Friday 22 July 2016

[AnatolyKasparov]

Does anyone think that Paul McGinn may have (wilfully?) misinterpreted a joke? Regarding the phoning of his father.

That looks very possible. Though it was maybe not the right time for such a thing even in jest?

[ohsocynical]

Yeah, because riding on the Westminster gravy train is exactly the same as working in sweat shop conditions to earn less than the minimum wage.

Where ambulances are called on a daily basis and a lady gave birth in the toilet.

Get a fucking grip.

ScreenShot01501.jpg

An alarming mindset amongst some of the people in charge ...

[AnatolyKasparov]

Not defending Smith on that, but it could well be at least as much an attempt to gain brownie points by dissing Sports Direct as a dig at Corbyn?

(and reinforcing the "I'm not a Blairite, see?" message he wants to project)

On that point, somebody in another place said they have heard his acceptance speech after last year's GE. Said it was basically a Bevanite rant

[TobyLatimer]

Yeah, because riding on the Westminster gravy train is exactly the same as working in sweat shop conditions to earn less than the minimum wage.

Where ambulances are called on a daily basis and a lady gave birth in the toilet.

Get a fucking grip.

ScreenShot01501.jpg

An alarming mindset amongst some of the people in charge ...

Who's writing his scripts ? Sounds like the sort of hyberbolic claptrap that Dan Hodges makes a living out of.

[TobyLatimer]

Not defending Smith on that, but it could well be at least as much an attempt to gain brownie points by dissing Sports Direct as a dig at Corbyn?

(and reinforcing the "I'm not a Blairite, see?" message he wants to project)

On that point, somebody in another place said they have heard his acceptance speech after last year's GE. Said it was basically a Bevanite rant

I've heard that too, he's clever enough though to use reasonable debate to get points across instead of being petty. My first thought was that this analogy was an insult to the thousands who do have no choice but to work in the 'Victorian' workhouse just down the road from here.

[TobyLatimer]

Jon Stewart to Trump Supporters: ‘You Don’t Own America’

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/jon-ste ... 201820140/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScreenShot01502.jpg (118.2 KiB) Viewed 6541 times

[PorFavor]

Does anyone think that Paul McGinn may have (wilfully?) misinterpreted a joke? Regarding the phoning of his father.

It doesn't fit the story as we're being told it, though. It follows, then, that I'm prepared to accept the possibility.



Edited to add a "though". Quite an important "though", though.


Edited again - typo.

[ohsocynical]

This was posted on my Lab. Facebook page.

Would be interested on views on the response issued by the Cabinet Office to the Petition calling for it to be made "illegal for any UK political figure to knowingly lie or mislead". Their response - which does not actually appear to address the crux of the question is as follows:

"The 7 principles of public life apply to those who hold public office. This includes people who are elected or appointed to public office, nationally and locally.
The principles also form the basis of ethical standards expected of holders of public office as set out in their respective Codes of Conduct.
The principles were first set out in 1995 by Lord Nolan, the founding Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) and are as relevant today as they were in 1995.

The Seven Principles of Public life are:

Selflessness
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

Integrity
Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

Objectivity
Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

Openness
Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for doing so.

Honesty
Holders of public office should be truthful.

Leadership
Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Cabinet Office"

Christ. What happened

[Willow904]

Does anyone think that Paul McGinn may have (wilfully?) misinterpreted a joke? Regarding the phoning of his father.

That was my suspicion, but Corbyn's spokesman is denying he said anything about McGinn's father. If it was a joke it was extremely tactless, so not something Corbyn's team would want to admit to. If he didn't say anything of the sort, we have to believe McGinn plucked this strange accusation out of thin air. Unfortunately it puts members in a position where they know someone is lying and have to judge who, with no objective information or facts. It's very poisonous.

[ohsocynical]

Jon Stewart to Trump Supporters: ‘You Don’t Own America’

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/jon-ste ... 201820140/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScreenShot01502.jpg

But an awful lot of them do. Republicans throw up the most appalling candidates, but it doesn't change those at the tops voting habits.
They're exactly like our Tories in that respect.

[ohsocynical]

Blimey. I'm always threatening grown ups I'll tell their mother or father if they've boobed. It usually raises laugh.

