Election Year or Fear!

[ramAnag]

Essentially viewd as having achieved nothing. Not addressed any of the election promises, u turns on own policies - particularly benefits clampdowns, in effect taxing the working man through taxing employers, done nothing to control illegal immigration, kow towing to minorities, sleaze and back handers - no different from Tories

So would they - and you - have entirely disagreed with Swale’s post (4176) yesterday, my approval of which seemed to infuriate you? Wouldn't you/they accept it takes time to turn around 14 years of ineptitude?
Do they really think Robinson has any answers? The man’s proven to be a violent crook, drug pusher, and fraudster…and not a very capable one at that!

[Geoff Parkstone]

I will have to ask them!

It takes time to address the problems, but I dont agree with Swales list of achievements, no. They arent facts. There are a few easy early hits - eg settled train drivers dispute by capitulating to the wage demands. but renatioanlising the railways !! We couldnt afford to buy back Thomas' little corporation on Sodor, and likely couldnt run it anyway given past BR performance. That really is rhetoric and feasibilitystudies. Besides which water is the bigger issue - but again a bit difficult as would need about a 75% average tax rate to fix that one..

I dont think many of the things he has listed have been affectively even started on let alonecclose to approaching completion. Just his particular rose tint of spectacles. And certinly Ive not seen any serious costed plans for dealing with anything. Just a bit of hot air. Anything vaguely controversial has been U turned on or watered down if it impacts likely labour voters. But the grannies, the farmers, the soon to be pensioners who he likely sees as not voting his way all seem to be fair game whilst eg the long needed benefits regime reform seems to have disappeared from the radar because his voters dont like to sacrafice anything to the common good.

And "making asylum easier" which I think was one of the alleged achievements isnt likely to appeal to them, or IMHO anyone!!

[Geoff Parkstone]

"Do they really think Robinson has any answers? The man’s proven to be a violent crook, drug pusher, and fraudster…and not a very capable one at that!"

Personally no he wont, Farage wont. But the march provided a forum for people to express dissatisfaction with the first 14 months of not living up to election promises. Smash the gangs - yes thats worked well - especially returning their abandoned rubber dinghies to them to reuse (probably an urban myth to be fair)

Same as noone believe that the leadership of pro Palestine marches wont remedy the problem their but its a forum to make yourself heard. Same with your experience at Red Lion Square - did you really think the leadership of Liberation, the Movement for Colonial Freedom would change anything. Im sure not but it was a platform for the voice to be heard

[SithHappens]

No doubt that Labour haven't delivered all promised. But they are still only a year into their tenure.

I'm not sure i can ever recall a new government being held to account so quickly.

Still think they need time. And I will repeat that I am not a Starmer fan and did not vote Labour. What I do recognise that constant change (see tories in their last government, see leicester, see derby under morris) does nothing to help.

I still don't believe Farage will be leader if Reform come the next Election polls continue to suggest they will win. It's looking more and more like Johnson despite Farage saying not.

[ramAnag]

"Do they really think Robinson has any answers? The man?s proven to be a violent crook, drug pusher, and fraudster?and not a very capable one at that!"

Personally no he wont, Farage wont. But the march provided a forum for people to express dissatisfaction with the first 14 months of not living up to election promises. Smash the gangs - yes thats worked well - especially returning their abandoned rubber dinghies to them to reuse (probably an urban myth to be fair)

Same as noone believe that the leadership of pro Palestine marches wont remedy the problem their but its a forum to make yourself heard. Same with your experience at Red Lion Square - did you really think the leadership of Liberation, the Movement for Colonial Freedom would change anything. Im sure not but it was a platform for the voice to be heard

I’ve been on a number of demonstrations in the dim and distant. Some were about student grants, which generally achieved little tbh, other than a cheap day out in London, some were opposing racism, which were the only ones that turned violent when the NF got involved and some were in support of anti apartheid and freeing Nelson Mandela, which I guess were spectacularly successful seeing as he went from political prisoner to President in a relatively short space of time.

I can understand people protesting about the treatment of Palestinians nowadays although it appears to achieve little. I can also understand certain frustrations that people have these days. What I will never be able to understand is people flocking behind the likes of Robinson and Farage thinking that they and their flag hijacking - which yes I do greatly resent - offer any sort of solution.

[SithHappens]

I see Jacob Rees-Mogg has said if Starmer does go an election should be called .. erm what about the multiple change of PM in your last tenure as MP?

