UK Politics / Current Affairs

[Spineur]

The image of Boris Johnson isnt improving

http://uk.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-administration-think-boris-johnson-is-a-joke-2017-8

Maybe Trump administration is a joke too ?

[mahler10th]

Guys! Let's not argue! We can say that Trump and Brexit are jointly the most bloody stupid thing a Western democracy has brought upon itself in living memory.

Yep.  And may God have mercy on all our souls after such an outbreak of persistent MASS STUPIDITY.  (Same outbreak happened in Scotland circa 2014 I'm afraid.)

[nodogen]

The image of Boris Johnson isnt improving

http://uk.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-administration-think-boris-johnson-is-a-joke-2017-8

Johnson was a domestic joke but now he's become an international joke. He is an intelligent person, but seems to be lacking in various other departments. He was a good enough game show host, just shouldn't be let near any position of responsibility.

[nodogen]

Yep.  And may God have mercy on all our souls after such an outbreak of persistent MASS STUPIDITY.  (Same outbreak happened in Scotland circa 2014 I'm afraid.)

It's enough to put you off democracy.

[Todd]

Johnson was a domestic joke but now he's become an international joke.

It's the hair.  Hey, wait.

[nodogen]

It's the hair.  Hey, wait.

What, you have the same (cough) style? 😜

[Todd]

What, you have the same (cough) style? 😜

[nodogen]

😱😱😱😱😱

Undermining my own claim he was a good game show host:

https://youtu.be/asas49ZLa98

[Mr. Minnow]

The image of Boris Johnson isnt improving

http://uk.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-administration-think-boris-johnson-is-a-joke-2017-8

Maybe Trump administration is a joke too ?

It's no surprise that Johnson is despised in Europe - they remember him as the former Torygraph "journalist" who used to get a handsome pay cheque for literally making up crap about the EU. Since May was responsible for appointing him foreign secretary it's no surprise her stock is so low in Europe too. But when even people working for the narcissistic man-child in the White House think you're a joke, that's gotta hurt.

[nodogen]

Born in Britain. Raised in Britain. Lives and works in Britain.

NOT BRITISH. LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/29/joiner-shane-ridge-born-and-raised-in-britain-told-to-leave-home-office

[Mr. Minnow]

Born in Britain. Raised in Britain. Lives and works in Britain.

NOT BRITISH. LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/29/joiner-shane-ridge-born-and-raised-in-britain-told-to-leave-home-office

I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I can't. But at least they'd never stoop so low as to pick on the sick and disabled, right? Oh.....

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/united-nations-says-treatment-disabled-11089365

So, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has described our government's treatment of disabled people as a "human catastrophe". The chairman said the committee has more concerns about the UK than any other signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. There was a clip of her on tonight's news stating that people had killed themselves after being driven into poverty through benefit cuts - sorry, "reforms". And what did the government spokesman say when asked about this on Newsnight? Nothing. Why? Because the government couldn't even be bothered to send anyone to answer any awkward questions.

You have to love this bit from the government's statement:

We're disappointed that this report does not accurately reflect the evidence we gave to the UN

That'll be because they didn't believe the bullshit you tried to feed them.

and fails to recognise all the progress we've made to empower disabled people in all aspects of their lives.

Well I never - apparently, sanctioning ill and vulnerable people into destitution, and declaring them fit for work when they're manifestly nothing of the sort on the basis of bogus assessments, are actually examples of "empowering disabled people in all aspects of their lives". Who'd have thought it? 

What a complete shower of sociopathic bastards. 

[nodogen]

WOMEN FORCED TO KILL PEOPLE SHOCK HORROR SOCIALIST PLOT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41119863

This is just political correctness gone mad. You couldn't make it up. Soon we'll all have to wear burkas.

froth splutter apoplexy

[Mr. Minnow]

Another article on the recent UN verdict on the UK government's treatment of sick and disabled people:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/04/austerity-disabled-people-rights-uk-un-government

This paragraph stands out:

For two days, the UK delegation dodged many of the UN's questions, made numerous unsubstantiated assertions and, when they did have the data, often used it in ways that were misleading. Asked to provide data on the numbers of disabled benefit claimants facing sanctions, the delegation responded that it was "less than 1%" (a month). Luckily, a sharp-eared audience member noticed a disparity between this figure and the UK government's own published data and, on day two, the delegation was forced to admit that a better answer would have been 18% a year.

