Droid

TheCat Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A bit of a long read this one...but it's Tony > Blair writing in the New Statesman about the > fundamental challenges he sees for Labour (and > progressives more broadly) > > It's all fairly high-level, and the practicalities > of implementing his suggestions are not easy, but > makes sense to me. Key takeaway is encapsulated by > the following... > > "The progressive problem is that, in an era where > people want change in a changing world, and a > fairer, better and more prosperous future, the > radical progressives aren?t sensible and the > sensible aren?t radical. The choice is therefore > between those who fail to inspire hope and those > who inspire as much fear as hope" > > https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2021/05/ton > y-blair-without-total-change-labour-will-die Indeed, a very comprehensive, accurate and well presented analysis; but then Tony's presentational skills were always superb. Any chance he can make a come back?

Was checking into a small town hotel in Rockport on the Texas Gulf coast 5 years ago and the receptionist asked for some ID. I said "would my passport be OK". She responded, "Oh, I've never seen a passport before." She was delighted with the experience, if not the PP photo!

Sephiroth Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > As I'm not British I don't have quite the same > hostility to the concept of ID cards as many > British people do > > When Blair govt was kicking the idea around, I > wondered why so many people were QUITE so upset at > the idea > > But to see those opponents now pushing the idea is > deeply suss > > And if any UK govt wants to change such a > fundamental part of it's (non)constitution it > should campaign on the idea - many Johnson voters > will have voted for him with every much the notion > that he was dead-set against the idea > > Mind you, bait and switch seems to be order of the > day with this lot Spot on. Party leaders only show their true colours when they are secure with a large majority in parliament. In opposition they suppress their real feelings but once in power, then watch out! Boris is the most blatant exponent of this tactic. Inevitably he will go too far on several other sensitive issues and the Tories will get booted out. Look back at poll tax.

zerkalo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > > On a side note, I find the government plans > to > > > introduce mandatory voter ID and change the > > system > > > for local elections to FPTP very insidious. > > > > Please explain your basis for this considering > it > > insidious. The current system is easily open to > > large scale abuse because it is based on a > > voluntary (and unverified) declaration of names > > living at an address. No cross check with any > form > > of ID is required. > I'm going on what I read in the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/jan/22/postalvoting.politics

zerkalo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > On a side note, I find the government plans to > introduce mandatory voter ID and change the system > for local elections to FPTP very insidious. Please explain your basis for this considering it insidious. The current system is easily open to large scale abuse because it is based on a voluntary (and unverified) declaration of names living at an address. No cross check with any form of ID is required. Several years ago, I moved in to a rental flat (2 bedroom) and found voter registration details for 41 different names. A 5 year old could cheat the system.

Blah Blah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It is Labour's move > away from aspirational social democratic > meritocracy, that is shedding them support. I agree with most of your analysis on the topic but I'm not convinced about Labour's "move away from aspirational social democratic meritocracy" bit. Aspirational meritocracy is very much the Conservative's home ground whereas Labour have been more committed to broader Socialist principles.

Loutwo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How do you fix that? Boris comes across as your > best mate (even if he?s blindsiding you in every > sense). All he is doing, is successfully riding > off the back of a perception solely created by the > Labour Party. Go back to basics, have policy ideas > which reflect the concerns of these communities, > put those policies across from charismatic > personalities who look and sound like the people > they want to represent. Move away from > London-centric representation. It isn?t reflecting > everyone else?s opinions in the country. > > Louisa. You might have added that Boris throws mountains of money at any issue that he thinks will help him eg HS2 ?106Bn), Covid (????Bn), Regional infrastructure (?80Bn), etc etc, Garden Bridge and we may even get a Tunnel to Ireland!

These smart meters will be redundant anyway in the next decade if natural gas is phased out. The plan is to replace gas boilers with heat pumps and or hydrogen. The lunatics surely have taken over the asylum.

Alan Medic Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Why are the government pushing companies to > install these? It was an EU directive. ""Member States are required to ensure the implementation of smart metering under EU energy market legislation in the Third Energy Package."" Quite why gov.uk is persisting with it post Brexit is beyond me.

If it was legislated that football clubs had to be 51% owned by supporters who were UK resident, would you buy shares in the club(s) you support? Would you be willing to invest ..... a) if it would bring your club back under UK majority fan ownership ( as in Germany) b) if you could expect to get a dividend every year? The petition to get Parliament to consider the issue of club ownership has sailed past the 1000,000 threshold. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/583310 Many of the top clubs have been bought by foreign businesses which heaped massive debt on to the balance sheet and extracted billions in dividends in to tax havens. Loyal fans are being exploited with ?75 admission tickets and ?95 for replica shirts.

Agree with Malumbu. The average Mondeo man, or whatever today's equivalent is, doesnt care much about which person(s) gave him the money to pay for the "Louis Farouk" decor. Most people know that politics is a murky world and they will forgive a lot ( infidelity, lies, corruption) as long as the incumbent buffoon delivers. Boris has delivered in spades, when it comes to vaccines and saving lives and jobs. They also see him as a "character" - a likeable but lying eccentric with a bent spending money big time. He's safe for now (just about) and will continue ( with a few more scars ) for a good while yet and certainly as long as all he has to face is Starmer. When he does go, he can look forward to really well paid gigs on the lecture circuit and then there's the serialisation of his biography. His ego will be safe.

This must be the most appropriate thread for this campaign. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/583310 Let's give football back to the fans!

Let's all do our bit to bring about change to the way that our football clubs are being exploited by unscrupulous business owners. Stop them heaping massive debt on the clubs and stripping money out of of them by way of dividends. Let's make clubs charitable entities which support local communities instead. Make your feelings count by voting in this petition to government https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/583310 The numbers are fast increasing and should easily exceed 100,000 before long. Please consider posting the link to your Whatsapp, Facebook, Tinder, Grinder and any other group of your choosing. Let's bring football back home!