OzTennis

This is what the pound was worth on the last day of the month. An MEP's salary is fixed per month in euros so you divide the euro amount by the figure below to see what a British MEP would pocket in pounds. The lower the number (the weaker the pound) the more pounds are drawn:

May - 1.31563
June - 1.19923 (Brexit happened 7 days BEFORE this and this is how the markets responded)
July - 1.18430
August - 1.1777
September - 1.15470
October - 1.11503 (the nadir for the pound since Brexit)
November - 1.18133
December - 1.17346

Now I suspect if one was desperate they would point out that the pound has risen since October which is immaterial to what is being argued here. However, the point is that in every month since Brexit a greater number of pounds would be drawn without fail. Fail to accept this or turn it into something else equals fail.

Beoz

Press the swapsie button then multiply that by the Euro salary. Makes it easier for you to figure out. Still doesn't change anything, but thanks again for trying.

OzTennis

Just say what it doesn't change because I honestly don't know what you are on about and you don't seem to be able to elucidate it. You are certainly trying!

Beoz

Its crystal clear. You just want it to work another way to suit your agenda. That's what the left do best, along with hypocrisy and name calling. You see why the left are coming unstuck on a global political level?

OzTennis

What is crystal clear is that you have no argument at all to refute the simple comment I made and you are trying to turn it into something it isn't so I'm not going to bother with this anymore. I suspect you'll then say that I fail and you win or something irrelevant and childish like that. I leave you with the simple statement that it is ironic that Farage is pocketing more money post Brexit - it is you in your right wing mindset who is putting all this irrelevant spin on it which I've never once mentioned and you couldn't quote evidence of.

Beoz

There is no irony - you just want there to be one. Farage was pocketing more in 2013. The nature of earning a foreign currency. There's good times and bad.

OzTennis

As ever a feeble, error strewn argument and a change of tune rather than admit you are wrong.

Firstly, not that it is relevant but he wasn't actually pocketing more in 2013 - his pre tax salary and allowances in fixed euros amount was far lower in 2013 so he wasn't 'pocketing more'. I think you probably mean the pound was stronger in 2013 than it is post Brexit.

Here's what MEP Alyn Smith says about his 2013 salary which was the same as Farage's - "My office account receives €4299 per month from the Parliament in Brussels by bank transfer to my office bank account in Edinburgh" (that's after tax is taken out in Brussels). Fast forward to now and it is circa €8,400 before tax as quoted.

The irony my friend is that you have a person who is fundamentally opposed to an institution who has gained financially from leaving said institution. Now you will warp that no doubt to say it is rubbish to suggest that Farage wangled Brexit so that he received more pounds in his pocket; it's not what I'm suggesting. It's a bit like a religious zealot going to brothels to protest and getting free 'nooky' - it's ironic that's all.

Beoz

MEP Allowances - Alyn Smith

Ouch ........ You've mistaken the €4299 per month as a salary ...... its the amount received to run his office. ..... ouch.

ALLOWANCES - General expenditure allowance
This is the "office budget" and pays for: office management costs, telephone and postal charges, computer and IT equipment (purchase and maintenance), and any other "office" expenses. My office account receives €4299 per month from the Parliament in Brussels by bank transfer to my office bank account in Edinburgh.

Why do you keep doing this to yourself?

OzTennis

Apologies for the sloppy research, I was wrong on that - the salaries in 2013 were in fact circa 600 euros below present levels and the point remains that no MEP would pocket more salary than today. As I said, 2013 is irrelevant to the subject under discussion - Farage's salary immediately before and after Brexit.

I won't 'keep doing this to myself' (i.e. defending the point about Farage's salary).

Beoz

Apology accepted.

Beoz

Now this in an interesting one for the left to digest.

Georges River College: Muslim students don’t have to shake women’s hands

The article focuses on the religious stand point. I wonder where the feminists sit?

GarryP

Not quite sure why you keep assuming it has anything to do with left wing views?

Anyway, I didn't think it was a requirement for anyone to shake anyone else's hand?

Although I do think the school should be teaching the kids how you behave in society - and they should be learning that purposely giving offence has repercussions and that really they should be trying to fit in if they want to get ahead. Probably could do with teaching their parents the same.

bcworld

Especially when it more seems to be people on the right who go an about 'religious freedom'. Although I think they normally just mean for Christians?

Beoz

I don't assume - I know. The left are a confused bunch, full of contradictions and hypocrisy.

The whole idea that not touching a women in the form of a handshake is out of respect and protection is contradictory for the laws and practices we already have in this country. Its kind of bringing your own sharia law in place of ones that already exist.

Amazulu

While I don't like to see women wearing the burqa - especially the full Guinness bottle setup, I also don't think it is in the remit of government to tell people what to wear. You can argue the case for having the face exposed in government buildings, courts, police stations etc but apart from that, let people wear what they want - this is on the proviso that these women are wearing that shit voluntarily. If they are being forced to then that's a different story

The government should be out of our lives as much as possible - what they tell us to do or not do should be restricted to the bare minimum

The same goes for people shaking hands - if they don't want to them that's their issue - although I can see the case for the need for children to show respect to women