General Election

[brunstanejambo]

well if you look at their resume over the past 5 years, you'll find that the SNP are doing a worse job than the tories due to their incessant need to be crowned liberators of Scotland and labour have collapsed in on itself because of woeful leadership and identity loss. the rest havn't the depth to run anything.

 

that for a scot leaves you with the hated tories unfortunately.

 

my preference would be to send them all packing with a no vote and have them write a manifesto they can manage to complete along with a promise to jump off a high building if they dont. that should end the utter bullshit were getting fed these days.

 

This is pretty much where I'm at.

However, where I live in East Lothian the Conservatives are so far behind the incumbent SNP and Labour also-ran that a vote for them would not change anything. Taking a pragmatic approach and asking, "who do I trust least?", I find that the answer is the SNP - so I'll probably vote Labour as a tactical vote to hopefully oust the SNP...

[redm]

that is what the welfare system was invented for, you cant tell me that's what we have now. so when's the point when you say this has to stop/reform is needed, are you willing to wait until your the only one working to support every other person in the country.

 

the system has been getting abused for years, do you condone abuse ? something has to be done so it gets back to its original purpose and ideals before its totally screwed.

 

Yes, that's exactly what it was designed to do. Give help to those who need it. Why punish all the good, hardworking people (and their children) who are struggling because of the actions of the people who have children they don't intend to support themselves? That's not welfare or support of any sort, it's a sanction or penalty. Worst of all, it's punishment which directly affects children.

 

This idea that most people who receive top ups or benefits must all be work-shy scroungers is just a nonsense, but they're the only people you ever hear mentioned when people speak in support of these measures. You don't hear people talk about all of the other types of people who receive this type of support.

[brunstanejambo]

I don't see them as being all that similar. In many instances the Tories have stated something unquantifiable and open to interpretation (of which theirs is likely very different to mine). The other two have put numbers, dates and qualifiers to it so they can be held accountable by the electorate. 

 

If someone came to me with the wishy washy statements from the Tories you have given above I would ask they go away and add some detail so we can measure the success of the project and leave them minimal wriggle room for reneging. 

You are correct that the Conservative LG Manifesto seems to be a bit vague and wishy-washy - but they have at least gone to the trouble of producing one which is actually specific to my local constituency.

 

The SNP and Labour ones are just generic 'national' documents that have no real bearing to what goes on locally. And they are loaded with their own holes which gives plenty or wiggle room for future failures. Several statements of what a Labour or SNP councillor will deliver on issues which are not even in the remit of local councils.

 

My summary of them all would be something like - 

 

SNP - promising everything for everyone, whilst not saying how they will do it. All in all - too good to be true.

Labour - Mostly an anti-SNP and anti-Conservative rant, which promises to improve all public services by raising taxes. Also has a few hidden bombs in such as nationalising Scotrail.

Conservative - as you say, a wishy-washy non-committal statements about improving everything.

[Sten Guns]

When Britney from Muirhouse is living off income support with her two kids Jayden and Chardonnay. With her rent paid. Her council tax paid. With Child Tax Credits coming out her ears. With no intention of working because she prefers the welfare lifestyle choice, she absolutely shouldn't be given more money and the option of a bigger house when she decides to have her third child, Crystal.

 

Living off welfare has become an easy lifestyle choice for many. That's a fact.

 

Britney needs to be more socially responsible.

[Sten Guns]

I'm pretty sure, but might be wrong, that in your example Britney doesn't pay any tax so wouldn't get tax credits.

 

You are wrong.

[maroonlegions]

I absolutely 100% agree with the two child cap.

 

Living on welfare for many has been clear lifestyle choice for far to long.

 

It's wrong. Very wrong. It's rightly being tackled.

 

I'm no Tory but I can see why this is being done. I don't treat my Politics like Sport. I'm able to see good and bad in all parties. No blinkers here.

 

Frightening how many people on here do treat their politics like a football team. It makes us all a little more stupid.

 

You forget that tax credits were also  started to help those in WORK too like "working tax credits" that was created to top up low wages, even these were targeted for cuts. 

 

Your stigmatic labelling of those on welfare as nothing more than scroungers and lazy free loaders is insulting to those in general need.

 

I have no qualms as a tax payer contributing to those in need.  The lazy and freeloaders make up a small % of  welfare claimants.

