OT. The futures Bright, the Futures Brexit!!!

[Ram59]

I may be ‘quoting from a comic’, Ram...but it’s a widely read ‘comic’ that unfortunately forms and supports a lot of populist opinion in this country.

‘Balanced enquiry’? I’ll await that with interest...or maybe not. If it’s anything like the Hillsborough enquiry, amongst others, it’ll will probably have been completed by about 2045.

I don’t think it’s a ‘cheap shot’ at all. A fortnight or so ago you queried the existence of a ‘British variant’ and threw a strop over European politicians having the audacity to refer to the ‘British virus’ even though it was only as a means of identification.
Now you seem to be raising the possibility of an original unidentified British variant as a possible explanation for our woeful figures.
Seems somewhat inconsistent to me.

I never queried the existence of the variant found in the UK, just Merkel's anti-anglo description as it being the 'British virus'. Can you show me where any other leader has described any of the variants as the South African virus, the Brazilian virus or the British virus or any other virus?

There is a lot of anti-UK feeling in the EU atm, driven by Brexit and the UK's successful vaccination programme and some leaders are grasping at every opportunity to have a dig at the UK, some of it subtle like Merkel, some not so subtle like Macron.

[swaledale]

I never queried the existence of the variant found in the UK, just Merkel's anti-anglo description as it being the 'British virus'. Can you show me where any other leader has described any of the variants as the South African virus, the Brazilian virus or the British virus or any other virus?

There is a lot of anti-UK feeling in the EU atm, driven by Brexit and the UK's successful vaccination programme and some leaders are grasping at every opportunity to have a dig at the UK, some of it subtle like Merkel, some not so subtle like Macron.

Funny how semantics, whipping up "patriotic" fervour and being insulting is fine when its Johnson and his cohorts do it, but somehow reprehensible when foreign politicians engage in it!


For the record the Eu Commission made a grave error in their actions over the vaccine and exports, one that it seems even member countries were unaware of in some cases, that may lead to a welcome reset in national re EU coordination.

Johnson has remained silent, because he knows damn well that he started the whole threaten, bluster, insult populist style of politics which in the end does nobody any good.

Hopefully a return to a calmer more cooperative approach is now on the cards, but the Uk set the tone with their attitude over the Brexit negotiations and of course claiming that the UK does things much better than any other country over the vaccine - yes we do do many things well and do other things equally dreadfully.

Regrettably politics everywhere has become rather boorish and childish, but it seems that gets lapped up by some voters.

[ramAnag]

I never queried the existence of the variant found in the UK, just Merkel's anti-anglo description as it being the 'British virus'. Can you show me where any other leader has described any of the variants as the South African virus, the Brazilian virus or the British virus or any other virus?

There is a lot of anti-UK feeling in the EU atm, driven by Brexit and the UK's successful vaccination programme and some leaders are grasping at every opportunity to have a dig at the UK, some of it subtle like Merkel, some not so subtle like Macron.

That’s not quite true, Ram. I can’t be bothered to track back to find it but while, as you say, you got particularly het up over the term ‘British virus’, you also, if memory serves, questioned that it actually was a ‘British variant’ at all...suggesting that it may well have been brought in from abroad.

I neither know nor care whether other leaders have used the word ‘virus’ or ‘variant’. As of today one of our biggest problems would appear to be the significant emergence of the SA virus/variant. What it is called is the least of our worries. We all know what it means.

[Trickytreesreds]

Well well well, maybe Brexit has some some positives afterall. This could get interesting.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/feb/02/labour-urged-to-focus-on-flag-and-patriotism-to-win-voters-trust-leak-reveals?fbclid=IwAR0xYvUcYd4g0ueORmU7wtQwidsugJsXp73DIgeu7Tjwu3aKES2TXiGmDHs

[Andy_Faber]

Well well well, maybe Brexit has some some positives afterall. This could get interesting.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...3aKES2TXiGmDHs

Interesting, I see three problems in that (for Labour)

1. Anyone with half a brain (so ironically, Swales’ ‘thick people’) will see through it

2. Momentum and the Snowflakes will bloody hate it

3. The Conservatives are waaay better at it (ie using patriotism as a device, not necessarily actually being patriotic)

[swaledale]

Cracking front cover from the latest issue of Private Eye, has Ursula von der Leyen saying "Bloody British coming over here and stealing our jabs!" laugh I nearly pissed myself!

[Geoff Parkstone]

Point 2 above might actually therefore help labour's image albeit at the possible expense of M&S support, but who else have M&S got to vote for?

Its a win-win I think - a slap down for snowflakes and momentum but not at the risk of losing electoral support from them, whilst at the same time attempting to recapture the brexit supporting core support with some faux nationalism.

