Stop voting for fucking Tories

[Insane_Homer]

[Insane_Homer]

[JM2K6]

I see we're off to the voter suppression and disenfranchisement races with the new Republican, I mean Tory, proposal to introduce photo ID requirements for elections.

I'd be surprised at tactics to exclude the poor and minorities from the democratic process, but, well, Tory scum and all that.

Also 10 years in the clink for damaging statues. Jesus.

Why do people in the US and UK think its so hard for the poor and minorities to get photo id's. People where I live find it easy. And they're poorer than anyone in the UK.

https://indivisible.org/resource/voter- ... e-barriers

There's no reason for voter IDs in the first place. It's a "solution" in search of a problem.

[JM2K6]

Incidentally, the new crime bill sounds fucking horrific: https://www.politics.co.uk/comment/2021 ... otest-law/

and of course they're rushing it through

[SaintK]

Incidentally, the new crime bill sounds fucking horrific: https://www.politics.co.uk/comment/2021 ... otest-law/

and of course they're rushing it through

It will bring a smirk to the Home Secretary's face no doubt

High-profile protests around Brexit, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the climate crisis have been thorns in the Government’s side over the last couple of years. By and large, these protests have been peaceful and have acted as effective ways for people to express their dissatisfaction with the Government.
However, the Home Secretary, in particular, doesn’t seem to like dissenting voices – nor does she want to engage with the root causes of these protests, preferring instead to brand protesters “so-called eco-crusaders turned criminals” and to accuse them of “hooliganism and thuggery”.

[tabascoboy]

Incidentally, the new crime bill sounds fucking horrific: https://www.politics.co.uk/comment/2021 ... otest-law/

and of course they're rushing it through

It will bring a smirk to the Home Secretary's face no doubt

High-profile protests around Brexit, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the climate crisis have been thorns in the Government’s side over the last couple of years. By and large, these protests have been peaceful and have acted as effective ways for people to express their dissatisfaction with the Government.
However, the Home Secretary, in particular, doesn’t seem to like dissenting voices – nor does she want to engage with the root causes of these protests, preferring instead to brand protesters “so-called eco-crusaders turned criminals” and to accuse them of “hooliganism and thuggery”.

Wonder what she'd have done in the days of the Countryside Alliance protests? Oh wait, no those would have been "lawful demonstrations"

The pro-Conservative Party press depicted the demonstration as the march of the “humble farmer”, a swelling of outrage from the marginalised countryside towards the arrogance of the “urban establishment” in parliament.

Leading the chorus was the Daily Telegraph, which, beginning with the front-page banner headline “407,791 voices cry freedom”, devoted its first five pages of Monday’s issue to the march and promised an eight-page souvenir supplement the following day.

[Hal Jordan]

We're headed down the Orban route, and no mistake. And the flag shaggers will cheer it on because owning the libs.

[fishfoodie]

We're headed down the Orban route, and no mistake. And the flag shaggers will cheer it on because owning the libs.

All in the nick of time for the Climate confrence

[SaintK]

Oh dear!

The former neighbour of Matt Hancock who is supplying the NHS with millions of Covid test tubes joked to the health secretary that he had “never heard of him” during a private WhatsApp exchange.

The exchange, seen by the Guardian, suggests Alex Bourne, a former publican who had no prior experience of producing medical devices before he began supplying the government, may have downplayed his relationship with Hancock in public.

The messages, which suggest an easy familiarity between the two men, were sent in late November, shortly before the Guardian published a story about Bourne’s work supplying the NHS and his links to the health secretary.

In a WhatsApp message Hancock sent to Bourne about the imminent story, the health secretary called the newspaper “a rag”. Bourne wrote back: “Matt Hancock – never heard of him” before assuring the health secretary that his lawyers were “all over” a reporter investigating their connection “like a tramp on chips”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021 ... ex-bourne

[Biffer]

The government has finally, after a week of pressure from MPs and journalists, published the methodology used to decide who gets money from the levelling up fund.

The most important factor in their decisions? Journey time by car to a significant centre of employment.

So, in giving out money to improve the economy of an are, how quick you can travel by car is more relevant than

- poverty levels
- unemployment
- productivity levels
- the government’s own deprivation index

Which is why relatively well off areas like the Derbyshire Dales, Lewis and Richmondshire (the Chancellors constituency) get funding.

Oh, and the travel time wasn’t included in the calculations for Scottish or Welsh areas. So areas like the Highlands aren't on the priority list.

