The Politics Thread

[Dr The Singh]

1 hour ago, MattP said:

Jenny Tonge resigns after being suspended by the Lib Dems for comments comparing Israel to ISIS and for hosting a meeting where Jews were blamed for the Holocaust.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/27/jenny-tonge-quits-lib-dems-after-suspension-for-alleged-antisemitic-comments

 

Is there another left wing party out there willing to take her on that would tolerate these views?

She is not very good looking at all, her party won't miss her

[leicsmac]

Andy Burnham going to town regarding the lack of an enquiry over Orgreave. Hugely impressive.

[Webbo]

6 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Andy Burnham going to town regarding the lack of an enquiry over Orgreave. Hugely impressive.

Why didn't he ask for 1 while Labour had 13 years in power?

[GazzinderFox]

I always knew he had it in him. Pearson eat your heart out!

'Ex-Deputy Prime Minister Lord Heseltine has admitted throttling his mother's Alsatian after it started biting him.

He told Tatler magazine he had grabbed the dog, Kim, by his "choker chain - and pulled it tight" until "he went limp", after the pet had had "some kind of mental breakdown".'

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37833381

[leicsmac]

9 minutes ago, Webbo said:

Why didn't he ask for 1 while Labour had 13 years in power?

Good question. He should have done, as should have others. Doesn't detract from the view that one should be ordered now, though.

 

And the Home Sec should have been in today to answer his questions.

[Webbo]

Just now, leicsmac said:

Good question. He should have done, as should have others. Doesn't detract from the view that one should be ordered, though.

 

And the Home Sec should have been in today to answer his questions.

She answered them yesterday. 

 

I remember the miner's strike. When are we going to have an enquiry into bus loads of thugs turning up with pick axe handles threatening working miners?

[Sharpe's Fox]

11 minutes ago, Webbo said:

Why didn't he ask for 1 while Labour had 13 years in power?

 

2 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Good question. He should have done, as should have others. Doesn't detract from the view that one should be ordered, though.

 

And the Home Sec should have been in today to answer his questions.

The campaign didn't exist until 2012. These things don't come out of the blue a certain amount of lobbying needs doing first.

[leicsmac]

Just now, Webbo said:

She answered them yesterday. 

 

I remember the miner's strike. When are we going to have an enquiry into bus loads of thugs turning up with pick axe handles threatening working miners?

Clearly not answered to satisfaction. That is what inquiries are for.

 

You'd hope that the misconduct on both sides would be best uncovered by a full inquiry. Alleged bus loads of thugs, alleged doctored notebooks and alleged military personnel concealed amongst coppers, the lot.

 

Mind you, look how long it took for that to get done about Hillsborough, and that's still in dispute by some, so ho hum.

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, Sharpe's Fox said:

 

The campaign didn't exist until 2012. These things don't come out of the blue a certain amount of lobbying needs doing first.

Didn't know that. Have a +1.

[Guest MattP]

The idea we should have a vast public inquiry over a bunch of thugs battling with another bunch of thugs whose whose reputation from that era is already torn to shreds is ridiculous, this isn't Hillsborough, no one died. (except those poor blokes who had bricks dropped on them by the miners for going to work)

 

Complete waste of public money, right decision made.

 

7 minutes ago, Sharpe's Fox said:

 

The campaign didn't exist until 2012. These things don't come out of the blue a certain amount of lobbying needs doing first.

That doesn't mean they couldn't have launched an inquiry, or does it only become a just cause when someone starts a campaign for it?

 

It;s yet again people like Burnham and some of those in the Labour movement jumping on a bandwagon that people in their heartlands will love, it's pathetic.

[Sharpe's Fox]

13 minutes ago, MattP said:

That doesn't mean they couldn't have launched an inquiry, or does it only become a just cause when someone starts a campaign for it?

 

It;s yet again people like Burnham and some of those in the Labour movement jumping on a bandwagon that people in their heartlands will love, it's pathetic.

Well yeah obviously. People need to start organising in numbers before they have any political relevance be it Hillsborough, UKIP or even rubbish like CAMRA. There were 40 years and a dozen governments to stop Saville when his crimes were known but until people started to get together and working with lawyers nothing was done.

[lgfualol]

Queen is going to go full lizard at May for wanting to get rid of royal charters

[theessexfox]

I was reading some stuff and came across the SNAP - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme in the US, formerly known as the Food Stamp Programme. Is there any particular reason why this makes up part of their welfare budget but we don't have a similar scheme? 

[Guest MattP]

20 hours ago, theessexfox said:

I was reading some stuff and came across the SNAP - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme in the US, formerly known as the Food Stamp Programme. Is there any particular reason why this makes up part of their welfare budget but we don't have a similar scheme? 

Something that has baffled me for years is why we give people free money rather than food stamps, hopefully it's something May will address, would be a popular policy as well across the country.

[Finnaldo]

Just now, MattP said:

Something that has baffled me for years is why we give people free money rather than food stamps, hopefully it's something May will address, would be a popular policy as well across the country.

 

I'm sure I've heard an argument that its indecent and makes claimants 'embarrassed'. But then what difference does it make if you're getting food stamps or money, surely the embarrassment would come from claiming from the State?

