UK General Election 2017 - 8 June

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

The Scots have taken the stage now, in what a appears to be a stirring honouring of the 25th anniversary of Braveheart.

We really should have fucked them off by now.

Don't make the same mistake a lot of people do and conflate the puddle of diarrhoea that is the SNP with Scotland.

[Yevrah]

Jo Swinson has just said that there should be a people's vote to choose the Brexit path then immediately followed it up by saying that she doesn't believe there is a preference among the public for one path.

I think I've had enough and I've only been on for half an hour.

[Lewis]

The lollest outcome would be remain winning any second referendum, but then Nigel Farage winning the subsequent general election.

[Shindig]

Boris didn't want an election yesterday. Now he's treating it as a threat. Tony Blair would fucking steamroll this lot. Whilst wearing an "I did Iraq" t-shirt during his entire stint.

[Yevrah]

I'm getting the sense that MPs will vote against a general election before 31st October. I don't know if Boris can call one anyway, but fucking hell.

[Disco]

He'd need to win a vote in Parliament to get one so that seems unlikely until Comrade Corbs stopping sitting on his hands.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If there's no election then the sandal wearers (by this point, I hate both sides equally, except Cummings because everything he does is funny) will have to get their silly bill through the Lords before it prorogues. After that, Boris is a bit screwed, as he will have to either cave in on the backstop (which would be funny) or perform some kind of Custer's Last Stand and eventually get thrown out.

[Giggles]

If there's no election then the sandal wearers (by this point, I hate both sides equally, except Cummings because everything he does is funny) will have to get their silly bill through the Lords before it prorogues. After that, Boris is a bit screwed, as he will have to either cave in on the backstop (which would be funny) or perform some kind of Custer's Last Stand and eventually get thrown out.

The backstop will be renegotiated, it's just a matter of when. The EU want a deal and they won't let something like that stop one.

[Henry]

The last couple of days have been glorious.

LOL at the prospect of the opposition keeping Jonson hanging by forcing him to go to Brussels to agree the extension before an election.

[Spikey M]

Bozza has had a mare here.

[phonics]

His brothers just quit :D

[phonics]

I'm agreeing with you here Phonics, but it stands to reason if you spend three years of time, energy and money on something and get no further forward fatigue from doing so is going to hit in at some point.

I totally agree. It’s an absolute omnishambles, I was just saying that there’s a high bar you have to hit to be the worst ever. I think Belgium didn’t bother having a government for 6 months or something because the French and Dutch sides couldn’t get along.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I wouldn't count him out just yet, Corbyn remains wildly unpopular and an election could go either way.

Fewer things resonate with the public than Westminster folk think.

[Yeldoow]

An election now seems like a complete dice roll, that will probably just end up in another hung parliament.

[Disco]

Letting Deadly Dom loose on the campaign might be interesting though.

[Boydy]

I totally agree. It’s an absolute omnishambles, I was just saying that there’s a high bar you have to hit to be the worst ever. I think Belgium didn’t bother having a government for 6 months or something because the French and Dutch sides couldn’t get along.
It was over a year, I think. I remember NI besting their record. But also then we didn't count because we're a devolved legislature rather than a national one.

Two and a half years without a government here now.

[Yevrah]

It'll be a hung parliament and we'll be absolutely no further forward.

By process of elimination:

No deal won't happen ever.
The deal the EU will give us will always be shit because for them to offer anything else would be lunacy and be akin to shooting their own project in the face.

Which only leaves us with (and as I've said for some time), not actually leaving. It's just how long it takes to give up the ghost really and that could genuinely be years.

[Yevrah]

Letting Deadly Dom loose on the campaign might be interesting though.

He's been let loose on this strategy presumably and looks to have totally fisted that.

[niko_cee]

Depends how it plays out. Presumably his narrative is Parliament versus the People, which, outside of the remain heartlands might play surprisingly well.

Farage will probably get his revenge on him though. I'm not sure how a leave alliance holds (or even forms).

[Yevrah]

But it makes no difference if the parliamentary arithmetic isn't sufficient to push through no deal, or a deal, which I can't (in the immediate future) see it being. There are different reasons for each, but not enough people want no deal and nowhere near enough want whatever deal we'll get and based on polling I can't see how an election will change that.

I assume I misheard, but talk of May's deal being resurrected this week was interesting. If I didn't mishear, well, the roflcopter is being fired up.

[niko_cee]

No, it sneaked back in via Stephen Kinnock's unopposed amendment I think. It's madness. Trying to call the whole thing off has always been the most likely and desired outcome. It's just what happen after that, or ever getting to that point, which might be problematic.

[randomlegend]

I was interested in this Cummings bloke everyone chatters on about so I'm watching this since it's about the only thing on youtube where he's actually speaking:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJjShkGCa4c

It's like something out of the Thick of It, he's an absolute moron.

[Spikey M]

At some point we'll have to focus on something else and Article 50 will get an open ended extension from the EU. The whole thing will then be shelved to be sorted whenever, and will never see the light of day again.

Unless Farage gets a seat.

Lol.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The thing with Cummings is he is:

a) utterly deranged
b) has a far greater understanding of the public than anyone else in politics

a) doesn't work well for him in these Westminster games where b) isn't yet in play, but writing him off now is the most dangerous thing remainers can do - and they are absolutely doing it.

[Disco]

A national campaign will be very different from the already fucked parliamentary situation. The only sticking point may be how much control he is given.

[Henry]

There's now apparently an anonymous minister briefing that if Labour keep Johnson hanging and try to force him to ask for an extention that he will resign instead. :lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

You'll never take me alive!

Then we can have another six-week Tory leadership election, ideal really.

[Lewis]

They mean he will resign as Prime Minister and watch the idiots try to put something shit together.

[Jimmy Floyd]

A Lab/Lib agreement would be funny enough, but throw in the SNP and it'll be in Fawlty Towers/The Office territory.

