Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Smart boy, Cameron
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
I feel the current PM deserves his own personalised invective thread.
Of all the smug, shallow, arrogant, unprincipaled, short termist, self-interested, overweening pisspots to occupy the office, he takes the entire McVitie's production line.
Tory Master Plan (one assumes). Cut social provision. Stoke the inarticulate sense of injustice, deprivation and resentment in the population they served. Blame shift to a nebulous 'them' - Brussels, immigrants. Appease the worst element in your own party in the interests of greasing your way back into power. Conduct incompetent and divisive government until it is time to light the fuse on the keg that will blow apart the economic and social stability of the country. And very possible shrink it by a northern landmass.
That he will lose his job is small comfort to the thousands who will lose theirs and the millions whose lives will now be fractured, dislocated or impoverished as a result of his bloody Etonian smartarsery.
My curse attend you.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
He will go down in history as the man who destroyed the UK.
-------------------- Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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passer
Indigo
# 13329
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Posted
I imagine Blair is grateful to Cameron for this. In British historical terms, the Iraq enquiry will take second place in the early twenty-first century period.
Posts: 1289 | From: Sheffield | Registered: Jan 2008
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
He's just resigned.
He's alright anyway. Even if his investments have tanked, they won't go too low to live on.
Michael Fallon has just said that he will go down as one of our great PMs. My MP thinks that??!!
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
Glad as I am to see him go, replacing him with Shagger Johnson, Nosferatu Duncan-Smith and Farage the Human Tapeworm will not be an improvement.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Jane R
Shipmate
# 331
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Posted
I am reminded of that Dilbert cartoon: "Stupidity is like nuclear power. It can be used for good or evil."
Posts: 3958 | From: Jorvik | Registered: May 2001
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jacobsen
seeker
# 14998
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Penny S: He's just resigned.
He's alright anyway. Even if his investments have tanked, they won't go too low to live on.
Michael Fallon has just said that he will go down as one of our great PMs. My MP thinks that??!!
Missing word. "great witless PMs." There have been a few.
-------------------- But God, holding a candle, looks for all who wander, all who search. - Shifra Alon Beauty fades, dumb is forever-Judge Judy The man who made time, made plenty.
Posts: 8040 | From: Æbleskiver country | Registered: Aug 2009
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fletcher christian
Mutinous Seadog
# 13919
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Posted
I'm amazed that an old Etonian rivalry has been allowed to progress to the point where it has brought down an entire country. But I guess that's the democracy everyone's been talking about.
-------------------- 'God is love insaturable, love impossible to describe' Staretz Silouan
Posts: 5235 | From: a prefecture | Registered: Jul 2008
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Ricardus
Shipmate
# 8757
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Posted
So Mr Cameron is now on course to achieve the collapse of capitalism in the City of London, independence for Scotland, the reunification of Ireland, and the return of Gibraltar to the Spanish.
IS HE SECRETLY BEING CONTROLLED BY JEREMY CORBYN???
-------------------- Then the dog ran before, and coming as if he had brought the news, shewed his joy by his fawning and wagging his tail. -- Tobit 11:9 (Douai-Rheims)
Posts: 7247 | From: Liverpool, UK | Registered: Nov 2004
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by fletcher christian: I'm amazed that an old Etonian rivalry has been allowed to progress to the point where it has brought down an entire country.
My thoughts exactly.
-------------------- Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Dafyd
Shipmate
# 5549
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Posted
Now now. I don't think history will judge Cameron to be the worst Prime Minster ever. Bloody Stupid is in line to succeed him. Apparently BS is now saying that there's no rush to leave. The man wouldn't know what a principle was if it impaled him up the backside. [ 24. June 2016, 13:51: Message edited by: Dafyd ]
-------------------- we remain, thanks to original sin, much in love with talking about, rather than with, one another. Rowan Williams
Posts: 10567 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Feb 2004
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quetzalcoatl
Shipmate
# 16740
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Posted
Presumably, Cameron miscalculated that there were enough pro-Remain votes amongst Tories and Labour voters. In the end, he seemed to be depending on the latter, big mistake.
-------------------- I can't talk to you today; I talked to two people yesterday.
Posts: 9878 | From: UK | Registered: Oct 2011
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Lyda*Rose
Ship's broken porthole
# 4544
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Posted
I'm thinking that if this could happen to the UK and us 'mericans have this horrific possible future of our own looming...?