 

I guess you'd still need money though, unless you introduce something similar for essential everyday items?

[sphericalfox]

1 hour ago, Finnaldo said:

 

I'm sure I've heard an argument that its indecent and makes claimants 'embarrassed'. But then what difference does it make if you're getting food stamps or money, surely the embarrassment would come from claiming from the State?

 

I guess you'd still need money though, unless you introduce something similar for essential everyday items?

Having been unfortunate to have been in a position where my family were on Food stamps in the States, it truly was the most humiliating process I can recall, from sitting in the DSS office with other claimants waiting your turn for receipt, to tearing out bits the various multi-coloured pretend money in a busy supermarket to pay for your modest shopping basket of food. I understand it's purpose, but surely a discreet payment card would be better in this modern world.

[Finnaldo]

Just now, sphericalfox said:

Having been unfortunate to have been in a position where my family were on Food stamps in the States, it truly was the most humiliating process I can recall, from sitting in the DSS office with other claimants waiting your turn for receipt, to tearing out bits the various multi-coloured pretend money in a busy supermarket to pay for your modest shopping basket of food. I understand it's purpose, but surely a discreet payment card would be better in this modern world.

 

Fair enough I see your point. The system could be modernised here to a payment card, presumably covering food and essential items. The way it could be handled here I imagine would be a lot more dignified than what the US conjure up, although my main point is that some form of food and essentials relief is surely just as effective if handled right.

[Jon the Hat]

I'm pretty sure if you used a payment card you could also get discounts of a couple of percent from the supermarkets.

[Webbo]

31 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

I'm pretty sure if you used a payment card you could also get discounts of a couple of percent from the supermarkets.

That might work ,stamps though would just be traded for other stuff at a loss. Personally I think we should let people have the money and let them decide how they want to spend it. Just don't come moaning if you blow it.

[Guest MattP]

This little beauty from our friend comrade Corbyn went under the radar over the last couple of weeks, one of the funniest videos I've seen

 

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/80539/watch-jeremy-corbyn-accuses-reporter-harassment
 

Quote

“Would you be happy if Theresa May called a general election?” she asked as he was leaving the venue.

An aide to the leader said he was not doing interviews and tried to block the camera, as Mr Corbyn can be heard saying: “Can we go outside? We’re being harassed here.”

The aide then calls Ms Weiner rude, adding: “I thought you were a professional – look at you.”

Ms Weiner shot back: “I am a professional, and the country wants to know what the leader of the opposition thinks about the possibility of a general election.”

 

 

Usually opposition leaders should be walking through hell to try and get a General election called, not literally running away from the question and hiding behind a door after being asked

I think he knows deep down what's going to happen to him whe n he gets presented to the public.

[Jon the Hat]

29 minutes ago, MattP said:

This little beauty from our friend comrade Corbyn went under the radar over the last couple of weeks, one of the funniest videos I've seen

 

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/80539/watch-jeremy-corbyn-accuses-reporter-harassment
 

 

Usually opposition leaders should be walking through hell to try and get a General election called, not literally running away from the question and hiding behind a door after being asked

I think he knows deep down what's going to happen to him whe n he gets presented to the public.

I read that the other week.  Not fit to hold the title leader of the opposition if he can't answer basic questions in the public interest.  

[Strokes]

21 hours ago, sphericalfox said:

Having been unfortunate to have been in a position where my family were on Food stamps in the States, it truly was the most humiliating process I can recall, from sitting in the DSS office with other claimants waiting your turn for receipt, to tearing out bits the various multi-coloured pretend money in a busy supermarket to pay for your modest shopping basket of food. I understand it's purpose, but surely a discreet payment card would be better in this modern world.

Yeah I don't think we need to humiliate people, a payment card would work better anyway.

[The Railway Man]

He is so funny Corbyn, he just looks so awkward and uncomfortable in everything he does.

 

I'd love to see him come up to somewhere like St Matthews or Braunstone and go on the doorstep in a proper Labour area, I think he's end up running away eventually in tears, he'll get a worse reation in the working class areas than in middle class Try ones.

[Alf Bentley]

58 minutes ago, The Railway Man said:

He is so funny Corbyn, he just looks so awkward and uncomfortable in everything he does.

 

I'd love to see him come up to somewhere like St Matthews or Braunstone and go on the doorstep in a proper Labour area, I think he's end up running away eventually in tears, he'll get a worse reation in the working class areas than in middle class Try ones.

 

I'm no Corbynista and agree that under his leadership Labour has a problem retaining support in working-class areas.

 

But, to be fair to him, I'm sure he's spent plenty of time on working-class doorsteps, not least in his own constituency.

Some people like to go on about "Islington champagne socialists" etc. But parts of Islington are pretty rough - and more of them are probably in his Islington North constituency than in Emily Thornberry's Islington South:

Holloway, Finsbury Park and Archway aren't places filled with lefty vegans running feminist craft shops, despite what "Islington" conjures up for some people. 

[Buce]

2 hours ago, Strokes said:

Yeah I don't think we need to humiliate people, a payment card would work better anyway.

 

Apart from being of dubious morality, the entire scheme is unworkable. Who buys all their stuff from one shop? Who hasn't raided the food budget for money to put shoes on a kid's feet?