General Politics Thread

[NotThePars]

Did Piers Morgan, about six months ago, think to himself 'everyone thinks I'm an arsehole but look at that Katie Hopkins, she's really despised. I should be more like her'?

Difference between them is that Katie Hopkins never breaks kayfabe. She's permanently full blown fascist white nationalist. Piers Morgan half arses it on TV.

[Michael W]

Piers Morgan has obviously seen the attention Hopkins gets and decided it's the way to keep him in the limelight. No-one likes him any way, so it's not like acting like an even larger c**t is going to hurt his popularity. 

[Granny Danger]

2 hours ago, dogmc said:

We've been in the UK for 300 years and snp has literally never been more popular. They even increased their vote in the holyrood election by 250k. The idea that staying in the UK makes them less relevant is utter nonsense. Irony being that when Scotland does become independent the snp will lose a large number of voters and members.

I don't think it's an irony, I think it's an accepted fact of an independent country that we would need a multi party system to have a viable democracy.  Not all existing SNP members, or elected politicians, will be in the same party.

 

[Granny Danger]

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/25/europe/russia-domestic-violence-bill/index.html

Russian Parliament decriminalising some domestic violence.  Apparently to appease those pushing "traditional family values"!  If that wasn't so serious it would be hilarious.

Official data on domestic violence in Russia is not centrally collected so it's difficult to verify. But state-run news agency RIA Novosti has reported that 40% of serious crimes in Russia are committed in the family, 36,000 women are beaten by their husbands daily, and 12,000 women die yearly as a result of domestic violence -- one woman every 44 minutes.

[WaffenThinMint]

1 hour ago, Granny Danger said:

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/25/europe/russia-domestic-violence-bill/index.html

Russian Parliament decriminalising some domestic violence.  Apparently to appease those pushing "traditional family values"!  If that wasn't so serious it would be hilarious.

Official data on domestic violence in Russia is not centrally collected so it's difficult to verify. But state-run news agency RIA Novosti has reported that 40% of serious crimes in Russia are committed in the family, 36,000 women are beaten by their husbands daily, and 12,000 women die yearly as a result of domestic violence -- one woman every 44 minutes.

Depressing, truly depressing.

[welshbairn]

18 hours ago, Granny Danger said:

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/25/europe/russia-domestic-violence-bill/index.html

Russian Parliament decriminalising some domestic violence.  Apparently to appease those pushing "traditional family values"!  If that wasn't so serious it would be hilarious.

Official data on domestic violence in Russia is not centrally collected so it's difficult to verify. But state-run news agency RIA Novosti has reported that 40% of serious crimes in Russia are committed in the family, 36,000 women are beaten by their husbands daily, and 12,000 women die yearly as a result of domestic violence -- one woman every 44 minutes.

They'll be able to announce a dramatic fall in domestic violence after decriminalisation as there will be no crimes to report.

[capybara]

Tam Dalyell, architect of the famous West Lothian Question has died.

[Granny Danger]

2 minutes ago, capybara said:

Tam Dalyell, architect of the famous West Lothian Question has died.

The poor b*****d never did get an answer did he?

#binmannomore

 

[Granny Danger]

One thing that has gained insufficient attention over the last couple of years is just how divided we in the UK and people in other countries have become.

On really big, society changing issues - the Independence Referendum, the Brexit vote - the majorities were very slender and the votes could easily have gone the other way.  The same, of course, is the reverse.  Had we voted YES it would have been by a tiny majority and many folk would have been wholly opposed to the resultant split.

We have witnessed the same in the US, not just in the result of the election but in divisions (and divisiveness) leading up to the vote and to the public opposition to Trump since his election.

There are upcoming elections in Europe that will see similar divisions caused by deep-rooted ideological differences and who ever wins it will be narrow.  And whoever wins the divisions will remain.

I don't see much happening in the near future that will have a unifying effect (a Martian invasion? ).  We seem destined for a period of turmoil unlike anything I have seen in my adult lifetime.

 

[WaffenThinMint]

35 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

One thing that has gained insufficient attention over the last couple of years is just how divided we in the UK and people in other countries have become.

