Off Topic Politics Thread

They may be the biggest selling dailies but the Sun has a circulation of only around 3 or 4 million. The Daily Mail, the bastion of Middle England, far fewer. On that basis do papers have such an impact on the mentality of Joe Public?

 

Bit like the General Election last May when all the papers and pundits were predicting a hung Parliament, and what did we end up with?

 

Also half of the Sun readers only look at the pictures. Of course this means they are even less informed.

 

If the vote is tight, the outcome could well be decided by ex-pats living in the EU who would have nothing to gain by voting to leave.

 

There are pictures or are there pictures?

 

I'd still say yes. How many times are they quoted in here for football for example....

 

The greater bulk of benefits are paid to people in work because employers pay the statuary minimum wage which is not a living wage. Logic tells me that we are not subsidising poor people we are subsidising rich employers who pay their workers badly.

 

I've always thought that was the problem with tax credits it just means that employers can pay less. If there weren't tax credits people would leave for other jobs and therefore employers would have to pay a better rate to retain them. I think they were probably introduced with good intentions but their introduction passed me by.

 

It is scary how many people take these sources as gospel truth. For football, but also politics.

 

Exactly my original point.

 

There a great deal of truth in what you say and it is a scandal. However, you have a certain way of looking at the world and you tend to interpret everything to fit your world view. Its not a criticism, its a fact. We all do it. However, it tends to oversimplify a tremendously complex issue and as much as what you are saying is true you must also accept that a number (how many, I don't know) of people come here to utilise our benefits system or the NHS.

Its no coincidence that when Cameron put in a proposal to limit benefits, the countries who complained were the likes of Poland. This is the problem with any kind of political integration, our systems are just so different. My proposal would be that people can move around Europe but, unless they change their nationality, their country of birth should actually be the one that foots the bill for any benefits received. That will never happen!

 

This happened at the beginning of the 19th century with the Speenhamland Agreement which meant that farmers paid their labourers less because their wages would be topped up by the poor law overseers. The consequence was mass rioting and the transportation of rioters in 1830.

 

I was very disappointed to hear our prime minister stoop to personal insult at PMQs re the leader of the opposition's attire. May be Mr Corbyn should where a T shirt next week with the words, 'Are you ever going to answer a question'? on it... We have our niece staying with us this week. 25 years young and her comment was 'of all our political leaders Mr Corbyn is the only one who seems a nice guy'. May be over time this will become more and more apparent.

 

The truly amusing thing about PMQs today is that, once again, the manufactured lefty outrage has allowed DC to control the narrative.

 

PMQ is a disgrace to politics. I listened to it on Radio 4 today and I was ashamed.

 

Handy little website for the EU Referendum - http://www.pollstation.uk/eu-referendum/viewpoints/

 

I'm definitely all for the yes vote and staying in Europe. Just not sure if sixth place will be good enough or if we need to finish fifth. Ooops sorry, wrong thread.

 

Watching it is worse - you see one side motionless, and one side laughing and making ridiculous noises - and making jibes about suits and singing the national anthem.

 

Someone on the Labour side shouted out asking what David Cameron's mum would say and that started it all. Both sides are guilty of shouting and laughing.

 

Because David Cameron's mum is protesting against Tory cuts. No excuse for the flashman act.