UK General Discussion

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Ronnie Biggs had died. I mention this purely to note that the BBC are probably delighted (they're broadcasting a two-part drama about the Great Train Robbery starting tonight), and also for the comments of the General Secretary of ASLEF (train drivers union) on the news:

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Burn

[Serenity Now]

Ronnie Biggs had died. I mention this purely to note that the BBC are probably delighted (they're broadcasting a two-part drama about the Great Train Robbery starting tonight), and also for the comments of the General Secretary of ASLEF (train drivers union) on the news:

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Burn

I like this a lot.

[You kip if you want to...]

What is it with Guardian writers forever going on about how Labour will win the next election, but Labour entering government will spell the end for them? No election's ever a "good" one to lose for any political party. No wonder they endorsed the LibDems at the last election.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/26/2015-election-destroy-labour-ed-miliband

[You kip if you want to...]

And the Poll of the Year award for 2013 goes to YouGov.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Keir Starmer - who was the DPP until earlier this year - is to advise Labour on changing the law to protect victims of rape and sexual abuse. This is also generally being seen as the first step of an entry into politics.

[afleitch]

Keir Starmer - who was the DPP until earlier this year - is to advise Labour on changing the law to protect victims of rape and sexual abuse. This is also generally being seen as the first step of an entry into politics.

Better not tweet a joke about it...

[DC Al Fine]

And the Poll of the Year award for 2013 goes to YouGov.

I find it really funny that 1/25 Brits thinks Santa is a white nationalist.

[You kip if you want to...]

Farage says that we should take in Syrian refugees, UKIPers explode. Such fun.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Farage says that we should take in Syrian refugees, UKIPers explode. Such fun.

Maybe now the BNP will surge in the polls too.

[All Along The Watchtower]

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http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/12/28/david-cameron-ukip-immigration_n_4511052.html

[You kip if you want to...]

Farage says that we should take in Syrian refugees, UKIPers explode. Such fun.

Maybe now the BNP will surge in the polls too.

Don't worry. Farage gave in today and said he'd only accept Christian Syrian refugees.

[Supersonic]

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http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/12/28/david-cameron-ukip-immigration_n_4511052.html

Bright Blue are an embarrassment.

[You kip if you want to...]

http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2014/01/03/michael-gove-blasts-blackadder-for-spreading-left-wing-myths

[Cassius]

That is largely a fair comment with regards to Blackadder goes Fourth (although, not neccessarily left-wing myths in particular, after all, that phrase 'lions led by Donkeys' was coined by Alan Clark). I did indeed have to watch that in a Year 9 history lesson.

[ObserverIE]

http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2014/01/03/michael-gove-blasts-blackadder-for-spreading-left-wing-myths

I was rather under the impression that much of the Tory right viewed social Darwinism as a good thing (see Boris's recent comments about IQ).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The basic argument in Blackadder Goes Fourth is a classic example of a fantastical exaggeration that tells an important truth very effectively precisely because it is a fantastical exaggeration.

[Silent Hunter]

That is largely a fair comment with regards to Blackadder goes Fourth (although, not neccessarily left-wing myths in particular, after all, that phrase 'lions led by Donkeys' was coined by Alan Clark). I did indeed have to watch that in a Year 9 history lesson.

As did I - we had to get parental permission first though.

"The ruthless social Darwinism of the German elites, the pitiless approach they took to occupation, their aggressively expansionist war aims and their scorn for the international order all made resistance more than justified."

Er, I think he's talking about the other war...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

So it is true then. The Thatcher government did indeed have a secret hit list of pits to close. Amongst other things.

Also, Nick Griffin is now financially as well as morally and ideologically bankrupt.

[You kip if you want to...]

The thing I found about this Blackadder comment was Gove's total lack of irony and self-awareness.

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[ObserverIE]

The basic argument in Blackadder Goes Fourth is a classic example of a fantastical exaggeration that tells an important truth very effectively precisely because it is a fantastical exaggeration.

I don't think Gove gets satire. At least not consciously.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

That is largely a fair comment with regards to Blackadder goes Fourth (although, not neccessarily left-wing myths in particular, after all, that phrase 'lions led by Donkeys' was coined by Alan Clark). I did indeed have to watch that in a Year 9 history lesson.

As did I - we had to get parental permission first though.

"The ruthless social Darwinism of the German elites, the pitiless approach they took to occupation, their aggressively expansionist war aims and their scorn for the international order all made resistance more than justified."

Er, I think he's talking about the other war...

Not really.  Ever hear of the Rape of Belgium?  Granted, a large portion of it was exaggerated war time propaganda, but there was a kernel of truth to it and even the exaggerations were mostly believed at the time by the propagandists.

[Silent Hunter]

Not really.  Ever hear of the Rape of Belgium?  Granted, a large portion of it was exaggerated war time propaganda, but there was a kernel of truth to it and even the exaggerations were mostly believed at the time by the propagandists.

Yes, I'm aware of the invasion of Belgium, but the rest of it?

[Cassius]

Not really.  Ever hear of the Rape of Belgium?  Granted, a large portion of it was exaggerated war time propaganda, but there was a kernel of truth to it and even the exaggerations were mostly believed at the time by the propagandists.

Yes, I'm aware of the invasion of Belgium, but the rest of it?

I would query the social darwinism comment (which I'm not sure ever went mainstream amongst the Prussian juncker elite, though I could be wrong), but the Germans certainly did show a flagrant disregard for the international order (invading neutral Belgium is the prime example of this) and were hopeful that they could get some land out of the war.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Polls of particular occupations or other groups are not generally that reliable for various reasons, but the recent one by YouGov (for the NUT) of teachers is pretty amusing:

Labour 57%, Tories, 16%, LibDems 8%, UKIP 8%, Greens 8%, Others 4%

LOL

[YL]

Lord Ashcroft has done another of his large sample size polls.  The headline voting intention appears to be Lab 39 Con 30 UKIP 16 LD 8; Ashcroft's main discussion is about people who either voted Tory last time and say they won't now and those who didn't vote Tory in 2010 and say they might in the future.