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Would you mock a Jewish person who happened to have a big nose
I would if I was a script writer for Family Guy.
Yeah, we must remember to punch up, not down.
It's true, poor old millionaire The Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, Member of Parliament and the Privy Council, and Prime Minister of His Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland is far too vulnerable and should be protected from heartless jibes from impolite lefties.
Pointless to you, maybe. I’ve explained why it’s of concern to myself.
Comments about a politician's height are truly irrelevant unless, of course, you are choosing to take some sort of non-existent racial inference from them.
It’s true, poor old millionaire The Right Honourable Rishi Sunak
Multi millionare and once you add the missus more money than you can think of 500-600 millionsish.
He must employee someone to make sure he dresses down tbh.
Don’t think rich, think insanely rich.
Probably has a new pair of CK boxers out the box everyday 🙂
Comments about a politician’s height are truly irrelevant unless, of course, you are choosing to take some sort of non-existent racial inference from them.
I've explained why I have concerns regarding mocking physical traits. I think a good sporting analogy would be 'play the ball not the man'. One person well known for mocking the physical traits of others is of course Donald Trump. This is because he has no intelligent argument to make about a person's views or character. Such behaviour is the resort of the intellectually bereft.
I would if I was a script writer for Family Guy.
Many of whom happen to be Jewish. For many of whom, self-deprecating humour is part of their cultural identity. That clip is actually perfect in the context of this thread. Genius.
Comments about a politician’s height are truly irrelevant unless, of course, you are choosing to take some sort of non-existent racial inference from them.
Short height is very much a South Asian racial characteristic. In the same way as tight curls is an African racial characteristic. Would you mock an African-Carribbean politician's hair? Or indeed a Jewish politician's nose?
I might but then I'm not very PC, which is why I love Family Guy so much.
Family Guy
Amateurs compared to South Park.
dudeofdoom
Full Member
TBH in the covid times he could have bought an island and sat it out,I think I’ve mentioned it before but still can’t believe he’s not arsing it about in some Lambo or Ferrari.
True but he does have an RAF jet to knock about in currently.
(although apparently I have to wait till I’m 67 now which seems a tad unfair )
Not in London. Thanks to Boris......a politician who understood what demographics means.
The freedom pass for over 60s in London started under the GLC.
But upping the age of qualification for the Freedom Pass in London would have been electoral suicide. Boris relied very heavily on the over 50s vote.
The freedom pass for over 60s in London started under the GLC.
Yup, but it was funded by the Westminster government. The Tory government decided that the age qualification would rise on an escalator system. Johnson stepped in and said that the GLA would supply free oyster passes to the over sixties until they were old enough to qualify for the government funded freedom pass.
Gawd bless im
https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases-4784
STW – the refuge for some who want to make something out of nothing, repeatedly
Good to see another thread derailed by our utterly spirit-crushingly tedious, joyless and humourless professional 6th formers, determined to be offended by pretty much anything and everything
And ‘The Left’ wonder why everyone thinks they’re a bunch of utter ****s.
Let’s take a thread involving people who find the Tory party offensive on every level - including their height and trousers - and lecture them in the most patronising and condescending manner imaginable on their sins of idealogical impurity and moral unworthiness.
You’re like a really shit left wing Taliban
The last two Tory election victories are entirely your fault
*slow handclap*
people who find the Tory party offensive on every level – including their height
If you're offended by someone's height.....
Rwanda bounce doesn't seem too visible, tbh
https://twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1735708707487465616?t=ziSn0WfvvDszZgegPiU_Dw&s=19
LDM: 48 (+40) - 11.3%
🤔 That doesn't make sense. It can't be +40 because it suggests up from 8 LibDem MPs.
The LibDems won 11 seats in the 2019 and currently have 15 MPs so I have no idea why they think 48 in +40.
You would expect a pollster to be fairly careful and precise with their figures.
TBH in the covid times he could have bought an island and sat it out,I think I’ve mentioned it before but still can’t believe he’s not arsing it about in some Lambo or Ferrari.
It's rumoured to be all about looking good to his In-Law's, before he was looked on as not really worthy of the wealth he married in to. Having a political career that puts him in power of a whole country changes that and is also why he doesn't really seem to be overly interested in doing any good with that power.
