Alex Smith

@EliteDangerous Can we haz patch notes pleeeeaaasse?

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@crushed422 @BBCBreakfast @jreynoldsMP 'National living wage' is the name given to the minimum wage for over 21s. This is enforced. The one you're referencing is the 'real living wage', which is optional.

@BBCBreakfast He said ‘minimum wage’ is rising but this is disingenuous as it’s the ‘national living wage’ rising which is an optional club not enforced, so loads of people won’t be seeing real term wage rises, instead our bills are going up & up, where’s my £300 saving @jreynoldsMP promised?!

'When are people going to feel better off?' On #BBCBreakfast Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds was questioned about the increase in council tax, energy and water bills on a day dubbed as 'awful April' bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1wd…

@anyotherleader1 @PolitlcsUK Pay, not part 😵‍💫

@anyotherleader1 @PolitlcsUK It runs from the first full part reference period. So if your payroll runs from the 15th to the 14th, the new NMW would apply from April 15.

🚨💷 From today, all employers must legally pay you at least the following per hour: 🔹 21 & over: £12.21 🔹 18-20: £10.00 🔹 Under 18: £7.55 🔹 Apprentices: £7.55

@gregcambridge04 @PolitlcsUK You say that like it's a bad thing.

@PolitlcsUK We are such a godless nation

🚨 BREAKING: MPs have voted to pass the Assisted Dying Bill in a historic Second Reading vote Yes: 330 No: 275

@DanHowdle @mrjamesob Just reminded me of this 🤣

Wait. What?

@PollRackham @TowellVicky @molmutius @Nigel_Farage Two grammatical cock ups in one thread? You might want to give up. "They" is perfectly correct, without even considering modern gender politics.

The civil service need to be brought to heel. This culture is getting worse. Drain the swamp.

@DavidWi74115164 @JohnRob37263267 @Thinkforamimute @hzeffman Don't call it the "p" word. It's a "pre election period" now.

@JohnRob37263267 @Thinkforamimute @hzeffman Civil servants cannot get involved in political stuff during purdah. The Treasury will be stuck with providing carefully worded responses that don't breach that. No way you'll see an interview where they say 'that was not correct'

EXCLUSIVE The chief Treasury civil servant wrote to Labour two days ago saying that the £38 billion/£2,000 tax attack “should not be presented as having been produced by the civil service” He said he had reminded ministers of this

@MelanieReadings @AngelaRayner @Keir_Starmer @RachelReevesMP Does campaigning not come out of party funds? The only state funding for opposition parties is for parliamentary admin.

@AngelaRayner @Keir_Starmer @RachelReevesMP And who paid for this? Oh yes, the British people, not the best thing taxpayers need to be spending out for

It’s got a fridge!

@move_the_neddle @WorldFamousHot1 @robertlargan @ElectoralCommUK It'll be an argument as to whether this classes as attempting to deceive a person in relation to the administration of an election, inducing them to vote a particular way (section 114a, rep. of the people act). As you say, it complies with the law regarding election materials.

@WorldFamousHot1 @robertlargan @ElectoralCommUK Care to explain what those three are? As far as I can see he hasn't used any trademarks of the labour party, hasn't made a a claim to represent them and provided the statutory declaration required on campaign material. It does smack of desperation and shame of running as a tory

So many local Labour voters have told me they’re going to vote for me, because they want to keep me as their local MP. There have been so many that I’m launching a new Labour for Largan club. You can join other traditional Labour voters backing me at: robertlargan.co.uk/labour4largan

@supertanskiii @robertlargan Representation of the people act 1983, part 114A, subsection 4, clause (g). With reference to subsection 6 too. Allegedly.

@robertlargan What the fuck are you doing you crazy bastard?!

@JoyceSh39751222 @MartinReed28 @abigails_do @Peston Why not? Why can't older people "volunteer" for non military stuff? Oh yeah, because they'd tell you where to go.

The brave new Sunak policy, compulsory national service for all 18 year olds - what he calls “military” and “civic” - may or may not be sensible. But announcing it on day four of an election campaign, out of a clear blue sky with no prior debate, or attempt to make the case, could be seen as a little impulsive. Here is the Tory Party’s own summary: “The Conservatives are today announcing mandatory National Service for every eighteen year old – they will be able to choose between a full-time placement over 12 months in the armed forces or one weekend per month for a year volunteering in their community.”

@QIncorrect @supertanskiii @jessphillips @wendychambLD If someone at work was alleged to have assaulted someone, they would be suspended pending investigation. I don't see why Parliament should be any different.

