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Considering there have been attacks across the political spectrum (1 labour mp dead, 1 lib dem assistant who got in the way to help his mp) and now 1 tory i don't think calling out comments on scum is accurate.
This has been building for years whipped on by mostly the right wing press, will be interesting what the backlash is from this. But as it stands someone has been murdered doing their job which is awful.
Sir David Amess celebrating the award of his knighthood.
Ok.
This is the last request to keep on topic. Someone has tragically died this afternoon, now is not the time for bickering, using terms like scum or abusing other members. They’ll be no more requests I’ll simple give the weekend off to anyone who is disrespectful.
it’s not a name I was aware of before this I don’t think which is pretty stellar
Most back bench MP's don't have a high profile - their job is to represent us and scrutinise government legislation to make sure it benefits us. (I know this is an overly naïve interpretation).
In my view if more MP's concentrated on that part of their job rather than career building, then society would be all the better for it.
I really hope that photo above is real - its fab.
Depressing. Especially as it was while carrying out his constituency work. Thoughts go to his family and friends and those close to him.
Been away for a couple of hours, can't believe the mods have had to step in.
Terrible tragedy, sounds as though he was a hard working local MP.
“ Been away for a couple of hours, can’t believe the mods have had to step in.”
Didn’t surprise me in the slightest.
RIP - absolutely terrible
The work MPs do for their constituents is critical but very often overlooked. There are plenty of excellent consistency MPs representing all parties. They must be able to continue this work safely
Been away for a couple of hours, can’t believe the mods have had to step in.
Folk can pretty much freely post as much vitriol and aggressive language about politicians/parties as they want, but when something goes tragically wrong then there's a grief porn outburst and clamping down on posts that wouldn't have been blinked at previously.
I'm not commenting on anyone here, just a general social media observation.
A horrendous crime , I can only hope the powers that be look upon such attacks not only against the individual, but as an attack on democracy and sentence the killer to a whole life tariff.
Most back bench MP’s don’t have a high profile – their job is to represent us and scrutinise government legislation to make sure it benefits us. (I know this is an overly naïve interpretation).
In my view if more MP’s concentrated on that part of their job rather than career building, then society would be all the better for it.
There is something in this but......I am the person who listens to Yesterday in Parliament so probably have the names of random MPs pass by me more than most.
Folk can pretty much freely post as much vitriol and aggressive language about politicians/parties as they want, but when something goes tragically wrong then there’s a grief porn outburst and clamping down on posts that wouldn’t have been blinked at previously.
This is true. I didn't start this thread as an RIP thread (the title was changed for some reason), it was breaking news and I don't understand why moderators should get po-faced about comments that are commonly accepted on any other thread just because someone was tragically murdered.
Random fact - David Amess was the politician in the "Cake" sketch on Chris Morris's Brass Eye.
I don’t understand why moderators should get po-faced about comments that are commonly accepted on any other thread just because someone was tragically murdered.
I do.
There is a time and and there is a place.
Now is not the time, and this thread isn't the place, to start bickering and scoring political points.
The fact that someone has not only tragically died but has been murdered makes all the difference imo.
I assume the RIP was added to remind people of the need to show respect.
it’s not a name I was aware of before this I don’t think which is pretty stellar
I knew of him because of the various political positions he took.
Now is not the time, and this thread isn’t the place, to start bickering and scoring political points.
I do see this point but I think there is a worthwhile and apposite discussion about the nature of political discourse, what one expects of our politicians and whether they are healthy and realistic which is really all the deleted posts that were discussing.
Very sad, Just another mark on the sand for how absurdly polar our politics have become.
I don’t understand why moderators should get po-faced about comments that are commonly accepted on any other thread just because someone was tragically murdered.
Maybe if some of the vile language and threats against politicians that are tolerated on other threads (and elsewhere on social media) were clamped down on, some deluded soul wouldn't think attacking an MP was somehow acceptable.
I've sailed close to the wind a few times myself I'm sure, but proposing, even in jest, hoisting politicians from lampposts has to be unacceptable in a (flawed) democratic society.
Random fact – David Amess was the politician in the “Cake” sketch on Chris Morris’s Brass Eye.
He covers that in some detail in the interview in the second post. Worth a look.
