Thread 50 Starmer : Το ταξίδι είναι η ανταμοιβή

[DuncinToffee]

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https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/10/it-was-so-terrifying-care-workers-trapped-belfast-mob

This report is shocking.

I think the pastor is turning out to be a bit of a quiet hero.

That report is appalling, not least because of the age of the rioters. The apathy of the police and the neighbours is something else.

It is all so depressing.

Everyone, regardless of politics, should be condemning this without caveat. Yet some are so virulent in their hatred of Starmer and Labour they are happy to see parts of the UK burn in the hope it will bring both down.

The police seem more prepared, this evening. They're using water cannon.

NI is a powderkeg. There were nasty riots there last year / the year before. I am not surprised at all. It's been waiting to kick off.

I have never felt so uncomfortable anywhere for a long time as I did on the Shankill Road.

Which is illegal to use in England, Scotland and Wales.

It's always a powder keg come the marching season. It's a show of dominance. No wonder violence against women and girls is endemic.

And I'm glad as it's a very rare occasion where the benefits might outweigh the risks. I can see why they pulled it into service, tonight, though.

Water cannon use is legal in Ireland. Wonder if the DUP will request that Northern Ireland be brought into line with the rest of UK, alongside the removal of the 100 year old common travel arrangements.

I'll not hold my breath.

I remember the years of campaigning to get rid of rubber bullets.

More NI rioting last night but smaller number of rioters involved, less destruction/ intimidation and police more in control dispersed the mob before midnight

Hopefully things will continue to calm down

Some shockingly old-fashioned thinking plus negative posting about the victim on threads here but also some interesting posts about the general political background in NI

I have a baton round somewhere in the loft. You would want ti dropped on you on you, let alone fired from a gun.

There is a graphic description of a man whose eye was torn out with a water cannon in Germany a while back.

Tice is refusing to confirm if Reform has reported the alledged Russian phone hack

Labour on Richard Tice refusing to confirm Reform reported Farage’s alleged Russian hack to police:

“It really shouldn’t be difficult for Reform to confirm they reported an alleged hack of their Party Leader by a hostile state to the police. Just as it shouldn’t have been left to Labour" to do it.

Labour: "We only know about the alleged hack because Reform briefed it onto the front page of a Sunday newspaper - yet now they say it wouldn't be appropriate to comment. An absurd attempt to have it both ways.

“Tomorrow it will be 50 days since Nigel Farage gave a press conference." Where is he?

Talking of Tice, I was surprised to see this in The Times this morning. Hopefully the link works.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/9a3721d4-0e0d-49f3-bdca-32348976d145?shareToken=38d9177fec0802ae2ebcfa047ebf38a2

I had to check it wasn't John Crace @BIossomtoes !

I know. I really didn’t see that coming.

IDK but isn't Tom Peck the Times satire writer so equivalent to Craces role at the Guardian - used to follow him on twitter before Musk ruined it

He’s the sketch writer but less obviously satirical than Crace, it’s the first time he’s taken a crack at Reform.

“Tomorrow it will be 50 days since Nigel Farage gave a press conference." Where is he?"

How many days is it since the £5 million payment from Thailand became public knowledge.
Because I feel that might explain his absence.

His incitement to riot and his recent reception in the Commons might also have something to do with it.

John Healey has resigned.

I wonder if that is so he can throw his hat into the ring in the event of a leadership challenge

I had the same thought.

Here’s his letter.

^This new era for defence required further investment through the Defence Investment Plan. The excellent and extensive cross-government work that completed in January-overseen by you, me and the Chancellor - confirmed the scale of the challenge and the rising demands on defence.^

^Since then, you have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats.^

^"As I've outlined to you, there are credible ways of meeting the mid-term funding challenges, working multi-nationally and as other European nations are doing, to allow us to protect our ability to deliver the missions of our Labour Government.^

^"You know what defence needs. You made the argument for this powerfully in your speech at the Munich Security Conference back in February. Without a DIP (Defence Investment Plan) that meets the moment in this way, I am being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations, and could make the country less safe."^