[utopiandreams]

As I said at the other place, I cannot put my finger on it but Owen Smith has reminded me of The Incredible Shrinking Man. Every time I see or hear him he seems somehow diminished. Perhaps this following post I made earlier gets to the heart of the matter...

I once had a job interview where all three shortlisted candidates were invited into a boardroom together with at least a dozen managers and line managers present. When asked why we thought we deserved the post there was no finger-pointing whatsoever. Guess what? The best man won of course.

[Willow904]

Does anyone think that Paul McGinn may have (wilfully?) misinterpreted a joke? Regarding the phoning of his father.

It doesn't fit the story as we're being told it, though. It follows, then, that I'm prepared to accept the possibility.



Edited to add a "though". Quite an important "though", though.


Edited again - typo.

It's possible it was meant as a joke but taken seriously. That's why I raised the thing about Corbyn saying he was going to sign his apples. It wasn't said like a joke, but if he meant it, it makes him look like a bit of an idiot. So you assume it was a joke and yet....I'm still not sure. Is there any indication how well McGinn knows Corbyn? If he doesn't know him well it could be very easy to get upset by something which wasn't meant that way. But then why would Corbyn's spokesperson deny completely anything was said? My guess would be because, even as a joke it's pretty insulting and backs up what has been said about Corbyn being difficult to work for. It would suit them better for people to think McGinn just maliciously made it up, which, of course, he could have done. I don't think it's possible to make a judgement or take a side at all on this one, based solely on the information currently in the public domain.

[ohsocynical]

'They were packed like Auschwitz trains':
Last of the 700 refugees who perished when their boat toppled over is pulled from the wreckage – one year on- as firefighters reveal the torment of the task
Firefighters tormented after pulling hundreds of refugees from wreckage
Five migrants per square metre in boat, likened to concentration camp train
Vessel found 85 miles north east of Libya, close to where tragedy unfolded
700 drowned in Mediterranean's worst catastrophe since World War Two
Experts will now try to identify the victims who were trapped below deck

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z4F8iITwQL

[utopiandreams]

... Indeed, it took someone as arrogantly stupid as Dave to attempt it.

Quite, Paul, indicative of a man who has not had to suffer the consequences of his actions.

[ohsocynical]

Does anyone think that Paul McGinn may have (wilfully?) misinterpreted a joke? Regarding the phoning of his father.

It doesn't fit the story as we're being told it, though. It follows, then, that I'm prepared to accept the possibility.



Edited to add a "though". Quite an important "though", though.


Edited again - typo.

It's possible it was meant as a joke but taken seriously. That's why I raised the thing about Corbyn saying he was going to sign his apples. It wasn't said like a joke, but if he meant it, it makes him look like a bit of an idiot. So you assume it was a joke and yet....I'm still not sure. Is there any indication how well McGinn knows Corbyn? If he doesn't know him well it could be very easy to get upset by something which wasn't meant that way. But then why would Corbyn's spokesperson deny completely anything was said? My guess would be because, even as a joke it's pretty insulting and backs up what has been said about Corbyn being difficult to work for. It would suit them better for people to think McGinn just maliciously made it up, which, of course, he could have done. I don't think it's possible to make a judgement or take a side at all on this one, based solely on the information currently in the public domain.

It's called a dry or wry sense of humour.

[PorFavor]

Does anyone think that Paul McGinn may have (wilfully?) misinterpreted a joke? Regarding the phoning of his father.

It doesn't fit the story as we're being told it, though. It follows, then, that I'm prepared to accept the possibility.



Edited to add a "though". Quite an important "though", though.


Edited again - typo.

It's possible it was meant as a joke but taken seriously. That's why I raised the thing about Corbyn saying he was going to sign his apples. It wasn't said like a joke, but if he meant it, it makes him look like a bit of an idiot. So you assume it was a joke and yet....I'm still not sure. Is there any indication how well McGinn knows Corbyn? If he doesn't know him well it could be very easy to get upset by something which wasn't meant that way. But then why would Corbyn's spokesperson deny completely anything was said? My guess would be because, even as a joke it's pretty insulting and backs up what has been said about Corbyn being difficult to work for. It would suit them better for people to think McGinn just maliciously made it up, which, of course, he could have done. I don't think it's possible to make a judgement or take a side at all on this one, based solely on the information currently in the public domain.

