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He tried to stand again on a “local policies, not national policies” ticket, because of the bin fire that is this government, led by Johnson. He’s been deselected, with his age given as a reason, but lack of loyalty to the national government has been implied. But it’s very clear in his letter that he thinks Johnson and his lying and conduct in office is a very good reason to vote against the Conservatives. Whatever his reasoning privately, he is publicly calling for people to vote for the party most likely to beat the Conservatives (something everyone should be thinking of doing) and citing the actions and untrustworthiness of Johnson and his government as a reason.
So more of our rights were taken away from us last night
https://twitter.com/marinapurkiss/status/1519549720892522498?s=21&t=LFPR4lTEEQR3F7mo0pUGVw
I’m seriously worried that he’ll be in power for another 5-6 years. God help us.
So more of our rights were taken away from us last night
Bloody hell, that's huge! How has that sneaked under the radar?
Tbh I’d be surprised, probably depends on how much of the covid timeline/history they can rewrite before that ‘inquiry’.
The issue is that whoever is in charge will have a useful set of tools to use to do whatever they want.
Pretty funny whilst publicly decrying Russia they enact laws to ensure they can implement their own version,
I’m seriously worried that he’ll be in power for another 5-6 years. God help us.
If that is the case we're screwed. The damage he will do to UK democracy to save his filthy hide will be abused by someone who actually knows what they are doing.
Bloody hell, that’s huge! How has that sneaked under the radar?
Dangerw*nks, Rayner's legs, MoTs every two years etc etc.
Bloody hell, that’s huge! How has that sneaked under the radar?
It wasn’t. they don’t need to sneak with a moosive majority.
I think there has to be a crowdfunding to buy channel4.
You need to be setting up the resistance now 🙁
The Guardian flagged it up when it was proposed
Anger grows at Tory move to weaken power of election watchdog
From the day he got into number ten it’s been open season on the democratic norms. When he said he wanted to be ‘World King’ he meant it. It’s clear that he has no time for the normal unwritten parts of the constitution, which he can just ignore, but he’s also set about dismantling the legally binding checks and balances that he can’t just ignore.
Johnson and those around him clearly believe that their should be no constraints whatsoever on the power of the executive (them) in the UK
He’s getting away with it because people think that dictators all look like Putin, but ‘Boris’ has got scruffy hair and he’s funny, so he couldn’t possibly be one, could he?
But underneath, they both share the same opinion… that they can do what the hell they like, without constraint, and should be accountable to nobody
Ah 2024 will soon be with us. Orwell was slightly out on his dates 🙂
The MPs I follow on that there twitter have been banging on about this for a long time now. No one listens to MPs though, as "they're all as bad as each other"... etc, etc. The warning that Johnson and his crew are seeking to disable/disarm anything that stands in their way... from Judicial Review to the Electoral Commission... from Channel4 to the BBC... from the Standards Committee to the Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests... from Ofcom to the Boundary Commission... from the Right to Protest to the Right to Appeal... has been shouted loudly and clearly ever since he ousted May. Checks and balances aren't for them. The public might find them out if they are allowed to function.
Pretty funny whilst publicly decrying Russia they enact laws to ensure they can implement their own version,
This is the thing that needs pushing. A nice timeliness of legislation eroding our democratic freedoms compared to a timeliness showing how Putin did it. Or Hitler in the 1930s.
The MPs I follow on that there twitter have been banging on about this for a long time
And there's part of the issue. I don't do Twitter, I get my news from FB and more mainstream media sites, and it's so buried its too easy to miss. Spreading peoes range of information sources is obviously a good thing in many ways, but too easy to be swamped.
The public might find them out if they are allowed to function.
Which can't be allowed to happen because the flagship policy is damaging for 99% of the population.
The next Tory leader will be a rabid Brexiteer. They have to be:
Cameron - Remainer and 'smooth' PR man. No way he way going to go through with it.
May - Remainer but with enough of a nasty edge to keep the loons happy. But ultimately she knew how damaging a full on hard Brexit would be. Easy to undermine.
Johnson - Leaver, but totally opportunistic. He would have backed any policy if it got him closer to power. But he's a bellend, so his incompetence can be blamed on his bellendery.
Next - will have to be a dyed in the wool Leaver. As the Brexit car crash escalates (we've a long way to go yet, folks) there will have to be some kind of media censorship to deflect, distract and lie.
In the end, the whole rotten shitshow will collapse and we'll have to start being grown ups again, accepting the UK's place in the 21st century world and making some friends. The end and the descent into it will claim a lot of victims.
🤷♂️
but too easy to be swamped.
Most people aren't swamped though, mot folk pare down their news feeds to stuff they find acceptable. That's why FB's newsfeed is designed like it is.
