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Politics Arms

528 replies

ommmward · 04/02/2020 13:14

This is a thread for chit chat, banter, memes and emojis about current politics.

It is NOT intended as a fight club.

It is NOT intended as a place to rehash old arguments about the merits (or otherwise) of Brexit - please pop over to the Brexit forum for that.

Politics threads sometimes attract posters who make personal attacks or who hold their views so very strongly that they find it hard to be respectful of other opinions. Please do not engage with such posters; MN has a handy report button for any posts that fall outside their posting guidelines.

Now, pull up a bar stool, and I'm sure one of our lovely staff will be over with a menu shortly.

OP posts:
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7
RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 23/02/2020 20:28

Absolutely xing

LittleRootie · 23/02/2020 23:57

Of course the weather is a political issue, everything can be. If it impacts on people's lives to the extent that their business and homes are ruined and their lives put in danger that is a serious political issue.

I suspect that Johnson is struggling with the enormous responsibility of being PM. He has created a hostile negotiating atmosphere with the EU before they've even got properly started. His partner is rumoured to have fallen out with Cummings and Cummings has fallen out with the press. He has also pissed off his pal Trump by giving the go-ahead to Huawei and backbench tories are starting to make dissenting rumbles.

Meanwhile the London Assembly is losing patience over delays to
the IOPC investigation of Johnson's conduct while Mayor.

SilverySurfer · 25/02/2020 17:09

Bellini, I'm sorry if you felt you were unfairly treated but if I went on the Brexit thread and cut and pasted every insult by remainers to leavers, it would fill several pages and some were pretty disgusting. I think you would be hard pressed to find a handful of insults by leavers to remainers.

But that's in the past, those of us who came together in the Arms simply to share and discuss our views peacefully were not allowed to do so but no matter, there are other fora and we have found a place where we are free to speak as we wish.

Sips a Wine before leaving

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 25/02/2020 17:33

I think you would be hard pressed to find a handful of insults by leavers to remainers

I wouldn’t be hard pressed

But like you ive no real interest in dredging up some ‘they said...’ arguments

HateIsNotGood · 25/02/2020 18:12

I know that I miss the 'hospitality' on offer - but then it was like being in a very comfortable bunker whilst the bs rained down outside. A place of its time.

Then the angst of uncertainty came to an end and the climate changed to a more forward-thinking one and many of us could free our minds from the Brexshit that was a maelstrom and get back to thinking about the other important things that we need to.

At the mo, I'm rather appreciating the civility and ideas that are 'eddying' around on my Fish and Fin Brexit thread.

My only disappointment is that my cartoon-drawing 'talents' haven't been commented on; but Dusty's memes are a very hard act to follow.

LittleRootie · 25/02/2020 18:13

So one of the new 'Red Wall' tories has been caught with his [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-51629950[ pants down]] - once upon a time this would have meant instant dismissal/resignation but in these bad times looks like he'll try to apologise and hope people forget.

Be interesting to have a by-election though

LittleRootie · 25/02/2020 18:14

So one of the new 'Red Wall' tories has been caught with his pants down - once upon a time this would have meant instant dismissal/resignation but in these bad times looks like he'll try to apologise and hope people forget.

Be interesting to have a by-election though

Jason118 · 26/02/2020 12:48

So, either break your own rules, or break a manifesto pledge, here's no surprise whatsoever.

Budget 2020: Chancellor must raise taxes in first Budget, says IFS www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51639439

LittleRootie · 26/02/2020 17:05

As you say Jason, no surprise, it was such an obvious lie that they wouldn't raise taxes but it didn't seem to matter how many lies Johnson told. To be scrupulously fair, almost all governments lie in their manifesto's about taxes.

It said that loosening or abandoning the rules, set out in last year's Conservative election manifesto, would undermine the credibility of any fiscal targets the government set.

I'm not sure enough people are paying enough attention for that to matter enough.

Do their fiscal targets have any credibility anyway?

XingMing · 27/02/2020 20:33

Not pretending to know what will be announced in the next Budget speech, but why do you assume that it will be bad news? The government has a whole new constituency to keep happy. Not the always grasping for handouts crowd, but the local microbusinesses, like your plumber and my electrician (both self-employed) who turn up to fix problems in our houses. My plumber doesn't want his sales to go above the VAT limit, because he doesn't want the admin that would follow on. So I buy the parts, and he fits them. I am not unhappy with that. Most of the econony is small businesses, whether it's builders, hairdressers or marketing advisors. Only you decide to shop on Amazon or ASOS, with DPD delivery.

