Off Topic News & Current affairs

They’d heard that if you’re in the road, it’s safer to face towards oncoming traffic

 

A bit like in Brazil

 

Oh it’s OK, the BBC’s editors obviously read Charlton Not 606.

They’ve pulled the ‘criminal making allegations against prison officers’ as their main story now.

The main headline of the day is now ? - How swimming clubs ‘fat shame’ and ‘bully’ swimmers.

It’s great to know that this is the biggest problem that people now face in the UK. All is well everyone, unless you’re a fat snowflake, too weak to stand up for yourself.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-68475150

Well done to the BBC for highlighting this major issue in our society and country. Where would we be without Auntie.

 

Sounds more like The Star.

 

Tax bribe today, the last throw of the Tory dice. Unopposed by Labour in case the bribe works. Is it what we need, with the economy in recession, public services at breaking point and the national debt predicted by the OBR to grow for 4 of the next 5 years? Not what the country needs, but it's what the main parties think they need to remain/attain power. I can understand it coming from the government who need to present some sort of economic success story, but Labour will be presenting a story of dismal economic failure, so should really be doing what's best for the country.

 

So the two main parties are in a conspiracy of silence about how bad the countries finances are, which will mean tax rises in the future. The question is, do you blame the politicians for not being honest, or the electorate for not voting for whichever one would be honest (tax rises now)?

 

If even Priti Patel is worried about this, people should pay attention;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68532599

I hope the Government does not get this wrong. They are (almost literally) playing with fire.

 

Reform UK has its first Member of Parliament;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68532602

It is good that substantial minority viewpoints are heard in the Commons.
Lee Anderson, Caroline Lucas and George Galloway all represent Parties which claim to have around 10% of the National vote, but would not be represented in Parliament at all if it were not for their individual seats. A serious failing of our first-past-the-post system.
Add that up and it's apparently 30% of active voters being represented by three MP's.

Of course, unlike Lucas and Galloway, Anderson has never been elected representing his current Party.
But as already mentioned, we do not have a fully fair and representative system at the moment.

It will be interesting to hear what Mr Anderson has to say in the Commons. And whether Reform's opinion poll ratings go up or down as a consequence.
In that respect, I think his words will matter more than those of Caroline Lucas, and even those of George Galloway.

 

A few years ago Lee Anderthal voted in the Commons in favour of a bill that would force a byelection in a seat where the sitting MP crossed the floor. He also described Richard Tice, who is now his leader as "A pound-shop Nigel Farage".

 

The Conservative Party's biggest donor Frank Hester says that seeing Diane Abbott in the House of Commons makes him want to hate all black women.

(Front page of the Guardian this morning).

Charming.

 

He also says that his remarks were not racist. He probably believes it. Racists don't believe that they are racist because they believe that having a pale skin is superior to adarker skin.

 

The newspaper reported that he went on to say:
"It's like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you're just like I hate,
you just want to hate all black women because she's there, and I don't hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot."

Well that will de-escalate tensions won't it.
MP's frightened for their personal safety will be reassured to hear the top Tory donor saying one of them should be shot.

Yet has Mr Hester been condemned for his language? Or sentiment that he would like to see an MP attacked?
No.
A top Tory donor's alleged comments that Diane Abbott made him "want to hate all black women" were not "race-based", a senior minister has said.
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said Frank Hester's alleged comments "were clearly wrong" but argued people should "move on".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68542621

Excuse me, but If "want to hate all black women" is not a racist statement, what is?

And yet again we have this strange Tory definition of what Hester said being "wrong" (in the same way that what Lee Anderson said was "wrong")
but with no explanation offered as to what is wrong with it.
Well if it wasn't racist, why is it even wrong?
But this kind of "wrongness" (whatever it is) is something people should simply move on from.
This is how the Conservative Party views racism. It's wrong, but just move on from it.

 

Do they think it's wrong? My brother and his wife, who is black, live in IDS's constituency, and not too long ago he was out canvassing and knocked on their door. When she answered the door he said "Oh, do you work here?". Now he wasn't being deliberately insulting or rude or racist, just assumed that she wasn't the owner. The reason is quite obvious, and is just as revealing as the more disgusting remarks in the news atm.

 

Kwasi Kwarteng, William Hague and Kemi Badenoch have called out Frank Hester's comments as racist.
The Prime Minister has not, to his shame.
Unbelievably, Hester has said in so many words that his remarks were "playful".

No, they were not.
They were racist and they were an incitement to violence.

Racism and misogyny and incitement to violence must be called out.
Not swept under the carpet.
Not explained away as banter or flippancy or a bad joke.
Not excused and condoned.

"Words matter".
Who said that?
Rishi Sunak, only a matter of weeks ago.
He is unfit to be Prime Minister of this Country. His weakness is frankly nauseating.

 

He has now, but has accepted the apo;ogy. There are 10million reasons for that.

 

Rishi Sunak has said Hester's remarks were racist?

Only moments ago I assume. I can't see it on the news yet.
He took his time, but better late than never.

EDIT:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68548389

This just appeared on the BBC website.
I bet those Ministers that Sunak sent out to play it all down this morning feel like right muppets now.

I believe if Kemi Badenoch had not come out and said what she did, Rishi Sunak would not have changed his tune.
He has handled this business as badly as Keir Starmer handled the Bradford by-election scandal.

 

The budget pre-election tax-bribe seems a distant memory. What can Rishi try now?

 

The Government is losing its game of Whac-A-Mole with Tory dissenters

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68552407

Cabinet ministers saying they'll have another £10m off Hester the apologising racist,
A Tory Mayor saying they should give the original £10m back.
It's a love-in

 

Resigning?

Let Kemi take over.
Personally I'm not a fan of her politics, but she is a better political operator than Sunak.
Tory poll ratings might revive...

 

Front page of the Financial Times today;

Working hours for Commons hit record low under Sunak

• Daily business completed in 7 hours
• Tories oversee "Zombie Parliament"

And MPs' pay is about to rise to over £90,000 per month.