 

Its also very revealing that the welfare state was created by Labour and now is being slowly decimated by he Tories. 

 

Look out for more attacks in the form of more insidious  "clauses"  and general mislabelling of those on welfare  from the Tories if they get in again. 

 

There attack on "disabled welfare"  that was defeated in the House of Lords was an early indicator  of just how far these subhumans will go.

 

Seems ironic that tax evasion by some well known multinationals and big brand companies can be justifiable to those that profit from them like Mays husband??

 

Funny how some people on here forget that some of their political views sound nothing more than a disrespectful generalisation of those in need.

 

Judge any nations government on how they treat their poor, less well off and vulnerable for that is were their true  motives and political agendas lie. 

 

This present and past Tory government,(Cameron), can be judged on their insidious attacks on welfare and public spending even one  attack going all the way to the House of Lords which ended in defeat.   

 

 

All in it together the Tories cried  from the roof tops of Britain but privately they seek to dismantle the house of the poor and vulnerable.

[Bindy Badgy]

I'm always amazed at the amount of attention that is paid to benefit claimants as the cost of benefit fraud is relatively small compared to the cost of tax avoidance and evasion.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/its-time-to-bust-some-myths-about-benefit-fraud-and-tax-evasion-9520562.html

 

Indeed, despite tabloid headlines about a feckless underclass intent on milking the benefits system, tax evasion is a far bigger social scourge than fraudulent benefit claims. Just 0.7 per cent - or ?1.2bn - of total benefit expenditure in 2012/13 was overpaid due to fraud. This compares with ?5bn a year that the government loses through tax avoidance.

 

 

Obviously, two wrongs don't make a right and people that rip the system off should be pursued; however, our attention would be better focused elsewhere.

[maroonlegions]

When Britney from Muirhouse is living off income support with her two kids Jayden and Chardonnay. With her rent paid. Her council tax paid. With Child Tax Credits coming out her ears. With no intention of working because she prefers the welfare lifestyle choice, she absolutely shouldn't be given more money and the option of a bigger house when she decides to have her third child, Crystal.

 

Living off welfare has become an easy lifestyle choice for many. That's a fact.

 

Britney needs to be more socially responsible.

 Straight from a Channel Five doc on those living off welfare , that Channel Five programme seeks to stigmatise and label  all on welfare as work shy and scroungers.

 

People have different and sometimes complex life situations , why was the welfare set up in the first place?? you want to brutalise it and deny those in real need just because of  a few lazy claimants.

[Sten Guns]

Yes, Brian.

 

You are wrong.

[maroonlegions]

I'm always amazed at the amount of attention that is paid to benefit claimants as the cost of benefit fraud is relatively small compared to the cost of tax avoidance and evasion.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/its-time-to-bust-some-myths-about-benefit-fraud-and-tax-evasion-9520562.html

 

 

 

Obviously, two wrongs don't make a right and people that rip the system off should be pursued; however, our attention would be better focused elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

More and more being siphoned off to the rich in the form of tax breaks  and those tax breaks are  being paid for  by cutting public spending and the attacks and cuts on welfare, the Tories could not get any more transparent, sick fecks. 

[maroonlegions]

 

Am I?

 

 

3. Tax-free and taxable state benefits State benefits that are taxable

The most common benefits that you pay Income Tax on are:

• the State Pension
• Jobseeker?s Allowance
• Carer?s Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance (contribution based)
• Incapacity Benefit (from the 29th week you get it)
• Bereavement Allowance
• pensions paid by the Industrial Death Benefit scheme
• Widowed Parent?s Allowance
• Widow?s pension

Tax-free state benefits

The most common state benefits you don?t have to pay Income Tax on are:

• Housing Benefit
• Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
• Income Support - though you may have to pay tax on Income Support if you?re involved in a strike
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Disability Living Allowance
• Child Benefit (income based - use the Child Benefit tax calculator to see if you?ll have to pay tax)
• Guardian?s Allowance
• Attendance Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Winter Fuel Payments and Christmas Bonus
• free TV licence for over-75s
• lump-sum bereavement payments
• Maternity Allowance
• Industrial Injuries Benefit
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Universal Credit
• War Widow?s Pension

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone pays tax regardless of in work or not, every food item and almost every thing you buy is fecking taxed , so even the very small amount of work shy claimants pay tax too.

 

No wonder this country is deep in the red with Tory economics.   