This is what we have to deal with today. Politicians who so openly oblivious to what they have said or been involved in.

[SithHappens]

Farage interview with racist lucy connolly yesterday, he was very sympathetic with her. Disgusting he's giving her a platform, again, how on earth can this despicable human complain when tiktockers suggest he should be shot or someone throws a milkshake at him when he champions someone calling for mass murder?

[MadAmster]

I take your point re "accident of birth"

That works when you assume that, had your parents lived elsewhere, they would have had seks at the same time as they did here, that the same sperm would have fertilised the same egg.... Had they lived elsewhere, the chances are great that you wouldn't exist.

[MadAmster]

There's this Northern Soul DJ, I know, born a male, felt like that was wrong so she went through the both physically and mentally painful transition process including the surgery to create a vagina rather than the ***** that was originally there. Always been a socialist, like me, and won't ever vote for today's version of the Labour party, also like me.

She attended the "counter, left wing, protest". Felt very uncomfortable with, at first, what was being said and even more so when the chants/shouts got violent in content and, eventually, some violence occurred. She left and there was nowhere else to go than into the throngs of the "Unite the Kingdom" rally. She found herself surrounded by ordinary folk who were there to protest because they don't recognise the UK anymore. She felt much safer. Her words, not mine.

So, the above is anecdotal. Can't be proven. Her story, as precis-ed above, is on FB. I know her. I believe her. The lesson to be learned is that we shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush. The likes of Robinson are reprehensible, IMO. Not everybody (possibly the vast majority) of those on the unite march are not Robinson supporters, they merely want "their country back". They want the Laws to be upheld, for everybody, regardless of race or colour or creed or religion. They want our representatives in parliament to actually represent us, not take us down paths we don't want to travel. They view it as a them and us situation.

I can't recall exactly when I wrote the post but, a few years back, on this very forum, I wrote that the rich had started by bribing politicians occasionally to get something done (or not done) that would be favourable to them. It's called sponsoring and donating but it's the same. They then discovered they could get even more influence by paying slightly more to influence just about everything instead of just the one thing. I said they'll be moving to being politicians themselves and taking over. I didn't use the word dictator at the time. Enter the FFF, he enjoyed his little go at being the boss. loved it so much he wanted more of the same. Lost in 2020. Made plans to win in 2024 and those plans are now being carried out. He's moving, and not doing it slowly, towards becoming the dictator he believes he should be. I hope his power goes asap. Hopefully next year come the midterms but he's getting electoral boundaries moved and changing postal voting rules, possibly even banning it, to try to ensure he doesn't lose his majority in the 2 houses. If he's not curtailed next year, I'm convinced we'll see the USA no longer being a democracy.

My fear is that, if he "gets away with it", Europe is next. My prophecy that the rich will take control will, sadly, be proven right. I've never wanted to be proved so damned wrong in my entire life.

One last thing, I also hope that FFF loses control via the ballot box and not via the bullet. He, his family, his friends don't deserve that. Nobody deserves that.

[ramAnag]

There's this Northern Soul DJ, I know, born a male, felt like that was wrong so she went through the both physically and mentally painful transition process including the surgery to create a vagina rather than the ***** that was originally there. Always been a socialist, like me, and won't ever vote for today's version of the Labour party, also like me.

She attended the "counter, left wing, protest". Felt very uncomfortable with, at first, what was being said and even more so when the chants/shouts got violent in content and, eventually, some violence occurred. She left and there was nowhere else to go than into the throngs of the "Unite the Kingdom" rally. She found herself surrounded by ordinary folk who were there to protest because they don't recognise the UK anymore. She felt much safer. Her words, not mine.

So, the above is anecdotal. Can't be proven. Her story, as precis-ed above, is on FB. I know her. I believe her. The lesson to be learned is that we shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush. The likes of Robinson are reprehensible, IMO. Not everybody (possibly the vast majority) of those on the unite march are not Robinson supporters, they merely want "their country back". They want the Laws to be upheld, for everybody, regardless of race or colour or creed or religion. They want our representatives in parliament to actually represent us, not take us down paths we don't want to travel. They view it as a them and us situation.