-------------------- "Dear God, whose name I do not know - thank you for my life. I forgot how BIG... thank you. Thank you for my life." ~from Joe Vs the Volcano
Posts: 21377 | From: CA | Registered: May 2003
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Og: Thread Killer
Ship's token CN Mennonite
# 3200
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Posted
I wonder if "how to emigrate to Canada" searches have gone up on google.co.uk?
-------------------- I wish I was seeking justice loving mercy and walking humbly but... "Cease to lament for that thou canst not help, And study help for that which thou lament'st."
Posts: 5025 | From: Toronto | Registered: Aug 2002
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mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Og: Thread Killer: I wonder if "how to emigrate to Canada" searches have gone up on google.co.uk?
I read that "What's the E.U.?" searches have gone up. Leading people to think they voted to leave without even knowing what it was they were leaving.
-------------------- This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...
Posts: 63536 | From: Washington | Registered: Jul 2001
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mr cheesy
Shipmate
# 3330
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by mousethief: I read that "What's the E.U.?" searches have gone up. Leading people to think they voted to leave without even knowing what it was they were leaving.
I expect a lot of that is children trying to find out what all the fuss is about.
-------------------- arse
Posts: 10697 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Adeodatus
Shipmate
# 4992
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by mr cheesy: quote: Originally posted by mousethief: I read that "What's the E.U.?" searches have gone up. Leading people to think they voted to leave without even knowing what it was they were leaving.
I expect a lot of that is children trying to find out what all the fuss is about.
Or maybe not. There was a rise in searches at 10pm last night, just after the polls closed, and then a huge surge just after 4am this morning, when the result became inevitable. To me that suggests "Oh bugger, what were we voting for?" [ 24. June 2016, 17:22: Message edited by: Adeodatus ]
-------------------- "What is broken, repair with gold."
Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Alan Cresswell: He will go down in history as the man who destroyed the UK.
I always thought he would be remembered as the PM who shagged a pig. As it turns out, he will be remembered as the PM who shagged a pig and [nearly] destroyed the country as a whole.
I only say nearly, because, as I understand it, the referendum is not binding, and there is a possibility that someone can have the guts to stop this wholesale collapse. Todays economic news should give Leave supporters an idea of what would happen if we actually were to leave - it will be worse still.
I am glad that Cameron has resigned. He is a despicable shit. But he is by no means the only one. BlowJob, IBS and many of the others are worse.
-------------------- Blog Music for your enjoyment Lord may all my hard times be healing times take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
Posts: 18859 | From: At the bottom of a deep dark well. | Registered: May 2001
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat: I only say nearly, because, as I understand it, the referendum is not binding, and there is a possibility that someone can have the guts to stop this wholesale collapse.
You mean they should say "wrong answer, try again"? That sounds precisely like the sort of evil plot the EU might cook up
(Besides, given the tone of the campaign, I think that attempting any such thing in this case would almost inevitably provoke major civil unrest in the UK. Much as I think referendums* are stupid, the political establishment failing to take notice of them would be stupider still).
*or at the very least, the planning, enactment and context of this one [ 24. June 2016, 17:41: Message edited by: Eutychus ]
-------------------- Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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John Holding
Coffee and Cognac
# 158
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Posted
I hesitate to comment, as its not my country, so here's a bit of what it looks like from outside:
If you look at England and Wales, the prosperous, well-educated areas voted to stay (London, the south coast and stockbroker belt, Vale of Glamorgan, Oxford, Cambridge and a couple of cities like Cardiff and York). Poor and depressed areas voted to leave, sometimes overwhelmingly.
It seems to me that you can't just assume that the EU is such an obviously good thing for individual Brits that only the stupid would vote to leave (a sense I've been picking up on this thread, though I admit I may be wrong). You have to examine why so many of the poor and oppressed voted to leave when those most of the Brits on this board would call their oppressors voted to stay.
The well-educated, the liberals, the "people who think like us" who assume they know best and don't understand why the poor and the oppressed don't seem to agree.
JOhn
Posts: 5929 | From: Ottawa, Canada | Registered: May 2001
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ThunderBunk
Stone cold idiot
# 15579
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Posted
John, I'm sorry, but I think that a spectacular job has been done of convincing people to excise their own nose in a move to correct the attitude of their face.
For that reason it's hard to hear anything other than pain. The question of whose pain, and what it means, is for later. Right now, we hurt too much, and are mourning for a world which just got smashed. Not bruised or distorted; smashed.