[maroonlegions]

Please can you explain to me which taxable benefit she would be getting and paying tax on to receive a tax credit?

 

 

 

 

[Sten Guns]

You can claim Income Support and Child Tax Credit.

 

You are wrong.

[Boris]

Please can you explain to me which taxable benefit she would be getting and paying tax on to receive a tax credit?

 

You don't need to be pay tax to receive Child Tax Credit.

 

I just went onto the .gov site and filled it out as single parent, three kids, no taxable income etc etc

 

I would qualify for the full ?8890 per annum.

 

Less than ?10k p.a.

 

And that's what the Tories want stopped.  Not sure, but it would seem that there may already be a cap at three kids?

 

Anyway, the narrative in this country has been allowed to develop the myth that benefit scroungers are wrecking the country, the implication being of course that if you are on benefits, then you are a scrounger.

 

Divide and rule, in a way.

[maroonlegions]

Thanks, That is what I was looking for an explanation.

 

How is it a tax credit if you don't pay tax?

 The answer is Tory logic or Tory economics.

 

 

 

The myth that those on benefits that are not taxed do not pay tax is wrong, everyone of us regardless of our situation in life pays tax through other means.

 

Food VAT and most other goods. 

[maroonlegions]

You don't need to be pay tax to receive Child Tax Credit.

 

I just went onto the .gov site and filled it out as single parent, three kids, no taxable income etc etc

 

I would qualify for the full ?8890 per annum.

 

Less than ?10k p.a.

 

And that's what the Tories want stopped.  Not sure, but it would seem that there may already be a cap at three kids?

 

Anyway, the narrative in this country has been allowed to develop the myth that benefit scroungers are wrecking the country, the implication being of course that if you are on benefits, then you are a scrounger.

 

Divide and rule, in a way.

 And implicating the most vulnerable in that myth by linking them to the myth that ALL on welfare are scroungers too.

 

Despicable and insidious behaviour from so called educated and civilised people who are entrusted with the peoples  trust  by votes to serve the people.

 

Seems that this Tory government is one of a  selfservative   kind, it severs the elite and not the masses who elected them in the first place to serve  them..cheeky **********.

[maroonlegions]

Interesting when voting intentions and various complicated boundaries are being considered.

 

Under 40s need to get the finger out and vote against this present vile and evil as feck  government. 

 

 

 

Jeremy Corbyn would win the election if only people under-40 voted

Labour is solidly ahead of the Conservatives with voters under 40 years old despite being more than 20 points behind in the polls overall, according to a significant?

INDEPENDENT.CO.UK

 

 

[Hasselhoff]

The Tories don't always just target the poor at all. Child benefit is no longer paid to people if they earn over 60k and removed in stages if paid over 50k. That affects middle class and upper class earners and generates a lot of money for the country.

 

LibDems may have been behind this policy from the last government but it hasn't been cancelled by the current Tory government.

[Mikey1874]

Corbyn is giving it a decent go

 

At least saying it as it is.

[maroonlegions]

Wont be the likes of Boris loosing his job at Nestle though.

 

 

 

His party does not have any shame, the mark of cowards lie and then deny.

[maroonlegions]

You can claim Income Support and Child Tax Credit.

 

You are wrong.

 

 

How ironic that tax can bee seen in a positive light to those that are not affected by the rises in it.

 

 

Conservatives' VAT hike will cost the average family ?2,500

Tories are planning to smash poorer families with the devastating tax hike

 

MIRROR.CO.UK|BY MIRROR POLITICS

 

 

[GBJambo]

So Salmond has come out and said that the G.E is a vote for independence. Sturgeon has changed her mind and said its not a vote for independence. When only last week she said it was! Some pair these two are.

[deesidejambo]

So Salmond has come out and said that the G.E is a vote for independence. Sturgeon has changed her mind and said its not a vote for independence. When only last week she said it was! Some pair these two are.

Also the SNP are asking the Greens to not stand in some Constituencies so as to "not split the Yes vote".  So the SNP are using this as a proxy Indy2.

[Pans Jambo]

This is pretty much where I'm at.

However, where I live in East Lothian the Conservatives are so far behind the incumbent SNP and Labour also-ran that a vote for them would not change anything. Taking a pragmatic approach and asking, "who do I trust least?", I find that the answer is the SNP - so I'll probably vote Labour as a tactical vote to hopefully oust the SNP...