@supertanskiii @jessphillips @wendychambLD So we want to be a nation that acts on not even an accusation (which is essentially what a charge is), but the mere arrest of an individual? That's shocking!

Jess Phillips is extraordinary. The amendment tabled by @jessphillips and @wendychambLD means those *arrested* for a violent/ sexual offence will be banned from parliament, rather than when charged. The fact it won by only one vote is utterly galling but they did it 💪🏼

@rupasubramanya @elonmusk @ianmiles @Niall_Boylan Did you also happen to look up the origin of the term Tory? 🤣 Small 'c' conservative does not equal big 'C' Conservative.

I was shocked to discover there's no Conservative Party in Ireland while researching Ireland's hate speech legislation. I had the same question as you while and @Niall_Boylan whom I spoke to had a compelling explanation. He attributed this to Irish guilt. Ireland was a super conservative country where basically the Catholic Church ruled the country with an iron fist. When reports about pedophile priests and abortion stories of women came out, the Irish were horrified and guilt ridden. The pendulum instead of swinging to the middle, swung completely in the opposite direction. So now Ireland is one of the most liberal countries in Europe with the most liberal abortion laws among other things.

@ianmiles Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The Irish Republic Army was so hardcore, but now they’re as scary as a plush toy. 🧸

@eleanorzjames @LozzaFox Don't want that hatred anywhere near my bit of the north east thank you very much.

The Mayor of London is a Muslim. The mayor of Birmingham is a Muslim. The Mayor of Leeds is Muslim. Mayor of Blackburn - Muslim. The mayor of Sheffield is a Muslim. The mayor of Oxford is a Muslim. The mayor of Luton is a Muslim. The mayor of Oldham is Muslim. The mayor of Rochdale is Muslim All this was achieved by only 4 million Muslims out of 66 million people in England: Today there are over 3,000 mosques in England. There are over 130 sharia courts. There are more than 50 Sharia Councils. 78 percent of Muslim women do not work, receive state support + free accommodation. 63 percent of Muslims do not work, receive state support + free housing. State-supported Muslim families with an average of 6 to 8 children receive free accommodation. Now every school in the UK is required to teach lessons about Islam. Has anyone ever been given an opportunity to vote for this?

@Vee71Bobby @az0zone @LeftieStats Would you be saying that if Driscoll won?

@az0zone @LeftieStats Bent postal votes I'm afraid

🚨 BREAKING: Labour's Kim McGuinness wins North East Mayor, defeating independent Jamie Driscoll. 🔴 LAB 41% ⚪️ Driscoll 28% 🔵 CON 12% Driscoll got over 120,000 votes, but it wasn't enough. He's reportedly planning to run again next time.

@indiauktweets @Prom000 @ElectionMapsUK @YouGov There is little uncontrolled immigration. The vast majority is legal through visas handed out by the current administration. If someone's anti immigration, the last part to vote for would be the one currently running the home office.

@Prom000 @ElectionMapsUK @YouGov Problems you have mentioned is probably because of Illegal and Uncontrolled immigration which also poses other threats. I would support any government who makes a solid plan to stop that. Currently I see Tory’s have one but Labour doesn’t.

Westminster Voting Intention: LAB: 44% (-1) CON: 18% (-2) RFM: 15% (+2) LDM: 10% (+1) GRN: 8% (+1) SNP: 2% (-1) Via @YouGov, 30 Apr - 1 May. Changes w/ 23-24 Apr.

@vocnorth @Sinurata346 @mrjamesob It's an old public sector accounting trick - costs for contingent staff don't class as wages. See it in the civil service too. Although they're implementing it, I doubt matrons are high enough up the food chain to have made that decision themselves.

Dan Poulter is not standing at the next election. For any party. He will dedicate more time to his work as an NHS doctor specialising in mental health. I've already seen a dozen tweets claiming he's defected to somehow save his (23,000 majority) seat.

@DaveB22664400 @lunaperla @PickardJE *duty. Stupid fingers.

@DaveB22664400 @lunaperla @PickardJE To hazard a guess (benefit of the doubt, devil's advocate and all that), police have a dirty to investigate allegations; CPS will decide if there's a prosecutable case. Whether that *is* actually the case here is another question.

🚨 Giving false information is an offence under section 13D of the Representation of the People Act 1983 However, the act imposes a time bar of *one year* for the launch of any prosecution (and the Rayner allegations relate to pre 2015) ft.com/content/329ff2…