Point out that the Tories have driven a coach and horses through *their* promises, of course. That's what the politics demands.Tubby Isaacs wrote:That seems like fair comment.
So what should Labour do?
This would need to be a minimum requirement for the job really.http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 19801.html
Donald Trump is “dangerous” and drastic steps must be taken to protect the public from him, two leading psychiatrists have warned.
The President’s erratic behaviour, including “repeated failure to distinguish between reality and fantasy” and “paranoid claims of conspiracy”, cast doubt over his ability to react rationally in a crisis, they said.
Who let that kook in?tinyclanger2 wrote:This would need to be a minimum requirement for the job really.http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 19801.html
Donald Trump is “dangerous” and drastic steps must be taken to protect the public from him, two leading psychiatrists have warned.
The President’s erratic behaviour, including “repeated failure to distinguish between reality and fantasy” and “paranoid claims of conspiracy”, cast doubt over his ability to react rationally in a crisis, they said.
I like him a lot. He's an MEP for the region.Tubby Isaacs wrote:Sion Simon, the Midlands City Mayor candidate, is going hard against it. 145,000 self-employed in his region, he reckons.
Get the impression between the regular referencing of the Midlands in PMQs (Fabricant this week), the Northern Powerhouse being ditched to cover the Midlands and Hammond making jaunts there that the Tories are targeting this mayoralty.Tubby Isaacs wrote:Sion Simon, the Midlands City Mayor candidate, is going hard against it. 145,000 self-employed in his region, he reckons.
)Is there any update on the Sion Simon\Unite funding\ leadership election thingy? I haven't been able to find anything but it might be a bit soon yet.StephenDolan wrote:Get the impression between the regular referencing of the Midlands in PMQs (Fabricant this week), the Northern Powerhouse being ditched to cover the Midlands and Hammond making jaunts there that the Tories are targeting this mayoralty.Tubby Isaacs wrote:Sion Simon, the Midlands City Mayor candidate, is going hard against it. 145,000 self-employed in his region, he reckons.
It would be good PR for them, like when they win seats in Wales. "Everybody knows" Labour should win by a mile etc.StephenDolan wrote:Get the impression between the regular referencing of the Midlands in PMQs (Fabricant this week), the Northern Powerhouse being ditched to cover the Midlands and Hammond making jaunts there that the Tories are targeting this mayoralty.Tubby Isaacs wrote:Sion Simon, the Midlands City Mayor candidate, is going hard against it. 145,000 self-employed in his region, he reckons.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... e-of-20000We want more Syrian refugees: council offers exceed official UK pledge of 20,000
Local authorities have offered almost 22,000 places, with councils increasing pledges after being overwhelmed by public support
Theresa May is under pressure to increase the number of Syrian refugees offered asylum in Britain as local authorities say they can take in more than the government’s offer of 20,000 spaces. (Guardian)
I suppose you add in some council tax to that, but that's terrifying.Faisal IslamVerified account @faisalislam Mar 8
DCLG Local Government budget (form which social care funded): £8.2bn this year (incl extra £1.2) to £6.5bn, £5.5bn and then £5.4bn in 19/20
Kevin SchofieldVerified @PolhomeEditor
Another departure from Jeremy Corbyn's office, I hear. Head of Economic Policy Mike Hatchett leaves tomorrow after barely a year in the job.
Post here!PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Evening All
I’m missing this place. I’ve happily joined in Ephemerid’s community and it’s lovely to see old friends there.
But I realise it doesn’t solve my basic problem, which is that I want to be able to post my carefully considered political views in public without being made to feel like an idiot. I realise I’m still scared posting over there. Or anywhere.
If I feel like this I worry that others do too. Where is the space for nuanced views on the Labour leadership? And on Labour’s Brexit policies? Is there really no room on the internet to explore these ideas without it feeling heretic? Would it be possible for FTN to make itself a safe space again? Where we disagree but listen with respect to each other? Where we don’t put words in each others’ mouths?
Any thoughts? Love to you all, Paul
That's not even been legal for long! It's still not medically recommended.PaulfromYorkshire wrote:I think I did try Dick Emery on poor Hugo a few weeks back
Theresa May robustly defends controversial increase in national insurance but says legislation will not be introduced until autumn after MPs raise concerns
Thank you and I'm gladTubby Isaacs wrote:Post here!PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Evening All
I’m missing this place. I’ve happily joined in Ephemerid’s community and it’s lovely to see old friends there.
But I realise it doesn’t solve my basic problem, which is that I want to be able to post my carefully considered political views in public without being made to feel like an idiot. I realise I’m still scared posting over there. Or anywhere.
If I feel like this I worry that others do too. Where is the space for nuanced views on the Labour leadership? And on Labour’s Brexit policies? Is there really no room on the internet to explore these ideas without it feeling heretic? Would it be possible for FTN to make itself a safe space again? Where we disagree but listen with respect to each other? Where we don’t put words in each others’ mouths?
Any thoughts? Love to you all, Paul
I'm more onside with Labour after the Lords vote the other night. If that helps.
But Tubby I understand your views and I believe you know my positions. That's not been my problem. It's when I explain at length, probably tediously so, why I hold my views on the Labour leadership and on Brexit and then get labelled by certain people as, essentially, a Corbynista or a Brexiteer. I've felt like it's heretic to even criticise the EU as it currently exists, despite so wanting it to succeed. I've felt like calling for unity in Labour, which by necessity means including Corbyn, makes me a rabid left winger.Thanks PF. That you hold these views makes me take them ever more seriously, which is what FTN should be about.PorFavor wrote:@PaulfromYorkshire
I didn't vote for Jeremy Corbyn either time but respected the outcome of the first vote. I didn't blame him for "Brexit" but don't like how he's dealing with it. I was prepared to give him a bit of time. That time has now run out. No replacement leader is obvious. I consider myself left wing on most issues. That's my position.
Does that help you at all?
Keep posting!
Ooh you are awful...adam wrote:That's not even been legal for long! It's still not medically recommended.PaulfromYorkshire wrote:I think I did try Dick Emery on poor Hugo a few weeks back
Edited to add - Missus.
It's lovely to see you.PaulfromYorkshire wrote:I've felt like it's heretic to even criticise the EU as it currently exists, despite so wanting it to succeed.
As a Greek living and working in Paris, Dimitris Christopoulos, who heads the International Federation of Human Rights, one of the world’s oldest rights groups, has seen both sides of the issue up close. He believes the Greek government has used the mess to shield itself from the possible mass return of failed asylum seekers from elsewhere in the E.U. The E.C. and a number of member states are keen to resume the so-called Dublin Regulation from March onward. Christopoulos is also clear that far from weakening Mouzalas’ position with Brussels, the suffering and waste in Greece won him the “absolute support of the commission.”
“The Greek administrative chaos is the best deterrence” to others hoping to reach Europe, says Christopoulos. “It sends the message that Greece is a mess so don’t come this way.”
Hi Paul - thanks for this. I have been thinking about this for some time, hoping that we can do exactly as you propose, and wondering how we can go about it. I know that I have misunderstood some posts in the past, and know (from some responses to me) that sometimes I have been completely misunderstood. On other occasions of course I have just been a get, but old habits die hard.PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Evening All
I’m missing this place. I’ve happily joined in Ephemerid’s community and it’s lovely to see old friends there.
But I realise it doesn’t solve my basic problem, which is that I want to be able to post my carefully considered political views in public without being made to feel like an idiot. I realise I’m still scared posting over there. Or anywhere.
If I feel like this I worry that others do too. Where is the space for nuanced views on the Labour leadership? And on Labour’s Brexit policies? Is there really no room on the internet to explore these ideas without it feeling heretic? Would it be possible for FTN to make itself a safe space again? Where we disagree but listen with respect to each other? Where we don’t put words in each others’ mouths?
Any thoughts? Love to you all, Paul
Well indeed.gilsey wrote:It's lovely to see you.PaulfromYorkshire wrote:I've felt like it's heretic to even criticise the EU as it currently exists, despite so wanting it to succeed.
Here's something on that subject, I think it's been picked up by the mainstream press now, a long and shocking account of Greek corruption and incompetence.
https://www.newsdeeply.com/refugees/art ... -in-greece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The really shocking part is the end.As a Greek living and working in Paris, Dimitris Christopoulos, who heads the International Federation of Human Rights, one of the world’s oldest rights groups, has seen both sides of the issue up close. He believes the Greek government has used the mess to shield itself from the possible mass return of failed asylum seekers from elsewhere in the E.U. The E.C. and a number of member states are keen to resume the so-called Dublin Regulation from March onward. Christopoulos is also clear that far from weakening Mouzalas’ position with Brussels, the suffering and waste in Greece won him the “absolute support of the commission.”
“The Greek administrative chaos is the best deterrence” to others hoping to reach Europe, says Christopoulos. “It sends the message that Greece is a mess so don’t come this way.”