My point exactly!

[ohsocynical]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 49086.html

Labour leadership election: Jeremy Corbyn’s critics will wage ‘war of attrition’ to force him out
Senior Labour MPs pledge to trigger another leadership election next year and a further contest in 2018 if he remains in place

Jeremy Corbyn’s critics warned that they will wage a “war of attrition” until they force him out of his job after he suggested that Labour MPs who refuse to back him could be sacked by local party activists.

Notice the deliberate mistake?

[PorFavor]

At this point I'll say - I wish that I could like Jeremy Corbyn as a leader of the Labour Party.

[ohsocynical]

Beaubodor ‏@beaubodor 3h3 hours ago

Just wondering how often Conor McGinn MP has written 'my dinner money was stolen' on his expense forms.

[HindleA]

#goingnowhere


Must Try Harder


Of course in reality the more the vanguard either in or of course out because there is a reason why the relaxed attitude and poo poohing of influence it suits current leaderships aim the more resilient and less likely the obvious intention to make the impure walk away or give up.


#impureandproud.

[Temulkar]

It doesn't fit the story as we're being told it, though. It follows, then, that I'm prepared to accept the possibility.



Edited to add a "though". Quite an important "though", though.


Edited again - typo.

It's possible it was meant as a joke but taken seriously. That's why I raised the thing about Corbyn saying he was going to sign his apples. It wasn't said like a joke, but if he meant it, it makes him look like a bit of an idiot. So you assume it was a joke and yet....I'm still not sure. Is there any indication how well McGinn knows Corbyn? If he doesn't know him well it could be very easy to get upset by something which wasn't meant that way. But then why would Corbyn's spokesperson deny completely anything was said? My guess would be because, even as a joke it's pretty insulting and backs up what has been said about Corbyn being difficult to work for. It would suit them better for people to think McGinn just maliciously made it up, which, of course, he could have done. I don't think it's possible to make a judgement or take a side at all on this one, based solely on the information currently in the public domain.

My point exactly!

From reading McGinn's statement, he wasnt told this directly by Corbyn he is repeating what 'collegues' allege that Corbyn said in a meeting. Of course no name on the person who informed him of such a dastardly threat. Take from that what you will.

McGinn - like a number of the 2015 intake - is incredibly immature for a 31 year old, frighteningly overblown sense of self-importance. There are a number of them that are completely unsuitable emotionally to be MPs in my opinion. 12 months in parliament, not even born when the SDP split happened, and full of poison. Is it any wonder Labour lost?

It is something I have noted: that a lot of the most rabid anti-corbyn are very new. The makeup of the PLP, even under EM, was pushed deliberately rightwards I think. I there was a slow motion coup going on against EM from the right by taking over the PLP selection, even had he won last year they would have forced him to water down his positions.

[ohsocynical]

It doesn't fit the story as we're being told it, though. It follows, then, that I'm prepared to accept the possibility.



Edited to add a "though". Quite an important "though", though.


Edited again - typo.

It's possible it was meant as a joke but taken seriously. That's why I raised the thing about Corbyn saying he was going to sign his apples. It wasn't said like a joke, but if he meant it, it makes him look like a bit of an idiot. So you assume it was a joke and yet....I'm still not sure. Is there any indication how well McGinn knows Corbyn? If he doesn't know him well it could be very easy to get upset by something which wasn't meant that way. But then why would Corbyn's spokesperson deny completely anything was said? My guess would be because, even as a joke it's pretty insulting and backs up what has been said about Corbyn being difficult to work for. It would suit them better for people to think McGinn just maliciously made it up, which, of course, he could have done. I don't think it's possible to make a judgement or take a side at all on this one, based solely on the information currently in the public domain.

I'm not sure I can see any circumstances in which it wasn't a joke, frankly, or at least a suggestion that McGinn's father might not be very proud of the way his son was behaving. I'm not sure how you get from the comment to Corbyn being difficult to work for. It's a stretch to say the least.