I don’t do Twitter
I wouldn't advise anyone to start using Twitter now. But, back in the day, I decided to ensure my feed has a wide range of political views by following MPs and local councillors from all parties. Many of which will never even get a mention on national or local news. It's changed a bit now, as so many of the interesting and considered Tory and Lib-Dem politicians are now ex-politicians. Still plenty of Tweeters from the other parties worth following. People get a very strong view of politicians from the media based on hearing very little from the actual politicians, beyond those elevated to a position of media fog horn.
I know we get shouted at for saying so but for a lot of people ‘news’ is what Jordan has been up to this week or who’s likely to be the next Engerland goalkeeper.
That’s actually harmlesss enough and I sort of get it
But to a large rump ‘News’ is migrants ‘swamping the UK’ in small boats and people on benefits buying big telly’s.
And unfortunately they all have little time for stories about the erosion of ‘our’ rights and freedoms because that’s the domain of ‘liberal remoaners’ and ‘if you’ve nothing to hide then you’ve nothing to fear’ or some other tedious reactionary bollocks. And these people will all be out next week voting Tory
I’ve just been out for an hour this morning posting leaflets for the local Labour Party. It’s nothing in the grand scheme of things but at least I feel like I’m doing ‘something’ because I don’t remember ever feeling this angry about what’s happening in this country. And I include Thatcherism in that
If you're not happy give these people some money.
Every time they take these ****s to court it cheers me up a bit knowing that I helped.
https://goodlawproject.org/
^^^^
Good Law Project x 1,000,000
Is this the first time as a party member you have actually done any leafleting binners? You don't stop talking about it - everyday you seem to remind everyone of your heroic deeds!
Whilst I agree that Gove having the power to set the Electoral Commission's remit is a very worrying development I wouldn't get too carried away comparing it with the actions of Putin and Hitler and declaring it the death of democracy.
The Electoral Commission is only 21 years old, the UK didn't become a functioning democracy 21 years ago.
Ironically it was set up in response to a loss in public faith in political parties following the Labour government's Bernie Ecclestone sleaze scandal.
Clearly the Electoral Commission has an important role to play as political parties cannot be trusted, not just the Tories, but that doesn't automatically mean that the Electoral Commission, a body uncountable to the electorate, always gets it right.
"It sounds to me as if the Electoral Commission has not been doing its job properly. On the face of it, it seems to have been extremely incompetent."
Those are the words of Lord Adonis, not a Tory brexiteer but a committed Labour Remainer.
Whilst the Electoral Commission's role is to interpret election law it should be remembered that the independent courts still exist, and much of the application of electoral law is the responsibility of local authorities.
Of course Gove should keep his hands off the Electoral Commission, but perhaps we should also be talking more about a written constitution.
And if these proposals are going through with little or no publicity then it is not necessarily the fault of the government, the Leader of the Opposition gets a very generous salary, it is in his remit to challenge the government.
Is this the first time as a party member you have actually done any leafleting binners? You don’t stop talking about it – everyday you seem to remind everyone of your heroic deeds!
EDIT: Rant removed as I can't even be bothered engaging with you any more
Other than sniping at everyone else in your usual lofty tones.
Is that really you saying that binners?
Edit : Apparently not.
I see that as the governments behaviour has deemed to be unlawful in releasing the untested into care homes to infect others, and this is estimated to have caused 20,000+ unnecessary deaths, theres the usual collective shrug from Johnson, Hancock and co who still refuse to acknowledge their own lackadaisical incompetence all the way through this, never mind apologise for it
They literally couldn't give a flying ****!
but perhaps we should also be talking more about a written constitution.
Your occasional reminder that we have a written constitution. We just don't have a codified (single) document.
Sure, there is plenty of written law but some of it is also unwritten.
Your occasional reminder that we have a written constitution.
And your occasional reminder that it's partly written (and wholly uncodified).
Perhaps we can agree it's a constitution that is wholly unfit for purpose.
Sure, there is plenty of written law but some of it is also unwritten.
Not in the eyes of a court of law, anything 'unwritten' will be taken into account, but as it's unwritten, it's not enforceable as per 'written' law.
There's some stuff on this type of thing in the UK Constitution 😁
That’s a PDF about possible constitutions we don’t currently have.
Anyway… Johnson removing or directly controlling institutions that place checks and balances on the government and/or those seeking to direct or form a government shouldn’t be accepted just because our constitution is difficult to understand and perhaps too easy to cast aside by people with the power and will to do so. This is just yet another squirrel thrown in to distract from the damage that Johnson is doing on the back of taking back control.
Sure, there is plenty of written law but some of it is also unwritten.
k'eh
Should i be worried about getting charged for breaking some unwritten laws?
it is not necessarily the fault of the government, the Leader of the Opposition gets a very generous salary
What do you expect him to do? buy a loudhailer and do a bus tour?
Should i be worried about getting charged for breaking some unwritten laws?
Depends on how much money/influence/time the complainant has.
