Bethesda and VAT
Driving through town and seeing the signs urging our support for the Bethesda Hospice appeal fluttering from lampposts, my thoughts turned to a recent story in the Stornoway Gazette.
Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil will be among a group of Cross Party MPs who will be meeting the Prime Minister Gordon Brown this week regarding VAT on hospices.
Does anyone know what has happened, or even if the meeting took place? A Google search for Press Releases gives no clues as to who else was planning to be there or any post-meeting comment.
Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil will be among a group of Cross Party MPs who will be meeting the Prime Minister Gordon Brown this week regarding VAT on hospices.
Does anyone know what has happened, or even if the meeting took place? A Google search for Press Releases gives no clues as to who else was planning to be there or any post-meeting comment.
10 comments:
Sorry, this is completely off thread.
I enjoy your blog, Angus, and the comments it attracts.
Two things strike me though about the comments :-
The first is that there are so many of them, relatively speaking for what at first sight might be considered a blog of "local" interest. It's not of course as you cover principles that affect us all if sometimes within a more local framework - hence my, and I am sure many other outside peoples interest.
The second is that so many of the comments arising are "anon.", though clearly many of these are of local origin.
This seems unique amongst the Scottish blogs where most commentators on posts seem to prefer, like myself, to be identified at least by a pseudonym.
I wonder if there are special circumstances within the Isles causing this. A need for additional anonymity perhaps?
Having said that my name is not Rab, neither do I live in Rutherglen.
Sorry, poor point.
Keys!
Rab
Thanks for the positive feedback; I like to frame the posts to let the local readers relate to a national or international topic, as that should make it more relevant to the majority of the readers.
Anonymity is a factor of the size of the community; hence many accusations of the 'you are xxxx' type. All of which is great fun.
I do wish that posters would adopt a totally anonymous non de plume via blogger (as you have done) so that we could follow their threads, but ....
I think I can identify some of those who comment, but given the anonymity, I'm not sure. Which is probably the intent.
What about telling some of us thickos - me- how to create a pseudonym, seems to be a few choices ?
Log into www.blogger.com, create an account with false details and add a picture/icon (this just proves it is you when you post a comment). Then log in with this user id before posting comments and you are authenticated.
That is why my photo appears beside each comment, and proves that I posted it. You can spoof the id by putting my name and any web address into the Name/URL box shown below the comments box, but without my photo it is not genuine.
Angus
I love your blog and the constructive criticism that I receive. It keeps me on my toes and keeps me away from the bagpipes.
See you soon
Love Angus B
you are starting to look a bit chubby there Angus now you draw attention to your picture!
Mr MacNeil proves that comments are not un-spoofable, but obvious fakes are, er, obvious.
Anon 10:47 - that photo is three years old. I have had two more children since and still not lost the baby weight!
Just looked at Angus MacNeil's profile and had the option of viewing the picture full size. Er, no thankyou, it may put me off my breakfast.....
you'know normally i'd agree with that comment, but full size in this case doesn't mean filling the whole screen, in fact its not much more off putting than the original!
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