UK Politics VIII

[mormont]

What's she gonna do when she finds out she's married to a crazy person? Divorce him? <_<

Are you suggesting that the Queen doesn't get on with Philip?

[Spastic Plastic]

Are you suggesting that the Queen doesn't get on with Philip?

Oh, hell yes. I don't want to imagine what it looks like if they were getting it on.

[Gilgamesh]

From what I hear (and I am reluctant to even comment on the Windsors), the queen very much relies on Philip, however much people laugh at him. I went on a tour of Parliament fairly recently, and the guide narrated how one year (opening parliament, some other ceremony?) the queen had forgotten her reading glasses and so couldn't make out her speech. Philip, amused, had to read it for her.

Bah. In principle I'm all in favour of chucking the lot of them aside, but how would it practically be achieved? Most countries that became republics did so in a flood of blood and floating giblets. That isn't going to happen. Furthermore, many, many people are in favour of the monarchy, and like Poobah, are even fond of them. Eventually we might be rid of them, but I don't think it'll be in my life time or for at least a century or so. Unless they all die in a plane crash or such, which despite my republican proclivites I wouldn't wish upon them. We're all only naked monkeys, after all...

[VarysTheSpider]

Bah. In principle I'm all in favour of chucking the lot of them aside, but how would it practically be achieved?

This is the basic problem facing republicans - it would be such an enormous task to agree and implement all the necessary constitutional changes that it would take a sea change in public opinion for there to be any political will for it. I know some think this may happen when the Queen dies, but I'm not so sure. The death of the Queen will trigger such an outpouring of sadness that any attempt to broach the issue could be met with a lot of hostility. And by then there's likely to be a new line of cute/innocent Royals growing up to keep the public's attention.

ETA rather like this story

The Lib Dem deputy leader of the Commons David Heath joined Tory MP Greg Hands in taking a pop at Gordon Brown's attendance record this afternoon.

Hands congratulated the Commons authorities on the induction programme they ran to familiarise new MPs with the layout and workings of Parliament. But he said he was worried existing MPs were being overlooked.

He questioned why one long serving MP had spoken only once since the election had tabled no questions and taken part in only 5 out of 131 votes.

Hands asked Heath to have words with the MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath and suggest to him he may like to undergo some orientation - assuming he could be found.

Heath said he could not comment on the attendance record of individual MPs, but said he hoped the competing pressures of "writing books and making well paid speeches" would not keep anyone from their duties in the House.

Now, paying him £65k a year for doing nothing is better than paying him £140k for doing something, but Christ. He's a disgrace and should just resign.

[mormont]

Our very own batch of wikileaks gossip deserves a mention. In keeping with the spirit of this thread, we'll gloss over the claims that

Defence Secretary Liam Fox told the Americans the Conservatives would be tougher on Pakistan because they were "less dependent" than the Labour Party on votes from the British-Pakistani community.

and that

Bank of England governor Mervyn King had doubts about [David Cameron and George Osborne] ahead of May's election.

Mr King feared they lacked economic experience and were too "political".

in favour of this tidbit:

Mr Berry quotes Norman Lamb, then Lib Dem health spokesman and now Mr Clegg's chief parliamentary aide, who says Mr Clegg and Mr Cameron "do not get along personally".

"Lamb said Clegg thinks Cameron is dismissive of him and Clegg refused an 'aggressive' invitation to dine at Cameron's house," says the document.

From now on, all my dinner invitations are going to be aggressive. 'You're coming to dinner at my place, you bastard, alright? And you'd just better bring a decent fucking Beaujolais or I'll kick your head in! 8:30 OK?"

[BigFatCoward]

From now on, all my dinner invitations are going to be aggressive. 'You're coming to dinner at my place, you bastard, alright? And you'd just better bring a decent fucking Beaujolais or I'll kick your head in! 8:30 OK?"

in all seriousness can anyone suggest what an aggressive dinner invitation from cameron would be?

[Night Watchman]

in all seriousness can anyone suggest what an aggressive dinner invitation from cameron would be?

'Now listen here, chap, you are coming out to dinner with me at 8 pm. You had damn well better wear your best navy blue tail coat with a matching velvet collar, offset with ivory silk lapel revers, brass monogrammed buttons, a mustard waistcoat, and a sky blue bow tie... or else you'll end up looking like George, comprende?'

I dunno, I'm sure others could do better.

[A wilding]

Yes and no. It was a two-man plane and he was the passenger. It was still his stupid banner that made the pilot crash, though.

And the latest twist is that the pilot has now been charged with threatening to kill him, possibly for a reason not entirely unconnected with that banner ...

BBC

[BigFatCoward]

i mentioned this on the footy threat but it needs to go here as well.

Vote Labour, they bring home the big sporting events.

[Stalker]

i mentioned this on the footy threat but it needs to go here as well.

Vote Labour, they bring home the big sporting events.

You mean Labour is better at being corrupt? I thought that was traditionally the Tories strong side.

[Galactus]

There's a difference between being 'moderate' and keeping quiet about your political opinions out of well-judged self-interest. The Queen has managed to be married to Philip for many years: do you really think someone who was 'moderate' in their views could manage that? The rest of her family have some very conservative views too. Some of them have the sense to keep them quiet, some don't.

Maybe he's just good in bed?

[Horza]

i mentioned this on the footy threat but it needs to go here as well.

Vote Labour, they bring home the big sporting events.

Uh, yeah, I can see the huge impact that Gordon Brown's deft touch and immense reservoirs of charm would have made in those crucial final weeks of glad-handing. :blink:

[BigFatCoward]

Uh, yeah, I can see the huge impact that Gordon Brown's deft touch and immense reservoirs of charm would have made in those crucial final weeks of glad-handing. :blink:

he's quite an intimidating looking fella though, i'd rather face the consequences of upsetting cameron.. :fencing:

[Horza]

Yeah, good point - Warner and Blatter I can just see cringing at the thought of being called bigots and having their limo seats punched.

[BigFatCoward]

Yeah, good point - Warner and Blatter I can just see cringing at the thought of being called bigots and having their limo seats punched.

I was more thinking about his scary stare (admittedly one false eye), it kind of reminds me of how I imagine Tyrions eyes make people feel uncomfortable.

[Maltaran]

And in major political news, David Cameron has been forbidden from liking the Smiths.

[williamjm]

Uh, yeah, I can see the huge impact that Gordon Brown's deft touch and immense reservoirs of charm would have made in those crucial final weeks of glad-handing. :blink:

You mean you don't think Brown's two-hour speech about the history of Raith Rovers FC would have won the FIFA voters over?

[mormont]

So despite a larger-than-anticipated rebellion - and well done to those guys, including my own MP - the fees vote goes through.

Basically, fuck those assholes.

I remember, in 1998, being assured that the initial £1000 fee was not ever, no way, going to lead to students paying full fees. Impossible! Unthinkable! This 'thin end of the wedge' stuff was childish and silly. Now, if you're not on a STEM course anyway, you are going to be paying full fees. 12 years it took to dismantle free higher education completely. Bastards.

Honestly, it's probably too much to hope for that the deluded future Tory peer Clegg will ever be rightly ashamed of the complete crap he's been talking for the last few weeks. But we can at least hope that he'll come to realise that he's thrown away the unity of his party and endangered its future for nothing. History will judge this policy a catastrophe for the Lib Dems, and a disaster for the country.

[MinDonner]

Yeah, there went the Lib Dems' last scrap of credibility or trustworthiness. *hangs head in shame*

[Zoë Sumra]

I have wild desires to start a new centre-left party.