[Ian]

Which sitcom / farce are we in currently by this metric?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Only Fools and Horses.

Del Boy = Boris
Rodney = the British people
Trigger = Jean-Claude Juncker
Uncle Albert = take a guess

[Giggles]

I’ve only seen stills but what’s with all the cops lined up behind Johnson for the speech? Is he going down the China/Russia line of things?

[Shindig]

Former Prime Minister John Major says Boris Johnson should fire Dominic Cummings, the adviser behind his Brexit strategy.

Excellent.

[phonics]

I take it back Yev.

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[Yevrah]

I’m telling you Phonics, it’s proper fucked.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's going a bit blue screen of death. Imagine if Labour weren't complete shit, they would win about 500 seats.

[Luke Emia]

It's going a bit blue screen of death. Imagine if Labour weren't complete shit, they would win about 500 seats.

I would like to remain, even now. But, even if Corbyn said he would guarantee that if he won the UK would stay in the EU I still couldn't bring myself to vote for him.

[Shindig]

I'd do it with the saving grace being his minority government would be flimsy enough to find itself in another election within months.

[Giggles]

What's the whole Corbyn issue, genuine question? Is it the Labour party as a whole or is it him personally? It can't be incompetence because, well....

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's him personally. He is of low intellect, low charisma and generally not very good at his job.

[phonics]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EDw7ZWmVUAAYF7T.jpg

[Henry]

What's the whole Corbyn issue, genuine question? Is it the Labour party as a whole or is it him personally? It can't be incompetence because, well....

It's because he's a socialist. Anyone with his policies would get the same sustained abuse in the media and so forth, regardless of any other weaknesses he may or may not have.

[niko_cee]

It's because he's seen as a bit of a relic, and a career protester. I think it's mean to call him a thicko (even if he is). His ideas, such as they are, are quite a bit out of step with what you'd call modern political thinking. Perhaps the world needs dramatic change, but, then, we've had his brand before and it hasn't really panned out too well, so he'd probably just fuck things up even more spectacularly than the middle-of-the-roaders.

[Giggles]

It's him personally. He is of low intellect, low charisma and generally not very good at his job.

Errrrrrr.

[Boydy]

Errrrrrr.
It's what Henry said.

[phonics]

The irony of that being that Boris has spent his entire time as PM being publicly owned.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It really isn't that, socialists just choose to believe that because it gives them a convenient excuse. If there was a charismatic, eloquent socialist then they would be very popular I think. There's a clamour for a lot of his policies but not for him to be PM.

The anti-semitism stuff hurts him badly too - even if he isn't personally anti-semitic, he has spent his life as a fellow traveller and it just dates him badly. A modern, successful left wing leader would not be tainted by 70s and 80s factionalism like he is.

If people genuinely believe that Corbyn's -50 approval rating is just because the Sun call him names, then the left will probably never return to power as they just don't understand how people think.

[randomlegend]

Didn't go to Harrow or Eton = retard

[Jimmy Floyd]

Harrow is 52nd in the private school league tables, FYI. Eton is 18th.

[mugbull]

Doesn’t really matter what the academic rankings say if they’re still the basis for the absurd class-based pecking order in your country

[Jimmy Floyd]

We were talking about thicko provision rather than that.

[Lewis]

The man is sub-intelligent, and the anti-Semitism stuff is the most obvious example of it. He doesn't personally dislike Jews, and he doesn't set out to ignore it, but he is too thick to understand anti-Semitism beyond his thicko notions of it being the sole preserve of his political opponents.

[Henry]

Nope. No socialist is ever going to get a fair hearing with the establishment. If they do, then that's how they know that they're doing it wrong.
As exhibit A, the right-wing press has made Boris's implosion somehow about Corbyn over the past few days.

Speaking of which, the clown has narrowing options, and may be reduced to choosing from the following:

Doing a complete u-turn and asking for an extension to Article 50.
Breaking the law, and kicking off the mother of all constitutional crises (the civil service are disallowed from assisting him in criminal activity)
Fucking off.

:drool:

[Ian]

I am enjoying the smiling man politely asking Boris to "Please leave my town."

[mugbull]

I don’t know Corbyn the way Brits know him, but to me he just seems like a man who decided early in his career he’d rather be a crusader for whatever he believes than a policy wonk. He would probably make a better activist than politician. At the same time, it has always been the “sole refuge” of reactionaries and conservatives to denounce anybody with an idealistic agenda as stupid. Corbyn pal-palled with Hugo Chavez and has an erection for Palestine, but on the other hand the Tories want a no-deal Brexit, so who really are the idealists here?

[Yevrah]

He's not very good because despite the Tories totally fucking up over the last 3 and a half years he still won't get an outright majority at an election.

That's the beginning and end of it really.

[Lewis]

I bet most of what currently comprises the establishment, which is more cultural than financial these days, would take him over Brexit. And even then the financial twats are ambivalent. He's just a colossal mong.

[Yevrah]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49609677

If they won't even back an election after the bill has passed then fucking hell. What a useless and gutless shower of shit they all are.

[Disco]

He's not very good because despite the Tories totally fucking up over the last 3 and a half years he still won't get an outright majority at an election.

That's the beginning and end of it really.

This is it. Whatever else you think about him he's been in opposition to two of the most inept and divided governments in living memory and has fuck all to show for it.

[phonics]

I mean technically he did and then the gap just went back to what it was previously so ther'es technically nothing to say you wouldn't see a similar shrinking of the numbers on another election. The problem being that the way he's set his stall out means he'll automatically lose a bunch to the Lib Dems which puts him back where he is right now. Because as we all know the Lib Dems would rather see the Tory's win over Labour so i't snot like they could make a coalition.

[phonics]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EDyHhx1UUAEuL69.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D4EFETEXsAAxqXJ.jpg

[Disco]

How very mature.

For the record, no politician has ever been intentionally funny.