Lived in East Lothian most of my life so I know what the Labour party has neglected. Like social housing & the lack of attracting any real jobs to the area. Its sad but there it is.

Whats also sad is that the Labour party & the Tories have a love-in coalition down here (which I never thought I would see ever) and all they seem to have done is introduce car parking charges at the beaches and grant planning consent for tens of hundreds of 5 bedroom houses all over the county. Unless you have a trade, work in a shop or the tourist trade, theres no work down here.

Labour have had their chance down here and the Tories are just liars that pander to their own self interest of getting as rich as they can and keeping their chums rolling in it.

[Dawnrazor]

Lived in East Lothian most of my life so I know what the Labour party has neglected. Like social housing & the lack of attracting any real jobs to the area. Its sad but there it is.

Whats also sad is that the Labour party & the Tories have a love-in coalition down here (which I never thought I would see ever) and all they seem to have done is introduce car parking charges at the beaches and grant planning consent for tens of hundreds of 5 bedroom houses all over the county. Unless you have a trade, work in a shop or the tourist trade, theres no work down here.

Labour have had their chance down here and the Tories are just liars that pander to their own self interest of getting as rich as they can and keeping their chums rolling in it.

Have the SNP done anything diffirent or improved things in East Lothian?

[JamboX2]

Lived in East Lothian most of my life so I know what the Labour party has neglected. Like social housing & the lack of attracting any real jobs to the area. Its sad but there it is.

Whats also sad is that the Labour party & the Tories have a love-in coalition down here (which I never thought I would see ever) and all they seem to have done is introduce car parking charges at the beaches and grant planning consent for tens of hundreds of 5 bedroom houses all over the county. Unless you have a trade, work in a shop or the tourist trade, theres no work down here.

Labour have had their chance down here and the Tories are just liars that pander to their own self interest of getting as rich as they can and keeping their chums rolling in it.

To be fair that sounds like most councils in all of Scotland regardless of party running it.

[Pans Jambo]

Have the SNP done anything diffirent or improved things in East Lothian?

Its a Tory/Labour love-in coalition I said.

Labour have held power here for decades.

[Dawnrazor]

Its a Tory/Labour love-in coalition I said.

Labour have held power here for decades.

Aye, sorry.

[redm]

Another excellent speech, this time from Ross Greer.

 

https://www.facebook.com/rossgreerscottishgreens/videos/1040834442684104/

[JamboX2]

Its a Tory/Labour love-in coalition I said.

Labour have held power here for decades.

Are the SNP not in coalition with Tories in a couple of areas?

 

I don't get this "you can't work with x" stuff. Labour and the SNP have produced a good coalitions at local level but disagree on a lot of other things.

 

It's increasingly tiresome hearing politician after politician making up continuous barriers to working for the good of the people they serve. In Europe you get left and right working all the time. Only in Britain could issues beyond the control of councillors create artificial barriers imposed from on high...

[Rudy T]

Unless you want independence I fail to see why you would vote SNP in this election. The SNP have delivered the square root of hee haw since they got their wish to hold a referendum. They got more power as a result and have failed to use it and have actually declined some of the powers they've been offrred. They are so single minded in their quest for independence it's become detrimental to the country as a whole. The debate here around benefits and the cash to fund it is ridiculously hollow if you support the SNP, they could've had the powers to change it...They deferred them until 2020. The ref cost 15.8mil and the next one likely to be around 20 mil so near enough 40 mil! And for what so they can tell us how shite the torries are and how it should be could be might be better if we go it alone. Now that was based on the huge amounts of cash from oil and a cosy wee hook up with Europe now both seem frankly ridiculous yet many are prepared to back them again. It's farcical situation that voters will stick a cross in the Tory box because it's the only way to stop this farce. They are being found out for the flag waving Jimmy wig wearing racist frauds that they are. A strong labour and this nonsense would end but they can barely muster a fight against Scottish torys never mind the SNP.

[Pans Jambo]

Are the SNP not in coalition with Tories in a couple of areas?

 

I don't get this "you can't work with x" stuff. Labour and the SNP have produced a good coalitions at local level but disagree on a lot of other things.

 

It's increasingly tiresome hearing politician after politician making up continuous barriers to working for the good of the people they serve. In Europe you get left and right working all the time. Only in Britain could issues beyond the control of councillors create artificial barriers imposed from on high...