The LibDems won 11 seats in the 2019 and currently have 15 MPs so I have no idea why they think 48 in +40.
is it not because the seats they are competitive in are often 'blue wall' areas and the Tory vote collapse puts them in poll position for those seats?
a lot of the big g names in the tory party are based in these often home counties seats, be interesting to see what the Tory party would look like without them
Sorry I'm rubbish at maths and I don't really understand those figures but I very much agree with this:
be interesting to see what the Tory party would look like without them
Some people seem to think that the Tories have accepted that they will lose the general election and as a consequence don't care how badly they do.
I totally disagree, I reckon that they care massively. How badly they do will dictate how many years/election cycles it takes them to recover.
If Labour win with something like a 200 seat majority it will be a huge disaster for the Tories on many levels including because it will undoubtedly rob them of many of their big guns.
Which in turn will massively affect their ability to provide a credible opposition to a Labour government and seriously hamper their electoral comeback.
It seems to me that how big the Labour majority is after the next general election, even if they have a majority at all, will depend massively on how well Reform UK do. The better Reform UK do the bigger the Labour Majority.
Which begs the question as to why the Tories are pursuing the small boats/culture war line.
All the evidence, including across Europe, shows that when an establishment accepted right-wing political party pursues a hard-right/racist agenda any benefit doesn't go to them but their fringe far-right rivals.
What Rishi Sunak is doing by adopting the British hard-right/Farage agenda makes no sense to me. And since Sunak is no idiot I am genuinely baffled as to why he doesn't apparently realise that he is helping Reform UK.
The only explanation I can think of is that he is simply too desperate and an appeal to bigotry and intolerance is all that he has left. He seems to possess all the logic of an addicted gambler.
The 8 seats in 2019 are notional, reflecting boundary changes, etc., to estimate what the LD vote in 2019 would be worth against now constituencies.
Ah, I see a logic in that. Thanks 👍
Julius Fucik composed 'Entry of the Gladiators'; you all know the tune.
It should be re-named...Entry of the STW fun-sponges.
Ridicule encourages pricking pomposity and subversion. Masters of it like Hogarth, Spitting Image and Steve Bell made a great contribution to rebellious thought. The damage these people have done far outweighs a bit of ragging.
Now where's that sleep thread.
The 8 seats in 2019 are notional, reflecting boundary changes, etc., to estimate what the LD vote in 2019 would be worth against now constituencies.
Further to that - recent boundary changes are generally felt to be advantageous to the tories; they're (probably correctly) splitting some seats where electoral numbers are getting too high - ie: one MP for too many people so not reflecting enough of a say and making all constituencies roughly the same size in terms of numbers that MP represents. How they have redrawn boundaries of these splits, is possibly more contentious, although the electoral commission is independent - but it means that in areas where populations have grown (suburbs and towns for example) more seats will be created; in areas where population has reduced (big industrial cities in the main) seats will be reduced. Which types of voters live in each...... is why it's generally felt to be more advantageous to the tories, by about 5-10 seats.
Which is why doing like for like and estimating notional seats in 2019 has to be done. If you compared actuals in 2019 vs 2024 possible outcome based on polling without calling out that 5-10 tailwind it looks like tories are doing better than they are; in terms of actual opinion translated into 2019 style seats the tories would be losing more seats and giving away an even bigger estimated majority than the estimate above.
You would expect a pollster to be fairly careful and precise with their figures.
Seeing that polls like this are extrapolations of voting intentions from people who many of which will be lying, or more generously saying what they think that day and then voting something completely different there is not really any precision about them.
They do show the direction of travel though and it would be astonishing if Labour don't win the next election but there is no way they will get 300 more seats than Tories.
Seeing that polls like this are extrapolations of voting intentions from people who many of which will be lying, or more generously saying what they think that day and then voting something completely different there is not really any precision about them.
So long as you've got a representative sample and the questions are well-worded, they're amazingly accurate. 1000 well-selected respondents can be extrapolated up to population size very accurately.
On the other hand if you asked 10,000 poorly selected people, you'd get 10,000 answers that were meaningless.
It's why petitions are generally crap cos it doesn't show you how many people saw the petition and elected not to sign it (and it often doesn't show the questions or statement they were asked), it shows you the self selected group that feel strongly enough on one particular side of the argument to sign. They can also be very open to manipulation with false details (although online petitions can easily require verifiable identity info).