Whatever the circumstances, it's a massive case of media overreaction because of the pre-existing anti-left agenda. The government has just announced that the entire foundation for all its major policies over the last six years might be scrapped, and the media is chasing after tittle-tattle.

Judging from the Independent article, also getting its tittle tattle news from Twitter. Lazy journalism or what.

[JonnyT1234]

https://www.buzzfeed.com/jamieross/a-la ... xiRdnWx3lK

A Labour MP has claimed Jeremy Corbyn threatened to call his dad after he publicly criticised the party leader.
Conor McGinn, whose dad, Pat, was a councillor for Irish republican party Sinn Féin, made the claim on Twitter on Thursday evening and later said he thought Corbyn was attempting to “bully [him] into submission”

This is just weird. It's denied by a Corbyn spokesman. Odd thing to make up though. Was it a joke? Corbyn seems to have a very odd sense of humour. That whole thing on the Vice documentary about signing apples from his orchard. Was that serious? So hard to tell.

What is one of Corbyn's greatest assets? That he's not your typical, egotistical, self-centred politician. What's he said he wants to do with politics? Change it away from the antagonistic, aggressive, bullying bollocks it is now (e.g. PMQs).

How do you attack that asset? You make it appear that he isn't what he says he is, a la John Kerry and his war experience on Swift Boats.

It's an absolutely disgusting turn in the dirty tactics the PLP are deploying against Corbyn in their effort to depose him. They've already attempted and failed to make out he's (a) a misogynist, (b) an anti-Semite, (c) an incompetent buffoon who is unelectable. Now it's that he's a bully.

I hope Corbyn thrashes them now. I hope they all do piss off when Smith is thrashed, and leave the Labour Party in a strop. And I hope that they never get to practice politics again. They're fucking - and excuse my swearing, I've been trying to avoid it here - vile. Sick to bloody death of their sordid, petulant, childish horseshit.

[Willow904]

It doesn't fit the story as we're being told it, though. It follows, then, that I'm prepared to accept the possibility.



Edited to add a "though". Quite an important "though", though.


Edited again - typo.

It's possible it was meant as a joke but taken seriously. That's why I raised the thing about Corbyn saying he was going to sign his apples. It wasn't said like a joke, but if he meant it, it makes him look like a bit of an idiot. So you assume it was a joke and yet....I'm still not sure. Is there any indication how well McGinn knows Corbyn? If he doesn't know him well it could be very easy to get upset by something which wasn't meant that way. But then why would Corbyn's spokesperson deny completely anything was said? My guess would be because, even as a joke it's pretty insulting and backs up what has been said about Corbyn being difficult to work for. It would suit them better for people to think McGinn just maliciously made it up, which, of course, he could have done. I don't think it's possible to make a judgement or take a side at all on this one, based solely on the information currently in the public domain.

It's called a dry or wry sense of humour.

I've just checked and Conor McGinn has only been an MP for a year. He probably doesn't know Corbyn very well at all, which is the basis of my point. I'm not sure deadpan humour is appropriate in formal settings among people you don't really know. And btw, have you watched the Vice video? I'm not a stranger to a dry sense of humour, but I still don't know if Corbyn was being serious or not. He was actually signing photos when he said it and no one around him laughed.

[ohsocynical]

#goingnowhere


Must Try Harder


Of course in reality the more the vanguard either in or of course out because there is a reason why the relaxed attitude and poo poohing of influence it suits current leaderships aim the more resilient and less likely the obvious intention to make the impure walk away or give up.


#impureandproud.

#Disgustinglyimpure&cantankerous.

[JonnyT1234]

Does anyone think that Paul McGinn may have (wilfully?) misinterpreted a joke? Regarding the phoning of his father.

I think Paul McGinn is out and out lying.

[ohsocynical]

Ann Black and the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance Slate for NEC

Statement from LRC Executive Committee

While it may be too late to disrupt the current election of the NEC, in view of her role in disenfranchising members both at the July 19th NEC meeting and in suspending Brighton, Hove & District Labour Party, the LRC gives notice that it will never again support the candidacy of Ann Black for the NEC and calls for her immediate resignation as Chair of the Disputes Panel.