[phonics]

He's literally failing to take a bull by the horns.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EDyI924XYAEy_Nt.jpg

All these people moaning about how Cummings isn't a Conservative, is this all a long game to make Boris look a complete mug? Because I'm not sure yesterdays plan of going to Leeds and being told he's a knob by people with regional accents worked too well either.

[Lewis]

It doesn't appear to have any horns.

[mugbull]

The one thing the right has always had going for it is that it’s way better at humor than the left. Their policies may be antisocial but they’re quality trolls who know how to entertain

[Yevrah]

I mean technically he did and then the gap just went back to what it was previously so ther'es technically nothing to say you wouldn't see a similar shrinking of the numbers on another election. The problem being that the way he's set his stall out means he'll automatically lose a bunch to the Lib Dems which puts him back where he is right now. Because as we all know the Lib Dems would rather see the Tory's win over Labour so i't snot like they could make a coalition.

And while the likes of Henry are harping on about him being unfairly treated, they're completely ignoring the fact that he's just a bit shit.

That Conservatives tweet is pathetic.

[Giggles]

I only see what the whole chicken thing is about now. What are these cunts? 9?

[phonics]

And while the likes of Henry are harping on about him being unfairly treated, they're completely ignoring the fact that he's just a bit shit.

Both can be true.

[phonics]

1169972280736321537
jfc indeed

[Yeldoow]

The state of politics in this country is beyond pathetic.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm starting to think the Lib Dems might get back to pre-Cleggers territory in the coming election, or better.

[Boydy]

Someone please explain to me how any other Labour leader would win this stonking majority you all imagine when the core Labour vote itself (not to mention the country being split almost 50/50) is very divided on Brexit.

[Yevrah]

Someone please explain to me how any other Labour leader would win this stonking majority you all imagine when the core Labour vote itself (not to mention the country being split almost 50/50) is very divided on Brexit.

Didn't say a stonking majority, just not that he'd get one at all. And in fact, I think he'd still lose. Which given how shit the Tories have been is piss poor.

[Boydy]

The only general election he's been leader for was 2017. The Tories weren't considered anywhere near as ridiculous then (that's probably the start of the current banter era) and he ncreased Labour's vote-share then by almost 10%.

[Yevrah]

So what does success look like for you for Labour at the next general election?

[Boydy]

Also, have a look at what happens to the polling results for 2017 when the election campaign media impartiality rules kick in.

Poll figures on Wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2017_United_Kingdom_genera l_election#2017

Good explainer here: http://theconversation.com/broadcast-impartiality-rule-has-helped-labour-to-achieve-biggest-poll-shift-since-1945-78949

[phonics]

Many times I wonder how much party politics has broken democracy. The moment you take these people out of the structure of having to defend 'their side' you get so much more honesty.

Soames on Rees-Mogg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EDy3KH7XsAAnRht.jpg

With Brexit cutting it's way through both major parties, now is a good a time as ever to dissolve all the parties and start again.

[Lewis]

He must be the last person who can say that.

[mugbull]

Vladimir Lenin would be a better party leader than Jacob Rees-Mogg

[Yevrah]

Rudd’s gone.

[Lewis]

lol at thinking she can win her constituency as an independent.

[niko_cee]

She made a good fist of losing it last time so she's probably doomed either way.

[Yevrah]

Ian Blackford is a disgusting human being.

Boris has just lost another vote.

[phonics]

I don't understand the devolved stuff. Why does Sturgeon not sit in the House?

[Disco]

She's not a member of parliament.

[Yevrah]

And I suspect when the papers are released on Proroguing and No Deal Boris is done.

And also, on this shitty extension law, I would lol my fucking arse off if the EU told us to fuck off. Neither Corbyn or Blackford had a response on what happens then.

[Giggles]

And I suspect when the papers are released on Proroguing and No Deal Boris is done.

And also, on this shitty extension law, I would lol my fucking arse off if the EU told us to fuck off. Neither Corbyn or Blackford had a response on what happens then.

Won't he just refuse? None of this stuff seems to be binding in the slightest.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Scot Nats are the worst people going. At least the crap Corbyn worldview is internally consistent. If they ever get independence they will embark on a Mobutu-esque 'de-anglicising' programme and sell all the crown estates to build luxury crofts. Then they'll get voted out for Labour (or whatever replaces it) when the peepallascotland realise they are nothing more than a bunch of grandstanding charlatans.

They won't release those papers.

[Spikey M]

If they (the EU) have a brain cell amongst them they'll either:

A) say no to an extension, forcing the UK to either take May's deal or leave without one.

Or

B) Give us an open ended extension, safe in the knowledge that we will then stay stuck in purgatory forever.

[Yevrah]

I didn't even realise it wasn't binding. Jesus fucking christ. Why are they even voting on it then?

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

The Scot Nats are the worst people going. At least the crap Corbyn worldview is internally consistent. If they ever get independence they will embark on a Mobutu-esque 'de-anglicising' programme and sell all the crown estates to build luxury crofts. Then they'll get voted out for Labour (or whatever replaces it) when the peepallascotland realise they are nothing more than a bunch of grandstanding charlatans.

They won't release those papers.

It's bad enough with the hard-on they have for Gaelic on road signs.

[Yevrah]

If they (the EU) have a brain cell amongst them they'll either:

A) say no to an extension, forcing the UK to either take May's deal or leave without one.

Or

B) Give us an open ended extension, safe in the knowledge that we will then stay stuck in purgatory forever.

A vote in parliament on May's deal or no deal would actually be quite interesting and deliciously ironic in that the remain option (that MP's are so desperate to have on the ballot of a second referendum) wouldn't be anywhere near it. :drool:

EDIT: Although Swinson reckons we could just revoke article 50 instead, so I suppose it would be.

[Lewis]

I have a lot more time for the people who just want to pretend it never happened, provided they're not also thick enough to think everything would just go back to normal like Andrew Adonis. It's everyone in between who is a dickhead. Speaking of which, Theresa May's resignation honours list is apparently an absolute belter.