It’s rumoured to be all about looking good to his In-Law’s, before he was looked on as not really worthy of the wealth he married in to. Having a political career that puts him in power of a whole country changes that and is also why he doesn’t really seem to be overly interested in doing any good with that power
TBH I’d not thought about this but does make a lot of sense.
I’d really thought him more as a caretaker after the Truss panic but in reality he’s worse as she had a mad vision and went for it and he just doesn’t have any thing,even the clown prince had some charm to con the people but now we’re at the part he’s on the beach shouting at the boats and is now using all the power at his disposal to make a law that black is white.
It’s rumoured to be all about looking good to his In-Law’s, before he was looked on as not really worthy of the wealth he married in to. Having a political career that puts him in power of a whole country changes that and is also why he doesn’t really seem to be overly interested in doing any good with that power.
Don't forget his (supposedly) proud Hinduism, which will accelerate your sense of being a member of a superior, ruling class if you're at all that way inclined...and if you go to an elite English public school, you'll probably be inclined to it.
A thoroughly depressing article in the Guardian today about section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. A 40% increase in the last 12 months, so homelessness is going through the roof.
The government promised to put a stop to it with a bill to give rental tenants rights. It was a manifesto pledge but they’ve now dropped it completely
I’m sure it has nothing to do with the number of Tory MPs who have portfolios of rental properties
A thoroughly depressing article in the Guardian today about section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. A 40% increase in the last 12 months, so homelessness is going through the roof.
Yes, I think Toynbee is at her best when writing about homelessness and poverty. "Hard Work" is rather old now, but worth a read.
Rishi Sunak faces election wipeout even if flights to Rwanda take off, top pollster warns
Asked if the Tories would do better in the election if the PM manages to start sending migrants to Rwanda, the polling guru said: “The short answer is no. Yes, some core voters are upset (about immigration). But it’s not the core vote you need to win back – it’s those who are saying they won’t vote Conservative.”
Mr Sunak had blundered by not focusing on the economy and the NHS, he argued. “People are asking two main questions: ‘Can I afford to feed my kids?’ and, ‘If I fall ill, will the NHS look after me?’
Seeing that polls like this are extrapolations of voting intentions from people who many of which will be lying, or more generously saying what they think that day and then voting something completely different there is not really any precision about them.
Pollsters know about this though, just as you do, and they try to account for it.
As a former government Rent Officer, I can see some form of rent control being reintroduced.
It'll just mean landlords selling up en masse and no landlords will buy the properties as there will be no returns to be had. Something has to be done but the way the market has skewed over the last decade means that it will be very painful whatever happens.
electoral commission is independent
Riiightt, they are all appointed by the government of the day. I suspect it's full of independent thinkers like Samir Shah at the BBC!
Thinking about the homelessness crisis and the conservative spear head to further demonise it, it seems it's actually cheaper as a society to make provisions, I mean even if you hate homeless people, think of the money society will save, if we as a society try to help struggling people rather than kick them to death...
I recently stumbled upon this...
https://scoop.me/housing-first-finland-homelessness/
It’ll just mean landlords selling up en masse and no landlords will buy the properties as there will be no returns to be had.
Not necessarily. When we had proper rent controls back in the 80s there was no shortage of property to rent and its not had much of an effect in Scotland where there has basically been a rent freeze and no no fault evictions for 3 years now IIRC. Yes its not a 100% freeze but its still there
If it does lead to landlords selling up then that will create downward price pressure in the market
~The UK housing market is totally dysfunctional and acts to transfer wealth from poor to rich
Pollsters know about this though, just as you do, and they try to account for it.
Yep, it is still not precise though is it. It is pretty much just making a load of educated guesses. Anyway, I would put a lot of money of betting that Starmer will not have the number of seats they are calculating.
Although now Sunak is teaming up with Neo Fascists (not Braverman this time) he really is going crazy on the anti immigration BS. And looks like Farage is now back on an anti immigration front to push him along. Hopefully they have misjudged that and it will heavily backfire as post from Ernie above suggests but let's see as anti immigration is a populist favourite that can work well.