[thatchersorphan]

We are all willfully ignorant about something; the key is to be aware of what one is ignorant about. It's tricky, but I tend not to assume that people in general are ignorant by mistake.

I suppose. But if it's possible for some people not to swallow everything they are told by a narrow range of sources, why can't more? OK, perhaps I'm being too unkind, but much of the evidence I have seen suggests that a great many people didn't really know much about what they were voting for in the referendum. This is in part the fault of the campaigns - both were dreadful, and the Leave campaign was one of the most wilfully mendacious political campaigns I've seen - but this was a massively complex issue in which many seem to have voted for massively simplistic reasons. And yet we're told that people don't trust politicians and trust journalists only a little more, so you'd think that would lead to them check what they hear and read. Instead what seems to have happened is 'they're all lying equally so I'll make my own mind up based on my gut feeling'. Which is not an intelligent way to make decisions about complex issues.

Wilful denial.
Middle-class mother, speaks 3 languages, reads the daily mail. After years of arguments during quarterly visits, I've finally got it across that daily mail often lies/misleads. Yet she still reads it, and quotes it.
Her brexit reasons were basically 'we dont want them here' and Brussels making laws (though she has no idea what laws these are)
She's also opposed to tax credits (as she had to manage without them) She supports the death penalty, and is opposed to human rights.
There isn't even logic in many of her views

For instance one conversation
Her We don't want them here, we're full
Me But many British live overseas
Her Well they can come back, we want them
Me But you just said we have no room
Her I'm sure we'll manage to fit them in, they're British
At which point it degenerated into 'You're not listening,we don't want them here", repeated multiple times for clarity (along with the n word and lots of really blatant racist stuff)
Telling them brexit would not stop immigration failed, because they didn't want to believe it, and believed all the muslims (their pet hate) were coming via Europe. Actual facts don't work on people who are clinging to racist preconceptions, reinforced by years of media propaganda.

[Willow904]

It's possible it was meant as a joke but taken seriously. That's why I raised the thing about Corbyn saying he was going to sign his apples. It wasn't said like a joke, but if he meant it, it makes him look like a bit of an idiot. So you assume it was a joke and yet....I'm still not sure. Is there any indication how well McGinn knows Corbyn? If he doesn't know him well it could be very easy to get upset by something which wasn't meant that way. But then why would Corbyn's spokesperson deny completely anything was said? My guess would be because, even as a joke it's pretty insulting and backs up what has been said about Corbyn being difficult to work for. It would suit them better for people to think McGinn just maliciously made it up, which, of course, he could have done. I don't think it's possible to make a judgement or take a side at all on this one, based solely on the information currently in the public domain.

My point exactly!

From reading McGinn's statement, he wasnt told this directly by Corbyn he is repeating what 'collegues' allege that Corbyn said in a meeting. Of course no name on the person who informed him of such a dastardly threat. Take from that what you will.

McGinn - like a number of the 2015 intake - is incredibly immature for a 31 year old, frighteningly overblown sense of self-importance. There are a number of them that are completely unsuitable emotionally to be MPs in my opinion. 12 months in parliament, not even born when the SDP split happened, and full of poison. Is it any wonder Labour lost?

It is something I have noted: that a lot of the most rabid anti-corbyn are very new. The makeup of the PLP, even under EM, was pushed deliberately rightwards I think. I there was a slow motion coup going on against EM from the right by taking over the PLP selection, even had he won last year they would have forced him to water down his positions.

I only read the Huff post article, which was quite brief so assumed Corbyn said something to McGinn himself. It's still perfectly possible the person who passed on the information misinterpreted a joke or else McGinn made it up. I still don't think there enough facts to show who is lying. I'm not really trying to say more than that.

[utopiandreams]

Speaking of Twitter, ohso, I saw Owen speaking earlier of his Twitter feed and blaming Corbyn.

[yahyah]

Yeah, because riding on the Westminster gravy train is exactly the same as working in sweat shop conditions to earn less than the minimum wage.

Where ambulances are called on a daily basis and a lady gave birth in the toilet.

Get a fucking grip.

ScreenShot01501.jpg

I've just listened to the video clip. Smith seems to be specific about what he means...well to me it seems specific.

