Why does the UK gov support for Ukraine feel like a constant PR stunt?

[trythisforsize]

Just that really.
It feels like the war is a great big chance for the government to very publicly pat themselves on the back. As they edge us steadily towards an all out war between UK and Russia the PR machine is pulling out all the stops to tell the world how great the UK government is at supplying arms.

Because it is.

Churchhillian and all that. Hark back, Europe at war, plucky countries blah blah.

It's expedient for Zelenskyy to go along with it but I bet he washes his hands after he's shaken theirs.

Totally agree

Because it is. Zelensky wants more money and the government are selling it to you. It's all so fake looking.

As the great Tony Benn said
'If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to cure people'

PAY TEACHERS AND NURSES PROPERLY AND STOP ALL THIS POMP AND POSTURING. The Tories are literally salivating at the prospect of war and lining the pockets of their billionaire arms manufacturer friends. SHAME ON THEM. The money they've spent on todays premature ceremonies should have gone into hospitals and schools. It's a disgrace.

Would you prefer no help to Ukraine op?

Because apart from a couple of notable exceptions like Tom Tugenhadt the whole Tory party is a bunch of self-serving narcissists, until recently led by the narc-in-chief Johnson, for whom Ukraine has been a bloody godsend as he betrays he is fully aware of every single time he can't help smirking at the role he plays as statesman. He's as statesman-like as my arse frankly.

It's not the support of Ukraine I'm against - it's the massive PR stunt that is taking place today. Rishi Sunkl hasn't stopped smiling and smirking all day and it makes me sick.

With his stupid jeans on.

Sorry OP but I disagree with just about everything you say.

Sunak just ignored the live question about the hypocrisy of London laundering the money of Russian billionaires. Completely evaded it like the cowardly nutsack he is.

It doesn’t feel right to me either. I feel like I’m back in amongst all the pot and pan banging while the world burns.

Sunak will be gone one way or another after the by-elections in probably. He is a very poor communicator when interviewed live. I back Ukraine but agree this government are using it as good publicity for themselves. [ It's not working as people have had enough and see right through them ]

By elections in May

If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to cure people

I love this quote. Thank you @trythisforsize .

Because war is a godsend to governments in the sort of trouble that this one is in. They’re always looking for ways to transfer public money into private hands and nothing better than a war (or a pandemic) for that.

Yes I guess that just about perfectly sums it up.

I'm so angry.

Zero such conference arranged to sort the cost of living crisis.
The public are treated like an irritation that they wish would go away - except they can't wish us away because of all the lovely taxes they makes from us to fund this shit instead of school and hospitals - our original agreement has been shat on and they spend our money on refurbishing No10, subsidising parliamentary lunches (did you know you can get a roast duck for about a fiver and a pint is just a couple of quid inside that building?) and bigging themselves up whilst everyone else scrimps and saves and hands them hundreds and hundreds per months in tax. I'd gladly pay more too if I didn't also have fundraise for my kids school and spend 3 hours on the phone to beg for a doctors appointment.

It is a great way to make money so of course he is smiling. The tab for Ukraine is growing bigger and bigger every day.

I wonder if there's a bit of a masculinity stardust issues with some of them? Sunak, Johnson, Starmer-all seizing Zelenskyy and hugging him, with the broadest ever grins.

They are all acting like a pack of submissive dogs licking and hovering around him.

It's all a bit of a premature climax though isn't it? All this 'we'll never let Ukraine be vulnerable again' - but it IS vulnerable and it's been practically destroyed. They are talking as if it's over and it all went great.

Dr Seuss had it right with the Butter Battle Book. My toys are bigger than your toys. That's how it all starts. This is going in a very terrible direction and is ramping up hugely.

Then what do you suggest we do instead?

Still help but look less like you're enjoying it so much. It's all Wartorn Barbie dress up right now.

And what happens after the war will be telling. Are we still interested when it's rebuilding and supporting?

Work together as a cohesive group with other countries rather than put on showy displays of unilateral support.

If we acted entirely as part of a coalition of many other countries we would
a) not make ourselves stand out as an obvious, isolated target
b) contribute to a united front and present the strongest possible voice and
c) have the advantage of other voices in the decision making process to temper the self promoting actions of our self serving, incompetent, corrupt, self-destructive Tory government.

@MrsTerryPratchett my understanding is that there is a huge amount of discussion going on about post-war reconstruction.

Words are cheap.

Then I guess we will all have to wait and see won’t we?

I'm sure there is, there are vast amounts of money to be made by whoever gets that contract.