was just my opening gambit.

Yes it sounds great for us as individuals - but someone has to pay for it. You tried asking for an extra three days paid leave of late? Also my lad would delight if for his few days off sick he got more than the statutory minimum (and a bit more than nothing for first three days). I just see lots of misuse of this and some parts of the 3rd Sector getting swamped with offers that they can't take up.

So as I suggested - I get three days and offer them to my golf club - and so I get three days outside in the fresh air - closer to home helping the green keepers - on full pay. What's not to like.

And if some rule says my golf club doesn't count because...then I'll do three days general maintenance at my church (because does it need it) - and my church is a charity so they'd have difficulty ruling that out.
 
Why not give everyone 3 bank holidays? I'd vote for them, Torys or not.
 
Back to the OP, as a school governor I like this. Latest advice is that governors should spend between 10 and 20 days a year on governor duties. Also there's lots of pressure on governing boards to be skills based.

So any measure to help people with the necessary skills to be a school governor is OK with me.

Are applications especially welcomed by under represented groups like: Gay, vegetarian, yoghurt knitting, Plymouth Brethren bikers against fox hunting?
 
HK - just to note that my OP was just my opening gambit.

Yes it sounds great for us as individuals - but someone has to pay for it. You tried asking for an extra three days paid leave of late? Also my lad would delight if for his few days off sick he got more than the statutory minimum (and a bit more than nothing for first three days). I just see lots of misuse of this and some parts of the 3rd Sector getting swamped with offers that they can't take up.

So as I suggested - I get three days and offer them to my golf club - and so I get three days outside in the fresh air - closer to home helping the green keepers - on full pay. What's not to like.

And if some rule says my golf club doesn't count because...then I'll do three days general maintenance at my church (because does it need it) - and my church is a charity so they'd have difficulty ruling that out.

I suspect they may define what type of volunteering qualifies. So stuff for the general good of the nation and/or helping those in need (scouting /guides, samaritans, TA etc). And the HR team in the volunteers company will monitor and implement the scheme.

There will always be anomalies in any initiative like this. But to me the principal is sound and welcomed.
 
Are applications especially welcomed by under represented groups like: Gay, vegetarian, yoghurt knitting, Plymouth Brethren bikers against fox hunting?

As someone who kind of recruits governors, as long as they have the required skills I'm not bothered who they are sleeping with or what they put in their mouths, food or otherwise.

I may even overlook the fact their shoes are not sparkling. As that's how I roll.
 
I suspect they may define what type of volunteering qualifies. So stuff for the general good of the nation and/or helping those in need (scouting /guides, samaritans, TA etc). And the HR team in the volunteers company will monitor and implement the scheme.

There will always be anomalies in any initiative like this. But to me the principal is sound and welcomed.

Principle is perhaps sound, though I thought voluntary work was to do with sacrifice of your own time and not your bosses. I suggest that this will be met with significant opposition by business - and if not openly I suspect that some employees might find it difficult to get their three days paid voluntary leave agreed - or might find leave entitlement or other benefit reduced for new employees.

And BTW - general good of the nation? Many will say that me volunteering three days of my time to my church is not to the good of the nation - religion of course being the root of all evil so not to be encouraged ...;)
 
Why not give everyone 3 bank holidays? I'd vote for them, Torys or not.

Because not everyone will benefit from that, public services for example. Plus who will pay for it? It has been estimated that a single bank holiday costs the UK economy £2.3bn. You also have the fact some people will see it as a gimmick and complain the tories/labour etc are pandering to the bankers by giving them more holiday :)
 
So lots of Manifesto promises over the last two days. But are they promises or wishes? And is the Green Parties Manifesto really just a statement of policies that are aimed more at prompting more 'out of the box' thinking rather than anything that would really be implemented. I like their 'For the Common Good' strapline. Then there is the 60% top rate of tax - that's to raise £2Bn. Interestingly that's what used to be said that 1p on standard rate of income tax would raise.
 
Principle is perhaps sound, though I thought voluntary work was to do with sacrifice of your own time and not your bosses. I suggest that this will be met with significant opposition by business - and if not openly I suspect that some employees might find it difficult to get their three days paid voluntary leave agreed - or might find leave entitlement or other benefit reduced for new employees.

And BTW - general good of the nation? Many will say that me volunteering three days of my time to my church is not to the good of the nation - religion of course being the root of all evil so not to be encouraged ...;)

A lot of big companies encourage their staff to do this kind of thing anyway as it is good for their corporation social responsibility commitments.

And if a few more are forced to help their staff to volunteer to help others less fortunate/greater good of the nation at the expense of a few pence on the stock market price or less of a bonus for the CEO then I can live with that.

Don't agree this should be forced on small businesses, but the large ones should suck it up.
 
What about white socks?

Let's not go too far and get too silly. If you turn up on the first tee or try and be a governor with white socks you should be shot.

Unless you are playing golf and have shorts on. In which case if you don't have white socks on you should be shot. Thems the breaks.
 
Personnel [Human resourses for the yoot] lady I used to work with in the 1980's [Wham?] downright refused to let me employ anyone who turned up for an interview wearing white socks..........I often wondered if she was serious.
 
Right to Buy - Housing Association housing

Got some issues with this one. So just a basic one - why? What is the benefit to the country or broader society as a whole?

I heard one possible beneficiary on the news - why was he so pleased? Because he'd be able to pass something on to his kids once he'd crocked it! What? My money is going to help him buy a house at a massively subsidised price so that his kids can inherit it? And what would his kids do? For one there will be a good chance his kids will be in property of their own one way or another so won't need the house. And even if they did - if there was more than one they'd have to sell it and split the money. Sorry - why should i be funding an inheritance. Nonsense on many levels.
 
Allowing more to be able to put a roof over their head can only ever be considered a good thing.
 
Top