I dont know mate. I was talking about the local elections where I live (East Lothian).

Tories are filth. End of.

[Pans Jambo]

Unless you want independence I fail to see why you would vote SNP in this election. The SNP have delivered the square root of hee haw since they got their wish to hold a referendum. They got more power as a result and have failed to use it and have actually declined some of the powers they've been offrred. They are so single minded in their quest for independence it's become detrimental to the country as a whole. The debate here around benefits and the cash to fund it is ridiculously hollow if you support the SNP, they could've had the powers to change it...They deferred them until 2020. The ref cost 15.8mil and the next one likely to be around 20 mil so near enough 40 mil! And for what so they can tell us how shite the torries are and how it should be could be might be better if we go it alone. Now that was based on the huge amounts of cash from oil and a cosy wee hook up with Europe now both seem frankly ridiculous yet many are prepared to back them again. It's farcical situation that voters will stick a cross in the Tory box because it's the only way to stop this farce. They are being found out for the flag waving Jimmy wig wearing racist frauds that they are. A strong labour and this nonsense would end but they can barely muster a fight against Scottish torys never mind the SNP.

This guy will be crying in his cornflakes the morning after.

 

'Jimmy wig wearing racists'?

 

LOL

[Pans Jambo]

Unless you want independence I fail to see why you would vote SNP in this election. The SNP have delivered the square root of hee haw since they got their wish to hold a referendum. They got more power as a result and have failed to use it and have actually declined some of the powers they've been offrred. They are so single minded in their quest for independence it's become detrimental to the country as a whole. The debate here around benefits and the cash to fund it is ridiculously hollow if you support the SNP, they could've had the powers to change it...They deferred them until 2020. The ref cost 15.8mil and the next one likely to be around 20 mil so near enough 40 mil! And for what so they can tell us how shite the torries are and how it should be could be might be better if we go it alone. Now that was based on the huge amounts of cash from oil and a cosy wee hook up with Europe now both seem frankly ridiculous yet many are prepared to back them again. It's farcical situation that voters will stick a cross in the Tory box because it's the only way to stop this farce. They are being found out for the flag waving Jimmy wig wearing racist frauds that they are. A strong labour and this nonsense would end but they can barely muster a fight against Scottish torys never mind the SNP.

Ironically, the only way to get rid of the SNP is to vote for Indy. Look at UKIP after they got what they wanted.

After Indy the SNP would splinter.

Before then there will always be a majority in Scotland voting for them because they are the best route to Indy and the only alternative to the filth that is the Tory party.

[Rousset1]

Wont be the likes of Boris loosing his job at Nestle though.

 

 

 

 

 

 Loosing. Schoolboy error.

[reaths17]

Ironically, the only way to get rid of the SNP is to vote for Indy. Look at UKIP after they got what they wanted.

After Indy the SNP would splinter.

Before then there will always be a majority in Scotland voting for them because they are the best route to Indy and the only alternative to the filth that is the Tory party.

they've already said there would be a period of settling before there would be a general election, their ******* things up with a medium amount of powers, how much damage can they do with total power ?

 

they voted through a 2nd ref between themselves,despite polls showing a commanding majority of people didn't want it, who's to say they will ever have to have an election, they don't care what the people say now and they only have some of the keys to the country.

 

and ironic as it seems, its the SNP that are driving scots to vote for the tories.

[Rudy T]

Ironically, the only way to get rid of the SNP is to vote for Indy. Look at UKIP after they got what they wanted.

After Indy the SNP would splinter.

Before then there will always be a majority in Scotland voting for them because they are the best route to Indy and the only alternative to the filth that is the Tory party.

This is another huge reason not to vote for them. They promise x y and z to get the YES vote then disintegrate and no one is then responsible if it goes tits up. Isn't this what they've been criticising the torries about regarding Cameron and the unelected May?

[Seymour M Hersh]

Another excellent speech, this time from Ross Greer.

 

https://www.facebook.com/rossgreerscottishgreens/videos/1040834442684104/

 

[Don Dan]

Not to bad considering the doom and gloom predicted after the referendum.

 

The UK economy grew by just 0.3% at the start of the year, the slowest growth rate since the first three months of 2016, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics said that the slower pace in the January-to-March period was due mainly to the service sector, which also grew by 0.3% against 0.8% at the end of 2016.

