To blame Have I Got News For You for the mess we’re currently in?

[BertrandRussell]

None of this would have happened if Johnston, Farage and Rees-Mogg hadn’t been invited on and been allowed to present themselves as “good sports”.

I don't think Farage appeared on HIGNFY. Certainly true that they gave a platform to both BJ and JRM.

It's all part of a wider problem (obviously). Until a huge swathe of the British public stop wallowing in touched-up nostalgia, and fawning over the upper classes, we're in trouble. So yes HIGNFY is partially responsible, but so is bloody Downton Abbey, Brideshead Revisited and Upstairs Downstairs. How anyone can admire BJ or JRM is beyond me, but the roots are in that particular phenomenon.

How many Dutch voted for PVV alone last year ?

Wilders was easily beaten. What people think they want and what they actually want is not the same thing. Cf how Brexit is panning out.

You are supposed to use your brain and question things, work out if what is being said is either true or possible.

People largely switch off in front of the TV - they don’t approach it as they would a university seminar.

It's the "white middle classes" who created the EU. Saying "send the Muslims back where they came from" is of course stupid on the face of it. But with some estimates concluding that in 30 years some countries in Europe will have 30% Muslim populations, regardless of your opinions on Islam and the sort of political representation Muslims who make up such a significant portion of a countries population might want, you have to admit this is massive demographic change that people had no say in.

Fortunately Shambu we have democracy and not reliant on people like you telling us what is best for us.

Fast approaching the 'humans' on the Arc in the Wall-E film, bloated blobs of nonthinking nothingness

Mass human enfeeblement is an inevitable consequence of a prepackaged, automised society.

*I blame remainers who, rather than accepting the result and getting behind a robust Leave policy, kept bleating and yowling to the detriment of the country.

I blame every single Remainer that has been trying to overturn the decision and undermine any agreement.*

Always sinister when somebody tries to deny people their democratic right to dissent and protest. I find Brexit utterly abhorrent and morally wrong. I think there is no greater threat to the country than going along with it, so why on earth would I get behind it?
(Your use of the word 'robust', when describing the Leave policy, is impishly humorous though, so perhaps your post is just a joke.
Or perhaps you're Theresa May.)

this is a massive demographic change that people had no say in

Definitely. People experience it as a cultural invasion and, increasingly, takeover.

Wilders being easily beaten is not the point. The point is how quickly these parties vote share is going up. Something is going on. Unless it's not and it all does away again, which might happen I guess.

It's only telly.

Boris came over as entertaining but not necessarily someone you'd want to be in charge, Farage showed a glimpse of his true colours and RM proved himself to be the upper-class twit we suspected.

It is generally thought that Spitting Image did affect the way people perceived John Major though, so who knows?

Oh, I've got to ask, ardent Leavers. How are you feeling about Sajid Javid being a front runner for replacing TM?

akerman totally agree with you. I've been exercising my democratic right to dissent for two and half years now, and will continue as there is nothing about Brexit I can 'get behind', I'm afraid. My life would certainly be a lot less stressful if I could.

I blame every single Remainer that has been trying to overturn the decision and undermine any agreement

Why do I get the feeling you don't share the same sentiment for those who voted against joining the EEC in the first place and spent the rest of the time trying to undermine any success it could have instead of trying to make the best of it?

in 30 years some countries in Europe will have 30% Muslim populations

"Muslim population in Europe to reach 10% by 2050, new forecast shows" (not 30%). I can't find anything about 30% unless you mean trends in individual European cities, not countries. Brussels currently tops the league table, with a population that is thought to be 25% Muslim.

For 30% are U thinking of Bosnia-Herz, maybe? Projected to rise to 42.7% Muslim in about year 2030.

I blame every single Remainer that has been trying to overturn the decision and undermine any agreement

Many people’s livelihood, residency, family will be basically killed off by Brexit. Why would they get behind something that is going to damage them quite so badly?

Makes me lol the way Muslim is always regarded as some homogenous lump - religiously active and of non-European descent. Bit like saying all white people are practicing catholics

Fortunately Shambu we have democracy and not reliant on people like you telling us what is best for us.

You can choose not listen you can just find out the hard way.

Why not blame the ‘thick ignorant oiks’ who just couldn’t be bothered to even vote on such an important matter?! No point in blaming those who were exercising their democratic right. Had just a small percentage of the ‘couldn’t be a*d’ brigade had got off their bums, the result might have been different.........

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj75oOM0ZzfAhXMzYUKHbV9AcEQzPwBegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2017%2Fnov%2F29%2Fmuslim-population-in-europe-could-more-than-double&psig=AOvVaw12VdR7OLEmf_GHflLF7rJA&ust=1544784566580430

Like I say, you may have no problems with a significant proportion of the country being Muslims but census data shows that integration is not happening, and people ought to have a say in the future of their country without being called stupid for having a different opinion.

The point is how quickly these parties vote share is going up. Something is going on.

There will always be people ready to be seduced by extremism when it’s offered.

Historically, you can see the pattern of how that pans out - the extremists lie their faces off, what they promise cannot be delivered, and the supporters end up cross, betrayed and disappointed.

It is sad that the EU hasn’t taken brexit as an opportunity to re-evaluate it’s purpose and direction

I thought that the 'issue' for many leavers was immigration and I also thought that I heard a comment on the radio this morning that the EU was looking at this as an issue - bit late for UK when we've left the table. So we could possibly have been in a position where we could feed in to any discussion but have chosen to opt out.

Personally, I blame every single leave voter who was too thick to understand exactly what they were voting for. Those who trot out the same old strap lines about unelected officials, red tape, sovereignty blah fucking blah and when questioned do not have a clue what they are talking about or voting for.

The days of tea and bunting are gone - harping back to a 'golden era' (if one ever existed) is bonkers.

Bit like saying all white people are practicing Catholics.

I’m not Catholic. My husband is not Catholic. We are not of the same religion and we are not believers. We send our DC to a Catholic school because it is a repository of the Judaeo-Christian European tradition that we were largely brought up to despise, but that we now prefer to any of the alternative educational value sets on offer.

{The right wing press has a lot to answer for I think. Endless anti-EU articles were published that were factually inaccurate and went unchallenged.}
The EU website has a section discussing many of the EU 'myths', it is quite entertaining.
The origin of the 'bendy bananas' was actually an EU negotiator objecting to banana farmers being sprayed with toxic chemicals while they worked, which caused them severe medical problems and death.
The size and classification had to be defined to get the regulations enforced. The EU had to take the WTO to court. Lost the first round but won on a second.
Do you see the Tories standing up to the WTO and winning to prevent fatal injuries to UK workers?

What like English people that move to Spain, France and integrate so well into the local community.

What should have changed years ago is the way we teach history, geography and economics into schools. Giving people a better knowledge of the world around them.

What should have changed years ago is the way we teach history, geography and economics into schools. Giving people a better knowledge of the world around them

Yes.