A little time is needed.
-------------------- Currently mostly furious, and occasionally foolish. Normal service may resume eventually. Or it may not. And remember children, "feiern ist wichtig".
Foolish, potentially deranged witterings
Posts: 2208 | From: Norwich | Registered: Apr 2010
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by John Holding: It seems to me that you can't just assume that the EU is such an obviously good thing for individual Brits that only the stupid would vote to leave (a sense I've been picking up on this thread, though I admit I may be wrong).
Many have said it would be stupid to leave (I think it is) and more have said that the terms of the campaign, on both sides, have been largely stupid.
That's not the same as saying the Leave voters are stupid. They have been ill-informed, firstly by the EU itself which is chronically bad at PR, and secondly by the campaign. The EU has been a useful scapegoat and bogeyman.
It is much much easier to portray it thus than to wade through the myriad institutions and processes that help people understand how it works. I couldn't name all the major EU institutions and their roles with certainty without checking, and I've discovered I'm a lot better-informed than many I chat to.
The fact is that modern life and the machinery that makes it work is massively complex. The really stupid thing was trying to boil that complexity down to a single, gratuitous, one-question referendum.
The result of simplifying the issues in that way is, essentially, brutality, which is what we've got.
-------------------- Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
Another thing (sorry) is that the better-educated have a better chance at getting a feel for Europe and what it does for them. Easier cross-border travel, easy opportunities for study abroad, inter-cultural encounters of all kinds... The benefits of being in the EU are far less tangible for somebody on income support who has trouble making it into a lively city centre, let alone to another country, and whose main encounter with foreigners is likely to be a neighbouring migrant family perceived as stealing their job. [ 24. June 2016, 19:46: Message edited by: Eutychus ]
-------------------- Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Alan Cresswell: He will go down in history as the man who destroyed the UK.
That's a particularly dire legacy for the leader of the Conservative & Unionist Party.
-------------------- All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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molopata
The Ship's jack
# 9933
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Posted
Well what we have seen is a competition of Project Fear vs. Project Hate.
It appears that Project Hate has won out.
Callmedave never even tried to build a positive case for the EU in the very same way as he never built a positive case for the UK during Scotland's Indy campaign two years ago.
-------------------- ... The Respectable
Posts: 1718 | From: the abode of my w@ndering mind | Registered: Aug 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
Corbyn tried to put a positive case for the EU, ironically enough, but the media covered very little of it.
-------------------- All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Doublethink.: Corbyn tried to put a positive case for the EU, ironically enough, but the media covered very little of it.
Not in their interest to.
-------------------- I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
I couldn't find any pictures, but the news listing front page headlines for today had several of the newspapers saying how they'd achieved victory. Which rather sums up the media campaign.
Apparently there's a petition for a second referendum - crashing the yougov site. My mostly London based workmates didn't believe it was going to be a Leave vote and were fairly shell-shocked yesterday. That they were discussing this sitting in an office in an area that had voted 69.5% to leave, 30.5% to remain seemed to have passed them by entirely.
-------------------- Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Eutychus: quote: Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat: I only say nearly, because, as I understand it, the referendum is not binding, and there is a possibility that someone can have the guts to stop this wholesale collapse.
You mean they should say "wrong answer, try again"? That sounds precisely like the sort of evil plot the EU might cook up
(Besides, given the tone of the campaign, I think that attempting any such thing in this case would almost inevitably provoke major civil unrest in the UK. Much as I think referendums* are stupid, the political establishment failing to take notice of them would be stupider still).
*or at the very least, the planning, enactment and context of this one
I would need someone with guts and a lot of political savvy. I think by highlighting the lies of the leave campaign, and the deliberate misleading of people (backed by prosecutions, almost certainly of minor people), along with consideration of the economic impact (as demonstrated yesterday), it could be done.
The problem is, at the moment we are in total political freefall. And there is nobody obvious who can save us. I suspect somewhere we will crash land, and have to start again. I am not looking forward to it.
-------------------- Blog Music for your enjoyment Lord may all my hard times be healing times take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
Posts: 18859 | From: At the bottom of a deep dark well. | Registered: May 2001
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Eutychus: The benefits of being in the EU are far less tangible for somebody on income support who has trouble making it into a lively city centre, let alone to another country, and whose main encounter with foreigners is likely to be a neighbouring migrant family perceived as stealing their job.
Yes, although many of those who voted to leave must have been comfortably-off retirees living in pretty rural villages. (I stereotype in order to make my point).
