Westministenders: Slow News Fake News

[RedToothBrush]

Things have been slow whilst we are in proroguation, ahead of next weeks Queen's Speech and the EU summit.

We've been in full spin mode, from the likes of the far right and an unnamed source at No.10.

People seem to be waking up to the reality that its highly unlikely we will get a deal now, unless something significant. And No.10 has worked out the NI problem. FINALLY.

Anyway, if you have a little time this week and you are interested in the history of where technology change and fake news meet and how where we are now is merely things repeating themselves, Ian Hislop's Fake News: A True History, is essential viewing.
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00095hv/ian-hislops-fake-news-a-true-history

I really feel strongly this is stuff that should be being taught in schools somehow as its what protects us from extremism.

Sorry geist I think I've always wrongly assumed that from your handle !
Good to hear your eye op went well

I remember from your latest birthday that you may well be the most senior Westministender

...and I hadn't seen BigChoc's post when I had (and wrote) that thought

Hooo maybe people are thinking we've got to the very bottom and people are fighting back? I'm not counting any chickens yet!

(There's an extra "last" in my post but you get the gist )

prettybird my thoughts too. What do unpopular leaders do when they're worried? They start a war... I started an AIBU thread today about Turkey/Syria and the potential start of WW3. Had about 5 responses, maybe most people are not that worried - it's a long way away after all.

pretty tbh, I doubt if BJ would be bothered about foreigners killing each other

I expect the Saturday sitting is BJ desperately trying to get his mad non-WA passed, so he can claim he needn't request an extension ++

and not that one of those "little things" that he promised Trump is getting into another war for him

++ btw, I'm not sure what a court would rule if the non-WA were passed
obviously it's not an Exit Deal when the EU won't agree

But that may be his plan A:
Get enough Lexiters to vote for it and then govt lawyers say the PM must be allowed to pressure the EU to agree, without court "interference"

Jeremy Hunt, who had been beginning to rehabilitate himself very slightly, has just slid all the way back to the bottom of the cliff with his blaming the EU for a lack of "state craft" and just not understanding British politics and how bad things will be if they don't accommodate the UK.

Sounds very much like, "Don't they know who we are?" with a bit of blackmail thrown in

PMK I'm going to enjoy this weekend, next weekend we could be very busy!

Parliament is sitting the day of the march? I fear it may attract more unsavoury characters then it potentially would've done already.

Constitution Unitt@ConUnit*_UCL

Just to be clear.
Here are the words from para 2.19 of the Cabinet Manual

Plus, crucially, if the PM loses the Commons' confidence the Queen is no longer bound by his advice

Given recent events, No.10's constitutional advice needs viewing with caution!

BCF may be near the top of the heap in years but a mere babe in politics so I'm learning a lot.

Always felt an affinity with Germany and after seeing the film Das Leben der anderen and hearing the song Albatros which was popular at the time, I pinchd the spirit of it for my handle!

This great gran'ma is off to bed now, so g'night.

Nikki Da Costa has just left to go on maternity leave. She might turn up on here 😁

PMK. Thanks all, keeping myself updated here with RTB and everyone's news and analysis.

Well I did say it was a sliver of hope Hooo - i've spent so much time glued to news radio that I feel attuned to very small changes. Then again I might have finally gorn mad!

I would actually count the pathetically awful rhetoric from Cummings/Johnson as another positive - as Leadsome observed, it sounds angry and desperate. None of their cunning plans have worked and they know they are scraping the barrell. Won't be long before one turns on the other to save themselves I think.

PV March thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/3712877-Peoples-Vote-March-Oct-19th

Well darkly lets go mad together

Delurking to thank Red and all of the contributors to these threads.

I have read on and off since 2016 and use you as my first reference point for a clear analysis of what is going on.

As a Brit living abroad I could not vote in the referendum or subsequent election much to my regret.

I have spent the last 20 years working for the EU and the impact of Brexit and the uncertainty it has caused our family and millions of others is depressing.

Putting aside the mess and turning upside of our own life - I feel so sad for everyone in the UK. And can’t see any hope - I still feel that I am watching the most horrendous crash in slow motion and am mourning for the British people and the challenges and destruction that is happening.

So many of my European friends and colleagues feel saddened too and confused how politicians can willfully destroy their own country.

Pmk

Hoooo - we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more!

I just wanted to copy this ‘beautiful’ sentence here, just to get your feelings, and see if you also think Trump is seriously unhinged.

Trump defends abandoning the Kurds by saying they didn't help the US in WWII - Business Insider
apple.news/ADJzam7ISTGCKse0n1bKuZQ

"They didn't help us in the Second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy," Trump said of the Kurds. He added, "With all of that being said, we like the Kurds."

Seriously????
Said that, he’s got a funny way to show the Kurds he likes them
Geeeeee

I think the parliament will convene on a Saturday because markets are closed. If the £ has to plunge, it’ll plunge less over the weekend than during the week?

(Pretty- we can possibly cope with brexit AND a military operation. If anything, it’ll be the ideal time for baddies to sneak in and cause havoc, if police will be busy with traffic control over Dover....but the most we will do is craft some weird words to say we believe whatever trump wants us to believe and can he pretty please stay our friend?)

PMK.

PMK. Thanks as ever, RTB.

Da Costa going is significant lost.

Sorry, loveEU It must be heartbreaking for you, basically your life's work for the UK in EU being ruined by a bunch of neo-Moselys and hedge-fund spivs.

Also so difficult to explain to your friends - even I keep getting asked in Germany, but that's just fellow scientists or gym friends

I hadn't realised before the ref how much I value the EU - in fact above the UK.
I always had vaguely friendly feelings, but am now a proud flag-wearer on my bike and in the office

Any Brexit will weaken the UK
No Deal, if the UK govt doesn't promptly get a reality check, could send us spiralling down permanently out of the big league into poverty & chaos, as happened to Argentina

Avoiding No Deal and avoiding 5 years of a hard right authoritarian govt are the 2 main aims for the UK, imo
but I am even more concerned about the US hard right aim to destroy the EU for profit, so that the individual countries can be easily exploited & dominated.