Continuation General UK politics [2]

[Captain_Swoop]

Originally Posted by The Don

Channelling Jimmy Carr...

That Hitler chap caused WWII and was responsible for the Holocaust but OTOH, you've got to agree with his views on Pikeys

The right wing are always suspicious of learning in general and teachers in particular. How can you reliably keep the lower orders in their place if they manage to acquire an education ?

All you need to know, "the guidance does not change existing legal requirements".
It's noise to keep MPs and the Telegraph happy.

[Wudang]

Originally Posted by The Don

I'd be interested to know the extent that crypto-currencies actually help the countries in which they're based. I thought that the whole idea of crypto was that it was stateless and anonymous.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1...665401345.html
On how crypto miners in Kazakhstan caused problems.

Basically cryptocurrencies rely on the Greater_fool_theory^WP so should be perfectly at home in a country that voted to impose sanctions on itself.

[catsmate]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Matt Hancock tweets
@MattHancock
It is vital the UK becomes home to new innovations, like fintech and crypto currencies.

Oh good grief, he has not a clue.

[jimbob]

You are saying this as though it's surprising.

Have you been asleep since Johnson became PM?

[Captain_Swoop]

Jake Berry on Question Time. "Michael Gove is absolutely the person to lead levelling up the North".

What was it that Gove said about at Thatcher crushing the miners? “ treading on the dirty toothless face of the north” or some such.

[catsmate]

Originally Posted by jimbob

You are saying this as though it's surprising.

Have you been asleep since Johnson became PM?

He could at least try taking it.

[Captain_Swoop]

Michael Rosen tweeted
@MichaelRosenYes
Dear Mr Zahawi
Next week, I'm talking to some Sixth Formers. I was going to talk about two of my books: 1) how the Nazis killed my relatives 2) how the NHS saved my life. I am worried that this may be too political. Can you advise please?
Yours
Michael Rosen.

[Captain_Swoop]

The government want to spend £12 MILLION on a commemorative book about the Queen for primary school children.

That could pay for 5,217,391 'free' school meals.

[catsmate]

Originally Posted by catsmate

He could at least try taking it.

Aaaargh. Faking it.

[Mojo]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

The government want to spend £12 MILLION on a commemorative book about the Queen for primary school children.

That could pay for 5,217,391 'free' school meals.

Or one out of court settlement.

[jimbob]

Originally Posted by catsmate

Aaaargh. Faking it.

NOW I understand what you meant.

[Captain_Swoop]

Liz Truss says ‘There will be nowhere to hide for those oligarchs close to Putin’


They’re not hiding

The wife of Putin's ex-finance minister Lubov Chernukin is one of 14 'elite' donors who attended the Tory 'advisory board' giving her access to the PM's team where she is said to have lobbied against tax rises for ultra-rich.

[Captain_Swoop]

Apparently the Home Office is investigating racist WhatsApp group texts sent by immigration workers.

That's the same Home Office that made Windrush happen, that sent out "Go Home" vans?, that mooted using sonic boom devices against dinghies in the Channel, that wants to criminalise the RNLI saving lives and wanted a 'hostile environment'.

[Captain_Swoop]

In 2018, after the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, NATO called an urgency summit to discuss Russian sanctions. Johnson left it, skipped his security detail & flew to Italy where he met an ex-KGB officer whose son he later ennobled

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...er-nato-summit

[p0lka]

He's called Boris for a reason.

[Captain_Swoop]

Electoral Commission tweeted
@ElectoralCommUK
Today Electoral Commissioners have written to UK Ministers urging the Government to reconsider measures in the Elections Bill that seek to change the oversight arrangements of the Electoral Commission (1/4)

It is the firm view of the Commissioners that the introduction of a Strategy and Policy Statement – enabling the Government to guide the work of the Commission – is inconsistent with the role that an independent electoral commission plays in a healthy democratic system (2/4)

If made law, these provisions will enable a government in the future to influence the Commission’s operational functions and decision-making, which risks undermining confidence in the independence and impartiality of the Commission (3/4)

The letter from the Commissioners urging the Government to think again about the measures is available on our website: https://electoralcommission.org.uk/w...elections-bill (4/4)

https://www.electoralcommission.org....elections-bill

[Vixen]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Apparently the Home Office is investigating racist WhatsApp group texts sent by immigration workers.

That's the same Home Office that made Windrush happen, that sent out "Go Home" vans?, that mooted using sonic boom devices against dinghies in the Channel, that wants to criminalise the RNLI saving lives and wanted a 'hostile environment'.

Judging by the policemen caught taking selfies of murdered sisters and the remains of Sarah Everard and the news that cops caught being sexist and racist were promoted to higher positions, why, it is just a matter of time before those immigration workers get promoted!