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Barnabas62
Shipmate
# 9110
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Doublethink.: Corbyn tried to put a positive case for the EU, ironically enough, but the media covered very little of it.
I think he put an honest case and reflected on his own principles and journey. Problem is, DT, he didn't change too many hearts and minds in the traditional Labour heartlands.
He's no Nye Bevan. Tides of history indeed.
"We shall lead our people to where they deserve to be led". Not up a gum tree by the likes of Nigel Farage.
I like and respect Jeremy Corbyn. He's a serious, principled man. But does he catch fire so that people will come to hear, and watch him burn? The Labour heartlands really need a bit of that. Not someone who will pander to their fears. Any old rabble rouser can do that. But someone who will rouse and raise them by communicating both principle and passion. That's the need.
-------------------- Who is it that you seek? How then shall we live? How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
Posts: 21397 | From: Norfolk UK | Registered: Feb 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
If you watch the videos, and read accounts of those who attend, he's very good on the stump.
But it is very hard to fight an effective campaign when a) the media is busy watching the tory leadership contest and b) the mps are trying to undermine you *during* the campaign.
Corbyn was making speeches almost daily, how many clips did you see on the news vs Cameron/Boris ?
-------------------- All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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chris stiles
Shipmate
# 12641
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Barnabas62: Problem is, DT, he didn't change too many hearts and minds in the traditional Labour heartlands.
I don't disagree with much of what you said, however I have a small problem with this current analysis. Let's take a look at polls:
http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2016/06/how-the-united-kingdom-voted-and-why/
Labour voters voted for Remain in the same proportion that voters for the SNP did - and I don't see people critiquing Sturgeon in the same way.
Both Sturgeon and Corbyn were somewhat fringe figures in the debate - in Corbyn's case that reflected his own personal journey as well as the disarray of his media team.
So 'Labour voter' becomes persom from the 'traditional Labour heartlands' which becomes "people who don’t support the Labour Party, don’t vote Labour, often don’t vote at all, but live in areas where the people who do vote are Labour, and so when they’re motivated, seemingly by anti-immigrant prejudice, to vote UKIP it’s somehow the Labour leader’s fault" (ht dsquared)
Lets not forget that a lot of these areas had a certain amount of support for the BNP going back 15 years (around 10% of so), which then magically disappears when UKIP arrive.
I'd agree with you that the longer term solution would be to articulate a properly social democratic set of policies without the baggage of neoliberalism, but that's difficult to do given the media culture of this country - which basically serves as a producer of manufactured outrage.
Posts: 4035 | From: Berkshire | Registered: May 2007
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chris stiles
Shipmate
# 12641
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Doublethink.:
Corbyn was making speeches almost daily, how many clips did you see on the news vs Cameron/Boris ?
Again agree with much of what you say - but there was a definite air of amateurism in the team surrounding Corbyn.
I've heard from people in the press who were sympathetic to him, who bemoaned Labour's ability to hit things like publishing deadlines that would have helped their message to get out properly.
Posts: 4035 | From: Berkshire | Registered: May 2007
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
I do think that relates to being screwed over by the plp - but I agree the remain vote from labour was similar proportion to SNP and manufacturing a leadership crosis off this is again wildly unhelpful of the plp.
(Especially as they have no curent alternative candidate who has any chance of winning a membership vote.) [ 25. June 2016, 09:20: Message edited by: Doublethink. ]
-------------------- All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Barnabas62
Shipmate
# 9110
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Posted
@ Doublethink
I agree on the coverage point. One of the challenges of modern political leadership is that you do have find ways of capturing the news cycle and for all his merits, I really don't think Jeremy is very good at that. Boris is better at the "Big Dipper Ride".
By the way, I also think Jeremy's attempt to change the tone and temperature of political debate, from yah-boo to serious, has a lot of merit. But that's a long term agenda. The need this time was to get to hearts and minds and get the vote out.
I watched a couple of his speeches during the debate. I thought he made the points very well and answered questions very well. He's a serious, thoughtful, honest man with a serious, thoughtful, homiletic. Personally I find that refreshing. But I don't think it was what was needed on this occasion. I didn't need to be convinced. [ 25. June 2016, 09:31: Message edited by: Barnabas62 ]
-------------------- Who is it that you seek? How then shall we live? How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
Posts: 21397 | From: Norfolk UK | Registered: Feb 2005
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Barnabas62
Shipmate
# 9110
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Posted
@ chris styles
Yes, I saw those figures and I agree your point. The move of the resentful poor away from Labour and towards BNP and now UKIP has been going on for some time. The issue is, how do you get them back to where their fathers and mothers were in the traditional Labour heartlands? Can you do that?
