Many-Faced Votary Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 6 minutes ago, mormont said: The messaging around this was very careful to emphasise that there would be no tax rises for most voters, and that the overall effect of these measures would be to boost economic growth. If this is what you meant by your previous statement, I misunderstood you and apologize. I agree with you completely. Any remotely left-wing economic policy has to be framed in a certain way because the right-wing sets the narrative -- and that is not unique to the UK by any means. 7 minutes ago, mormont said: Corbyn was not a victim because of his ideology. He failed it because he wasn't up to the job. As someone who believes in many of the ideas he did, I am sorry he failed, but the constant excuses from his supporters reinforce the idea that Jeremy couldn't fail, he could only be failed. Well, to be clear, I am not a huge fan of Jeremy Corbyn for exactly the criticisms you have. In fact, I could not truly be a supporter, as I do not live in the UK; my understanding of its politics comes from how widely I read on the subject, and my close tracking of any political news. But if I had voted in the elections under Corbyn's leadership, I would have been a strategic supporter of his platform, not the man himself. I believe we simply disagree on matter of degree as to how prominent his personal failings were, and how much of what he faced was in fact unique to him. I doubt we will ultimately agree, partly because some of this remains speculative as information continues coming to light, and partly because we are likely to have different interpretations of some events. Having said that, I respect your views and fully understand them, and appreciate your explanation. (And apologies for the unnecessary tangent about Foot. ) Which Tyler 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 2 hours ago, Many-Faced Votary said: If this is what you meant by your previous statement, I misunderstood you and apologize. I agree with you completely. Any remotely left-wing economic policy has to be framed in a certain way because the right-wing sets the narrative -- and that is not unique to the UK by any means. Because all the right-wing needs to do is ask "how are you going to pay for that?" and the left continues to believe the lie that govts must always seek to run balanced budgets. Progressive govts will never be able to achieve the progressive economic policies they want unless they reject the everything has to be "paid for" by taxes or borrowing lie. Many-Faced Votary 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 Looks like another by election for Sunak to lose.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AncalagonTheBlack Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 Long-serving Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell has been sacked by the newspaper in a row over a drawing he created of Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67122609 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 9 minutes ago, AncalagonTheBlack said: Long-serving Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell has been sacked by the newspaper in a row over a drawing he created of Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67122609 That is just fucking absurd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 (edited) On the face of it sacking him for it seems harsh but: (1) I'd have an easier time believing he didn't see the potential problem if his response had been 'oh shit I didn't mean that I apologise' than 'I have no idea how they could possibly interpret it that way' because you clearly can, even if you can also understand why it didn't cross his mind while drawing. Like you can see the inspiration and still see how it could easily be interpreted as 'Netenyahu takes his pound of flesh from himself'. (2) This was, essentially, his third strike, having had the Priti Patel image and the Corbyn beheading cartoon which was hideously mistimed even if you don't have a problem with the imagery itself- which, like this one, is very easily interpretable as explicitly antisemitic anyway. That said, someone is letting these get published so they should be taking accountability too, surely. Edited October 16, 2023 by polishgenius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Which Tyler Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 Just a note of interest; and according to Wiki... going back at least as far as the 1870s, these are the years where there has been more than 1 by-election prompted by "scandal" 1936 - 2 (both the same scandal - disclosing budget secrets) 2009 - 2 (both the same scandal - expenses) 2019 - 2 2021 - 2 2022 - 3 2023 - 4 and counting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 3 hours ago, Spockydog said: You know, it probably would have worked really well if he just had him raise his shirt, showing a fresh, red scar in the shape of Gaza. No “pound of flesh” debate then. Of course, he wanted to show the wound was self-inflicted, but I think most of us would have figured that out anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted October 17, 2023 Share Posted October 17, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67077510 Just throw your shite into our water, no issues. Absolute fucking weapons. There really does need to be a reckoning soon for this sort of shit. People should be going to prison for 15-20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A wilding Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 1 hour ago, BigFatCoward said: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67077510 Just throw your shite into our water, no issues. Absolute fucking weapons. There really does need to be a reckoning soon for this sort of shit. People should be going to prison for 15-20 years. But privatisation was a good idea right? It was going to "lead to much needed investment". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartofice Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 2 minutes ago, A wilding said: But privatisation was a good idea right? It was going to "lead to much needed investment". We should bring it back into public ownership.. it worked so well in Scotland... oh wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 Pretty sure we've got a water company spokesperson here. I look forward to the justification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormont Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, Heartofice said: We should bring it back into public ownership.. it worked so well in Scotland... oh wait. Well on the one hand, there's this headline: https://www.scotsman.com/news/uk-news/scottish-water-worse-than-english-and-welsh-1563130 But then again, there's the content of the actual story. Quote The report pointed to data tracking Scotland’s water quality standards against those in England and Wales. “[It] shows that compliance in Scotland has improved considerably in the ten years since Scottish Water was formed,” it said. Quote Trisha McAuley, Scottish director of the Consumer Futures watchdog, said: “Scottish consumers can be confident that the quality of our public water supply is at an all-time high and that Scottish Water continues to improve on both quality standards and customer responsiveness.” It's true that our water infrastructure requires much more investment. But the levels of investment are at record levels and the public nature of Scottish Water is almost universally credited with the improvement to date. So yes, I would agree it's worked well in Scotland. Edited October 19, 2023 by mormont Derfel Cadarn, Matrim Fox Cauthon and Craving Peaches 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSumm Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 5 hours ago, Spockydog said: Pretty sure we've got a water company spokesperson here. I look forward to the justification. You’ll get no ‘justification’ from me, or for half the shit Thames does. But it’s the “therefore, privatisation bad” part of the logic I just never see evidence for. From Wikipedia: Quote In 2001, Welsh Water became a not-for-profit organisation with no shareholders. This differentiates it from all the other water companies operating in England and restores it to the same organisational status as water supply utilities in Scotland and the pre-privatisation water supply undertakings in England So what is it we should do with Welsh Water exactly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craving Peaches Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 5 hours ago, Heartofice said: We should bring it back into public ownership.. it worked so well in Scotland... oh wait. I think Scottish Water has done good work with all the public water fountains. They are very handy; especially in the summer months, being able to fill up water bottles while out and about rather than having to buy plastic ones or wait until you get home. Also, this is probably just me and therefore very subjective, but I find Scottish water tastes better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 Indications that the LibDems have taken Alveley & Claverley Council with a pretty massive swing. Council elections have meh turnout at the best of times, and by-elections especially, so not conclusive but still remarkable. The two Parliamentary by-election results to come. Sophelia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pebble thats Stubby Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 (edited) Labour get Tamworth. edit and Mid Bedfordshire Edited October 20, 2023 by Pebble thats Stubby Sophelia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derfel Cadarn Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 Not a good morning for “five priorities” Sunak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts