Britain - The Official Thread

[ExigeEvan]

New Defence Secretary has lots of relevant experience. I look forward to our new forces....

Asked by the BBC if his own behaviour had always been of a standard expected of cabinet ministers, Mr Johnson replied: "You bet."

The "standard" in question...

Spoiler

I'm not risking 14 years of good behaviour for a painted boob. Just Google Romans of the Decadence

 

[TenEightyOne]

You don't get attacked by the vast majority of the public in that position. When cuts are made to the NHS Jeremy Hunt gets it in the neck!

Maybe so - my opinion is possibly coloured by living near (and having briefly worked at) the BAe site at Brough.

Spoiler

I'm not risking 14 years of good behaviour for a painted boob. Just Google Romans of the Decadence

You could have taken the Fox5 approach to painted filth:

 

[TenEightyOne]

Well, the beacons are lit, Guy burns, the bells are tolling, the King lives and the sky is filled with mocking explosions. Me and the cat are sick of it now. Mrs Ten is out somewhere with the kids eating burgers in a wet field. Pfft.

 

[polysmut]

Well, the beacons are lit, Guy burns, the bells are tolling, the King lives and the sky is filled with mocking explosions. Me and the cat are sick of it now. Mrs Ten is out somewhere with the kids eating burgers in a wet field. Pfft.

A pub near me had a do on. The waiting time at the bar in every pub in the neighbourhood was affected in the wrong way.

 

[UKMikey]

Well, the beacons are lit, Guy burns, the bells are tolling, the King lives and the sky is filled with mocking explosions. Me and the cat are sick of it now. Mrs Ten is out somewhere with the kids eating burgers in a wet field. Pfft.

I'm glad I'm not a pet owner but at least it's usually nice weather the following day in my experience. I think all those bonfires create a high pressure area, if that's how it works (I ain't no meteorologist).

 

[adamp93]

Our old cat would hide behind the sofa all night when they were going off. Now we have 2 and neither of them give a monkeys which is a relief.

 

[Lizard]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-41904161


So what does everyone think of this?


I agree that people should lose positions if they are behaving like this, but driving them to suicide is a long way too far. Maybe some support for those who are accused needs to happen as well. It's like prisoners are entitled to mental health support so why aren't these people?

 

[Liquid]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-41904161


So what does everyone think of this?


I agree that people should lose positions if they are behaving like this, but driving them to suicide is a long way too far. Maybe some support for those who are accused needs to happen as well. It's like prisoners are entitled to mental health support so why aren't these people?

It's a shock. He's from, and represents, my town. Members of my family know him personally and I know his daughter from being in the same tutor at school.

Of all the things, I was catching up with some local news and was reading about his suspension from Labour when I heard that he had died.

It's hit my rolodex of people I know; it's very rare that a high-profile politician is from our town at all, and a cabinet minister no less, never mind embroiled in something like this. We know who he is other than being a man with his own Wikipedia page.

Most people on my Facebook are eulogising, some are soapboxing. To be honest, there's not much to say right now. As far as I know, early rumour is that he wasn't facing anything criminal. It'll take a week or so for some facts to come to light.

I'm sad for Bernie, Lucy and Ryan.

 

[Lizard]

It's a shock. He's from, and represents, my town. Members of my family know him personally and I know his daughter from being in the same tutor at school.

Of all the things, I was catching up with some local news and was reading about his suspension from Labour when I heard that he had died.

It's hit my rolodex of people I know; it's very rare that a high-profile politician is from our town at all, and a cabinet minister no less, never mind embroiled in something like this. We know who he is other than being a man with his own Wikipedia page.

Most people on my Facebook are eulogising, some are soapboxing. To be honest, there's not much to say right now. As far as I know, early rumour is that he wasn't facing anything criminal. It'll take a week or so for some facts to come to light.

I kind of claimed he was guilty and just accused in the same post there haha, I meant that even in the worst case situation, this is too much of a bite back.
Yes as far as I know he wasn't convicted of anything just suspended pending an investigation.

 

[Liquid]

I thought we didn't have a pot to piss in?