Fùcking slimy shits.

[Hal Jordan]

No doubt the money will be carefully applied with the utmost of transparency and scrutiny.

In other news, why not see the offences which carry a lesser maximum sentence than pushing over a statue?

https://www.thelawpages.com/court-cases/maximums.php

Confected. Culture. War. Distraction.

[Insane_Homer]

https://www.thenational.scot/news/19154 ... -revealed/

Home Office accused of 'gross incompetence' as cost of failed tech revealed

In a report released today, the failings are due to a “lack of effective leadership, management and oversight”.

Delays to the Digital Services at the Border (DSAB) programme have cost the taxpayer £173 million so far. The Border Crossing part of the programme is being used by only 300 border staff, against the 7000 supposed to be using the system by June. Previous attempts to roll out the Border Crossing experienced technical difficulties.

The Home Office is planning for more than 140 million passengers a year to pass through its new DSAB systems but it still has “no proof that systems can cope with passenger volumes that existed prior to Covid-19, let alone the 6% annual growth in the volume of passengers” it predicts.

SNP home affairs spokesperson Stuart McDonald said: “The gross incompetence of the Home Office with regards to immigration and border technology continues to appal. Its record on delivering technology programmes has been shameful, and this latest attempt is no different.”

...

Chair of the committee Meg Hillier MP said: “Immigration and border security are among the biggest political issues of our time. It is incredible that the Home Office can have failed so badly, for so long, to deliver technology that is crucial to our national security objectives.

“The Home Office has struggled to get to grips with the technical challenges, resetting the programme and changing the leadership repeatedly. And it is the taxpayer hit by both the financial cost and the risks to our security.”

[Insane_Homer]

[Hal Jordan]

I see that the BBC have axed The Mash Report. What possible reason could Tory donor and Tory appointee BBC director General Tim Davies, who has set out his stall against woke lefties who are rude about the Government and Brexit, have against this satirical show?

And, "It's shit" isn't a reason as Mrs Brown's Boys has been renewed to 2026.

Along with the proposed laws to let the police decide what is and isn't valid protest, the castration of the media in general and the total and wilful lack of accountability to Parliament or society exhibited by the Government and its chums, the suppression of any form dissent is really disturbing.

[Mahoney]

If something's both shit and unpopular it surely deserves to be canned. Bafflingly Mrs Brown's Boys is apparently popular; is The Mash Report?

[Ymx]

Who currently does decide what is grounds for a protest?

Who do we think it should be if not police?

[JM2K6]

Who currently does decide what is grounds for a protest?

Who do we think it should be if not police?

You can't possibly mean to say that "deciding what we're allowed to protest about" should be in the hands of the government or security services?

[JM2K6]

If something's both shit and unpopular it surely deserves to be canned. Bafflingly Mrs Brown's Boys is apparently popular; is The Mash Report?

Broadcast-wise it does under a million per ep, but then gets tens of millions viewing clips and stuff online.

[tabascoboy]

Who currently does decide what is grounds for a protest?

Who do we think it should be if not police?

Our media seems to think it's their role

[Paddington Bear]

I see that the BBC have axed The Mash Report. What possible reason could Tory donor and Tory appointee BBC director General Tim Davies, who has set out his stall against woke lefties who are rude about the Government and Brexit, have against this satirical show?

And, "It's shit" isn't a reason as Mrs Brown's Boys has been renewed to 2026.

Along with the proposed laws to let the police decide what is and isn't valid protest, the castration of the media in general and the total and wilful lack of accountability to Parliament or society exhibited by the Government and its chums, the suppression of any form dissent is really disturbing.

Mrs Brown's Boys is really popular. Christ knows why but it is. The Mash Report hits the KPIs of not being particularly popular and not being funny.
The idea that there is a suppression of any form of dissent in the UK is, I'm afraid, just silly.

[I like neeps]

I see that the BBC have axed The Mash Report. What possible reason could Tory donor and Tory appointee BBC director General Tim Davies, who has set out his stall against woke lefties who are rude about the Government and Brexit, have against this satirical show?

And, "It's shit" isn't a reason as Mrs Brown's Boys has been renewed to 2026.

Along with the proposed laws to let the police decide what is and isn't valid protest, the castration of the media in general and the total and wilful lack of accountability to Parliament or society exhibited by the Government and its chums, the suppression of any form dissent is really disturbing.