What he says is....''It is not kinder and gentler is it if you are the boss of an organisation and the workers are unhappy & you threaten to give them the sack. It's the sort of thing you might see at Sports Direct but it is not the sort of thing you should be seeing in the Labour party''

I was cross to see the Guardian using the word betrayal to describe something Corbyn said about Smith. It made Corbyn's words seem much harsher, confrontational, and more tabloid-ish.
Smith is entitled to his view about such matters. He clearly wasn't extending the comparision further than what he said.

One of the things that will help in the next few months is for us all to count to ten. Read/hear what is/was actually said, not just a quick clip manipulated by the media to cause further tension between the warring factions.

[utopiandreams]

I'm sorry, Willow, but I've known or met many that sign photos. Some not all are egotists.

[fedup59]

From reading McGinn's statement, he wasnt told this directly by Corbyn he is repeating what 'collegues' allege that Corbyn said in a meeting. Of course no name on the person who informed him of such a dastardly threat. Take from that what you will.

McGinn - like a number of the 2015 intake - is incredibly immature for a 31 year old, frighteningly overblown sense of self-importance. There are a number of them that are completely unsuitable emotionally to be MPs in my opinion. 12 months in parliament, not even born when the SDP split happened, and full of poison. Is it any wonder Labour lost?

It is something I have noted: that a lot of the most rabid anti-corbyn are very new. The makeup of the PLP, even under EM, was pushed deliberately rightwards I think. I there was a slow motion coup going on against EM from the right by taking over the PLP selection, even had he won last year they would have forced him to water down his positions.

That's a very good point actually, I hadn't thought of it like that. So presumably this done through the NEC? Who is it that decides on PPC selections? I had been wondering how these centre-right MPs kept getting selected under Ed, but this version makes sense. Wes Streeting and Jess Phillips are another two who fit the immature bill. It's interesting, as the Tories' 2010 intake was full of gobshites while the 2005 intake was a lot more sensible, I wonder if they'd had a similar process five years earlier than Labour?

It makes a lot of sense. May 's nasty party point was 2002(?), Cameron's hunt a huskie (sorry hug..hug) was for a party moving away from Thatcher certainties, but by 2015 they had hollowed out the party structures, opened even newer financial channels and owned (or become owned by) a media, financial sector and property owning elite. Symbiosis complete.

The myth of democratic government 2015 style.

[AnatolyKasparov]

From reading McGinn's statement, he wasnt told this directly by Corbyn he is repeating what 'collegues' allege that Corbyn said in a meeting. Of course no name on the person who informed him of such a dastardly threat. Take from that what you will.

McGinn - like a number of the 2015 intake - is incredibly immature for a 31 year old, frighteningly overblown sense of self-importance. There are a number of them that are completely unsuitable emotionally to be MPs in my opinion. 12 months in parliament, not even born when the SDP split happened, and full of poison. Is it any wonder Labour lost?

It is something I have noted: that a lot of the most rabid anti-corbyn are very new. The makeup of the PLP, even under EM, was pushed deliberately rightwards I think. I there was a slow motion coup going on against EM from the right by taking over the PLP selection, even had he won last year they would have forced him to water down his positions.

That's a very good point actually, I hadn't thought of it like that. So presumably this done through the NEC? Who is it that decides on PPC selections? I had been wondering how these centre-right MPs kept getting selected under Ed, but this version makes sense. Wes Streeting and Jess Phillips are another two who fit the immature bill. It's interesting, as the Tories' 2010 intake was full of gobshites while the 2005 intake was a lot more sensible, I wonder if they'd had a similar process five years earlier than Labour?

Actually the 2015 intake of Labour MPs was significantly to the left of the previous few GEs ("allowing" this to happen was yet another thing that Blairites bi*ched and moaned at Ed for - IIRC only two elected last year backed Kendall for leader, Streeting and Kyle I think)

Its almost forgotten now, but Phillips very much positioned herself on the left before being elected

On a related topic, I presume quite a few on here will have got their NEC voting papers.

