Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th July 2017

[PorFavor]

To (temporarily) absent friend(s).

Taking on the online giants lets the BBC reclaim its hold on children’s imagination

[Meanwhile,] the Clangers were always, I recall, confronting social change: a visitor appears, something falls from the sky, there is a new problem to solve. Their intense, trippy planet, like the gardens where the flowers spoke, might not look like England, but was most certainly English. Thus I discovered Englishness and Britishness and understood the BBC as a land of licensed misrule and controlled madness.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... magination

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Grenfell borough had worst record for local housing of homeless before fire

[HindleA]

The Social Value of Sheltered Housing

Briefing paper
Claudia Wood

https://www.demos.co.uk/wp-content/uplo ... e-2017.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PorFavor]

On the Andrew Marr programme today Vince Cable said -

“I’m beginning to think that Brexit may never happen,” he said. “The problems are so enormous, the divisions within the two main parties are so enormous I can see a scenario in which this doesn’t happen.”

Cable also invited “refugees” from Labour to join the Liberal Democrats, arguing that Jeremy Corbyn’s popularity could fall when younger voters realise how strongly he backs Brexit. (Guardian)

The second paragraph is something that causes me more than a bit of disquiet, I must admit (Jeremy Corbyn's anti-EUism). I don't think (as was recently demonstrated) that the LibDems provide the answer, however.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -democrats

[AnatolyKasparov]

I find that line incredibly patronising to younger voters tbph.

Corbyn does not personally dictate Labour policy on Brexit either, to a significant degree he is happy to leave things to Starmer - and quite correctly IMO.

[PorFavor]

I find that line incredibly patronising to younger voters tbph.

Corbyn does not personally dictate Labour policy on Brexit either, to a significant degree he is happy to leave things to Starmer - and quite correctly IMO.

I agree with that. But Vince Cable is a bit crap generally. My worry is that as Labour's EU position evolves, will it coincide with young voters' (or "voters" as I like to call them) vision for the future? It is a worry to me. I think the "Brexit" situation is fluid at the moment.


Edited to add -

The patronising bit.

[Willow904]

Evening all.

Very quiet on the politics front at the moment. Not a lot going on to discuss. Should hot up a bit later this week though:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ant-shapps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rumblings of discontent about May’s leadership come in a crucial week for her premiership as the government publishes its EU repeal bill on Thursday. The bill aims to transpose all EU law into British law to replace the European Communities Act, ready for the moment of the UK’s exit.

Both the Conservative and Labour frontbenches support the principle of leaving the EU but May will still face a battle to pass the bill unamended in the autumn.

Will the repeal bill contain the "Henry VIII" powers the government wants in order to freely rewrite many EU/UK laws without recourse to Parliament? And will Labour vote against it if it does?

[Temulkar]

Nick Cohen demonstrating a stunning ignorance of history https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Apparently there is no economic cause for Nationalism or religious fundamentalism. Sigh.

And then we have the same utterly cretinous 'socialism in one country' stalinist allusions, once again demonstrating either ignorance or deciet, but with Cohen probably the latter.

And they wonder why the MSM is no longer trusted.

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... evelopment" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The UK economy must take a long, hard look at itself
Larry Elliott

[AnatolyKasparov]

Cohen is a genuinely pathetic figure these days - some of his stuff might be deemed a bit embarrassing at Spiked.

[PorFavor]

Evening all.

Very quiet on the politics front at the moment. Not a lot going on to discuss. Should hot up a bit later this week though:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ant-shapps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rumblings of discontent about May’s leadership come in a crucial week for her premiership as the government publishes its EU repeal bill on Thursday. The bill aims to transpose all EU law into British law to replace the European Communities Act, ready for the moment of the UK’s exit.

Both the Conservative and Labour frontbenches support the principle of leaving the EU but May will still face a battle to pass the bill unamended in the autumn.

Will the repeal bill contain the "Henry VIII" powers the government wants in order to freely rewrite many EU/UK laws without recourse to Parliament? And will Labour vote against it if it does?

Is this quote (within the linked article) from Grant Shapps a not-so subtle jibe?

From the article -

“Trusting others and sharing power beyond a tiny Praetorian guard may not be her instinctive approach, but doing so now could still help her go beyond just about managing the year ahead.” (my emphasis)

Edited - typo

[Willow904]

@Porfavor

It seems hard to see how she can carry on, when even her own ministers appear to be laughing at her! And yet she could well do.

The argument a leadership challenge could lead to another election is interesting as I don't see why that would necessarily be so. More likely, I think, that a leadership challenge would be likely to threaten Brexit, which appears to be the real worry of those who want to keep her in place. The cracks can only get bigger, I suspect, but only a two thirds majority in favour of a GE would lead to another election under the Five Year Parliament Act, I believe (I doubt the Tories would vote no confidence in their own government). She could conceivably survive the loss of a major vote, is my understanding.