[Lewis]

As for the Scotch, would they leave the United Kingdom without a 'deal'? If not we could just insist on all sorts of lol measures in our favour.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hard Scoxit. I'm not sure the shortages of fresh fruit and vegetables would be noticed, but the fifty mile queues on the A74 while all the fudge lorries get inspected at the border might be.

[Spikey M]

Where are Mars Bars and batter mix manufactured?

[Lewis]

With different tariffs on tablet and fudge just to complicate matters.

[bruhnaldo]

I'm sorry your government has shut down because a chick with a gigantic wand came out and said so? Is this Hogwarts?

[Henry]

The Tories are tearing themselves to shreds and now it looks like the DUP are going to be thrown under the bus.

When do I wake up? :drool:

[Giggles]

The Tories are tearing themselves to shreds and now it looks like the DUP are going to be thrown under the bus.

When do I wake up? :drool:

What? This is the start of the EU caving on the matter and we're the ones inevitably getting thrown under the bus. The fact they're negotiating at all with the UK when an agreement was already reached shows they've cracked first. Was inevitable anyway, anyone who thought the EU weren't going to suit their big players was delusional.

[Henry]

What? This is the start of the EU caving on the matter and we're the ones inevitably getting thrown under the bus. The fact they're negotiating at all with the UK when an agreement was already reached shows they've cracked first. Was inevitable anyway, anyone who thought the EU weren't going to suit their big players was delusional.

Caving on what matter? What's on the table is an NI-only backstop. That's what was there initially, and then changed to a UK-wide backstop.

You sound awfully like someone who has been paying no attention to anything.

[Giggles]

Caving on what matter? What's on the table is an NI-only backstop. That's what was there initially, and then changed to a UK-wide backstop.

You sound awfully like someone who has been paying no attention to anything.

I've paid enough attention to our side of it as opposed to yours, and any negotiation on the deal at all is a solid win for the UK side at this stage.

[Spikey M]

Giggs, you must be the only fucker on the planet that thinks we're winning in any way, shape or form.

[Kikó]

The NI backstop would be a decent starting point no? You'd get Northern Ireland and Ireland continue to be borderless and actually be able to start negotiating all these wonderful deals as we would be out of the EU. Unless you bring back a Norway type deal then this is the best you will get to.

[Giggles]

Have another referendum now. Landslide leave.

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[Jimmy Floyd]

We're winning two world wars to nil, and Frau Merkel shows no signs of pulling one back.

[Lewis]

I can't see how the Conservative Party survives any sort of 'backstop' at this point.

[Giggles]

I take it all back :lol:


1171487418320486406

[Spikey M]

Up there with sticking an airport in the Thames Estuary, that.

[Shindig]

Oh, a physical bridge. Wow.

[Lewis]

It must only be about ten miles if you lead it into Ballycastle. It could easily be done. The submarine people might moan though.

[bruhnaldo]

I just wanted to visualize this idea and have found there are several Bally- towns.... Ballymena, Ballynure, Ballyclare, Ballygalley, Ballystrudder...


Why is this?

[Giggles]

I just wanted to visualize this idea and have found there are several Bally- towns.... Ballymena, Ballynure, Ballyclare, Ballygalley, Ballystrudder...


Why is this?

Baile in the Irish language is ‘town’ and when place names were Anglicised here Baile became Bally. Same as loads of towns start with Kil, which came from Cill (Church).

[Henry]

I just wanted to visualize this idea and have found there are several Bally- towns.... Ballymena, Ballynure, Ballyclare, Ballygalley, Ballystrudder...


Why is this?

Because they're Anglicised versions of Irish place names. "Baile" means "town" in Irish, and that ends up as "Bally" in most cases.

[bruhnaldo]

https://i.imgur.com/I8NsAem.png

12.6 mi ain't that bad surely. We have a 7 mile one in the Keys.

[bruhnaldo]

Baile in the Irish language is ‘town’ and when place names were Anglicised here Baile became Bally. Same as loads of towns start with Kil, which came from Cill (Church).


Because they're Anglicised versions of Irish place names. "Baile" means "town" in Irish, and that ends up as "Bally" in most cases.

I had a feeling but I was curious :) Thanks fellas.

[Giggles]

https://i.imgur.com/I8NsAem.png



12.6 mi ain't that bad surely. We have a 7 mile one in the Keys.


The munitions dump and the depth of the water would make the cost astronomical. It’s only token chat to tickle the rabid loyalists behind the ear for a distraction.

[Lewis]

The munitions/waste dump is further south, and it wouldn't cost as much as something like Crossrail. Whether there is an economic case for it I don't know; but it's not ridiculous in technical terms.

[Boydy]

Is the sea not too rough for it as well?

[Spikey M]

I just wanted to visualize this idea and have found there are several Bally- towns.... Ballymena, Ballynure, Ballyclare, Ballygalley, Ballystrudder...


Why is this?

You should hear the story or Balamory.

[Spikey M]

The munitions dump and the depth of the water would make the cost astronomical. It’s only token chat to tickle the rabid loyalists behind the ear for a distraction.

It's also blowing a force 9 Gale 360 days a year.

[Jimmy Floyd]

For most people who don't live in Dumfries and Galloway, surely it would be far quicker to get a flight than to complete that marathon car journey. Similarly, anyone from the Irish side would face a six hour journey to anywhere of interest.

[Giggles]

True, it’s a fair old trek on a poor enough road once you’re past Antrim. Though he’s probably going to announce the direct 8 lane motorway today anyway.

I notice all the loyalist on my Facebook lapping it up though. THE MAINLAND HASN’T FORGOTTEN US. It’s brilliant.

[phonics]

It’s for cargo not people. It allows them to put a border check in Scotland no?

[Spikey M]

Borris :lol: :lol: :lol:

Parliament is back, yo.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I doubt it.

[Spikey M]

After holidays.