A passionate socialist communicator (like Nye Bevan) and others was not afraid to go for the high ground, point to collective aspirations and give principled answers. Passionate conviction carries weight. Unfortunately, so does rabble-rousing. But the latter does not bear weight for very long.
-------------------- Who is it that you seek? How then shall we live? How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
Posts: 21397 | From: Norfolk UK | Registered: Feb 2005
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Barnabas62: The move of the resentful poor away from Labour and towards BNP and now UKIP has been going on for some time. The issue is, how do you get them back to where their fathers and mothers were in the traditional Labour heartlands? Can you do that?
Probably slowly, I don't think there's a quick solution (and, if there is it won't be lasting). I think it has to start by putting Labour closer to where their fathers and mothers were - the Blairite move taking Labour away from being the champion of workers rights opened the door for the BNP and others to claim to be defending workers, even if they were "protecting British workers from foreigners" rather than from big business.
quote: A passionate socialist communicator (like Nye Bevan) and others was not afraid to go for the high ground, point to collective aspirations and give principled answers. Passionate conviction carries weight.
My impression of Corbyn is that he's standing on the high ground, pointing to collective aspirations. He's very good at giving principled answers, and has the conviction. He lacks passion.
-------------------- Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
Originally posted by Chris Stiles:
quote: Both Sturgeon and Corbyn were somewhat fringe figures in the debate - in Corbyn's case that reflected his own personal journey as well as the disarray of his media team.
Here in North East Scotland Sturgeon didn't seem to be a fringe figure at all. All four Scottish leaders campaigned for Remain (here's photos of them standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the issue).
Of the four, Sturgeon and Davidson were both frequently in the Scottish media as they campaigned for Remain.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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chris stiles
Shipmate
# 12641
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by North East Quine: Of the four, Sturgeon and Davidson were both frequently in the Scottish media as they campaigned for Remain.
Though unless you want to posit the Scotland was much more Eurosceptic than the average Labour supporter, this is hardly a damning indictment of Corbyn.
Posts: 4035 | From: Berkshire | Registered: May 2007
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Teekeey Misha
Shipmate
# 18604
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Posted
I would meekly and humbly suggest that Mr Cameron is to blame for our secession because he botched calling the referendum in the first place. He called an "IN/OUT" referendum in which the electorate was called upon to make ONE decision on TWO different questions. "Do you want to leave the EU?" is not the same question as "do you want to stay in the EU?", because there is a variety of "buts" applicable to each question which the other doesn't address. This also ignores electoral convention. which suggests that when voting for such significant constitutional change an absolute majority is required among the electorate. The referendum we have just witnessed has required only a majority among the poll. This decision has been carried with a vote of only 37% of the electorate, which is far from an absolute majority. Those of us bewailing the fact that we are among the 48% are actually among the 63%; 63% of the electorate did not vote for the UK to leave the EU. Had Cameron instituted a referendum on one issue ("Should the UK leave the EU") with a yes/no answer requiring support of 50% of the electorate, we would not be looking into the abyss right now. Having made that error in the first place, I don't at all blame him for resigning. Were he to stay, he'd be constantly criticized for the manner in which he conducts withdrawal negotiations that he doesn't want to conduct.
-------------------- Misha Don't assume I don't care; sometimes I just can't be bothered to put you right.
Posts: 296 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2016
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alienfromzog
Ship's Alien
# 5327
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Teekeey Misha: I would meekly and humbly suggest that Mr Cameron is to blame for our secession because he botched calling the referendum in the first place. He called an "IN/OUT" referendum in which the electorate was called upon to make ONE decision on TWO different questions. "Do you want to leave the EU?" is not the same question as "do you want to stay in the EU?", because there is a variety of "buts" applicable to each question which the other doesn't address. This also ignores electoral convention. which suggests that when voting for such significant constitutional change an absolute majority is required among the electorate. The referendum we have just witnessed has required only a majority among the poll. This decision has been carried with a vote of only 37% of the electorate, which is far from an absolute majority. Those of us bewailing the fact that we are among the 48% are actually among the 63%; 63% of the electorate did not vote for the UK to leave the EU. Had Cameron instituted a referendum on one issue ("Should the UK leave the EU") with a yes/no answer requiring support of 50% of the electorate, we would not be looking into the abyss right now.
