Politics Thread 6

[Victor Mildew]

Yikes at Taff's ratio

[Moggy]

Rory Stewart isn't even a Tory MP anymore is he?

Ls all the way down indeed

Taf's basically French now so we have to make allowances.

[Samuel_1]

Without getting in moral issues. It's just weird like at some level those jobs need to get done. Society would fall apart if everybody got better paid jobs as a lot of basic stuff wouldn't get done.

Absolutely, these jobs are so important, the 'get a better job' line is an insult. I thought the pandemic has changed such perceptions...?

[Oblomov Boblomov]

It's still going really well for her over on Twitter...

twitter.com/redditchrachel/status/1526158811211386881

Wasn't it a live interview? It's not like they had a chance to cut up what she said?

She's deleted her tweet now after getting absolutely annihilated.

Her defence is that her comments were taken out of context and cherrypicked to make a headline instead of being considered alongside her whole response. Although that is what happened in very literal terms, you would have to be extremely generous to allow her to frame it in that way overall, as ultimately she did still say that people would be enabled to protect themselves from the cost of living by doing things like taking on more hours or getting a better [paying] job, thanks to some bullshit magical transformation of the economy the Tories are promising us .

Ideally, no one would live in poverty at all, no matter their circumstances, but the fact Tories are trying to normalise the idea of people working full-time and still living in poverty until they "better" themselves is utterly shameful.

[Lex-Man]

It's still going really well for her over on Twitter...

twitter.com/redditchrachel/status/1526158811211386881

Wasn't it a live interview? It's not like they had a chance to cut up what she said?

She's deleted her tweet now after getting absolutely annihilated.

Her defence is that her comments were taken out of context and cherrypicked to make a headline instead of being considered alongside her whole response. Although that is what happened in very literal terms, you would have to be extremely generous to allow her to frame it in that way overall, as ultimately she did still say that people would be enabled to protect themselves from the cost of living by doing things like taking on more hours or getting a better [paying] job, thanks to some bullshit magical transformation of the economy the Tories are promising us .

Ideally, no one would live in poverty at all, no matter their circumstances, but the fact Tories are trying to normalise the idea of people working full-time and still living in poverty until they "better" themselves is utterly shameful.

I would suggest the whole interview is actually worse than the headline.

[KK]

Exclusive: Restaurants and bars in the House of Commons cut prices for MPs, as they were bailed out by taxpayers

Taxpayers have forked out £17m to subsidise bars and restaurants in the House of Commons over just three years, openDemocracy can reveal.

MPs have enjoyed cut-price meals, with the average cost of food in the Members’ Dining Room reduced by more than £1 between 2018 and 2021.

In fact, politicians could have a full three-course meal at the restaurant for as little as £10.41 last year.

This is despite all 17 of the bars and eateries in the House of Commons making huge financial losses – totalling £6.6m in the first year of the pandemic alone.

Data obtained by openDemocracy shows that every bar and eatery on the House of Commons estate made an overall financial loss in the three years up to 2020/21.

Menu prices were finally raised by 3.4% last month. But the new menus are still cheaper than most commercial competitors – and the rise is significantly less than the 5.9% inflation in food prices that has hit ordinary consumers.

Cheap food for MPs

Food and drink is so cheap in Parliament that nearby commercially run cafes and restaurants have been undercut.

Last year, MPs could buy a pint of beer in Parliament’s Strangers’ Bar for just £3.45 – compared to the London average of £4.84.

A margherita pizza in the House of Commons cost £3.51 less than it did at the closest Pizza Express.

And MPs could get a double espresso for £1.16 from a taxpayer-subsidised cafe – compared to £2.40 from a Cafe Nero that operates commercially in a parliamentary building.

Last year, the price of a glass of wine started at £4.26 in the House of Commons, compared to £6 at the local Red Lion pub today.

And fish and chips was just £6.41 in the Members’ Dining Room last year, compared to £18 in the pub today.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/food-p ... subsidies/

The drinks are literally on us.

[Preezy]

The House of Commons cafeteria. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

[Moggy]

The House of Commons cafeteria. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

I dunno, I bet the House of Lords cafeteria is pure filth.

[OrangeRKN]

...but the fact Tories are trying to normalise the idea of people working full-time and still living in poverty until they "better" themselves is utterly shameful.

It's already normalised

[Victor Mildew]

The House of Commons cafeteria. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Corbyn shot first!

[Photek]

twitter.com/Independent_ie/status/1526534794544398336

I f**king despise your Government!

[Moggy]

twitter.com/Independent_ie/status/1526534794544398336

I f**king despise your Government!

Imagine living under the banana splits.

[Tomous]

twitter.com/Channel4News/status/1526280266616029188

[Photek]

No fan of Biden but at least we have someone backing us.

twitter.com/BrexitBin/status/1524873768497209350

Why are the Tories siding with Racist, Homophobic and Pro Life banana splits over the vast majority of the people both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic?

[Moggy]

No fan of Biden but at least we have someone backing us.

twitter.com/BrexitBin/status/1524873768497209350

Why are the Tories siding with Racist, Homophobic and Pro Life banana splits over the vast majority of the people both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic?

Because the Tories are racist, homophobic banana splits.

[Tomous]

I was just going to say that

[Qikz]

The more I think about that MP yesterday who told people to just get better jobs the more it annoys me and reminds me why the 'bootstrap' rhetoric conservative politicians world over all use works. People who are maybe not struggling as much right now look at that messaging and think yeah, they're not poor because everything is strawberry floating them, they're poor because they're just not working hard enough, lazy poor people expecting everything given to them on a plate.

[Hexx]

The more I think about that MP yesterday who told people to just get better jobs the more it annoys me and reminds me why the 'bootstrap' rhetoric conservative politicians world over all use works. People who are maybe not struggling as much right now look at that messaging and think yeah, they're not poor because everything is strawberry floating them, they're poor because they're just not working hard enough, lazy poor people expecting everything given to them on a plate.

Precisely. It's insidious. It's a rallying cry for the affluent Boomers.

It makes poverty "your fault/choice" and something you deserve

The unspoken element is also therefore that the rich/well off therefore deserve their success/wealth = rather being the result of lifetimes of privilege and social injustices. Gotta keep the lie of meritocracy alive

[Tomous]

Simply put, anyone who is working a full time job should be to afford shelter, food and some nice things to enjoy in life while supporting their family.

Anything less is an absolute failure by the Government, not by the people struggling to get by.

[Hexx]

Simply put, anyone who is working a full time job should be to afford shelter, food and some nice things to enjoy in life while supporting their family.

Anything less is an absolute failure by the Government, not by the people struggling to get by.

Absolutely not! They problem is today that people just want avocado toast handed to them while they watch a flat screen TV! A family? Shouldn't have had kids if they can't afford them! it's called parentlal responsibility - stop asking for hand outs!