[phonics]

1171714325108727810

[phonics]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EELpHdWW4AA9ZnU.png
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EELpHdZXkAIc46y.png

[Ian]

"Hunter Dubose"?

Come on.

[bruhnaldo]

It's also blowing a force 9 Gale 360 days a year.

"47–54 mph" that doesn't seem that bad but then I guess a constant barrage of this would be different.

[phonics]

30mph winds are dangerous to drive in. 55mph winds could be strong enough to turn over a small car.

[bruhnaldo]

Oh hahaha duh. I was only thinking structurally for some reason.

[Spikey M]

Plus they'd have to build the thing in it.

[niko_cee]

It's alright, we can just get a bunch of, oh wait, as you were.

[Giggles]

It's alright, we can just get a bunch of, oh wait, as you were.

All drunk too don't forget.

[niko_cee]

Well, they do like their Krupnik I suppose.

[Lewis]

My old man has an alcoholic Glaswegian shipbuilder as a lodger, and he happens to be a bead-rattler (albeit not one of the wallowing ones). Not that many years ago he was doing a job in Northern Ireland, and the staunch locals were giving him a hard time because they didn't realise that the Poles were Catholics too.

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

30mph winds dangerous to drive in? In what? A double decker on the Tay Bridge?

[phonics]

I thought that maybe it was a bad idea for The Mail to be accusing those Judges of being traitors when they passed the Gina Miller case.

A member of the cabinet, Kwasi Kwarteng, coming out and saying that this is the case seems really, really bad. If as a Politician you believe that to pass Brexit, you have to delegitimise the Civil Service, Parliament and the Courts, possibly ending with the PM breaking the law (on the No-No Deal Bill, whether you think it's worth a wank or not). Is it worth it?

At what point are you just destroying a few hundred years of society for a short term political win?

[Lewis]

The courts stuff is a bit stupid, but the civil service and parliament de-legitimised themselves long before any of this. It's part of the reason it happened.

[phonics]

The courts stuff is a bit stupid, but the civil service and parliament de-legitimised themselves long before any of this. It's part of the reason it happened.

Yes but you haven't got the Civil Service and Parliament saying so. The only thing that stops everything breaking down is the pretense of legitimacy whether it deserves it or not.

There are corrupt police officers but you can't have the top cop saying that they're all bent. If the PM publicly states that he doesn't have to adhere to the law, why should I? (Not saying I'm going to go shoot up a foot locker for some new shoes or anything but it can't help society at large)

[Lewis]

You could say the same for people conspiring against referendum results (particularly those elected in 2017 promising not to) and trashing parliamentary convention in order to do so. They only retain their legitimacy and function so long as people pretend that their integrity is more important than short-term political wins, and yet...

[niko_cee]

Considering the make-up of the High Court that chucked out Miller's recent case I'd be amazed if the jock ruling isn't overturned on appeal.

[phonics]

You could say the same for people conspiring against referendum results (particularly those elected in 2017 promising not to) and trashing parliamentary convention in order to do so. They only retain their legitimacy and function so long as people pretend that their integrity is more important than short-term political wins, and yet...


Word. All of the issues we're facing now at home and abroad are down to a generation of bad governance and self-interest.

[Yevrah]

People have always been self interested, it’s human nature. I don’t see how this has suddenly changed.

[phonics]

People have always been self interested, it’s human nature. I don’t see how this has suddenly changed.

The prior generations were corrupt as fuck and stayed in power by doing minor giveaways to the people. Our/the prior generation just made the corruption quasi-legal so you didn't have to even bother with the handouts.

[Lewis]

If you are so pro-European Union that you would leave the Conservative/Labour Party and join the Liberal Democrats over it, why weren't you one all along? It has literally been their main selling point (along with electoral reform lol) for their entire existence. Has anyone asked these defectors something to that end, or do they just wibble about by-elections and the NARRATIVE?

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's only in the last two years that the Conservative party has realigned itself in opposition to Europe. Before that you could be a conservative whilst pro, anti or neutral towards the EU.

The party is completely stone dead because of that shift. Once Labour get rid of the mongs, the Tories in their current form will never govern again.

[Lewis]

Yeah, but what was keeping him in the Conservative Party all that time if it can be put aside over this? A cynical person might conclude that the Conservative Party was merely the most convenient career vehicle.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That's what all the parties are for everyone involved. You think Alastair Darling is Labour? Bollocks is he, you just can't make a political career as a Tory in Scotland. Similarly, round here the local Tory parties are packed full of busybody lefties.

Ideology is for children and wankers, so I'm quite happy with that setup.

[phonics]

Do you think the media or the Lib Dem’s have realised that they have no chance of doing anything because that whole generation (that’s probably largely remain) that voted for them in the coalition days will never, never go near them again?

Fool me once...

[Lewis]

Binning a referendum result on a parliamentary majority won with something like thirty-five per cent would be another interesting one for the electoral reformers.

[phonics]

Trying to work out how they could screw this one if they did win.

I voted for no tuition fees and got them tripled. Vote for remain and end up part of the GRCC?

[Lewis]

1. Win a majority
2. Second referendum on the principle of electoral reform
3. Third referendum on which system to use ('No mandate for Hard PR')
4. General election
5. PROGRESSIVE MAJORITY
6. Revoke Article 50

You could presumably manage that in five years.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The public will never vote for any form of electoral reform. They'll have to legislate it themselves.

[Yevrah]

Boris excelling himself again today I see.

[phonics]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EEmAzzoXsAMZi9U.jpg

[Lewis]

Proper smalltime that. Plus he then said that he prioritised the single market over the Good Friday Agreement, before moving on to conflating the two, which suggests he either doesn't understand the latter or realised he had inadvertently let slip that their policy is to pretend it says things that it doesn't. Not a bad hour's work for a country whose defence we subsidise.

