UK politics: Veni Vidi Vaccinati

[Werthead]

Support for Welsh independence has dramatically increased from 10% to 39% in the last few years.

[Spockydog]

Anyone remember the days when Nicholas Witchell was an actual journalist?

Trying to link Prince Philip's heart problems to Meghan's Oprah interview seems a bit of a reach. Even for that useless waste of skin.

 

 

[Derfel Cadarn]

43 minutes ago, Spockydog said:

Anyone remember the days when Nicholas Witchell was an actual journalist?

Trying to link Prince Philip's heart problems to Meghan's Oprah interview seems a bit of a reach. Even for that useless waste of skin.

 

 

If Philip dies, the media will blame her.

[Fragile Bird]

45 minutes ago, Derfel Cadarn said:

If Philip dies, the media will blame her.

Perhaps the word you were looking for is "when"?

[Spockydog]

46 minutes ago, Derfel Cadarn said:

If Philip dies, the media will blame her.

And this, from yesterday. Is Meghan Markel a bully?

The irony here is off the fucking charts.

 

[Derfel Cadarn]

Just now, Fragile Bird said:

Perhaps the word you were looking for is "when"?

I meant if he dies in the next week or two, but fair point :p

[Heartofice]

Maybe she is a bully? I wouldn’t be surprised. At the same time I’m pretty sure the palace is pushing that story hard to stomp on her Oprah gig

[Maltaran]

1 hour ago, Heartofice said:

Maybe she is a bully? I wouldn’t be surprised. At the same time I’m pretty sure the palace is pushing that story hard to stomp on her Oprah gig

Regardless of the truth of the matter, the timing of the "leak" is hardly coincidental.

[Heartofice]

 

Tories now have a 13pt lead over Labour in latest YouGov poll. Pretty staggering really.

[mormont]

1 hour ago, Heartofice said:

Maybe she is a bully? I wouldn’t be surprised.

Is there something about Meghan Markle that makes you suspect her of being a bully? 

[Heartofice]

Just now, mormont said:

Is there something about Meghan Markle that makes you suspect her of being a bully? 

All the reports of her being a bully would be the first thing 

[mormont]

10 minutes ago, Heartofice said:

All the reports of her being a bully would be the first thing 

So, nothing that would justify your response to that report, ie that you wouldn't be surprised?

[Heartofice]

1 minute ago, mormont said:

So, nothing that would justify your response to that report, ie that you wouldn't be surprised?

Not sure what you mean? There have been reports about her being bossy, and difficult with staff for at least a couple of years. 

[BigFatCoward]

It feels like making a murderer. Definitely did it, but fitted up anyway just to be on the safe side. 

[The Anti-Targ]

So hearing the unionists, seeing the re-unificaton writing on the wall I suppose, are withdrawing their support for the GFA. Does that mean the resumption of the troubles is a distinct possibility?

I largely try to completely ignore any royal family drama these days, but if there's racism and sexism anywhere in the world, even among the rich and privileged, it should not be ignored. And I have a hard time believing there isn't racism and sexism at play with Meghan Markle.

Being mostly deliberately ignorant of the royals drama I have no clue about any bullying that Meghan is alleged to have done. However, I do wonder if behaviour of a woman of colour in a position of power is interpreted by some as bullying when behaviour is not materially different by a white man (or woman?) would not be seen in the same way? And I wonder if rather than the behaviour not being bullying in either context, it's just that in the context of the privileged "classes" it is accepted either as just the way the world works, or people are just too afraid to call it out. So Meghan might be a bully, but there's a decent chance that the reason she's being called on it isn't because she's bullying, it's because of one or both aspects of her identity that does not fit "the norm".

[Heartofice]

13 minutes ago, The Anti-Targ said:

So hearing the unionists, seeing the re-unificaton writing on the wall I suppose, are withdrawing their support for the GFA. Does that mean the resumption of the troubles is a distinct possibility?

I largely try to completely ignore any royal family drama these days, but if there's racism and sexism anywhere in the world, even among the rich and privileged, it should not be ignored. And I have a hard time believing there isn't racism and sexism at play with Meghan Markle.

Being mostly deliberately ignorant of the royals drama I have no clue about any bullying that Meghan is alleged to have done. However, I do wonder if behaviour of a woman of colour in a position of power is interpreted by some as bullying when behaviour is not materially different by a white man (or woman?) would not be seen in the same way? And I wonder if rather than the behaviour not being bullying in either context, it's just that in the context of the privileged "classes" it is accepted either as just the way the world works, or people are just too afraid to call it out. So Meghan might be a bully, but there's a decent chance that the reason she's being called on it isn't because she's bullying, it's because of one or both aspects of her identity that does not fit "the norm".

Really this is just a non falsifiable argument.

The problem is that there is zero evidence that any of Markles treatment is due to her race and like any such accusation it’s really hard to prove or disprove. The argument is especially hollow given how warmly welcomed by the country in general she was when she started seeing Harry and even up to the wedding. In fact there seemed to be quite a lot of excitement and pride that the Royal Family was going to be less white. 
 

It’s really not a coincidence that people’s opinion of the couple has deteriorated after many of the things they have said and done since being married. 
 

If I was going to point to anything it’s that she can’t get away from the image of being a social climber, and a spoilt hollywood actress. Her American-ness is really the thing putting people off in my opinion. Add in that she really compares poorly compared to Kate, who tends to do toe the royal line and doesn’t try to make everything about her and there are many many reasons why she might be getting rough treatment in the press , and hard to see how it has anything to do with race 

[Soylent Brown]

That's nonsense though. From very early on, you can look at comparable articles about her and Kate to see a pattern emerging, in much the same way there were issues with the representation of footballers like Foden and Adarabioyo.

You're more than happy to backdate your current grievances with Meghan to suit your needs, but really why do you care?

If bullying is something that really gets your goat, perhaps you'd have more credibilty in all of this if you'd made a peep about Priti Patel a short while back.

[Heartofice]

Ugh, we’ve been through all this before. If you genuinely believe that Meghan has gotten worse treatment then other women in the royal family, like say Fergie or Camilla or even Princess Di at times then there is nothing I can do to convince you. 

What has Priti Patel got to do with any of this? 

[mormont]

Patel is a woman in a prominent position in public life about whom reports of bullying have been made and who is currently in the news for that reason.

What does she not have to do with it?

[Werthead]

2 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said:

So hearing the unionists, seeing the re-unificaton writing on the wall I suppose, are withdrawing their support for the GFA. Does that mean the resumption of the troubles is a distinct possibility?

No. At least not imminently. Three relatively minor unionist militant groups writing a letter is a bit of political theatre. They're not going to start blowing anything up, and it's not entirely clear what they would blow up. Customs posts manned by British officials? Not exactly the best way of showing support for the union.

It is a reminder that the incredibly messy politics of Northern Ireland have not gone away, and when the time comes to push for reunification - not as far away as it comfortably felt in 1998 - the unionists are going to cause a shit-ton of problems that might be comparable to the Troubles.