Its a secret ballot, and people can vote as they will. Just to pinpoint two people who I don't think should be supported:

Christine Shawcroft - hideous unreconstructed ultra-leftist sectarian. I remember well her rant against OMOV at the 1993 conference, when she said we shouldn't give ordinary members more power as they would just do what the right wing press told them (insert your own punchline with reference to recent events here)

Bex Bailey - equally ghastly mega-Progress (something she omits to mention in her supremely vacuous statement, surprise!) ideas free careerist who, like others of her type, genuinely appears to believe in nothing except "networking". Has also stated her burning desire to become an MP before she is 30

All the others have something to be said for them IMO, even the right wing "icepick man" Akehurst. Happy voting

[yahyah]

Not defending Smith on that, but it could well be at least as much an attempt to gain brownie points by dissing Sports Direct as a dig at Corbyn?

(and reinforcing the "I'm not a Blairite, see?" message he wants to project)

On that point, somebody in another place said they have heard his acceptance speech after last year's GE. Said it was basically a Bevanite rant

An older Welsh Labour chap who'd known him a long time called him a Bevanite, said he definitely wasn't a Blairite. Gut feel on hearing him speak made me think the man was not lying/spinning.

Am just reminded that it was all the poop thrown at Corbyn that made me actually bother to check him out further, and finally vote for him. The more virulent anti-Smith faction may be unintentionally strengthening his chances, particularly as he is the 'change' candidate in this instance, Corbyn's been in role for 10 months. For balance, I think there is virulence in both factions.

[yahyah]

Ann Black and the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance Slate for NEC

Statement from LRC Executive Committee

While it may be too late to disrupt the current election of the NEC, in view of her role in disenfranchising members both at the July 19th NEC meeting and in suspending Brighton, Hove & District Labour Party, the LRC gives notice that it will never again support the candidacy of Ann Black for the NEC and calls for her immediate resignation as Chair of the Disputes Panel.

Am I missing something ?
Isn't she down on Labour List's site as being part of the left slate for the NEC ?

[RogerOThornhill]

Did we see this?

Whitehall blocks David Cameron's 'cronies' honours list over ethical concerns

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07 ... r-ethica/

David Cameron’s resignation honours list has allegedly been blocked by mandarins in Whitehall over concerns surrounding the suitability of several of the nominations.

The former prime minister was expected to hand out honours to some of his closest aides at No 10 in a move which risked starting another “cronies” row.

However, according to The Times, the Cabinet Office and the Lords Appointments Commission has raised ethical concerns about some of the names put forward.

There's a surprise...Cameron and ethics - a non sequitur if ever I saw one.

And this might actually be a good idea.

Craig Oliver, Director of Communications

Mr Oliver, a former BBC executive, joined Mr Cameron as his £140,000-a-year head of communications in February 2011 after the resignation of Andy Coulson. Tipped for: Knighthood

Let him have a knighthood and let it be pointed out again and again that he was Head of News at that lefty BBC...

[yahyah]

Is Andrew Sparrow being edged out at the Guardian ?

Claire Phipps seems to feature a lot these days, and the Live blog has dumbed down and always includes those awful things about 'Beyonce's song for this would be' and social media stuff like that.
Fine for BTL but prefer the old style Sparrow blog.

[yahyah]

Well, at least a few people are trying to be prepared for Brexit:

https://www.britishirishcouncil.org/sit ... 0FINAL.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[yahyah]

How about getting them all, both factions, up in front of Labour members ?

Administer some sodium pentothal and get the lie detector machines working.

''Comrade Corbyn, did you threaten to phone his dad ?''
''Comrade Smith, do you feel a deep and abiding love of Tony Blair, and a desire to privatise the NHS ?''
''Comrade McGinn, did Corbyn say he'd ring your pa ?''

Invite a few kangaroos along too.

[ohsocynical]

Michael CrickVerified account
‏@MichaelLCrick

John Strafford of Campaign for Conservative Democracy says party membership not 150,000, but, "at top whack", 125,000

[ohsocynical]

Ann Black and the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance Slate for NEC

Statement from LRC Executive Committee

While it may be too late to disrupt the current election of the NEC, in view of her role in disenfranchising members both at the July 19th NEC meeting and in suspending Brighton, Hove & District Labour Party, the LRC gives notice that it will never again support the candidacy of Ann Black for the NEC and calls for her immediate resignation as Chair of the Disputes Panel.