[niko_cee]

Luxembourg being so at the heart of Europe always amazes and amuses me in equal measure. It's a glorified petrol station which siphons all the tax out of the big EU nations. Having to sit down and talk to their leader is akin to having to talk to our political leaders which is, I believe, outsourced to the lowest of the low MPs on the career development ladder.

[phonics]

Proper smalltime that. Plus he then said that he prioritised the single market over the Good Friday Agreement, before moving on to conflating the two, which suggests he either doesn't understand the latter or realised he had inadvertently let slip that their policy is to pretend it says things that it doesn't. Not a bad hour's work for a country whose defence we subsidise.

Genuinely didn't know who that was about until the final sentence.

[niko_cee]

I must say Chuka's 'what we believe in!' speech to the lib dem conference really pulled at the heart strings.

I can only imagine Robbie Keane is penciled in for their general election campaign as he's undoubtedly supported them since he was a boy.

[Yevrah]

It shows how far the shambles has gone that we can be so easily embarrassed by Luxembourg.

[phonics]

1174588868332523520

He's a fucking moron isn't he?

[niko_cee]

Cameron or Peston?

Can't really get my head around this court case business. They've obviously done the proroguing with an eye to pissing off the remain lobby/for badness, but they've also done it under the guise of a completely legitimate reason and I find it hard to see how it is possible to both become involved in the issue and *ahem* remain politically impartial. At this point I half think Deadly Dom and co want to lose this case to further paint this as an establishment versus the leave campaign/people situation (although I tend to lean more to this being [a series of] colossal fuck-up[s] of judgment rather than some overarching masterplan).

Parliament really should have seized control and chucked the government out when it had the chance. I'm not sure its for the courts to act when the supreme legislative body abdicates it's own powers of intervention (to the extent that it has, they still have that law that was rushed through).

[phonics]

Peston, 'hes chosen his timing well'. Mate, you've literally released books, you should know how this works.

[Lewis]

I've done my best to avoid reading about this 'Supreme Court' stuff, but it was on the telly when I was in the gym earlier, and it seems to me that the government's case is basically 'Yeah we lied, but you lot can't judge it either way'. Is that right? It seems like the best argument. If they start defining what it's 'reasonable' for a government to do then we're into all sorts of shit.

[phonics]

If the remain side loses they should do the ultimate troll and appeacl to the ECJ.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why do we have a Supreme Court? Is it another legacy of Tony Blair wishing he was the president of America?

[phonics]

It is weird how little we think about the courts considering America has made a couple decades of television off them. Only one I can think of over here is the absolutely ludicrous Judge John Deed.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3FwGjnvBnU

[randomlegend]

Martin Shaw used to live near me, and some mental old woman with pink hair starting stalking him. He had to get a restraining order.

EDIT: Lol I didn't realise it made the news

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4373787/Stalker-of-Judge-John-Deed-actor-Martin-Shaw-sentenced-for-harassment-campaign.html

[Shindig]

We had Kavanagh QC as well which was Inspector Morse but in court.

[niko_cee]

Why do we have a Supreme Court? Is it another legacy of Tony Blair wishing he was the president of America?

It was an inevitability after Derry Irvine ordered all that ludicrously expensive wallpaper. So, in a way, yes.

All the anachronistic shit to do with the judiciary was for the wall after that.

[Lewis]

lol at how 'Jolyon the Lawyer' speaks. Does he speak like that because he's a twat, or is he a twat because he speaks like that? We'll never know.

[niko_cee]

I've done my best to avoid reading about this 'Supreme Court' stuff, but it was on the telly when I was in the gym earlier, and it seems to me that the government's case is basically 'Yeah we lied, but you lot can't judge it either way'. Is that right? It seems like the best argument. If they start defining what it's 'reasonable' for a government to do then we're into all sorts of shit.

Not really but it might as well be.

I've watched quite a lot of it and the definite highlight was the bumbling idiot from Northern Ireland this morning. He was having such a bad day at the office. Imagine hiring a QC and getting him. The shouty twat 'on behalf of Wales' wasn't much better but at least he went at it with a bit of gusto. Pannick and Eadie the class of the field, although that was probably known beforehand.

[Yevrah]

What in the fuck are Labour doing?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49776100

[Boydy]

Getting rid of a wrecking cunt. :drool:

[Byron]

Or alternatively, the Corbyn Cult have decided that they will not tolerate any dissenting views from the Dear Leader.

Labour don't exist any more, it's a hard left cult devoted to the Glorious Dear Leader.

[niko_cee]

Tom Watson is a total wanker and should (maybe would in an election?) have his credibility shredded over that whole paedogeddon thing

[Spikey M]

Or alternatively, the Corbyn Cult have decided that they will not tolerate any dissenting views from the Dear Leader.

Labour don't exist any more, it's a hard left cult devoted to the Glorious Dear Leader.

They'd have clearly identifiable positions on things if that was the case.

[Boydy]

Or alternatively, the Corbyn Cult have decided that they will not tolerate any dissenting views from the Dear Leader.

Labour don't exist any more, it's a hard left cult devoted to the Glorious Dear Leader.

Hang on. Johnson removed the whip from what, 21 MPs, for one vote against him. Watson has been constantly briefing the media against Corbyn for the past few years (and he doesn't do his job for his actual shadow cabinet post). There can be dissenting views but there are ways to go about it. Constantly going bitching to the media trying to make the leader of the party (democratically elected by its members - twice) look as bad as possible is not it.

[Offshore Toon]

That is a very strange post from Byron. Maybe sit out from this thread, bud.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think a few people in the Labour bubble probably underestimate how vastly unpopular Corbyn is in huge chunks of the country.

[Shindig]

Where are these chunks?

[Spikey M]

Everywhere that doesn't have a mine.

[Shindig]

That's nowt to do with Corbyn, to be fair. Anyone could lead Labour and they'd still vote to 'keep the Tories out'.

[phonics]

This Labour Brexit stuff is fucking embarrassing.

[Ian]

See also: Labour in general.