Mrs Brown's Boys is really popular. Christ knows why but it is. The Mash Report hits the KPIs of not being particularly popular and not being funny.
The idea that there is a suppression of any form of dissent in the UK is, I'm afraid, just silly.

Since when has actually being surpressed mattered? Journalism 101 these days is to say you've been cancelled on twitter and then say it again in one national newspaper, another national newspaper, maybe a third national newspaper. Then you say you've been cancelled on TV spots you've been invited onto, then you say it again on another tv show. And then you say it some more on twitter.

[JM2K6]

I don't think it's an easy line to draw from "The Mash Report" being cancelled to "they're suppressing dissent", but there are certainly very worrying aspects to the current Tory mob's openly-held views and motives regarding the right to protest, broadcast laws, etc and their parachuting of hardcore arseholes into key roles at OFCOM and the BBC. The new BBC DG is the sort of twat who uses "virtue signalling" unironically, like the worst kind of forum warrior, banned BBC staff from expressing any support for social movements on social media or joining any kind of protests or events that were "taking a stand on political or contested issues". Except Andrew Neil, of course.

So while the government tries to make the laws surrounding protests even tighter, to the point where it essentially gives the cops full rights to bin off any protest whatsoever if it makes any noise, and the new DG is an "anti-woke" champion who's bitterly complained about comedy being too left-wing and making fun of the government, I can certainly see why the TV show that heavily satirises the Tory government and whose lead comedian provokes furious loathing from the right wing being cancelled has led to a few people drawing the same conclusions.

[Insane_Homer]

The idea that there is a suppression of any form of dissent in the UK is, I'm afraid, just silly.

ORLY!? The Sun gleefully proclaims otherwise...

the sun.JPG (60.58 KiB) Viewed 882 times

Meanwhile elsewhere...

Oborne even claims that "senior BBC executives [...] tell me they personally think it's wrong to expose lies told by a British prime minister because it undermines trust in British politics. Is that a reason for giving Johnson free rein to make any false claim he wants?"

[Ymx]

Who currently does decide what is grounds for a protest?

Who do we think it should be if not police?

You can't possibly mean to say that "deciding what we're allowed to protest about" should be in the hands of the government or security services?

I’ve not made a proposal. Certainly haven’t proposed the govt. as per Russia, etc.

I was asking the question. Who should it be if not the police? Royal family ... snigger

Or should any protest be permitted?

[JM2K6]

Who currently does decide what is grounds for a protest?

Who do we think it should be if not police?

You can't possibly mean to say that "deciding what we're allowed to protest about" should be in the hands of the government or security services?

I’ve not made a proposal. Certainly haven’t proposed the govt. as per Russia, etc.

I was asking the question. Who should it be?

Or should any protest be permitted?

The right to protest is a core human right tbh. The idea that the government or police should be able to decide what is or isn't valid protest is incredibly chilling. It's something the government and police would definitely like to quash in its entirety, and they should never be given the power to do so.

[Ymx]

Not sure why you keep mixing govt in to it.

But are you saying any protest should be legal?

[Ymx]

Any protest which doesn’t violate the law should be permitted would be my thought?

Now we need just need some facility or group to uphold the law.

[Paddington Bear]

The idea that there is a suppression of any form of dissent in the UK is, I'm afraid, just silly.

ORLY!? The Sun gleefully proclaims otherwise...
the sun.JPG



Meanwhile elsewhere...

Oborne even claims that "senior BBC executives [...] tell me they personally think it's wrong to expose lies told by a British prime minister because it undermines trust in British politics. Is that a reason for giving Johnson free rein to make any false claim he wants?"

The Sun celebrates the cancelling of a show it dislikes is not the 'stifling of any dissent towards government'. It will most likely get picked up by Channel 4, also government funded. Hell, Kumar has been able to respond on a public forum picked up by all major news outlets that he thinks the PM is a liar and a racist. Such dictatorship!

Seriously, let's get some perspective.

[JM2K6]

Not sure why you keep mixing govt in to it.

But are you saying any protest should be legal?

Protest came up because of new laws being rushed through by the government. That's where government comes into it.

Any protest which doesn’t violate the law should be permitted would be my thought?

Now we need just need some facility or group to uphold the law.

And if laws are created that effectively make protests illegal, well, that's just tough luck I suppose? Everyone's favourite kind of protest - the one that no-one can see, hear, or be at all inconvenienced by. That'll definitely change things.

https://www.politics.co.uk/comment/2021 ... otest-law/

[JM2K6]

The idea that there is a suppression of any form of dissent in the UK is, I'm afraid, just silly.

