Moment of Crisis mentioned in The Guardian

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The nice people at The Guardian have run a very similar piece to my Thatcher's Funeral in Numbers piece which puts forward different ideas about how we could spend the £10million ear-marked for Thatcher's funeral.

Picking up on my original post they gave me a name-check - not a bad start for my new blog which has only been active for three days.

Earlier on today Left Foot Forward also name-checked me whilst both Louder Than War and Labour List have both already cross-posted my work.

Jimmy Hill Played a Blinder

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Jimmy Hill has been a widely lampooned and ridiculed figure over the years. But on the day of the Hillsborough disaster April 15th 1989 Jimmy played a blinder.

In the following clip Jimmy is being interviewed by Des Lynam where he talks of the disaster "not being hooligan-related" and "the gates being opened.".

The truth was established live on the BBC in the immediate aftermath of 96 innocent people dying. So why did the right wing press, the Tories and the police defame and smear dead innocents for so long?

And why did Margaret Thatcher's government cover up these lies?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b_meAvT6Aw (YouTube clip won't embed for some reason so click this link).

Thatcher’s Funeral in Numbers

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Thatcher’s funeral is supposedly going to cost £10million to stage. Given the swingeing and terrible cuts being enacted in a time of austerity some would argue that this money could be best spent on other things.

Here’s what we could get from £10,000,000 if we did choose to spend it on other things.


12.5million free Durex Performax Intense condoms in a sexual health clinic at 80p each.
http://www.condoms.co.uk/

Almost 3years of the entire library budget for the London Borough of Lambeth.
http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s45246/03b%20App1.pdf

149 launches to fire George Osborne into outer space at £67,000 a time.
http://gizmodo.com/5537278/

100,000 years of minimum wage increase for the under-21s at 5p per hour, based on 40hour week and 50 working weeks a year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22153007

14,285 Funeral Payments, for people on any kind of benefits,  at the maximum rate of £700 a time. 
https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/what-youll-get


27years in the Shelter from the Storm Homeless shelter for 100people at £10 per bed per night.
http://www.sfts.org.uk/donations/

Two brand new primary schools at the cost of £5million each.
http://fullfact.org/factchecks/nick_clegg_cost_of_primary_schools_rochdale-2650

792 years working at the new hourly minimum wage rate of £6.31 an hour, for 40hours a week, for 50weeks a year, before tax.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9994649/Minimum-wage-to-increase-by-12p-from-October.html

3218 years of basic Carers' Allowance at £59.75 per week.
http://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/focus-on/item/2479-changes-to-benefits-your-questions-answered/2479-changes-to-benefits-your-questions-answered?start=2

The cost of 333 average cancer patients' care at £30k per patient (2011) http://www.nhs.uk/news/2011/12December/Pages/cancer-treatment-cost-may-increase.aspx

32,608,695 1/3 pint free milk servings for school infants.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18483742
(Suggested by @CarolineHolding)

5,050,505 school meals at an average price of £1.98 per head.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18873020
(suggested on twitter by @dnsnow).

A midwife or nurse at £21k per year for 468years. http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/working-in-the-nhs/pay-and-benefits/agenda-for-change-pay-rates/

A GP at entry level salary of £54k for 185years. http://www.nhsemployers.org/Aboutus/Publications/Documents/Pay-Circular-MD-1-2012.pdf

A police officer at entry level of £26k for 384years http://www.policeoracle.com/pay_and_conditions/police_pay_scales.html

A private in British Army at entry level of £18k for 556years http://www.armedforces.co.uk/armypayscales.htm

 A teacher at entry level at £21k per year for 465years. http://www.teachers.org.uk/node/14433

Job Seekers Allowance at £71.70 per week for 2682years

The top rate of Disability Living Allowance at £134.40 per week for 1435 years.

Average Bedroom Tax at £14 per week for 13,736 years.

The annual benefit cap rate at £25,000 a year for 400 years.

Zero criticism from the Tax Payers Alliance.

20,000 one-way tickets to other side of the world for Toby Young at £500 each.