Obviously it was utterly humiliating for him and he doesn't seem to have ever really put it behind him *but* Leah Betts* was his constituent so it seemed perfectly natural that he'd be contacted to produce a message of that kind at that time.
A fair few people got caught by that spoof and back then they couldn't just google to check and why would they anyway?
The whole thing seems less funny today than it did yesterday. ☹️
* https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Leah_Betts
I do see this point but I think there is a worthwhile and apposite discussion about the nature of political discourse, what one expects of our politicians and whether they are healthy and realistic which is really all the deleted posts that were discussing.
Worthwhile, but better in its own thread IMHO.
I am not one to shy away from political debate but this thread is not the place for it.
LBC just said counter terrorism police are investigating. Anyone else got a lead on the motivation?
My understanding is that counter terrorism police are always involved in incidents such as this one until terrorism can be ruled out.
It has been declared as a terrorist attack.
https://twitter.com/DerbyChrisW/status/1449084533853278210?s=20
My first thought was "Pretty far apart politically" but perhaps what it really highlights is how close we are politically in the UK.
BBC now reporting it as a suspected Islamist attack.
BBC now reporting it as a suspected Islamist attack.
Shame, I hoped we were done with those fools.
This was a nice little bit about him from somebody he employed:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1449046895515602946.html
My first thought was “Pretty far apart politically” but perhaps what it really highlights is how close we are politically in the UK.
Or maybe a sign that it's possible to disagree with much of what someone believes, but still have the humanity and empathy to treat them with respect.
Shame, I hoped we were done with those fools.
We will never be done with "fools" who get so screwed up that murdering someone, an MP in this case, seems like the right thing to do - whether that is down to radicalisation or anything else.
Makes it a bit more random than targeted at a specific MP though doesn't it although I suppose their point was to terrorise MPs.
Terrible thing to happen and one that I fear will end local surgeries, with a massive knock-on for local communities. Poor man.
The daily mail reporting it was 'a man of Somali origin' - further erosion of our rights in the name of security being ushered in in 3 2 1.....
Or maybe a sign that it’s possible to disagree with much of what someone believes, but still have the humanity and empathy to treat them with respect.
Yes, mainly this.
sweat the small stuff unseen, unpromoted and unreported,
https://twitter.com/E_K_Holmes/status/1449046895515602946?s=20
Terrible news, the murder and that it is terrorism.
I understand that there has to be a bit of a love in when someone dies but nevertheless I feel the same as when Jo Cox was killed- "Why don't we hear more about these good MPs?" The cream really doesn't rise to the top in politics.
Also the Chris Williamson tweet just makes me think we need a new political system. Good ideas and good people are being stopped by our FPTP system.
The daily mail reporting it was ‘a man of Somali origin’ – further erosion of our rights in the name of security being ushered in in 3 2 1…..
What rights are you expecting to have eroded in the name of security?
What rights are you expecting to have eroded in the name of security?
I must confess that was my first thought the controversial Anti Terrorism Act was a couple of decades ago can't really think of anything major since.
In contrast we were all literally under house arrest 18 months ago.
If governments are looking for an excuse to restrict freedom it won't be terrorism.
What rights are you expecting to have eroded in the name of security?
What little remains to us. With each one of these attacks we lurch ever more towards tyranny. This more than anything is why our good constituency MP's are now fair game for the nutters.
Sandwich are you a fully paid up member og tne GoP? The only thing i would expect to change is MPs might get a police presence if they want it whilst carrying out their important constituency duties. If we can provide police for football matches and demonstrations I think we should be able to spare a few to protect our democratic representatives,
Or maybe a sign that it’s possible to disagree with much of what someone believes, but still have the humanity and empathy to treat them with respect.
+1
Over the past day I've seen politicians, journalists and media commentators (among others) on twitter and on the news united in their reaction to this. And yet I can't help raising an eyebrow at the fact that before this they were all at each others throats like pit-bulls in a dog-fight. They (and I mean all of them, not just one side) lie, they obfuscate, twist logic and the truth to justify what are often unjustifiable positions, and smear their opponents to gain political advantage, and this behaviour is barely challenged or questioned by the media or anyone else.
So my question is are they going to go straight back to doing that once this has dropped out of the news? Or are they going to use this as an opportunity to sort themselves out? Or are all the messages and statements of unity and respect today just empty words to be forgotten tomorrow?