Banana Republic incoming.
All you have to do to make something written is to write it down. It's all written down. The "unwritten" rules people refer to may be those that weren't written down at the time they were made, eg constitutional conventions. But a lot of the constitution is in the form of statutes and case law which is written any way you look at it.
Schrodinger's Constitution
senior Tory MP watching porn on the green benches?
- Absolutely no porn was watched
- There was porn, but I was surprised by it
- I'm furious that I wasn't advised it was porn
- Who doesn't watch porn at the end of a long shift?
- Move on, don't you know there's a war on?
- Forget about porn, "British" Vaccine success is all that matters
- We'd all be in lockdown at home watching porn if we listened to Labour
- Corbyn probably wouldn't have let you watch porn
- Starmer looks like he can't get a hard on, and still won't try porn
.
[ EDIT: to be clear - satire ... not actually said by anyone, and not my views ]
Was it World Beating British Porn?
Another day another crime
I think Jamie Wallis has had a pretty horrific personal life in the few months. I'm not condoning fleeing the scene of an accident, but there are I think, some mitigating circumstances including being outed as transgender and raped.
Nick you missed a step:
- my officials didn't tell me it was porn
Word that more carefully, Johnson style (but deliver it in a way that suggests it's off the cuff, rather than very carefully passed through legal)...
- I was repeatedly assured that it wasn't porn
[ allows for loads of people having spontaneously warning you it was porn, as long as one person said that it wasn't both times you asked them to agree with your nonsense position... but this wording "suggests" much the opposite, when delivered in the right way by an accomplished conman ]
it is not necessarily the fault of the government, the Leader of the Opposition gets a very generous salary
What do you expect him to do? buy a loudhailer and do a bus tour?
Good point. The Leader of the Opposition can't be expected to draw attention to legislation beng passed which might be detrimental to the interests of the wider public.
For a start where would he get a loudhailer and tour bus from?
I’m not condoning fleeing the scene of an accident
I’d be more worried about his past pimping activities. He clearly has a very interesting life.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/jamie-wallis-sugar-daddies
Whilst the Electoral Commission’s role is to interpret election law it should be remembered that the independent courts still exist, and much of the application of electoral law is the responsibility of local authorities.
Gotta say, that DOES feel like some consolation on what seems a pretty dark day. Ta. 🙂
Was it World Beating British Porn?
Was it an attempt to get more chat about Dover and ferry issues to be discussed?
TBH I expect they'll change the definition of what is construed as pornographic.
Whatever porn is 🙂 and was it watched by accident?
Nothing like hitting a misspelt site that then opens a multitude of porn sites on on your monitor in work.
Anyway if you dont like it you'll just have protest quietly in the corner 🙁
And now this
https://twitter.com/michelledonelan/status/1519609397273628675?s=21&t=CISPkksnitKCGpDe0mzODw
Another culture warrior complaining that their freedom of expression is being suppressed, doing so via the medium of social media and shared by countless people
All without a hint of irony
Not exactly Stalins Russia, is it?
They’re not a bright bunch, are they?
See Johnson is using nepotism as an excuse for being @ his wife's ABBA bash.
And now this
Wonder what will happen if some pro-putin people are cancelled at a uni?
How long until some cretin puts two and two together and suggests using P&O ferries, staffed by foreign temps, to transport asylum seekers to Rwanda?
I reckon Shapps or Raab have already floated the idea only to be told that Rwanda is landlocked.
What a bunch of ****s.
Michelle Donelan isn't the brightest, obviously.
Why can't these people just **** off?
And now won’t answer Lebedev questions before elections
https://twitter.com/krishgm/status/1519729102273527808?s=21
The whole party is hiding in a fridge.
This policy makes no sense at all, for anyone. For viewers or independent TV content creators. Oh, but it does punish Channel4/ITN for not being good compliant puppies and for trying to ask questions of Johnson and his team (as they do of all other politicians).
Michelle Donelan isn’t the brightest, obviously.
I dont think you can tell from that. Might just be playing to the prejudices whilst feeling her soul wither away in despair at what she is writing.
"How long until some cretin puts two and two together and suggests using P&O ferries, staffed by foreign temps, to transport asylum seekers to Rwanda?
I reckon Shapps or Raab have already floated the idea only to be told that Rwanda is landlocked."
Let's hope they haven't watched Fitzcarraldo...
There seems to be a lot of opposition to the C4 privatisation from the Tory backbenches and even the DUP Hoare against it. Might not be as easy to get through as Dorries thinks. Not that she's done much thinking.
All because of an ice sculpture. The pettiness sums up this administration perfectly.
I dont think you can tell from that. Might just be playing to the prejudices whilst feeling her soul wither away in despair at what she is writing.
Nah, she will have discarded her soul long ago. Just playing up to the gammons to stay in a job. It's pitiful, really.