In the last quarter of 2016, gross domestic product increased by 0.7%.

Friday's figure is a first estimate and could be revised in the coming months.

Economists had been expecting GDP growth to slow as consumers tightened their belts in the face of rising inflation, but they had pencilled in a higher figure of 0.4%.

The ONS said: "There were falls in several important consumer-focused industries, such as retail sales and accommodation; this was due in part to prices increasing more than spending."

[Cade]

Not to bad considering the doom and gloom predicted after the referendum.

 

The UK economy grew by just 0.3% at the start of the year, the slowest growth rate since the first three months of 2016, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics said that the slower pace in the January-to-March period was due mainly to the service sector, which also grew by 0.3% against 0.8% at the end of 2016.

In the last quarter of 2016, gross domestic product increased by 0.7%.

Friday's figure is a first estimate and could be revised in the coming months.

Economists had been expecting GDP growth to slow as consumers tightened their belts in the face of rising inflation, but they had pencilled in a higher figure of 0.4%.

The ONS said: "There were falls in several important consumer-focused industries, such as retail sales and accommodation; this was due in part to prices increasing more than spending."

 

Good figures: Tories are wonderful

Bad figures: We need strong and stable Tory rule

 

[Don Dan]

Good figures: Tories are wonderful

Bad figures: We need strong and stable Tory rule

 

Both correct statements.

[maroonlegions]

 Loosing. Schoolboy error.

 Aye but  Boris is still a **** though. 

[Boris]

Aye but Boris is still a **** though.

Johnson, of course.

[deesidejambo]

Latest YouGov poll in.

 

Usual results.  

 

SNP at 41%, Tories 28%, Labour 18%

 

55/45 No to Indy

 

Majority No to second IndyRef in 5 years - which is where the Tories are tapping into.

 

All three Leaders approval ratings down.  Nicola at 47%, Ruth at 43% with Kezia at 22%.

[Victorian]

See when you parrot out this "strong and stable leadership" slogan so much... it just demonstrates that that's the total sum of all you've got to say. Arseholes and any mug who votes for them.

[Cade]

Isle of Wight Tory MP who's been in the seat for 16 years resigns after telling a group of 6th formers that homosexuality is "wrong and a threat to society".

 

 

Maggie May has been called out for making a speech at a factory, but banning all employees of the factory from attending and instead busing in a few dozen Tory activists to form the audience instead.

 

 

Feart to face the public. Running away from non-scripted TV debates that won't simply let her robotically repeat "strong and stable" over and over again.

 

Government forced by the courts to publish their air pollution figures and action plan (i.e. terrible pollution and no plan).

 

Interesting times.

[GBJambo]

So when is the snp going to release their findings on their public consultation on Indy ref 2.

 

Don't like the results so just ignore it even happened.

[Space Mackerel]

Zen and the art of Conservative political messaging Apr

29

by weegingerdug

Theresa May has come and spoken to the people of Scotland! But don?t get too excited. Actually it?s kind of superfluous telling people not to get too excited by Theresa May because there are wallpaper pastes which are more attractive a prospect than a Prime Ministerial speech. And wallpaper paste actually serves a useful purpose for people other than the wallpaper paste, which is a whole lot more than you can say for anything that issues from the repetitive and robotic gob of Theresa May. There are electronic lift floor announcements which have more flexibility and spontaneity. And more humanity and compassion too. An elevator voice announcement wouldn?t ever have come up with the rape clause or home office vans telling people to grass up their neighbours for deportation.

 

Anyway. Theresa May did come and speak, although it?s pushing it somewhat to say that she came and spoke to the people of Scotland. She came and spoke in a hut in a forest near Banchory and was kept well away from any of the great unwashed Scottish public who might have asked her something that wasn?t covered by one of her stock phrase responses. Which begs the question, if a Prime Minister speaks in a forest and there?s no one there to hear her, has she really said anything at all? That?s a zen-like question which is infinitely more philosophical and deep than anything you?ll ever get from Theresa. Although to be fair that wouldn?t be hard.