The irony of this was not lost of me, when the same government was trying to bring in such rules for union strike ballots.
quote: Originally posted by Alan Cresswell: My impression of Corbyn is that he's standing on the high ground, pointing to collective aspirations. He's very good at giving principled answers, and has the conviction. He lacks passion.
I suspect this is unfair. I don't think he actually does lack passion but he comes across poorly. And watching him, 'passionate' is not a word that immediately comes to mind.
Couple that with the very hostile media and a team not prepared to engage with the media and I think it's impossible to win. I understand and agree with most of Corbyn's positions, and when you watch him at PMQs (as I often do) he is right and often on the money. Cameron then responds by not answering the question, claiming to be a good leader (he isn't and never was), claiming a record of economic competence (ask any economist about that and they'll laugh) or with an insult. The following day the press then reports that Dave won. Or the News show a short clip conveying essentially the same message.
It's not enough be right.
I'm not sure how Corbyn can break through this. I'm not sure it's possible. I am sure it's necessary and I am sure that the PLP is not helping and that the public will not forgive them for that.
AFZ
-------------------- Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. [Sen. D.P.Moynihan]
An Alien's View of Earth - my blog (or vanity exercise...)
Posts: 2150 | From: Zog, obviously! Straight past Alpha Centauri, 2nd planet on the left... | Registered: Dec 2003
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by chris stiles: quote: Originally posted by North East Quine: Of the four, Sturgeon and Davidson were both frequently in the Scottish media as they campaigned for Remain.
Though unless you want to posit the Scotland was much more Eurosceptic than the average Labour supporter, this is hardly a damning indictment of Corbyn.
I wasn't trying to indict Corbyn, I was disagreeing with your previous post that Sturgeon was a fringe figure. She may have been presented as a fringe figure by the media south of the border, but she was actively campaigning, as were all four Scottish party leaders.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
Is there a possibility of running a private online set of sources of proper reporting of the Labour party - Corbyn's party, that is? Youtube and so on, going viral? Bypassing Murdoch and the Mail?
Not sure how you'd get the abundant Mail readers to shift, though. Waitrose has huge piles in their free offer paper distribution. The graun has to be hunted for, though also free,
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Garasu
Shipmate
# 17152
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Posted
It's more than Murdoch and the Mail, though. Can you name any mainstream news source that isn't vigilantly anti-Corbin?
Don't agree with it, but how do you get round it?
-------------------- "Could I believe in the doctrine without believing in the deity?". - Modesitt, L. E., Jr., 1943- Imager.
Posts: 889 | From: Surrey Heath (England) | Registered: Jun 2012
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
Incidentally, I think there is a case for not following through the referendum on the simple basis that it would be utter political and economic suicide and would make England a 3rd world nation again.
Corbyn, IMO, is a superb political leader. I think he could weather the storms in his own party and lead them well. the problem is, he is from another era, and he is not media savvy (but he should have a team to help this), and he has not won the media to him. That is a problem in a era where media presence is far more important than, say, having policies or telling the truth. If the media love you (see the mouldy, syphilitic cockroach shit that is Nigel), the fact that you want to destroy Britain is irrelevant.
-------------------- Blog Music for your enjoyment Lord may all my hard times be healing times take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
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mr cheesy
Shipmate
# 3330
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
Corbyn, IMO, is a superb political leader. I think he could weather the storms in his own party and lead them well. the problem is, he is from another era, and he is not media savvy (but he should have a team to help this), and he has not won the media to him. That is a problem in a era where media presence is far more important than, say, having policies or telling the truth. If the media love you (see the mouldy, syphilitic cockroach shit that is Nigel), the fact that you want to destroy Britain is irrelevant.
I wouldn't call him superb, however I think he has played this referendum quite well; albeit that he didn't appear to look far enough ahead to see the knock-on effects on his political leadership.
The truth is that Corbyn was always aware of the dangers of neo-libs taking control after Brexit and was always suspicious of the neo-lib control of the EU. Those who are now undermining his authority in Labour are almost all Blairite neo-libs.
The party could well split. And that might not be a bad thing.
-------------------- arse
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Kittyville
Shipmate
# 16106
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Posted
Serious question, mr cheesy - why do you think a split might not be a bad thing?
Posts: 291 | From: Sydney | Registered: Dec 2010
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