ORLY!? The Sun gleefully proclaims otherwise...
the sun.JPG



Meanwhile elsewhere...

Oborne even claims that "senior BBC executives [...] tell me they personally think it's wrong to expose lies told by a British prime minister because it undermines trust in British politics. Is that a reason for giving Johnson free rein to make any false claim he wants?"

The Sun celebrates the cancelling of a show it dislikes is not the 'stifling of any dissent towards government'. It will most likely get picked up by Channel 4, also government funded. Hell, Kumar has been able to respond on a public forum picked up by all major news outlets that he thinks the PM is a liar and a racist. Such dictatorship!

Seriously, let's get some perspective.

It is incredibly disingenous to not even acknowledge that a major newspaper is claiming (gleefully) that the show was cancelled because of "bias against the Tories and Brexit" and claiming to have a source. IH isn't saying the Sun is stifling dissent. IH is rightly saying that if the Sun is correct, then the show was cancelled because of its political views and its attacks on the government. Which is a pretty fucking good definition of stifling dissent.

[Insane_Homer]

The Sun celebrates the cancelling of a show it dislikes is not the 'stifling of any dissent towards government'.

So the Sun made this bit up did they?

Sources close to the director-general said he felt the genre needed a radical overhaul as it was too biased against the Tories and Brexit.

[Ymx]

I’m really not getting what you are saying.

Inciting hatred/violence protests are ok? They are illegal and police will have power to deny them. Like they do now, but now in advance.

Still not clear, if not the police, who should regulate them for legality? No one?

[JM2K6]

I’m really not getting what you are saying.

Inciting hatred/violence protests are ok? They are illegal and police will have power to deny them. Like they do now, but now in advance.

Still not clear, if not the police, who should regulate them for legality? No one?

I couldn't be clearer. Protesting is a human right. The government makes the laws, the police enforce the laws, these laws are intended to reduce and remove the power of protest to the point where it's nearly impossible to have any kind of effective protest.

"Inciting hatred" is a great example of the EDL protests. They were allowed. As they should be, even if they are scum.

What happens when people want to protest against the government that are setting the laws? Or protest against the laws? Or protest against the police (say, that sounds familiar)?

But fuck it, maybe we're all fine with the government who decided that toppling a statue of a slave owner should be lead to a stiffer sentence than a racially-aggravated ABH/GBH also making it so that police can effectively shut down any protest under the thinnest of pretences.

[Ymx]

Everyone's favourite kind of protest - the one that no-one can see, hear, or be at all inconvenienced by.

Yes our legal system will deny protests which inconvenience someone or entity. That’s exactly what’s happening here.

[Paddington Bear]

The Sun celebrates the cancelling of a show it dislikes is not the 'stifling of any dissent towards government'.

So the Sun made this bit up did they?

Sources close to the director-general said he felt the genre needed a radical overhaul as it was too biased against the Tories and Brexit.

You can't seriously equate this to 'stifling any dissent towards government', can you?

[JM2K6]

Everyone's favourite kind of protest - the one that no-one can see, hear, or be at all inconvenienced by.

Yes our legal system will deny protests which inconvenience someone or entity. That’s exactly what’s happening here.

I genuinely cannot tell if this is sarcasm or you playing it straight.

[Insane_Homer]

You can't seriously equate this to 'stifling any dissent towards government', can you?

Yes I can. So I'll ask again, do you think the Sun is lying?

[Paddington Bear]

You can't seriously equate this to 'stifling any dissent towards government', can you?

Yes I can. So I'll ask again, do you think the Sun is lying?

OK, if you think that the cancelling of a comedy show that will most likely air on another channel, and who's chair is currently being reported on in all national papers as calling the Prime Minister a liar and a racist constitutes a country where there is a crackdown on all possible dissent then I think you're mad and we'll leave it there.

[Insane_Homer]

You can't seriously equate this to 'stifling any dissent towards government', can you?

Yes I can. So I'll ask again, do you think the Sun is lying?

OK, if you think that the cancelling of a comedy show that will most likely air on another channel, and who's chair is currently being reported on in all national papers as calling the Prime Minister a liar and a racist constitutes a country where there is a crackdown on all possible dissent then I think you're mad and we'll leave it there.

answer the fucking question.

[JM2K6]

"A crackdown on all possible dissent" is wide of the mark. "Attempts being made to squash dissent where they have the power to do so", perhaps. They're not being very subtle about it, though.