This post is well off-topic, but the real question is, are you thinking about punishing big companies for being big, and providing services small companies can't match or deliver at a profit, or just opposed to any business trying to get by? I would really like to understand the left wing mentality and where the lines are drawn between successful small trade and big/successful enough to be hateable. I don't know the answer, and would be very keen to have a coherent explanation.

Parker231 · 27/02/2020 20:42

Not sure the budget will give anything to big or small businesses. The Tories have committed not to raise taxes so where is the money coming from to give anything?

Brexit has already cost the country a fortune and as Boris is now lining up for a no deal, the costs to businesses will be huge.

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 27/02/2020 20:44

Not left wing So can’t answer the question unfortunately

Plus is there actually a left wing mentality

Plus why do people get upset about being called right wing...if its just opposite to left wing

Im just gonna plop myself in the middle and see what happens

XingMing · 27/02/2020 20:57

Not quite the same in my limited experience @Parker, because since Brexit became a live possibility, we have been deluged with people sounding out our capacity to ascertain whether we can replace the technical skills at a competitive price. We can, and usually much quicker.

Brexit is going to be to be good news for us.

There are costs too. but we will just pass them on to our customers, who will expect us to do so. But, we don't do business with Joe Public; we are not trading with an individual consumer.

LittleRootie · 27/02/2020 21:05

Not sure the budget will give anything to big or small businesses

I haven't seen any sign that this gov cares about business at all - they have already stated that business has been given enough notice of 'no-deal' to make preparations without any extra help and the negotiating position they've adopted with the EU looks like a head-on collision

XingMing · 27/02/2020 21:14

If they stay out of it, that's good enough.

LittleRootie · 27/02/2020 21:16

No idea what that means

XingMing · 27/02/2020 21:41

Being called right wing on MN is an insult. Because the term comes laden with implications that you subscribe to Nazi ideology and hate POC, Jews and anyone not white and Christian.

But the right-wing of politics also means that in a small community you stand for the rights of the motivated hardworking small businessman who cares about his parent's dementia care costs and how it affects their abiilty to afford helping their children to go to university. We have old parents, and young adults to consider simultaneouly.

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 27/02/2020 21:53

Being called right wing on MN is an insult

Left wing is used as an insult as well...

Jason118 · 27/02/2020 22:06

I would call xingmings description as centre right and we used to have a political party in the UK that represented that position.

LittleRootie · 27/02/2020 22:07

But the right-wing of politics also means that in a small community you stand for the rights of the motivated hardworking small businessman

That's not a definition of 'right wing' - there's plenty of left-wing people -businessman seriously? - running a business, working really hard while trying to deal with family responsibilities

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 27/02/2020 22:15

Yes jason

Im fairly positive i voted for it a few times

LittleRootie · 29/02/2020 15:08

If you mean the LD's I think their problem was always that no one really knew what they stood for and they only time they had their hands on power they just caved in to whatever the Tories wanted and looked like a bunch of liars and stooges.

Now they seemed to have spontaneously combusted!

FUSOI · 02/03/2020 13:16

XingMing
"But the right-wing of politics also means that in a small community you stand for the rights............................................."
The country has only had right wing goverments of varying degrees for the past 40+ years.
Phony Tony/Tory Blair included.

LittleRootie · 02/03/2020 16:02

Blair could easily have slotted into the tory party at any time and be perfectly comfortable but you can hardly describe his gvt as right wing.

FUSOI · 02/03/2020 17:08

Thats why said varying degrees.
Certainly miles from Left Wing.
Take his comments about
How highly he regarded Thatcher The Tax Dodger
He was there to finish what she started.
(If he had of said that at election time in Bishop, he would of been strung up, not elected)
His speech around don't blame immigrants its your fault educate yourself. "May of well been Tebbit On Yer Bike Speech"
War
Removing 10% Tax
Defending 40% Tax paying less % than cleaners.
Responsible for ESA, PIP Software and Assessments, hiring firm
PFI
Benefits For Rich
Immigration
Refusing keep local wage (in Europe) at time.
Made himself a Multimillionaire very quickly.
Elected on the back of corruption, left on the back of corruption.
Still calling traditional supporters stupid.
Failed to address major issues.

He was right wing enough, certainly wasn't labour