On really big, society changing issues - the Independence Referendum, the Brexit vote - the majorities were very slender and the votes could easily have gone the other way.  The same, of course, is the reverse.  Had we voted YES it would have been by a tiny majority and many folk would have been wholly opposed to the resultant split.

We have witnessed the same in the US, not just in the result of the election but in divisions (and divisiveness) leading up to the vote and to the public opposition to Trump since his election.

There are upcoming elections in Europe that will see similar divisions caused by deep-rooted ideological differences and who ever wins it will be narrow.  And whoever wins the divisions will remain.

I don't see much happening in the near future that will have a unifying effect (a Martian invasion? ).  We seem destined for a period of turmoil unlike anything I have seen in my adult lifetime.

 

For decades politicians in the democratic west have looked on with quiet envy at the sinister dictatorships and the vice like grip they had over their people from a subtle process of divide & conquer in one respect (making the individual feel more powerless & more afraid to upset the apple cart), manipulating them into falling in with particular special interest groups where they can be 'led' down particular pathways in others (over sexuality, race, faith, nationality, etc) suiting the contemporary interests of the ruling elite (& discarded when no longer required).

The New Labour project was probably the zenith of attempts to replicate this within the democratic framework - & certainly the most evil, where newspeak such as "rendition" entered our language to whitewash grotesque human rights abuses done in our name that would have been condemned had it been used by the old Soviet bloc.

What they failed to appreciate was the difference in the citizenry's perceptions living in a democracy (as opposed to an actual dictatorship) where you can vote the b*****ds out, at least in theory. As governments changed come election time but the mantras stayed the same (red to blue, blue to red) it created a surly, cynical, demotivated population (hence the reason for the decline in workplace output business experts have whinged about for two decades) for whom an endless parade of "here comes the new boss, same as the old boss" made them slowly less pliable to their manipulation, & potential open targets for others.

The declining numbers voting in elections ought to have been the warning, but all the elites did was shed some public crocodile tears over what they thought in private suited their best interests. In some ways, they've still been lucky. We've had Brexit, we've had Trump, but it's still largely the same old lot in charge.

But for how long before people start deciding that safeguarding their interests is best expressed by means outwith the ballot box? Protest marches can - & sometimes do - turn violent. With the world library that is the internet, anyone can become a terrorist, not merely the pathetic losers suicide bombing for their god or gods believing they'll get their 96 holes in paradise to make up for the 96000 holes they've just blown in themselves & countless strangers unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We may be sleepwalking ever closer to a Hobbesian state of nature.

[Baxter Parp]

19 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

People of ALL ages voted No.

[Baxter Parp]

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15055141.SNP_MP_cleared_after_police_investigation_into_financial_dealings/?ref=rss

SNP Dundee West MP Chris Law cleared after police investigation into financial dealings

Lots of mud-slinging but no convictions amongst SNP politicians yet.

[1320Lichtie]

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15055141.SNP_MP_cleared_after_police_investigation_into_financial_dealings/?ref=rss
SNP Dundee West MP Chris Law cleared after police investigation into financial dealings
Lots of mud-slinging but no convictions amongst SNP politicians yet.

My MP

Top man

Chrissy Laws Lochee fleet

[Benjamin_Nevis]

31 minutes ago, Baxter Parp said:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15055141.SNP_MP_cleared_after_police_investigation_into_financial_dealings/?ref=rss

SNP Dundee West MP Chris Law cleared after police investigation into financial dealings

Lots of mud-slinging but no convictions amongst SNP politicians yet.

That wee tosser who masquerades as the Courier's Political Editor  will be fucking devastated  

Also, can we have a recap on how many of these SNP "controversies" have resulted in any sort of conviction. Even a court appearance will do. 

[capybara]

All the MSM etc want is for mud to stick.

[Loondave1]

Still guilty of having a ponytail.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Still guilty of having a ponytail.

^^^ Still guilty of being an utterly risible troll.

[Loondave1]

^^^ Still guilty of being an utterly risible troll.

You have a ponytail perhaps...

[Benjamin_Nevis]

You have a ponytail perhaps...

No idea how you would come to that conclusion tbh.

[Loondave1]

No idea how you would come to that conclusion tbh.

Fair enough.Just thought maybe all you ponytail blokes were jumping in for each other.