A thoroughly depressing article in the Guardian today about section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. A 40% increase in the last 12 months, so homelessness is going through the roof.
This is a major contribution to all those councils who are suddenly finding themselves with huge holes in their budget.
When the ban on no-fault evictions was in place, homelessness presentations to the local councils dropped dramatically (plus this was during Covid) but now there's a sudden purge as landlords can evict again so there's a tsunami of homelessness. The evictions have been held back, held back and now the dam wall has been taken down and all of them are happening at the same time.
It's wrecked most councils' social care budgets.
Thinking about the homelessness crisis and the conservative spear head to further demonise it, it seems it’s actually cheaper as a society to make provisions
Milton Keynes did some great work in dramatically reducing homelessness and rough sleeping within the city by putting together a full inter-agency response centre with people actually based there, a sort of one-stop shop for homelessness. Beds, access to healthcare, food, advice about benefits... It worked wonders. I'm sure the press think it's all woke and why should we help these scroungers and what about my taxes but it was a very successful scheme.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-67370571
Asked if the Tories would do better in the election if the PM manages to start sending migrants to Rwanda, the polling guru said: “The short answer is no. Yes, some core voters are upset (about immigration).
I don't think he's trying to win any more votes as such with this - it's preventing even more votes disappearing off to the truly bigoted parties and pandering to the hard right nutters in his own party to try to keep that vaguely together.
I would put a lot of money of betting that Starmer will not have the number of seats they are calculating.
Me too. And my fellow voters scare me, Even from this unassailable position. We've done some monumentally stupid stuff in recent elections, please god don't let us do it again.
Yep, it is still not precise though is it.
It surprisingly accurate though with a typical margin of error of 1-3%. And according to the article in the Independent:
Sir John, who is renowned for his near 100 per cent accurate predictions on polling day.
The issue is that polls shift, often dramatically, as election day approaches, and people tend to only remember what the opinion polls were saying before the shift.
The problem for Rishi Sunak is that as election day gets ever closer there should be at least a very slight movement in his favour and there isn't, in fact if anything it is going the opposite way.
That wouldn't be so serious if the Labour lead was not so huge but with each passing day it is becoming obvious that what he needs to achieve is simply too great, even if he rallies support at the last minute.
I reckon that Rishi Sunak has less chance of surviving than a Palestinian waving a white flag.
it’s preventing even more votes disappearing off to the truly bigoted
He is doing the opposite though isn't he? By making the stop the boats his number one issue he is playing straight into their hands.
One of the reasons some people believe that stopping the boats is such an important issue is because they keep hearing on the telly and reading in the newspapers that the government and prime minister are saying that it is an incredibly important issue which deserves emergency legislation.
If people are being seduced by an appeal to their bigotry they might as well vote for a proper full-on bigot/racist party, eg Reform UK. That is precisely what is happening in other European countries.
surviving than a Palestinian waving a white flag.
Would have been better if you'd remembered that they were Israeli hostages waving the flag.
Would have been better if you’d remembered that they were Israeli hostages waving the flag.
I think you might have missed my point.
IE, what are the chances for a Palestinian waving a white flag?
Surviving to the election, or surviving electoral wipeout at an election?
As I said, the spectacular ability of the populace to shoot ourselves in the foot scares me but would another change make any difference now, or just cement the position that they couldn't run a bath right now, let alone a country.
What would the moderate / one nation tories do if there was another change and one of the loonies was voted in. Do they have the same power in reverse, to defect to LD or hold the party to HoC and 1922 voting ransom like the RW can now? Are they equally mad, but just don't need to show it yet.
I didn't really follow politics until the last 15 years, but when academics and teachers look back on this period in 50 years time, what will they make of it?
They will probably note that a major economic crisis like 2008 almost always results in a flight to the extremes.
He is doing the opposite though isn’t he? By making the stop the boats his number one issue he is playing straight into their hands.