I can't recall exactly when I wrote the post but, a few years back, on this very forum, I wrote that the rich had started by bribing politicians occasionally to get something done (or not done) that would be favourable to them. It's called sponsoring and donating but it's the same. They then discovered they could get even more influence by paying slightly more to influence just about everything instead of just the one thing. I said they'll be moving to being politicians themselves and taking over. I didn't use the word dictator at the time. Enter the FFF, he enjoyed his little go at being the boss. loved it so much he wanted more of the same. Lost in 2020. Made plans to win in 2024 and those plans are now being carried out. He's moving, and not doing it slowly, towards becoming the dictator he believes he should be. I hope his power goes asap. Hopefully next year come the midterms but he's getting electoral boundaries moved and changing postal voting rules, possibly even banning it, to try to ensure he doesn't lose his majority in the 2 houses. If he's not curtailed next year, I'm convinced we'll see the USA no longer being a democracy.

My fear is that, if he "gets away with it", Europe is next. My prophecy that the rich will take control will, sadly, be proven right. I've never wanted to be proved so damned wrong in my entire life.

One last thing, I also hope that FFF loses control via the ballot box and not via the bullet. He, his family, his friends don't deserve that. Nobody deserves that.

So who do you think people ?want their country back? from, MA? That?s the question I?d be asking?along with how is annexing yourself (not you obviously) to the likes of Tommy Robinson ever going to achieve that?

[Andy_Faber]

So who do you think people ?want their country back? from, MA? That?s the question I?d be asking?along with how is annexing yourself (not you obviously) to the likes of Tommy Robinson ever going to achieve that?

I’ll have a pop on that one, in order from what I’ve gleaned (and don’t have another cheap dig at my Facebook ‘friends’ please, they aren’t real or close friends but I can get a ‘feel’ about things from the masses therin). 1. Starmer/labour (represented by TTR here) 2. Illegal immigration/immigrants who come here to be illegal (TTR/GP/me) 3. Muslims ((TTR), 4. Mainstream media (me) 5 ‘the elite’ (led by MA but let’s face it you and Swale are in that cohort too). So it looks like we should all (except Sith, unsure of his prejudices in these ares, maybe the second part of 2) have been out there marching on Saturday…

[Geoff Parkstone]

I think we can add (6) wokeness in general - perhaps more a generational thing and (7) a londoncentric perspective - Sadiq Khan: who many believe to be hell bent on destroying a once great city. I can t really comment on this as I dont live there, but know many who still do and they despair about what its become in many parts.

[MadAmster]

I?’ll have a pop on that one, in order from what I?’ve gleaned (and don?’t have another cheap dig at my Facebook ?‘friends?’ please, they aren?’t real or close friends but I can get a ?‘feel?’ about things from the masses therin). 1. Starmer/labour (represented by TTR here) 2. Illegal immigration/immigrants who come here to be illegal (TTR/GP/me) 3. Muslims ((TTR), 4. Mainstream media (me) 5 ?‘the elite?’ (led by MA but let?’s face it you and Swale are in that cohort too). So it looks like we should all (except Sith, unsure of his prejudices in these ares, maybe the second part of 2) have been out there marching on Saturday?…

I would point my learned friend to a sentence he may have overlooked in my post. Namely...

I've never wanted to be proved so damned wrong in my entire life.

I really do hope I'm wrong but I won't be holding my breath. What Trump is attempting is exactly what I posted a few years ago. For all our sakes, I hope 1. he doesn't succeed and 2. it doesn't blow over to the UK and EU.

[Geoff Parkstone]

"So, the above is anecdotal. Can't be proven. Her story, as precis-ed above, is on FB. I know her. I believe her. The lesson to be learned is that we shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush. The likes of Robinson are reprehensible, IMO. Not everybody (possibly the vast majority) of those on the unite march are not Robinson supporters, they merely want "their country back". They want the Laws to be upheld, for everybody, regardless of race or colour or creed or religion. They want our representatives in parliament to actually represent us, not take us down paths we don't want to travel. They view it as a them and us situation."

Spot on MA, encapsulates my perception of the vox pop

[Geoff Parkstone]

MA "My prophecy that the rich will take control will, sadly, be proven right."

But the rich have been in control through history for time immemorial, its hardly a prophecy... Its only really since the mid 1900's that there has been an element of power sharing in this country. In Russia and China there were experiments with power sharing but in Russia that lasted a couple of generaions at best before the super rich oligarchs emerged, in China something similar is in place. As Orwell prophecied in Animal Farm, when the underdog gets in power they rapidly assume the mantle of the former (rich) overlord. Overthrowing the super rich simply slowly results in the creation of a new generation of super rich. Its a simple version of all power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The duck may have quacked differently over the last 5 milennia, but its still a duck.