Westminster Politics

Flying high said:
Not that I'm aware of. Some of our cities are quite segragated, so there are a few concentrated pockets of different religions(this is normally recent immigrant populations). But I don't think any part of England is noticeably more religious than another. And it doesn't overtly infect our politics, as it does over there.

What we do have though, is a deep well of bubbling resentment, which can be drawn upon to otherise just about anyone.
Click to expand...

Very well put.

I mean you can't even rule out that sort of religious bollocks taking hold over here, it probably won't but who knows anymore. Any time i think things can't get worse they do.
 
Flying high said:
Not that I'm aware of. Some of our cities are quite segragated, so there are a few concentrated pockets of different religions(this is normally recent immigrant populations). But I don't think any part of England is noticeably more religious than another. And it doesn't overtly infect our politics, as it does over there.

What we do have though, is a deep well of bubbling resentment, which can be drawn upon to otherise just about anyone.
Click to expand...
Thanks!
 
Djemba-Djemba said:
Very well put.

I mean you can't even rule out that sort of religious bollocks taking hold over here, it probably won't but who knows anymore. Any time i think things can't get worse they do.
Click to expand...
I am hoping Benton is an aberration rather than the norm. He is a bit odd, apparently he hung the confederate flag out of his window at Uni and he got quite aggressive when challenged about the Christian Institute's position on gay conversion therapy given that he is a gay man.
 
Flying high said:
2010 was Labour's(global) financial crash. Cameron's 3 word slogan. It worked far more than any positive policy they could have come up with. They've run with it ever since really.

The effectiveness of these tory lies really is depressing.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, sadly that proved to be very effective. I do think that Labour and Ed Miliband in-particular deserve a lot of blamefor not fighting backing much more strongly after being blamed for causing a global financial crash. Plus he seemed to go to extreme lengths to distance the party from their time in government in 1997-2010, which included their numerous positive achievements such as noticeably reducing child poverty, reducing hospital waiting times, reducing school class sizes etc.

IIRC after Cameron became leader in 2005, the Tories presented themselves a shiny, new, tolerant, centrist party, before immediately reverting to type following the 2010 election. I'm far more sympathetic and understanding towards people who voted for the Tories in 2010, after Labour had been in power for 13 years, though the effects of excessive austerity from 2010-2015 were huge including causing many people to vote to leave the EU in 2016. I'm less sympathetic and understanding towards people who voted for the Tories to be re-elected at any of the next 3 general elections though, and have bitterly complained about the negative effects of that.

In-between their 2015 election win and the 2016 EU referendum when Cameron was still PM, I'll never forget Michael Portillo's scathing assessment of the first Queen's speech by a majority Tory government since the 90s:

 
Didn't know where to put this. This thread is depressing. Is there anything the government can do to reverse this decline?
 
GuybrushThreepwood said:
Ah yes, sadly that proved to be very effective. I do think that Labour and Ed Miliband in-particular deserve a lot of blamefor not fighting backing much more strongly after being blamed for causing a global financial crash. Plus he seemed to go to extreme lengths to distance the party from their time in government in 1997-2010, which included their numerous positive achievements such as noticeably reducing child poverty, reducing hospital waiting times, reducing school class sizes etc.

IIRC after Cameron became leader in 2005, the Tories presented themselves a shiny, new, tolerant, centrist party, before immediately reverting to type following the 2010 election. I'm far more sympathetic and understanding towards people who voted for the Tories in 2010, after Labour had been in power for 13 years, though the effects of excessive austerity from 2010-2015 were huge including causing many people to vote to leave the EU in 2016. I'm less sympathetic and understanding towards people who voted for the Tories to be re-elected at any of the next 3 general elections though, and have bitterly complained about the negative effects of that.

In-between their 2015 election win and the 2016 EU referendum when Cameron was still PM, I'll never forget Michael Portillo's scathing assessment of the first Queen's speech by a majority Tory government since the 90s:

Click to expand...

I remember that! A good balanced post all round. Interesting also for those now who think the Tories are unbeatable and the 'natural party of government', it's not that long since they spent 23 years without sole power. Times change and they will change again. Even in Scotland, before anyone mentions it :)
 
Rolandofgilead said:
And someone else hasn't been to Grimsby...
Click to expand...
About 5 years ago there was a ridiculously discounted TV on Argos…..sold out of all the ones near me, but I was able to reserve one in Grimsby so I decided to drive there.
Yes it was a shithole, but the thing that stuck with me was the carpark we ended up in. It didn’t have windows, just gaps with bars, felt like you were in a medieval dungeon. Safe to say, we didn’t stay for lunch
 
Solius said:
I think even if he stays until the GE and the Tories lose, we'd have 4 years of Labour and in that time the newspapers would predictably assault those in charge until we vote Tory again at the end next one and we're back to where we started.

I dunno, just feel very pessimistic about the state of politics these days. I find it very hard to see this country not voting the Tories in for the majority of the next few GEs.
Click to expand...
Sadly this has been the case for more than a hundred years - since 1918 Labour have won just 8 out of 28 elections and three of those were Blair.

I think I’m right in saying he’s the only Labour leader to have won consecutive elections. Wilson won 2 but with a 4 year gap.

It’s incredibly depressing but the UK is a very conservative country.
 