My first job was in the civil service dealing with sickness benefit claimants and based in Kilburn, which has a very high Irish population. It was a shock to me to hear my coworkers scornfully calling them 'those lazy malingering paddies just claiming their drinking money' on a near daily basis and disgusting racism in general. For example, 'This car passed me on the motorway and it was driven by a P***. Coming to this country and having a better car than us!' was quite normal.

I very quickly went back to higher education when I saw how grim it was in the civil service despite passing the civil service fast track selection.

[Darat]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Electoral Commission tweeted
@ElectoralCommUK
Today Electoral Commissioners have written to UK Ministers urging the Government to reconsider measures in the Elections Bill that seek to change the oversight arrangements of the Electoral Commission (1/4)

It is the firm view of the Commissioners that the introduction of a Strategy and Policy Statement – enabling the Government to guide the work of the Commission – is inconsistent with the role that an independent electoral commission plays in a healthy democratic system (2/4)

If made law, these provisions will enable a government in the future to influence the Commission’s operational functions and decision-making, which risks undermining confidence in the independence and impartiality of the Commission (3/4)

The letter from the Commissioners urging the Government to think again about the measures is available on our website: https://electoralcommission.org.uk/w...elections-bill (4/4)

https://www.electoralcommission.org....elections-bill

This wouldn't be needed if the EC wasn't so wishy washy with its "independence and impartiality", everyone knows that is key to their role but obviously that shouldn't apply to the Tories!

[Wudang]

Keith Burge on twitter

Johnson's barrage of sanctions in full:
- no Russian will be allowed to interfere in more than one EU Referendum
- no Russian buying a tennis match with the PM will be allowed to serve first
- no Russian donating to the Tory Party will be allowed seconds at the donors' dinner.

[jimbob]

Originally Posted by Wudang

Keith Burge on twitter

Johnson's barrage of sanctions in full:
- no Russian will be allowed to interfere in more than one EU Referendum
- no Russian buying a tennis match with the PM will be allowed to serve first
- no Russian donating to the Tory Party will be allowed seconds at the donors' dinner.

Same guy

Quote:

It's just as well Putin isn't on Universal Credit, otherwise he might have had to deal with a meaningful sanction.

[Captain_Swoop]

Culture Secretary won’t shut down Russian propaganda station RT News because ‘fweeeee speech’ but would love to see the back of Channel 4 and BBC

[P.J. Denyer]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Culture Secretary won’t shut down Russian propaganda station RT News because ‘fweeeee speech’ but would love to see the back of Channel 4 and BBC

Not to mention the hypocrisy of

Starmer: "Review RT's license"
Johnson: "I've already instructed the Culture Secretary to do so"
Also Johnson: "Kier Starmer wants to ban RT"

[Captain_Swoop]

I can remember in the 80's the Tories claimed that Labour, trade unions, CND and environmental groups were funded by Russia.
It turns out that the Tories were the main beneficiaries of Russian cash.

[Mojo]

Russian TV broadcasts in UK a ‘disinformation campaign’, says Dorries

[Mojo]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

It turns out that the Tories were the main beneficiaries of Russian cash.

At least the idiots are useful to someone.

[Vixen]

The UK, having been lumbered with one of the weakest Prime Ministers in history during a catastrophic and chaotic pandemic is now the UK figurehead against the Russia-Ukraine attack. With Boris Johnson's long history of enabling Russian oligarchs - one is in the House of Lords, thanks to his close friendship with Johnson (Johnson even travelled to Italy to visit him, shaking off his Personal Protection security) - his claims to be taking a really tough stance against Russia sounds hollow and insincere.

Add to that the juvenile school boy language: he's going to introduce a 'massive' package of sanctions that will 'hobble' the Russian economy (jipes! crikey!) one wonders whether James O'Brien of LBC TalkRadio wouldn't make a far better Prime Minister than the current incumbent.

Whether you think his commentary is 'A Taxi Driver Rants' or 'Great Philosophers of Our Day', O'Brien always seems to hammer the current issues home, bang on the nail.

Here's what James O'Brien has to say about Prime Minister Boris Johnson as figurehead for the UK in respect of the Ukraine crisis:

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the ISF. The ISF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

[Captain_Swoop]

wrong thread

[GlennB]

In other news, from yesterday ...

"Rishi Sunak has been sent a questionnaire by the Metropolitan police over his attendance at a birthday party held for Boris Johnson while tough Covid restrictions were in force."

ytf has it taken so long?

story

[zooterkin]

Jonathan Pie on Twitter:

Originally Posted by @JonathanPieNews

This is the man who calls his opposition: ‘Captain Hindsight’.

Originally Posted by @AdamBienkov

Adam Bienkov

"The old concepts of fighting big tank battles on European land mass are over," said Boris Johnson last November, as he mocked the idea of armed conflict returning to Europe.

[Vixen]

Oh-oh.