Incredible. The attitude seems to be: when the facts are against you, just lie through your teeth and hope you get away with it. In this instance they didn't get away with it, but in this country they mostly do. The way the sick and disabled have been treated in the UK is a national scandal, yet has received very little media coverage (with the occasional honourable exception).

But then what can we expect? One of the most overlooked stories of the recent election is the fact that the Tory manifesto included a pledge not to proceed with Leveson 2. So the Tories pledge not to implement something which would have made the media accountable, and in return the media doesn't hold the Tories to account. What a tidy little arrangement that is.     

[nodogen]

Disgraceful indeed. But as you say, par for the course.

On a brighter note Mr Minnow, I reckon May is booking the removals lorry, and a GE sooner rather than later.

Do you think there's something of a turning of the tide regarding Brexit now people can see what an omnishambles it is?

🤔

[Spineur]

On a brighter note Mr Minnow, I reckon May is booking the removals lorry, and a GE sooner rather than later.

The independent makes a reference to a mysterious intervention by Theresa May

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-talks-delay-theresa-may-eu-european-parliament-important-intervention-guy-verhofstadt-a7929526.html?amp

I also figure that the only sensible intervention she can make is

I am quitting because......

[nodogen]

The independent makes a reference to a mysterious intervention by Theresa May

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-talks-delay-theresa-may-eu-european-parliament-important-intervention-guy-verhofstadt-a7929526.html?amp

I also figure that the only sensible intervention she can make is

I am quitting because......

That's very intriguing!!!!!!

[Mr. Minnow]

Disgraceful indeed. But as you say, par for the course.

On a brighter note Mr Minnow, I reckon May is booking the removals lorry, and a GE sooner rather than later.

Not sure about that. I'm certainly sceptical that this parliament will run the full five years, but the Tories are desperate to avoid another election any time soon because they fear they'd lose it. The Brexiteers in particular are desperate to keep May in place for fear that she might be replaced by someone less willing to go along with their Brexit agenda - even, horror of horrors, a remainer like Hammond. With Brexiteers and remainers both trying to get one of their own into the top job a leadership election would likely escalate into a civil war. Bear in mind too that there is no obvious successor to May (if there were she'd have been toast by now). They'll do whatever they can to keep this farce running as long as possible.

That's not to say they'll succeed of course. What happens with the passage of the Brexit bill through parliament, and the ongoing negotiations with the EU, will probably determine how long the government can survive, and no-one knows what will happen with either of those things.

[Do you think there's something of a turning of the tide regarding Brexit now people can see what an omnishambles it is?

Not really - not yet anyway. Just watch any edition of Question Time from a part of the country that voted for Brexit. Anyone who dares to raise even the slightest of doubts about the wisdom of leaving the EU is immediately jeered. It seems many Leave voters simply want to get out of the EU - and that's it. They're not interested in the details, and any attempt to engage with them about those (rather important) details is met with impatient dismissal: "we'll be fine, we'll muddle through, you lost so suck it up" seems to be a standard response.

Having said that, at present there is an air of unreality about Brexit. It hasn't happened yet and we're still some way off from knowing the terms on which we leave. So things are ticking over more or less as normal (albeit with some pretty dark clouds just beginning to appear on the horizon). But eventually the point will come when this is no longer an abstract concept but impending reality. If that reality looks likely to be highly damaging, then there may well be a turn in public opinion. Not among the true believers - they'll never be convinced -  but among the less ideologically fanatical Leave voters. When they see what Brexit really means - as opposed to what they were promised it would mean - I'd expect a distinct shift in the polls. That's why I think there will have to be a public vote on the terms of the deal, whether in the form of a referendum or an election. It would be political suicide for the Tories to attempt to force a deal on the country without public consent if the polls show a majority of the public are opposed to that deal. Such a public vote is pretty much our last hope for avoiding this insanity.

[nodogen]

Perhaps I need to get out of my little echo chamber! I live in a very Leave area and Labour are doing a public stall soon so I'll see what's on Joe Public's mind. If anything.

[nodogen]

This pillock is opposed to abortion if a woman is raped.

The only good tory...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/06/jacob-rees-mogg-opposed-to-gay-marriage-and-abortion-even-after

[Turner]

This pillock is opposed to abortion if a woman is raped.

The only good tory...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/06/jacob-rees-mogg-opposed-to-gay-marriage-and-abortion-even-after

I read the same story in the Daily Telegraph, Rees-Moog doesn´t totally rule out becoming a Conservative Leader/PM
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/06/jacob-rees-mogg-says-against-gay-marriage-abortion-circumstance/).

But there isn´t enough support in the UK for those anti-abortion views?