 

The Tories do inadvertently provide the answers to any number of philosophical questions however. Such as ? what is the sound of one hand clapping? It?s the sound of Theresa May slapping you on the face when you dare to ask what?s happening to your human rights after she?s removed the Human Rights Act and replaced it with her so-called British Bill of Rights. Does free will exist? Now is not the time. Or, if the only thing I know is that I know nothing, then I must have been listening to Theresa May telling an interviewer what Brexit means. Or, if I go back in time and kill my own grandfather, does that mean that I wouldn?t have to see a staged and entirely artificial Conservative party political broadcast masquerading as a news event? It?s zen and the art of Tory party political messaging. It?s a bit like ruining yourself financially by spending all your money on getting stoned, only without any of the pleasure.

 

The hut was in an area without mobile phone or internet coverage. The Tories picked it because it serves as a metaphor for the kind of country that they want to turn Britain into. Isolated, lost in the woods, and with the same kind of infrastructure that you?d expect in the 1960s. Somewhere deep in those woods there?s a lost soul, condemned to wander alone in the cold and the wind for all eternity. On wild winter nights you can hear their hopeless wails and screams. That?s what happened to a member of the public who had turned up in the hope that Theresa May would answer one of their questions.

 

The event had been booked in Crathes Community Hall by the local Tory party who told the hall management that they were hosting a children?s party. That?s probably the most honest thing that the Conservatives have ever said. After all, the hall was full of balloons and they had a main act who has a propensity for wearing a clown suit, and who told fairy stories in simple and repetitive language to reassure little children who haven?t thought through the logical implications of what they?re being taught.

 

Our TV news is full of these events. Politician goes off to party event, repeats the same soundbites that they?ve been saying on previous newsoid occasions in front of a handpicked audience of local party faithful who are all bunched up behind the politician in an attempt to make it look like there?s a huge crowd, and then it?s plastered all over the telly like something significant actually happened. The press know it?s a farce. The political party knows it?s a farce. And the public knows it?s a farce too. What really happened was that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom came to Scotland and then hid in a shed deep in the woods of rural Aberdeenshire where her aides could make sure she was kept far away from anyone who might criticise her. It says a lot about her unpopularity that she had to hide in a hut in a forest in the middle of nowhere. Even Gordie Broon?s manufactured press events managed to happen in places which are actually inhabited, even if they weren?t inhabited by Gordie?s supporters. In Tory Scotland, bears don?t shit in the woods, Theresa May bullshits in the woods.

 

But the press goes along with the charade because if they don?t then their reporters won?t get access to the politician on those increasingly rare occasions when there?s a chance for proper questions to be put. Although when those questions are put the politican doesn?t answer them anyway, instead repeating the same nostrums that they want to get into the press that day. Theresa May?s sole political talent is the ability to never knowingly give a straight answer to a direct question. This is the farcical make believe that is hollowing out democracy. This is why people are losing faith in politics and losing faith in the media that reports on it.

 

On the same day that Theresa gave a demonstration of practical philosophy in a hut in a forest near Banchory, the EU told her that EU citizens resident in the UK need guarantees on their status, and there will be no trade talks with the UK until they get them. Theresa May said that she called this general election in order to strengthen her hand in negotiations with the EU, but the truth is that she?ll get the Brexit deal that the EU deign to give her, and that?s going to be a deal that will leave the UK worse off than it was as an EU member. That?s simple realpolitik.

 

Zen teaches that reality is an illusion. We don?t need zen to see the truth of that message. Theresa May?s politics are an entire lesson in illusion, but one day soon the reality of EU negotiations is going to bring Theresa?s illusions crashing down to Earth, and no amount of hiding in a hut in a forest in Aberdeenshire will ensure that she can dodge the Brexit bullet that?s heading straight for the heart of her government.

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

Zen and the art of Conservative political messaging Apr

29

by weegingerdug

Theresa May has come and spoken to the people of Scotland! But don?t get too excited. Actually it?s kind of superfluous telling people not to get too excited by Theresa May because there are wallpaper pastes which are more attractive a prospect than a Prime Ministerial speech. And wallpaper paste actually serves a useful purpose for people other than the wallpaper paste, which is a whole lot more than you can say for anything that issues from the repetitive and robotic gob of Theresa May. There are electronic lift floor announcements which have more flexibility and spontaneity. And more humanity and compassion too. An elevator voice announcement wouldn?t ever have come up with the rape clause or home office vans telling people to grass up their neighbours for deportation.