Quote:

Joel Baccas 🇯🇲🇪🇺🇺🇸@JoelBaccas·1hCan you imagine how pink with rage the faces of #Brexit hams would get if #Refugees came to the UK from #Ukraine?

#Europe #PutinIsaWarCriminal

https://twitter.com/JoelBaccas/statu...aBXjQamy8tPKzA

[Captain_Swoop]

Originally Posted by zooterkin

Jonathan Pie on Twitter:

Boris and his cronies wanted rid of the tanks and the money spent on sexy 'Cyber' and Drones. They are modern and glamorous and more importantly cheaper.
Plus there is more opportunity to funnel public money to their friends to research and develop the 'cyber' stuff. It's a lot harder to gauge value for money developing computer systems compared to tanks.

[Vixen]

Whilst other countries have waived visa rules*, the UK Home Office an hour ago has put up directions on how UK citizens or residents with Ukrainian dependents can apply for a visa.

Quote:

Home Office@ukhomeoffice📍 UPDATE on our Visa Application Centres in the region:

The UK Government has an extensive visa application centre network in neighbouring countries. Ukrainians in these countries can access these services & apply for visas under existing immigration routes.

A THREAD 👇

<snip>

Home Office@ukhomeoffice·1hMore staff have been surged to Visa Application Centres.

Dependants of 🇬🇧 Nationals resident in 🇺🇦 needing a UK visa can apply through the new, temporary Lviv location or through a Visa Application Centre in nearby countries including Poland, Moldova, Romania & Hungary.

(3/4)

https://twitter.com/ukhomeoffice/sta...3rgE2ZPGlzBK5Q


*Although Ukraine is in the Schengen zone normally Ukrainians (or other EU citizens or third country persons) would still need to apply for residence or citizenship in the normal way, so it is not to do with the UK being outwith the EU.

Over 3 million people are expected to flee from Ukraine. Perhaps the rabid Brexiteer government is more worried about letting in East Europeans - whom they thought they had got rid of - than the unfolding great humanitarian crisis? Young children, mothers, elderly relatives, etc., who have had to leave their conscripted menfolk behind and their homes.

Why is the UK demanding 'applications from UK citizens/residents' only? Why haven't they opened the doors, albeit on a temporary emergency basis, to these poor displaced frightened people?

[Captain_Swoop]

Literally today the Home Office has released a short briefing explaining how its new anti-refugee law will enable deportation of a Ukrainian (or other) refugee who passes through a third country on the way to the UK for “overseas asylum processing”.

[llwyd]

This not over the top at all, sadly: https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...utin-donations

[jimbob]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Boris and his cronies wanted rid of the tanks and the money spent on sexy 'Cyber' and Drones. They are modern and glamorous and more importantly cheaper.
Plus there is more opportunity to funnel public money to their friends to research and develop the 'cyber' stuff. It's a lot harder to gauge value for money developing computer systems compared to tanks.

From 2019 - a different thread but showing how dim that idea was

Originally Posted by jimbob

Originally Posted by MRC_Hans

Mmm, modern warfare is bifurcating into two distinctive scenarios:

1) All out superpower war. Here nothing matters, because tanks and indeed any kind of armor is outdated.

2) Interfering in local wars. Here, you are typically up against non-sophisticated adversaries, with fairly light weapons. However, even light losses are hard to accept (because the home country is in peace condition). Here moderate armor is useful, and hi-tech weapons make the day.

Stuff like heavy tanks are museum exhibits.

Hans

I think Ukraine might beg to differ.

Originally Posted by theprestige

Israel, too. They have some of the heaviest main battle tanks in current service, and their doctrine seems to be based on the assumption that they're surrounded by regimes that would happily roll tank treads from the Jordan to the sea, if there weren't heavy tanks in the force arrayed against them.

[Mojo]

Originally Posted by llwyd

This not over the top at all, sadly: https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...utin-donations

Boris claims that the Tories are rooting out corrupt Russian money, but I suspect that, if true, it may be in the sense of seeking donations.

[Darat]

Originally Posted by Mojo

Boris claims that the Tories are rooting out corrupt Russian money, but I suspect that, if true, it may be in the sense of seeking donations.

And of course if Labour try to raise the issue of Russia and the Tories it will be them in the wrong for "playing politics" when our friends are in such dire need, when we all need to pull together*.


*the Tories need to pull together to try and hide any evidence of their links to Russia and Russian money

[Lothian]

It is hard to know how to help with the current situation. I am however boycotting Russian owned corporations
Gazprom, Lukoil, Rosneft, Sberbank, British Conservative Party, Russian Railways, Rostec.

[Darat]

Originally Posted by Mojo

Boris claims that the Tories are rooting out corrupt Russian money, but I suspect that, if true, it may be in the sense of seeking donations.

To be fair it should be quite easy for them to find Russian money....

[Wudang]

Was it here or twitter someone said that when Liz Truss summoned the Russian ambassador she reminded him to bring his chequebook.