[Yevrah]

This Labour Brexit stuff is fucking embarrassing.

It’s absolutely ridiculous and symptomatic of Corbyn being shit. A united approach and they’d have a much better chance of challenging the government, but that is too much it seems.

[Jimmy Floyd]

32 hour working week, good luck with that one, comrades.

[Spikey M]

As long as my wage stays the same I'd vote for that.

[Disco]

Who needs money, there wouldn't be any food to buy anyway.

[phonics]

It’s absolutely ridiculous and symptomatic of Corbyn being shit. A united approach and they’d have a much better chance of challenging the government, but that is too much it seems.
Too much of a pussy to piss off the commies and their fucking stupid 'Lexit' ideas so chooses not to make a decision.

Easy to be politically brave as a backbencher, what a coward.

[niko_cee]

4 day weeks, shutting down (nationalising?) independent schools, an end to the fundamental protection of private property, I wouldn't worry too much about their brexit position.

[Boydy]

Too much of a pussy to piss off the commies and their fucking stupid 'Lexit' ideas so chooses not to make a decision.

How have you concluded that's the reason why?

[Boydy]

4 day weeks, shutting down (nationalising?) independent schools, an end to the fundamental protection of private property, I wouldn't worry too much about their brexit position.
:D

Where was that one?

[bruhnaldo]

I work 4 10's and I have to say they're glorious

[phonics]

How have you concluded that's the reason why?

Because if he believed in those people he would shut down the remain lot which he’s also not doing. Once again because he’s a giant pussy. The thesis works either way.

[phonics]

:D

Where was that one?

The if you rent a place long enough you can buy it policy they announced the other day.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He needs votes to get in, the old left/right divisions have been replaced by leave/remain ones and Jezza is trying to straddle them. It's been the Milne strategy from the very start and it allowed them to lose the 2017 election more respectably than they might otherwise have done.

If he makes a clear decision either way he will lose loads of voters to BxP/LD respectively in different areas (maybe some to the Tories also).

[Giggles]

A 4 day week doesn’t sound very stiff upper lip. 5 days and a half a Saturday is how wars are won.

[phonics]

14% of Brexit Labour voters say they would consider vote for Brexit Party/Cons. 48% of Remain Labour voters say they would consider vote for Lib Dems.

How's that math work out? You can't argue the whole Brexit vote was fuelled by 'the left behind' and then say, 'we definitely need to go ahead with this thing that we think is a shit idea because the left behind who our government would benefit would get mad about it'.

The whole argument is for them to go into this whole thing neutral, win a GE, negotiate a deal with the EU and then put it to a referendum where they would support NOT DOING THE DEAL THEY'VE JUST NEGOTIATED. It's fucking nuts.

No-one with half a brain cell is buying it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They secretly want to leave as EU regs probably don't allow you to enact hard socialism.

The dream scenario for Corbz and friends is we leave with no deal, it's a total disaster and then they can blame the Tories and start socialism.

[phonics]

They secretly want to leave as EU regs probably don't allow you to enact hard socialism.

The dream scenario for Corbz and friends is we leave with no deal, it's a total disaster and then they can blame the Tories and start socialism.

The problem being that the 7% of GDP created by the financial industry that they want to fund most of their proposals with won't be there because they'll all have to leave the profitable stuff in the EU due to lack of Banking Passports. It's fucking moronic.

[Yevrah]

Have they unveiled their tax proposals yet? Can I expect to be paying 90% on some of my earnings?

[niko_cee]

The dream scenario for Corbz and friends is we leave with no deal, it's a total disaster and then they can blame the Tories and start socialism.

100%

The dream scenario for Farage is we don't leave, Corbz gets in and either revokes or re-referendums and a mix of global recession and (mental) marxism totally tanks everything in Britain, leaving the great unwashed crying out for their strong man populist in 5 years.

[phonics]

Have they unveiled their tax proposals yet? Can I expect to be paying 90% on some of my earnings?

I doubt it, most modern left leaning monetary policy doesn't actually rely on income tax as only poor people end up paying it. However, this lot are from the 80s so maybe.

[Yevrah]

I doubt it, most modern left leaning monetary policy doesn't actually rely on income tax as only poor people end up paying it.

That's the problem with the current system, in that there's no way in hell that a personal allowance increase that's designed to benefit the poorest people should benefit me, but it does and it's perverse that it does. I've earned well over the national average since austerity came in (increasing my salary hugely in that time period as well) and not once have I had to pay more tax on a like for like basis.

That said, the tax rate increases under Labour in the 70s were ludicrous and I think Corbyn and J McD will take us back there.

[phonics]

That's the problem with the current system, in that there's no way in hell that a personal allowance increase that's designed to benefit the poorest people should benefit me, but it does and it's perverse that it does. I've earned well over the national average since austerity came in (increasing my salary hugely in that time period as well) and not once have I had to pay more tax on a like for like basis.

Yev, if you've had your salary hugely increased over that period of time, how much do you think the people above you have? The problem is not that wealthy people exist, it's inevitable that not everyone will not have exactly the same, it's that there's an entire stratosphere above that.

This is an American example but look at Warrens 2 cents on the dollar tax for every dollar you make over 50 million dollars a year and a 3 cents on the dollar tax for every dollar over 1 billion. They estimate that would raise 275 billion dollars a year. ON PEOPLE EARNING 50 MILLION A YEAR. You could earn 100 million dollars and be what, 2-3 million a year worse off, are you going to notice that? Is that going to stop economic investment over 50 million dollars? Are you going to choose to make 45 million dollars less a year because of it? Of course not.

[Yevrah]

I should add I've been promoted numerous times in 10 years, not that I'm still doing the same job that I'm paid 200% more for.

[Lewis]

The only people who care about the very wealthy are the normally wealthy who have found themselves priced out of the things that they assumed were theirs. Hence private education becoming an issue again now that your average London Wanker has to compete against bigger [foreign] fish. Most people don't care, and would probably send their kids private if they could.