[Temulkar]

Cohen is a genuinely pathetic figure these days - some of his stuff might be deemed a bit embarrassing at Spiked.

If nothing else that article demonstrates that an Oxford PPE is of less worth than a marzipan dildo.

[PorFavor]

Speaking of "Just About Managing", do you think that Andrea Leadsom got the wrong end of the stick?

[Temulkar]

@Porfavor

It seems hard to see how she can carry on, when even her own ministers appear to be laughing at her! And yet she could well do.

The argument a leadership challenge could lead to another election is interesting as I don't see why that would necessarily be so. More likely, I think, that a leadership challenge would be likely to threaten Brexit, which appears to be the real worry of those who want to keep her in place. The cracks can only get bigger, I suspect, but only a two thirds majority in favour of a GE would lead to another election under the Five Year Parliament Act, I believe (I doubt the Tories would vote no confidence in their own government). She could conceivably survive the loss of a major vote, is my understanding.

The problem for the tories is the longer they keep her in No 10, the worse their prospects in an election get. At some point they will choose losing now to being wiped out a year later. November is still my bet, but it could be a spring election. And whilst I think VC is a muppet, I am still of the opinion that brexit wont happen in any meaningful sense.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Cohen is a genuinely pathetic figure these days - some of his stuff might be deemed a bit embarrassing at Spiked.

If nothing else that article demonstrates that an Oxford PPE is of less worth than a marzipan dildo.

I can remember when he was hard left politically - but he was just as nasty to those he disagreed with and careless with the actual facts, as he is now.

[HindleA]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzipan" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[citizenJA]

'Evening, everyone

[PorFavor]

Turks stage largest show of opposition against Erdoğan government in years

Istanbul rally is final stop in 280-mile ‘justice march’ from Ankara protesting against arbitrary arrests and dismissals after coup attempt (Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... n-istanbul

[citizenJA]

Family visit wonderful - the walking and weather were brilliant
Everyone paying close attention to political events, well-informed

[citizenJA]

Not everyone in the citizen family circle typically cares much about politics
This time was different

[SpinningHugo]

Cohen is a genuinely pathetic figure these days - some of his stuff might be deemed a bit embarrassing at Spiked.

He's rather good I think. Writes very well.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Amazed at that opinion, tbh.

(for the avoidance of doubt, no I'm not really)

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HindleA]

http://brusselslabour.eu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

FWIW Sister in law on EC.

[citizenJA]

"...I could use my mother’s sewing machine to clothe my very family itself, this summer, in unambiguously pro-European Union garments, exactly the sort of bespoke outfits we would need to ensure safe passage across the continent in these troubled times. The McCall’s Patterns M5500 Children’s Knight, Prince and Samurai Costumes kit, which I found for $8.91 on the internet, had the basic shapes I needed for my pro-European Union suits. And while European Union patterned dressmaking material is not available in and of itself, European Union flags 15ft square are available for about £1.50 each online.

These were the tools!

By upscaling the size of the patterns I was also able to provide templates for my wife and I, and by the end of June I had cut and stitched four perfect medieval-style European Union two-pieces for us to wear as we make our way across divided Europe. For headgear, I copied our clearly pro-EU queen, and wove plastic yellow daisies in European Union star formations into the brims of four blue wickerwork hats.

Four pairs of blue-and-yellow trainers set off our ensembles perfectly."

- Stewart Lee
When in Europe, dress like a walking apology for Brexit

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... tewart-lee" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I love Stewart Lee's writing

[AnatolyKasparov]

Well done Luciana Berger for killing fake "news"

[HindleA]

https://electricliterature.com/no-i-can ... a5d8c274f0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


No, I Can’t Picture That: Living Without a Mind’s Eye
A writer with aphantasia on visual memory and imagination

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... not-appeal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Benefit cap ruling is fair. The government should not appeal
Helena Kennedy QC and 12 others are deeply disappointed that the government has decided to appeal this decision and strongly urge it to reconsider

[citizenJA]

Goodnight, everyone
love,
cJA

[HindleA]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/buil ... 693ba0c883" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... born-in-uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Hepatitis B jab to be added to immunisations of babies born in UK
Babies born from the 1 August will be offered new “hexavalent” jab in effort to clamp down on infections that cause cirrhosis and liver cancer

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... than-to-do" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PorFavor]

May to invite Labour to help create policies amid Tory plot to oust her

Bid to relaunch faltering premiership with plea for cross-party working after dire election result and on first anniversary of entering No 10 (Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... o-oust-her

[adam]

May to invite Labour to help create policies amid Tory plot to oust her

Bid to relaunch faltering premiership with plea for cross-party working after dire election result and on first anniversary of entering No 10 (Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... o-oust-her

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