The General Politics Thread v2.0 (AKA the "Labour are Cunts" thread)

[RedRooster]

16 minutes ago, Loki said:

This IS a story though.  It's not the most important story, but then the BBC aren't putting it on their front page as far as I can tell.  Obviously, if you could get out, you got out any way you could - but the crux of the story I think is that some women got seats on the plane pretending to be footballers when some GENUINE women footballers didn't and are still stuck there.  Which sucks doubly for them.

I take your point, but where does it say that anyone missed out because of this? Unless I'm completely missing it - that very sentence is notable by its omission. The article mentions that there is resentment that they escaped with false credentials; but that language strikes me as deliberately careful - as in, I imagine the journalist couldn't establish whether or not this actually prevented other footballers from taking the plane. 

Ultimately though, I find it hard to feel anything other than sympathy for any of these people. The Taliban regime is brutal towards women. I can't blame anyone for trying to escape, given that the opportunities to do so are incredibly limited. 

19 minutes ago, Loki said:

It's like the story the other day about the woman jailed for false rape allegations.  It's not a comfortable story, it's extremely unhelpful and will fuel unpleasant elements of the right wing, but it IS a news story.  The BBC shouldn't self-censor in the way I think you're suggesting, in my opinion.  

I don't agree with that comparison at all. If you're trapped in that environment, what do you do, exactly? How do you escape if there is no route open to you? Women living under Taliban have restrictions on their mobility. Education is prohibited for most. There are severe restrictions on work, affecting widows particularly badly. I Iknow you're not suggesting otherwise, but fuck, how can you criticise anyone for wanting to get our of that environment. 

I'm not suggesting the BBC should self-censor; but I still question the merits of this as a story, at least in this presentation. What's the alternative for these women? They live each day at risk of being beaten, raped or killed with no reprecussions? 

[Keith Houchen]

2 hours ago, RedRooster said:

I'm specifically referring to "investigating", not reporting

To be fair, perhaps the investigation is ongoing and can’t be published without sufficient fact checking and legal clearance?  We know how the BBC is red meat to the right, so publishing anything that’s not 100% researched and fact checked would be held up as evidence of BBC bias and give them the victimhood they crave. Obviously the top brass of the BBC being Tory donors and ex Tory local branch vice chair etc aren’t evidence of bias. 

Edited March 16, 2023 by Keith Houchen

[Loki]

The BBC journalists' story, as I understand it, is that someone or some people corrupted a legitimate route - the Home Office granted 35 visas for football players and their families, and someone (potentially even for profit, bear in mind) corrupted that so that nearly a half of them weren't football players.  That's unfair on the very people we were trying to help - female football players being identified as particularly vulnerable to the incoming Taliban.  So 13 vulnerable women who could have been saved are still there, as the article makes clear.  

Maybe it doesn't matter any more and should be swept under the carpet.  But the journalists are perfectly right to pursue it as a story.  It's a story about corruption, not a story about how women shouldn't have been saved.

 

[Keith Houchen]

So @David, you know how you said more was to come about the SNP golden couple? 

 

[David]

Honestly, it's absolutely harrowing. They had the chance to make some real changes and do things differently, but they're just as corrupt as the rest of them.

[organizedkaos]

Quote

The article mentions that there is resentment that they escaped with false credentials; but that language strikes me as deliberately careful - as in, I imagine the journalist couldn't establish whether or not this actually prevented other footballers from taking the plane. 

The comments by the players over the weekend does suggest this. They thought all national players were out plus some other women and seemed pretty happy about that.  Less happy about the potential implications from BBC article.

Not necessarily saying the BBC were definitely wrong to publish the article but yeah interesting to read comments by people involved.

Edited March 20, 2023 by organizedkaos

[Loki]

The DUP have rejected Sunak's NI proposals, and will vote against it in Westminster (and also presumably continue to refuse to join a government in Stormont).

We're actually at the stage of thinking fondly of Ian Paisley Snr, aren't we.

[Keith Houchen]

51 minutes ago, Loki said:

We're actually at the stage of thinking fondly of Ian Paisley Snr, aren't we.

Me and the lads disagree 

[David]

Three lads decked out in proper Liam Pretty Green jackets and gloves from Primark. 

[MungoChutney]

I thought Nicola Sturgeon's final address was really good today. Regardless of what may be going on at party level, it reaffirmed my view that she has genuine compassion and a belief that her role as leader was to try to make life a little bit better for those worst off. Hearing her talk about care-experienced people and gender equality really hammered home some of the biggest wins that may not quite suit the mainstream media agenda.

On a broader note, although there was the odd jibe the opposition responses to her statement were far more civilized than we may be used to from the Westminster parliament. Sadly opinions are too divided and entrenched on too many issues to use that by itself as a lever for change.

[Devon Malcolm]

Libs: "Keir Starmer is not a Tory!"

Keir Starmer:

And in more shocking news, is also a terf:-

 

[SuperBacon]

His bit on cannabis smoke was amazing. The wallet inspector would have a field day with this dweeb.

[Hannibal Scorch]

Starmer is a dweeb and a turncoat. He’s also trying to get elected by one of the dumbest countries on the planet. I understand more and more why Corbyn wasn’t electable. 

[David]

On 3/23/2023 at 2:47 PM, MungoChutney said:

I thought Nicola Sturgeon's final address was really good today. Regardless of what may be going on at party level, it reaffirmed my view that she has genuine compassion and a belief that her role as leader was to try to make life a little bit better for those worst off. Hearing her talk about care-experienced people and gender equality really hammered home some of the biggest wins that may not quite suit the mainstream media agenda.

On a broader note, although there was the odd jibe the opposition responses to her statement were far more civilized than we may be used to from the Westminster parliament. Sadly opinions are too divided and entrenched on too many issues to use that by itself as a lever for change.

If she were as good at actually leading government in Scotland as she is at talking then she might be leaving with a more stellar record.

[The King Of Swing]

On 3/23/2023 at 5:20 PM, Hannibal Scorch said:

I understand more and more why Corbyn wasn’t electable. 

Someone in work recently. 

It's Labour's fault the country is in the mess it is in. 

I give up.