I see your point, but I see it differently. Taking aside the pandering to the internal issues, if he drops and deprioritises it as an issue then the Reform UK can absolutely step in and say they're the only ones that are taking immigration seriously, and the racist voter defects to them. For now he can retain them, and he needs every vote he can get looking at those polls.
https://twitter.com/josiahmortimer/status/1736331679818473898?t=UaztiM0nIk3QJ3MZ277Z3w&s=19
Another tiny problem for the Rwanda policy....
if he drops and deprioritises it as an issue then the Reform UK can absolutely step in and say they’re the only ones that are taking immigration seriously
Isn't that precisely what the current appeal of Reform UK is based on? Only 1% of voters believe that the Rwanda policy will stop the boats. So if you agree with Rishi Sunak that stopping the boats is the most important issue facing the UK then voting Tory won't help.
Rishi Sunak is making a monumental mistake he should be playing down the importance of the issue and focusing instead on making empty promises about the economy.
The Tories have always been very good at that, convincing people to support nonsensical economic bollocks, from Thatcher through to Austerity Dave.
In other European countries where the mainstream conservative parties have jumped on the illegal migration bandwagon it is the far-right fringe parties that have benefitted, not them, look at France, Italy, Austria, etc, for examples, there is no reason to believe that the UK Conservatives will buck the trend.
And the threat that Reform UK poses to the Tories should not be underestimated, it is huge. If Labour do end up with a 200 seat majority it won't simply be because they are massively popular.
The predictions of a huge Labour majority are based on Labour's current standing in the opinion polls which is about 43-44%, Labour managed to get 40% in the 2017 (despite not being in government) so not a huge difference.
The big difference now is the unprecedented low level of support for the Tories. And this isn't because of increased support for the LibDems which has remained more or less the same for the last ten years.
The joker in the pack is Reform UK which is currently polling about 9%, just behind the LibDems. However if Rishi Sunak wants to play Reform UK at their own game I can guarantee that he will lose.
What possible reason is there for anyone who is currently saying that they will vote Reform UK to switch to the Conservatives? Because of a failed policy which Rishi Sunak claims is absolutely imperative and practically no one believes will ever succeed??
Another tiny
problem foropportunity from the Rwanda policy….
You’re not thinking like a Tory. Expect one of them to acquire an aircraft then lease it out on charter for a substantial mark up, unless Infosys has an aircraft to be chartered.
You’re not thinking like a Tory
That's a great compliment! I'll take that. 😂
You’re not thinking like a Tory. Expect one of them to acquire an aircraft then lease it out on charter for a substantial mark up, unless Infosys has an aircraft to be chartered.
You’re not thinking like a Tory either. You need to go full Grayling on this one….
Set up a company called Deportation Airways which still doesn’t have any actual aircraft, then award it a 200 million pound contract to not actually deport anyone
I'm sure the Tories can reach out to their Russian 'friends' and wet charter an aircraft, complete with aircrew - there are hundreds of Ilyushins and Tupolevs sitting unused just waiting to be used. The fact that they might crash is of no real consequence, but getting one into UK airspace might be tricky, but then again I'm sure Rishi can bung some cash to the CAA to make it happen.
In other European countries where the mainstream conservative parties have jumped on the illegal migration bandwagon it is the far-right fringe parties that have benefitted, not them, look at France, Italy, Austria, etc, for examples, there is no reason to believe that the UK Conservatives will buck the trend.
The differnce is PR. Most european parliaments are proportional which means minor parties can win seats. FPTP negates this in the UK. What has really happened is that the far right rather than forming their own party have taken over the tories. Wilders, Meloni etc would not be out of place in the modern tory party. Reform is just a pressure group to pressure the Tories to shift further to the right by threatening to take their votes ie splitting the right wing vote.
Myself I doubt reform will stand against tories
Myself I doubt reform will stand against tories
They absolutely will stand against the Tories. Richard Tyce has still never forgiven them for being had over by Johnson and standing down their candidates last time, only to see him go back on his promises once elected.
While you may rightfully say ‘more fool you for trusting Boris Johnson’, they certainly won’t be doing any deals this time around. Tyce is a vindictive bastard and seems to be absolutely relishing the prospect of splitting the elderly racist vote and seeing prominent Tories lose their seats
If only there was a party with a positive spin on fixing some of the problems - like actual problems facing folk today. No one dare go near solutions.
I hate the expression - they're all the same but it has gone that way.
Just levels of grimness.
McDonald's or Burger king? Both shite. Maybe one has a clown and the other is flame grilled but either not good for you.
The differnce is PR. Most european parliaments are proportional which means minor parties can win seats.