Thanks. This is good advice. But for me, trolls are not the problem. I can ignore them. It's bullies. I was bullied a lot as a child. I can cope with it now, but I don't have to seek it out in my leisure time! Bullies don't troll they seek to hurt, perhaps sometimes inadvertently. For me, ignoring my lengthy and tedious explanations of why I hold a particular position and labelling me with a slogan I don't merit is tremendously hurtful. That's my problem. And why I am reluctant to be here.tinyclanger2 wrote:Hi Paul - thanks for this. I have been thinking about this for some time, hoping that we can do exactly as you propose, and wondering how we can go about it. I know that I have misunderstood some posts in the past, and know (from some responses to me) that sometimes I have been completely misunderstood. On other occasions of course I have just been a get, but old habits die hard.PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Evening All
I’m missing this place. I’ve happily joined in Ephemerid’s community and it’s lovely to see old friends there.
But I realise it doesn’t solve my basic problem, which is that I want to be able to post my carefully considered political views in public without being made to feel like an idiot. I realise I’m still scared posting over there. Or anywhere.
If I feel like this I worry that others do too. Where is the space for nuanced views on the Labour leadership? And on Labour’s Brexit policies? Is there really no room on the internet to explore these ideas without it feeling heretic? Would it be possible for FTN to make itself a safe space again? Where we disagree but listen with respect to each other? Where we don’t put words in each others’ mouths?
Any thoughts? Love to you all, Paul
I do think this is intrinsically difficult. Face to face you get to read expressions, hear tones, and consider how to put things so as to avoid inducing tears/receiving a punch in the head. Online we get none of this, and the red mist can suddenly descend. But if we can't make it work here, then where can we?
Have suggested a few things in the past which boil down to:
READING
1) if you think someone's a troll then don't feed them, but accept that one man's troll is another man's lost soul. The only alternative is banning people and on the whole how can you really draw that line?
2) very occasional posts that are clearly just offensive or deliberate stirring can be removed on serious justified request if mod agrees
3) if something makes you, er, seethe, see if there are other tones you might read it in that might at least alter the seethe level
WRITING
4) imagine that you are actually talking to someone AND/OR draft before you post - particularly if you are a) seething or b) surrounded by red mist
CLARIFICATION
5) ideally develop a process for seeking clarification (white flag approach)
(when I say "you", I might add, I mean "one")
Am most keen to read other views and am often influenced by people posting here. Am sure that fundamentally our views are generally more aligned than not, and it's important, in general, particularly in this new barking mad world, that we can discuss our smallish differences without losing it.
Having said all that of course, even face to face I struggle to communicate without unintentionally pissing people off.
It's a gift. And a curse.
Mostly a curse.
Yes we can.PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Well indeed.gilsey wrote:It's lovely to see you.PaulfromYorkshire wrote:I've felt like it's heretic to even criticise the EU as it currently exists, despite so wanting it to succeed.
Here's something on that subject, I think it's been picked up by the mainstream press now, a long and shocking account of Greek corruption and incompetence.
https://www.newsdeeply.com/refugees/art ... -in-greece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The really shocking part is the end.As a Greek living and working in Paris, Dimitris Christopoulos, who heads the International Federation of Human Rights, one of the world’s oldest rights groups, has seen both sides of the issue up close. He believes the Greek government has used the mess to shield itself from the possible mass return of failed asylum seekers from elsewhere in the E.U. The E.C. and a number of member states are keen to resume the so-called Dublin Regulation from March onward. Christopoulos is also clear that far from weakening Mouzalas’ position with Brussels, the suffering and waste in Greece won him the “absolute support of the commission.”
“The Greek administrative chaos is the best deterrence” to others hoping to reach Europe, says Christopoulos. “It sends the message that Greece is a mess so don’t come this way.”
Can't we hope for a better EU?
That's common sense, when has that ever had a part to play in the Greek tragedy?Tubby Isaacs wrote:That doesn't seem all that plausible. Greece's priority is getting the big money debt off its back, and to do that it must look far less like a mess.
Some have tried to portray yesterday’s announcement as progressive, but what is progressive about raising taxes for low-paid drivers while the Government go ahead with cuts to capital gains tax for a tiny few? What is progressive about raising taxes for low-paid self-employed cleaners while the wealthiest families in the country get an inheritance tax cut? What is progressive about raising taxes for plumbers while multinational corporations see their tax bills slashed year after year?