 

Anyway. Theresa May did come and speak, although it?s pushing it somewhat to say that she came and spoke to the people of Scotland. She came and spoke in a hut in a forest near Banchory and was kept well away from any of the great unwashed Scottish public who might have asked her something that wasn?t covered by one of her stock phrase responses. Which begs the question, if a Prime Minister speaks in a forest and there?s no one there to hear her, has she really said anything at all? That?s a zen-like question which is infinitely more philosophical and deep than anything you?ll ever get from Theresa. Although to be fair that wouldn?t be hard.

 

The Tories do inadvertently provide the answers to any number of philosophical questions however. Such as ? what is the sound of one hand clapping? It?s the sound of Theresa May slapping you on the face when you dare to ask what?s happening to your human rights after she?s removed the Human Rights Act and replaced it with her so-called British Bill of Rights. Does free will exist? Now is not the time. Or, if the only thing I know is that I know nothing, then I must have been listening to Theresa May telling an interviewer what Brexit means. Or, if I go back in time and kill my own grandfather, does that mean that I wouldn?t have to see a staged and entirely artificial Conservative party political broadcast masquerading as a news event? It?s zen and the art of Tory party political messaging. It?s a bit like ruining yourself financially by spending all your money on getting stoned, only without any of the pleasure.

 

The hut was in an area without mobile phone or internet coverage. The Tories picked it because it serves as a metaphor for the kind of country that they want to turn Britain into. Isolated, lost in the woods, and with the same kind of infrastructure that you?d expect in the 1960s. Somewhere deep in those woods there?s a lost soul, condemned to wander alone in the cold and the wind for all eternity. On wild winter nights you can hear their hopeless wails and screams. That?s what happened to a member of the public who had turned up in the hope that Theresa May would answer one of their questions.

 

The event had been booked in Crathes Community Hall by the local Tory party who told the hall management that they were hosting a children?s party. That?s probably the most honest thing that the Conservatives have ever said. After all, the hall was full of balloons and they had a main act who has a propensity for wearing a clown suit, and who told fairy stories in simple and repetitive language to reassure little children who haven?t thought through the logical implications of what they?re being taught.

 

Our TV news is full of these events. Politician goes off to party event, repeats the same soundbites that they?ve been saying on previous newsoid occasions in front of a handpicked audience of local party faithful who are all bunched up behind the politician in an attempt to make it look like there?s a huge crowd, and then it?s plastered all over the telly like something significant actually happened. The press know it?s a farce. The political party knows it?s a farce. And the public knows it?s a farce too. What really happened was that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom came to Scotland and then hid in a shed deep in the woods of rural Aberdeenshire where her aides could make sure she was kept far away from anyone who might criticise her. It says a lot about her unpopularity that she had to hide in a hut in a forest in the middle of nowhere. Even Gordie Broon?s manufactured press events managed to happen in places which are actually inhabited, even if they weren?t inhabited by Gordie?s supporters. In Tory Scotland, bears don?t shit in the woods, Theresa May bullshits in the woods.

 

But the press goes along with the charade because if they don?t then their reporters won?t get access to the politician on those increasingly rare occasions when there?s a chance for proper questions to be put. Although when those questions are put the politican doesn?t answer them anyway, instead repeating the same nostrums that they want to get into the press that day. Theresa May?s sole political talent is the ability to never knowingly give a straight answer to a direct question. This is the farcical make believe that is hollowing out democracy. This is why people are losing faith in politics and losing faith in the media that reports on it.

 

On the same day that Theresa gave a demonstration of practical philosophy in a hut in a forest near Banchory, the EU told her that EU citizens resident in the UK need guarantees on their status, and there will be no trade talks with the UK until they get them. Theresa May said that she called this general election in order to strengthen her hand in negotiations with the EU, but the truth is that she?ll get the Brexit deal that the EU deign to give her, and that?s going to be a deal that will leave the UK worse off than it was as an EU member. That?s simple realpolitik.

 

Zen teaches that reality is an illusion. We don?t need zen to see the truth of that message. Theresa May?s politics are an entire lesson in illusion, but one day soon the reality of EU negotiations is going to bring Theresa?s illusions crashing down to Earth, and no amount of hiding in a hut in a forest in Aberdeenshire will ensure that she can dodge the Brexit bullet that?s heading straight for the heart of her government.

Lol at this when the Tories win 400+ seats

[Francis Albert]

Presumably if the uk is bound to get the Brexit the eu deigns to give it , Scotland would get the form of independence the UK deigned to give it.