Am I missing something ?
Isn't she down on Labour List's site as being part of the left slate for the NEC ?

http://labourlist.org/2016/07/labours-l ... uspension/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
As voting has opened, she will continue to be supported by Corbyn supporters.

Not me. Only just got my ballot papers. Was due to fill and send today.

[ohsocynical]

Labour MPs. The Decline of the Lion Tamers.

https://kmflett.wordpress.com/2016/07/2 ... on-tamers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PorFavor]

I did notice that the BBC interviewed John McDonnell who said what he thought Philip Hammond should be doing re the economy. This interview was immediately followed by an interview with Owen Smith who said that Labour weren't saying anything about the economy. I genuinely don't know what the explanation is for that dissonance.

BBC slant on things? Lack of communication within Labour? The list is potentially endless.

[ohsocynical]

On a related topic, I presume quite a few on here will have got their NEC voting papers.

Its a secret ballot, and people can vote as they will. Just to pinpoint two people who I don't think should be supported:

Christine Shawcroft - hideous unreconstructed ultra-leftist sectarian. I remember well her rant against OMOV at the 1993 conference, when she said we shouldn't give ordinary members more power as they would just do what the right wing press told them (insert your own punchline with reference to recent events here)

Bex Bailey - equally ghastly mega-Progress (something she omits to mention in her supremely vacuous statement, surprise!) ideas free careerist who, like others of her type, genuinely appears to believe in nothing except "networking". Has also stated her burning desire to become an MP before she is 30

---------
Re: Christine Shawcroft - she is one of the recommended 6 Corbyn Supporters that we are being encouraged to vote for should we be of a leftish leaning.
I am open to receiving advice on who I should vote for for the best outcome but I have to say this was something she said in 1993 (23 years ago) and all this week, we are being told that we shouldn't judge Owen Smith on stuff he said as long ago as 2008 (8 years ago) as he has most likely changed his mind since then??? Perhaps, Shawcroft does not believe whatever she was spouting 23 years ago either??

I agree with your observations in relation to Bex Bailey.

I posted the statement about Shawcroft on a previous page. She evidently voted for the £25 fee. And for the decision to suspend Brighton and Hove Labour party.

[HindleA]

http://www.parliament.uk/business/commi ... hed-16-17/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Government shows 'striking poverty of ambition' on discharge delays


The Committee's report urges new measures to tackle discharge delays, which are bad for both patients' health and the financial sustainability of the NHS and local government.

[ohsocynical]

I did notice that the BBC interviewed John McDonnell who said what he thought Philip Hammond should be doing re the economy. This interview was immediately followed by an interview with Owen Smith who said that Labour weren't saying anything about the economy. I genuinely don't know what the explanation is for that dissonance.

BBC slant on things? Lack of communication within Labour? The list is potentially endless.

A deliberate decision not to support or back anything connected to Corbyn whether it's good bad or indifferent, never mind they're the opposition and should be united against the Tories. It's that which is making me so angry.

[PorFavor]

I did notice that the BBC interviewed John McDonnell who said what he thought Philip Hammond should be doing re the economy. This interview was immediately followed by an interview with Owen Smith who said that Labour weren't saying anything about the economy. I genuinely don't know what the explanation is for that dissonance.

BBC slant on things? Lack of communication within Labour? The list is potentially endless.

A deliberate decision not to support or back anything connected to Corbyn whether it's good bad or indifferent, never mind they're the opposition and should be united against the Tories. It's that which is making me so angry.

That's just one of the many possibilities. The interviewer (the same one for both interviews) didn't point out the discrepancy. I should have thought that that would have been the responsible thing for a public broadcasting news outlet to do.

[ohsocynical]

Bridget Chapman
‏@BridgeeCee

@Scriptonite New twist. Labour now barring elected delegates from attending conference. Seem to be applying retrospective freeze date.


Bridget Chapman ‏@BridgeeCee Jul 20

@Scriptonite I'm one of the delegates affected. Have paid delegate fee of £116 + paid for hotel in advance (non refundable). Now told No