Who is that hideous person Mims Davies on QT tonight?
She's a tory; that was obvious.
I see the clone factory rolled out a wannabe Tory for the first question, that’s as far as I dared watch.
Anyone notice how the mainstream press has gone very quiet on anything bad about the Tories but leading in Labour issues the last 25 hours or so? Very little coverage of the care home ruling, minimal about the porn viewing but plenty about the MP leaving a crash, Rayner having a drink with Starker and a Labour MP making a lewd comment. Have Tory HQ put a lot of pressure on their media chums to turn the narrative just before the local elections?
The MP that didn't stop after the crash was a Tory
I’ve self concluded that we are now a distopian banana republic with an attempted dictatorship. There is no point getting stressed about who did what, or whether “this’ll get Boris fired” becuase it’ll all just conclude a with them carrying on as normal.
Sadly, I'm thinking along the lines that Kryton is.
Except he didn't mention the press being corralled by the great leaders.
Well, as far as I know, GE's are not generally rigged enough to make a difference in the UK, so we can get rid of this shitshow in 2 years.
Unfortunately enough of the populace are thick/xenophobic/racist enough that it is unlikely to happen. This government is a reflection of 'us' I am afraid.
😟
GE’s are not generally rigged enough to make a difference in the UK, so we can get rid of this shitshow in 2 years.
Arguably FPTP is a rigged election plus havent you notice what the tories have been doing? Restricting the electoral commission and they have also got their constituency reforms in the pipeline designed to rig it in their favour (although its done by an independent body so they cant have quite the same jerrymandering that happens in some countries with weird constituency shapes they did set the basic rules to favour them).
Sadly, I’m thinking along the lines that Kryton is.
Except he didn’t mention the press being corralled by the great leaders.
+1
Jyst adds to my general feeling of despair and hopelessness
Well, as far as I know, GE’s are not generally rigged enough to make a difference in the UK, so we can get rid of this shitshow in 2 years.
I wouldn't bet on it.
Control over large parts of the media, the bits they don't control (Channel 4 for example...) they're doing their best to take over, kill off etc.
Protests are now illegal, the Electoral Commission has just been quietly brought under Government control (Gove no less...). Added to which the FPTP system is already highly rigged (there's a reason they wanted to bring it in in London, it would have give Shaun Bailey the win there as Mayor).
They've got 2 more years to carry on stitching things up in their own way, defunding Labour-run councils (to then blame further cuts on Labour and say "vote Tory, you'll get more cash").
And the Labour Party, in spite of managing to land a few decent blows still hasn't come close to a knockout punch, in spite of Boris standing there blustering about Brexit and Covid which is all the empty shell has.
...these unrepresentative activists were focussed on debating whether Churchill was a racist
THEY MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO QUESTION CHURCHILL!!! FREEE SPEEEEEECHHHHHHHHH!!!AHAHRHGHGHHGHH
I'd just like to point out that there's a real squirrel in FGF to look at. I've nothing more useful to add.
these unrepresentative activists were focussed on debating whether Churchill was a racist
Well he was and if you're going to do a history of the guy, you have to cover everything from the "he led Britain to victory!!" part to the "sadly he was a racist and white supremacist" part.
Although, back then of course, they were not unique views or regarded as massively controversial and his views on racial hierarchy were nowhere close to Hitler's views on the subject. At least with Churchill there is a degree of context in what he said, when he said it and so on whereas Johnson's comments about (for example) Muslim women wearing burkhas "looking like letterboxes" was simply crass, there was no wider context to it.
Well he was and if you’re going to do a history of the guy, you have to cover everything from the “he led Britain to victory!!” part to the “sadly he was a racist and white supremacist” part.
Yeah I was just highlighting the craven hypocrisy of the stupid tory culture war, albeit not particularly coherently, heh
I've shared that Matt cartoon round various local cycling groups, it's proving quite popular
Ahh Churchill, the thing I always found funny was that the people ditched him pretty quickly after the war.
I’ve self concluded that we are now a distopian banana republic with an attempted dictatorship. There is no point getting stressed about who did what, or whether “this’ll get Boris fired” becuase it’ll all just conclude a with them carrying on as normal.
I think your traipsing around the edges. By design or just accidental alignment of numpties.
Ahh Churchill, the thing I always found funny was that the people ditched him pretty quickly after the war.
And then he was marketed as some kind of invincible 'saviour' for his second coming. Which just sputtered out into a faux patriotic tribute act as he was hopelessly out of touch.
Context is everything. Churchill was an incredible war leader. No war, no need for him.
I think people wanted a fresh start after the war and Churchill wasn't what they wanted or needed. As above right man at the right time, much of the rest of his career was a bit of a car crash like Johnson. The only difference is when Churchills hour came he was up to the challenge and did what was needed, Boris hid in a fridge and then had a party.