Tonight's debate

[zeezeek]

It isn't really, is it? It is not a leaders debate it is a question and answer session.

Feel hopeful that David Dimbleby is leading especially after he made a point of pointing out how the media are anti-Corbyn.

TM sounding a bit desperate though.

At least he replies with what is in their manifesto rather than constantly attack the opposition

He's been a lifelong member of CND; trying to provoke him into saying he'd press the red button first wasn't "asking a difficult question" it was asking a stupid question. Of course he wouldn't. It's like asking a vegan "but if I threw a leg of lamb at you, would you lick it?". You don't change your lifelong stance on war/weapons because the electorate ask a few goady questions (which they coincidentally didn't ask May).

bert he's engaging with questions and answering them. May's 'answers' were barely related to the topic.

The PM is right that there are difficult choices to be made, and public sector pay is always restricted when necessary. You are only really stuffed if you are top of scale and have no further annual increments to come.

I don't think she was unsympathetic to the nurse, but public sector pay is the only pay over which HMG have control. It's a trade off between pay, conditions, holidays, job security and pension, and the latter are worth having.

I think the PM did well, and was realistic. Corbyn lost for me on Trident, immigration, and his mention of new taxes that Dimbleby let waltz by without digging deeper.

The point about asking Corbyn about Trident is, why pay for the bloody thing if you will never use it. Either admit you won't use it and therefore use the money elsewhere (a completely valid and supportable argument) or say you'll use it if necessary.

You are only really stuffed if you are top of scale and have no further annual increments to come.
That is what I understand too, there is automatic annual move up the pay scale until you reach the top of scale, so pay does increase more than 1% for a lot of NHS staff.