That's precisely why we are talking about a possible Labour 200 seat majority. Despite having a relatively small approx 9% level of support Reform UK could have a devastating effect on the Tory Party's fortune, as seat after seat falls to Labour. Thanks to first past the post.
If only there was a party with a positive spin on fixing some of the problems – like actual problems facing folk today. No one dare go near solutions.
Greens and SNP
Agreed Ernie - but unlike in most of Europe Reform will win no seats Reform is just a pressure group to make the tories move to the right - rather different to mainland europe where the centre right and far right both win seats. Tory policies are really much the same as the far right parties and as above both Wilders and Meloni would both be at home in the tory party
I don’t mind PR, but don’t forget that UKIP polled 14% and didn’t win a seat. That’s a sizeable disenfranchised minority, and is largely responsible for the mess the tories (and the rest of us) find ourselves in.
I’m a democrat to the core, and hate UKIP with a passion, but even I thought it was rough justice.
Hard one to call. Unlike the last election, there isn't a Brexit dream to chase/lose, so splitting the vote in key seats isn't as risky for Tyce's mob. On the other hand... it could all be brinksmanship to hold the feet to the fire of whoever is currently Tory PM. Who knows where they'll stand candidates, and who they're prepared to bring down on the Tory side. They could decide to get a commitment from each MP before withdrawing their candidate... or even be talking to some behind the scene about a possible bait and switch to become "Reform" MPs once elected... approaches have already happened in a few cases... was it Gullis that openly rejected an offer to switch in return for cash, or one of the others? [ EDIT: it was Lee Anderson, not Gullis ]
- From TJ's point... these UKIP/Brexit/Reform parties have all been more like the Tea Party in the USA than the separate parties all over Europe. Changing Tory policy, and getting their own people into local constituencies memberships and even into parliament with Tory rosettes.
- From Binners point... the way things currently look, Tyce has no fear of damaging the Tories at this election. Has nothing really to lose. That could change between now and election. Not least because Farage hasn't played a hand yet, and won't 'till it gets him maximum exposure... I'm guessing that'll be the week the election date is revealed by the government.
Look how comfortable the horrible little **** is in this photo.
That's Giorgia Meloni, yeah?
She’s a full on fascist and makes no attempt to hide it. Other attendees this weekend, who Sunak was cosying up too we’re such delightful characters as Steve Bannon and Viktor Orbán
That’s the company the present UK prime minister is very publicly keeping
I know that he’s trying to reassure the racist loons that he’s on their side, but I can’t see many voters, outside a real far right hardcore, thinking this is a particularly good look for ‘Global Britain’
I think enjoys being taller than another delegate.
That’s Giorgia Meloni, yeah?
the recently single Giorgia Meloni 😉?
More great news for Rishi in todays Observer. It looks like the man-frog is indeed set to rejoin Tyce and Co in the Reform party in the new year
Farage plans return to ‘help Reform UK make election about immigration
Agreed Ernie – but unlike in most of Europe Reform will win no seats
No they are highly unlikely to win any seats despite probably polling only two or three percent less than the LibDems, thanks to their support being spread out and the effect of first past the post.
But that's not the point. The point is that they are very likely to help Labour secure a huge majority.
The other point is that Rishi Sunak dancing to their tune is very likely to help them, not the Tories.
And the great news for Reform UK is that, like Labour, they don't have to do anything, just sit back and let the Tories do all the work for them. How many people can name their leaders apart from Farage? Never mind their actual policies!
the man-frog
Racist!
No need to refer to his French Huguenot asylum-seeking heritage. And his poncy french name.
Edit: For the record my surname is 100% french.
Corrupt ****er.
Reform have to run candidates in this election or they are toast. They conveniently dropped out of the last election, if they drop out of this one then even the loons will wonder whats the point if you can't even vote for them at any point.
What possible reason is there for anyone who is currently saying that they will vote Reform UK to switch to the Conservatives?
If Torys can get even more nasty to get within at least toucing distance of Reforms policies then I could see people going back to the Tories as at least they have a chance of getting an MP or even winning the election (obviously they don't but better bet than Reform). May as well get 90% of the nastiness and get some sort of power than just a potential wasted vote and end up with the wokerati Labour.