Cynical maybe, successful, probably. And if nothing else the new version of labour puts gaining power above philosophy, whist the Corbyn version did the reverse, putting an unelectable manifesto ahead of gaining power. Looks like a battle for John Bull will commence

[Andy_Faber]

Point 2 above might actually therefore help labour's image albeit at the possible expense of M&S support, but who else have M&S got to vote for?

Its a win-win I think - a slap down for snowflakes and momentum but not at the risk of losing electoral support from them, whilst at the same time attempting to recapture the brexit supporting core support with some faux nationalism.

Cynical maybe, successful, probably. And if nothing else the new version of labour puts gaining power above philosophy, whist the Corbyn version did the reverse, putting an unelectable manifesto ahead of gaining power. Looks like a battle for John Bull will commence

So can I assume Land Of Hope And Glory will feature at the proms this year?

‘Slapdown for the Snowflakes’ for some perverse reason reminds me of a Bowie song...I need to go and research

[swaledale]

So can I assume Land Of Hope And Glory will feature at the proms this year?

‘Slapdown for the Snowflakes’ for some perverse reason reminds me of a Bowie song...I need to go and research

You can assume what you like, but it was nothing to do with so called snowflakes that it was proposed that Land of Hope and Glory wouldn't be sung last year (except of course in the minds of the crazed right wing people.

Mm must think up a catchy label for people who are resistant to change, don't live in the present and moan about inconsequential things that are largely irrelevant to life! Arseholes perhaps?

[swaledale]

Point 2 above might actually therefore help labour's image albeit at the possible expense of M&S support, but who else have M&S got to vote for?

Its a win-win I think - a slap down for snowflakes and momentum but not at the risk of losing electoral support from them, whilst at the same time attempting to recapture the brexit supporting core support with some faux nationalism.

Cynical maybe, successful, probably. And if nothing else the new version of labour puts gaining power above philosophy, whist the Corbyn version did the reverse, putting an unelectable manifesto ahead of gaining power. Looks like a battle for John Bull will commence

Hardly, perhaps a resetting of approach, in understanding that a lot of the electorate are basically thick and if you want their votes then you need straightforward simplistic symbolism that appeals to them.!

I don't actually think Starma's approach of getting past Brexit is going to work, simply because it is going to prove such a cluster**** for the UK, that he will have to address the issue and he will piss off a huge number of Labour supporters.

[ramAnag]

Mm must think up a catchy label for people who are resistant to change, don't live in the present and moan about inconsequential things that are largely irrelevant to life! Arseholes perhaps?

Tories, Brexiteers, Reactionaries, Parkstones...maybe?

[Andy_Faber]

You can assume what you like, but it was nothing to do with so called snowflakes that it was proposed that Land of Hope and Glory wouldn't be sung last year (except of course in the minds of the crazed right wing people.

Mm must think up a catchy label for people who are resistant to change, don't live in the present and moan about inconsequential things that are largely irrelevant to life! Arseholes perhaps?

Tell you what, and just for you because everyone else seems to get it, when I’m indulging in a bit of good natured joshing I’ll start writing in italics, will that help?

You do seem a little upset for so early an hour though, maybe I could get my IT pal to create an ad blocker that blocks Union flags?

[Andy_Faber]

So can I assume Land Of Hope And Glory will feature at the proms this year?

‘Slapdown for the Snowflakes’ for some perverse reason reminds me of a Bowie song...I need to go and research

Drive In Saturday. The words just scan the same as ‘crash course for the Ravers’ is all, maybe I’ll pop them in if ever my covers band gets back gigging

[swaledale]

Tell you what, and just for you because everyone else seems to get it, when I’m indulging in a bit of good natured joshing I’ll start writing in italics, will that help?

You do seem a little upset for so early an hour though, maybe I could get my IT pal to create an ad blocker that blocks Union flags?

ooh dear a wee bit sensitive today aren't we?

You do seem to get the wrong end of the stick a lot of the time, I was merely responding with some good natured joshing of my own! After all if you can light heartedly repeat fake news and spray insulting labels around, then so can anyone else.

Damn them whiteys a sooo sensitive man!

[Geoff Parkstone]

Something has just occurred to me. Swale, you protest that you are not racist (casually or otherwise) when making these comments about de white folk - but how do we know that you are neither black nor Asian yourself? How do we know I am not?
For if you are, then you are in fact guilty of making an inflammatory racist suggestion, so come on then, time to fess up.

Statistically there are (just) enough people actively posting in this forum to suggest we have a BAME poster amongst us, and as rA is the statistical one gay poster, maybe this is you?