The Politics Thread 3.0

[Moggy]

It isn't even benefit fraud though, it's rolling back to attitudes to mental illness that we thought we'd moved past. The old 'smile and everything will be alright' position. banana split.

Yep, it's basically just like saying "man up".

[Memento Mori]

Gerald Kaufman dies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39099489

That'll be another by-election for Corbyn to lose then.

Serious question- If Corbyn lost a by-election where Labour had a 20K majority, would he quit? I genuinely don't think so.

[Errkal]

Gerald Kaufman dies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39099489

That'll be another by-election for Corbyn to lose then.

Serious question- If Corbyn lost a by-election where Labour had a 20K majority, would he quit? I genuinely don't think so.

Not a chance because he is a deluded old git.

[Squinty]

What is their obsession with taking money from the disabled?

If they really want to improve the economy then they could start by going after the tax-dodging companies.

Benefit fraud (all types, not just disability benefits) is estimated to cost £1bn a year, but people and companies dodging tax costs us £34bn a year.

Yeah but they would be going after their own so thats a no go.

They apparently have way more civil servants investigating benefit fraud than tax evasion.

Also another side of this is that a lot of the people who get caught doing the double or wrongfully claiming are never able to fully repay the debt. Spend all this money to investigate a person, take them to court, get 5 quid a week back on debt that is tens of thousands of pounds with a repayment plan that exceeds their natural lifespan unless they are the strawberry floating highlander.

[Meep]

Gerald Kaufman dies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39099489

That'll be another by-election for Corbyn to lose then.

Serious question- If Corbyn lost a by-election where Labour had a 20K majority, would he quit? I genuinely don't think so.

Not a chance because he is a deluded old git.

Why would he give it up? This is what he has spent his entire life fantasising about. At his age he is not going to just admit he was actually wrong all along. The leadership will have to be prised out of his cold dead hands.

[KK]

2 programmes worth watching tonight. Panorama: Life in Immigration Town - Slough at 8:30pm on BBC1 and Meet The Lords on BBC2 at 9pm.

[That]

What is their obsession with taking money from the disabled?

My theory is this: they can't empathise with disadvantaged people or sympathise with the idea of them needing money or support, because as members of a plutocracy their inherent wealth and power would more than compensate for any disability they could conceivably develop, and when they imagine disability they put themselves in that scenario & so don't see what the problem is.

[DML]

Interesting development. Meet The Lords getting a largely positive reaction on Twitter. Not quite lining up with the 'abolish the Lords' campaigners insisting the programme would highlight everything wrong with it. It actually came out in a surprisingly good light. Colour me surprised.

[Moggy]

What is their obsession with taking money from the disabled?

My theory is this: they can't empathise with disadvantaged people or sympathise with the idea of them needing money or support, because as members of a plutocracy their inherent wealth and power would more than compensate for any disability they could conceivably develop, and when they imagine disability they put themselves in that scenario & so don't see what the problem is.

It’s partially that and partially that they think people are being lazy or not trying hard enough. If you have lots of money in the bank then it must mean that poor people just don’t try as hard as you. Of course there are lazy and unmotivated people around so they focus on that small minority to demonise the poor as a whole.

Having a huge amount of wealth also seems to distort peoples perceptions of money, you see it with Trump who genuinely believes that he was self made and that his fathers wealth (and a “small” loan of $1m) had no impact at all on his success. To somebody like that, it must be impossible to comprehend why anybody would be bothered about losing a few ££s or $$s a week.

[Squinty]

NI Election debate was fun last night. I really enjoyed watching that.

[Preezy]

you see it with Trump who genuinely believes that he was self made and that his fathers wealth (and a “small” loan of $1m) had no impact at all on his success.

Didn't he claim it was $1m but it turned out to actually be $14m?

[Moggy]

you see it with Trump who genuinely believes that he was self made and that his fathers wealth (and a “small” loan of $1m) had no impact at all on his success.

Didn't he claim it was $1m but it turned out to actually be $14m?

He's claimed all sorts of figures. Nobody really knows.

[Rhubarb]

Good luck NI

I think realistically the best thing that can happen is DUP returning as biggest party but not enough to have access to petition of concern. Which would be a moderate success.

[Drumstick]

you see it with Trump who genuinely believes that he was self made and that his fathers wealth (and a “small” loan of $1m) had no impact at all on his success.

Didn't he claim it was $1m but it turned out to actually be $14m?

He's claimed all sorts of figures. Nobody really knows.

The only thing anyone can be sure of is that whatever figure he claims won't be truthful.

[Garth]

Just back from voting, did my best to punish DUP. They had a couple of goons hanging around outside giving out leaflets showing how to vote for all the DUP candidates

[Moggy]

Just back from voting, did my best to punish DUP.

[Memento Mori]

They had a couple of goons hanging around outside giving out leaflets showing how to vote for all the DUP candidates

That certainly sounds illegal.

[Squinty]

Just back from voting, did my best to punish DUP. They had a couple of goons hanging around outside giving out leaflets showing how to vote for all the DUP candidates

Same with my polling station. Twats.

[Meep]

High turnout at assembly elections! This is excellent news as it means people are upset, which is bad for the dominant parties.

I went for:
1. Sheridan (Some unofficial Labour candidate, who I picked because he was pro-choice, pro-equality and generally on point with most of my beliefs)
2. Green
3. Alliance
4. Social Democratic and Labour Party
5. Ulster Unionist Party
6. Sinn Féinn

The only candidates left on the ballot were Conservative and DUP, next to whom an empty chair is preferable.

[Squinty]

I seriously hope that that is because of the younger generation.

It would be surprising if we ended up with two different parties this time. I don't expect it will happen, but it would be cool.