The Boy said:
Sadly this has been the case for more than a hundred years - since 1918 Labour have won just 8 out of 28 elections and three of those were Blair.

I think I’m right in saying he’s the only Labour leader to have won consecutive elections. Wilson won 2 but with a 4 year gap.

It’s incredibly depressing but the UK is a very conservative country.
Click to expand...
the people are conservative with a small c, but the press is conservatice with a big C.
 
Adisa said:
Didn't know where to put this. This thread is depressing. Is there anything the government can do to reverse this decline?
Click to expand...


Basically every working class town centre in Wales/Scotland/the north of England looks something like that, doesn't it?
 
Superden said:
the people are conservative with a small c, but the press is conservatice with a big C.
Click to expand...

I thought for a while that there was a growing number of people who were socially conservative wanting Brexit, reduced immigration, reduced foreign aid, greater patriotism etc., but also supported left wing or at least left of centre domestic policies. In a way it seemed like more and more people combined agreeing with much of what Labour were saying in 2017 re education, health, transport, utilities etc., and what UKIP were saying in 2015 in terms of a points based immigration system, huge reductions in overseas aid etc.

I felt that the big problem for Labour with their 'internationalism' (which I stress I completely agree with), was that for many of same those people when pushed to choose in 2019 and probably in 2015 as well, their socialism conservatism was enough to outweigh their support of a radical, progressive domestic agenda. It was easier for the Tories to address and satisfy the former through slogans, the help of the cosy cartel of newspaper editors on their side, stirring up hatred and culture wars etc.
 
GuybrushThreepwood said:
I thought for a while that there was a growing number of people who were socially conservative wanting Brexit, reduced immigration, reduced foreign aid, greater patriotism etc., but also supported left wing or at least left of centre domestic policies. In a way it seemed like more and more people combined agreeing with much of what Labour were saying in 2017 re education, health, transport, utilities etc., and what UKIP were saying in 2015 in terms of a points based immigration system, huge reductions in overseas aid etc.

I felt that the big problem for Labour with their 'internationalism' (which I stress I completely agree with), was that for many of same those people when pushed to choose in 2019 and probably in 2015 as well, their socialism conservatism was enough to outweigh their support of a radical, progressive domestic agenda. It was easier for the Tories to address and satisfy the former through slogans, the help of the cosy cartel of newspaper editors on their side, stirring up hatred and culture wars etc.
Click to expand...
I agree with all of that and would add another factor, that there are a large number of Labour voters and potential Labour voters that believe too much is given to those 'too lazy to work'. I've tried to counter that by asking why when the economy is doing badly there are four million too lazy to work but when it's doing well less than a million, but I don't think I've ever won over anyone with that line, something cleverer must be required. It's one reason why I am interested in universal basic income, to take the moral judgement out of the situation.
 
3000.jpg
 
Drainy said:
Railworkers, criminal barristers, post workers, teachers talking about it.. Who will be next?

The summer of discontent
Click to expand...
Boris told everyone in November that we can expect a high wage economy. Every single one of them should be using that at the negotiation table.
 
Pexbo said:
Boris told everyone in November that we can expect a high wage economy. Every single one of them should be using that at the negotiation table.
Click to expand...

You can expect it.
Like all of his promises.
That is as close as it will ever get.
 
So first day of the protest laws and they're after the Stop Brexit Man already.

So much for claims they wouldn't stop peaceful protest. Christ we're slipping as a nation.
 
So after May's big speech about the NI protocol and how illegal and irresponsible the bill was she...didn't vote against it.
 
Fingeredmouse said:
So after May's big speech about the NI protocol and how illegal and irresponsible the bill was she...didn't vote against it.
Click to expand...

She's a massive fecking dickhead and always has been. Much like the rest of them tbf.
 
Fingeredmouse said:
So after May's big speech about the NI protocol and how illegal and irresponsible the bill was she...didn't vote against it.
Click to expand...
“The Tories in England had long imagined that they were enthusiastic about the monarchy, the church and beauties of the old English Constitution, until the day of danger wrung from them the confession that they are enthusiastic only about ground rent.”
 
Sweet Square said:
“The Tories in England had long imagined that they were enthusiastic about the monarchy, the church and beauties of the old English Constitution, until the day of danger wrung from them the confession that they are enthusiastic only about ground rent.”
Click to expand...
Indeed Karl, indeed.
 
Sweet Square said:
“The Tories in England had long imagined that they were enthusiastic about the monarchy, the church and beauties of the old English Constitution, until the day of danger wrung from them the confession that they are enthusiastic only about ground rent.”
Click to expand...
What about 'chief rent' on so called freehold ! Even more insidous !
 
Can never get over how everyone in parliament is so comfortable having the craic when there are all kinds of crises going on.

Having said that, thought Rayner was brilliant during PMQs. She's class imo.
 
GDaly95 said:
Can never get over how everyone in parliament is so comfortable having the craic when there are all kinds of crises going on.

Having said that, thought Rayner was brilliant during PMQs. She's class imo.
Click to expand...
Wonder if anything will be made of Raab winking at her
 
Supposedly from Private Eye but not seen the magazine myself to verify

FWat8wLWIAIsvXj
 
You must log in or register to reply here.