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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Do we need an independent, remain, GC candidate for MEP?

11 replies

BlytheSpiritsSpirit · 13/04/2019 21:15

Is this even possible? I know very little about political process, and the Brexit shambles makes it hard for any candidate to commit.

But maybe it's worth a try? I do think we need more GC voices in all levels of politics - people who are not afraid to speak up (why are our MPs afraid to speak up?) and who will put the needs of the people front and centre.

Am I politically naive? Is this a pipe dream?

OP posts:
Antibles · 13/04/2019 22:01

No to the remain bit, yes to the rest. But I would say that because I voted Leave.

I actually find it remarkable and concerning that certain people on here:

A) See how the Guardian's approach to transgender has been mostly wrong-headed and accept that the Daily Mail does actually cut through the crap on trans matters (and have stopped apologising for posting Mail links).
B) Swallow the Guardian's anti-Brexit stance whole and tend to demonise all Daily Mail coverage and readers.

George Soros' Open Borders? Marvellous.
George Soros' Open Society with massive trans funding? Bad.

I don't often say it though as this is FWR and not the Brexit board and I reckon it's best to keep it that way. Hands across the aisle and all that.

2rebecca · 13/04/2019 22:07

I voted remain but as Brexit won think we should leave, much as I voted no in the Scottish Indy ref but would have been unimpressed if Westminster had refused to stop the Scots leaving the UK if Yes had won and was unimpressed when all the Yes people kept whinging.. There is no point having a referendum if you don't honour the result. Sometimes you don't get what you want in elections.
I am really unimpressed at the way MPs have tried to stop Brexit.

SlappingJoffrey · 13/04/2019 22:11

Yes, anyone agreeing with Guardian pro Remain arguments must be swallowing them whole, rather than having given the issue considered thought and come to the same conclusion.

Xiaoxiong · 13/04/2019 22:16

It's not just the Guardian's anti-Brexit stance. The Times, the Evening Standard, the Mail on Sunday and the FT were/are also Remain endorsing papers. So voting Remain doesn't mean you're swallowing Guardian propaganda whole.

ByGrabtharsHammarWhatASaving · 13/04/2019 22:20

I voted remain but think we need to stick with the hands across the aisle stance and save it for the Brexit board.

YES to a GC candidate. We always talk of being politically homeless, so lets make our own home.

(Not me though, I have a very small baby which =/= lots of time to be a politician)

Xiaoxiong · 13/04/2019 22:20

But more seriously OP, I'd love to stand on that platform. I don't know how to do it though. I live in one of the safest Tory seats in the country that was a big Remain area, and yet our MP is a no-deal hardliner and took a month to send me a copied and pasted "trans people are the most discriminated against ever" letter when I wrote to him about the GRA consultation. I'd love to stand as an MP, MEP, whatever. But how to start!

NiceViper · 13/04/2019 23:52

Start here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/3552202-I-m-going-to-stand-as-an-MEP-in-the-next-election

Includes a link to official guidance on standing as an independent.

BlytheSpiritsSpirit · 13/04/2019 23:53

Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned remain here!

OP posts:
RedToothBrush · 13/04/2019 23:58

I believe in evidence based medicine. I also believe in leaning to understand Irish / NI politics, the reality of trade deals and the sheer incompentence of our current politicians to grasp these fundamental principles.

I certainly don't swallow one newspaper more than another. The Telegraph and the Sun have a couple of excellent correspondents who have been bang on the money with whats happening with Brexit. I'd struggle to name one for the Guardian.

FWIW, I think Brexit is a deeply complex issue which far too few people in authority have managed to get their head around. Leaving could never been done in a short time frame and anyone serious about doing it should never have triggered a50 before knowing what the fuck they planned to do. That always stacked the odds against us. The problem was the sheer lack of acknowledgement that leaving required a slow exit, in stages. And 'going to WTO terms' is the stuff of complete ignorance. Unrealistic and unachieveable promises are the real issue; not leaving the EU as such.

Brexit is a car crash, and frankly I look at politicians on both sides with total horror that they have failed to do their homework and understand the nature of the problem. In far too many cases they have simply swallowed the tribal shit, full of misinformation and utter drivel because it suits them and they think it will win votes, rather than doing the best for society. I think there is maybe one or two who I actually think have bothered to do their research or had the relevant experience to understand the nature of the problem.

The same thing is true of politicians with Gender Identity issues. You have people like Stephen Doughty criticising the story in the Times when its crystal clear he hasn't even bothered to read the same article. We had politicians last week attending a meeting on 'what the customs union is'; only after nearly 3 years and the original exit date. Its jaw dropping, how utterly lazy they have all been on key issues which represent different sides in a 'cultural war'.

I disgress from the original point, but I am pretty pissed at other comments made here that need challenging - because they represent the very tribalism and identity politics which is the exact problem with both Brexit and the Trans issue. Both Brexit and Trans Rights are symptoms and manifestations of the same problem - they could only have happened at this moment in time because of fractures in society and how it is so heavily defined and debate restricted by cultural identity.

Do I think we need a Independent Remain GC MEP candidate. No, because a) its difficult to stand in EU elections as an Independent b) its a Proportionational representation system, so voters don't vote for a single candidate only a party (Each party has a list of their candidates and for each seat they win the person closest to the top of the list gets the job) c) The more 'pro remain' parties there are, the more the vote is split and the less likely 'pro remain' parties will win a seat.

I despair of it all.

LassOfFyvie · 14/04/2019 00:42

I actually find it remarkable and concerning that certain people on here

A) See how the Guardian's approach to transgender has been mostly wrong-headed and accept that the Daily Mail does actually cut through the crap on trans matters (and have stopped apologising for posting Mail links)
B) Swallow the Guardian's anti-Brexit stance whole and tend to demonise all Daily Mail coverage and readers

I voted remain and would do so again but I agree the assumption is remarkable.

Angryresister · 14/04/2019 00:52

I did not vote for policies which generally are about taking other people's and my own rights away, but there is a good case for having GC MEPs to counteract the Trans support in Europe. I can't imagine it would be any more comfortable as a woman or GC man in the eUropean parliament the way things are going. . I would be extremely happy if some of the fantastic women on here would stand for election as feminists.

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