[phonics]

The only people who care about the very wealthy are the normally wealthy who have found themselves priced out of the things that they assumed were theirs.

This is just fucking stupid.

[Lewis]

It's also usually the same stupid cunts who perpetuate wealth divides by effectively criminalising housing development.

[phonics]

Please do not lump me in with NIMBYs. I'd destroy house prices overnight with building if I could.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The problem being that the 7% of GDP created by the financial industry that they want to fund most of their proposals with won't be there because they'll all have to leave the profitable stuff in the EU due to lack of Banking Passports. It's fucking moronic.

The reason these people are back is because there is a new idiotic generation (every generation is idiotic, but this is a new one) which doesn't have any memory of redistributive socialism failing worldwide in the 20th century - just as the monetarists in the 1970s were the first who didn't remember market capitalism failing in the 1930s.

[phonics]

The reason these people are back is because there is a new idiotic generation (every generation is idiotic, but this is a new one) which doesn't have any memory of redistributive socialism failing worldwide in the 20th century - just as the monetarists in the 1970s were the first who didn't remember market capitalism failing in the 1930s.

The reason these people are back is because as always, capitalism gets hijacked by a tiny minority so the masses have no option but to seek alternatives.

Capitalism is fine but the ones with most of the capital have had their thumb on the scale for long enough that people start to notice. They see you bail out the banks for hundreds of billions with no debate and they see you quibble over a tiny fraction of that for stuff that would benefit them.

People at Davos have been telling the uber rich for years to start paying their share and stop quibbling over effectively pennies or society will either collapse or destroy them. They chose not to and literally everything you see in global politics is the result.

[Shindig]

Not really the thread for this but Greta Thunberg's speech today made her out to be a manic theatrical headcase.

[niko_cee]

Jez's third way for brexit wins support at conference.

Dry your eyes Keir/Emily.

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/BB77/production/_108919974_056744809-1.jpg

[mugbull]

The only people who care about the very wealthy are the normally wealthy who have found themselves priced out of the things that they assumed were theirs.

:dirk:

[phonics]

1176431638496129024

Another masterstroke from Dom. Back to writing blogs for him.

[Ian]

:cool:

I mean I'm sure they have several alternative plans for achieving oblivion but still.

[Henry]

Hahahahahahahaha.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Unanimous decision absolutely screws Boris.

[Yevrah]

Cummings. What a don.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/624/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2019/9/24/3f5030c5-f7c7-4193-b9aa-8c6b8da8dca4.jpg

What's the opposite of crocodile tears? Eeyore smile?

[Yevrah]

That man is the worst human being alive.

[Spikey M]

Lol

[phonics]

1176782477958033408

"Technology lessons" :D

[randomlegend]

https://images.esellerpro.com/3455/I/100/07CSNRAS1041043_Z.jpg

Technology lessons.

(spoilered for NSFW)

[John]

Boris' speech at the UN is fucking mental.

[Yevrah]

What’s he saying?

[John]

What’s he saying?

That technology will inevitably lead us to mattresses that track our nightmares and fridges that have their own desires, namely cheese. He also said 'it's a trope as old as literature that any technological advancement will be punished by the Gods'.

[phonics]

Boris doesn't give a shit about technology. The only reason it's being brought up is to push for smart lamposts as an excuse for the expansion of the surveillance state.

[John]

Have you listened to the speech? If that's the endgame whoever wrote it wasn't informed.

[Spikey M]

The geezer is a laughing stock. He's the rich mans Joey Essex.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

When is he walking then?

[Lewis]

I'm becoming more of a fan by the day. If he NO DEALs us out and wins an election I'll go and chin Rory Stewart on his behalf.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rory for life.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fair play to him, 'the best way we can honour Jo Cox is by delivering Brexit' is up there with some of his early classics.

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

Do have to love these folk crying about a 'surrender bill' being inflammatory. The same folk who've been speaking about coups and fascists.

[Shindig]

People have a dig at Trump for daft quotes but there's always a slight sense with him that he's taking the piss. Boris is out of his tree.

[Yevrah]

Do have to love these folk crying about a 'surrender bill' being inflammatory. The same folk who've been speaking about coups and fascists.

And roundly calling Boris a liar at every opportunity.

[Kikó]

Which he is.

[Lewis]

They all are. It's quite hysterical really. You can only guess that 'Surrender Bill' is killing it with the focus groups and they're bricking it.

[Yevrah]

Which he is.

I don't doubt it, but it's hardly constructive calming language.

To piss and moan about parliament being prorogued and then accomplish nothing in two days when it isn't is some going as well.

Honestly, I've been watching loads of it and they are all a complete shower of shit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Cummings still dons them all from here they need to be thrown into the sea.

[phonics]

I'm not claiming any 'MSM Media' conspiracies but is it not a bit odd that the Prime Minister is involved in a sex scandal that involves him giving public money to his piece on the side and it's barely a blip?

I thought the Tabloids live for this shit no matter the party allegiance.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You're in Switzerland, geezer. It's been everywhere.

It won't get anywhere because for the time being at least, we've gone over to the Putin strongman style of political leader whereby you're allowed to do whatever you like and 10,000 braying, loyal Twitter outriders (and a couple of national papers) will have your back. Must also be added that all 'MSM' journalists do is look at twitter all day, so the outriders are absolutely vital.

Was also true in Blair's day until he made friends with Bush and his coffee house outriders turned against him.

[phonics]

You're in Switzerland, geezer. It's been everywhere.

Has it been on the papers? I haven't seen it on the telly and the TV news narrative seems to get drawn by the tabs so assumed it wasn't being pushed.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's been in the papers you would expect it to be in. Front of the Mirror today. The others seem more interested in his thigh-groping, leading me to believe that Dr Strangelove probably planted it there to distract from the actual corruption.

Boris has been a cunt all his life and here he is, Prime Minister. Nothing but election defeat can stop him.