Speaking of austerity and the country having no money for services and communities:

The government is offering Saudi Aramco $2 billion in credit guarantees so Aramco can buy British goods and services. It's absolutely nothing to do with Aramco's upcoming IPO flotation on the stockmarket. Reuters

 

[TenEightyOne]

The government is offering Saudi Aramco $2 billion in credit guarantees so Aramco can buy British goods and services. It's absolutely nothing to do with Aramco's upcoming IPO flotation on the stockmarket. Reuters

Having sub-contracted on big Aramco projects I can say (without detailed accounts to prove it) that the impression has always been that they already use their immense size/power to delay payments for years at a time. Sounds like the government are just saying "oh, okay then".

 

[DG_Silva]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-41904161
....
I agree that people should lose positions if they are behaving like this, but driving them to suicide is a long way too far. Maybe some support for those who are accused needs to happen as well. It's like prisoners are entitled to mental health support so why aren't these people?

Sadly, this is what happens in the Civil Service and government-run organisations. The whole idea of a fair trial is completely at odds with the mentality of these people whose sole focus is to get rid of whoever is sat across the desk of them, whether they've done anything wrong or not. If they can't get you on anything else, they'll throw the book at you under the heading of 'Failure to maintain xyz's standards'. I've seen it with my own eyes on three separate occasions and it's frigging (self-censored there) disgusting.

In this instance, the main problem was that the politician didn't even know the details of the allegations against him, so was going in blind. The fact that it would be completely against the protocols and procedures of the party's disciplinary rules and thus makes the action against him, and firing him, illegal seems to be ignored by the Welsh First Minister. As it was his underlings who enacted this course of action, it is ultimately his responsibility and should be his neck on the block. Instead, we have someone who protects himself and blames Mr Sargeant for unsubstantiated and unrecorded offences.

I'm sorry if I sound bitter, but I've seen it happen too often in the civil service for it to be a coincidence and many good people have had their lives and reputations wrecked by the corrupt, selfish and just plain evil. You decide which one First Minister Carwyn Jones falls into.

A family spokesman said on Wednesday they were publishing the correspondence "in light of the continued unwillingness" of the Labour Party "to clarify the nature of the allegations made against Carl".

"Up to the point of his tragic death on Tuesday morning Carl was not informed of any of the detail of the allegations against him, despite requests and warnings regarding his mental welfare," the spokesman said.

"The correspondence also discloses the solicitor's concern that media appearances by the first minister on Monday were prejudicing the inquiry.

 

[Robin]

Prince William and Megan Markle are now engaged and will marry in the spring next year.

Cue the wall to wall news coverage about this (probably along with Brexit) for the foreseeable future

 

[TenEightyOne]

Prince William and Megan Markle are now engaged and will marry in the spring next year.

Now that IS a scandal!!!

 

[DG_Silva]

Prince William and Megan Markle are now engaged and will marry in the spring next year.

I thought she was going out with Prince Harry?....

 

[Liquid]

www.republic.org.uk

 

[Robin]

I think I may have messed that up Shows how much of a vested interest I have in this news

 

[UKMikey]

I think I may have messed that up Shows how much of a vested interest I have in this news

We getting another Friday or Monday off to "watch" it? Then I'm interested, otherwise they can jolly well naff orf as Auntie Anne might say.

 

[TenEightyOne]

We getting another Friday or Monday off to "watch" it? Then I'm interested, otherwise they can jolly well naff orf as Auntie Anne might say.

We're going to buy one of those new television wireless sets and have all the neighbours around for spam sandwiches while we wave little flags and thank babylordjesus for a proper Conservative government.

Or ignore it, haven't decided yet.

I think I may have messed that up Shows how much of a vested interest I have in this news

It's not as if you're a politician or anything, that would have been worse.

 

[Robin]

It's not as if you're a politician or anything, that would have been worse.

I just knew someone in the public eye would.

You never know though, maybe there will be an EastEnders moment on the big day...

 

[Tired Tyres]

That's got very old for me already and I'm not a republican.

 

[Touring Mars]

There was a relatively interesting programme about the engagement last night, which despite being the usual BBC fawning, was in fact quite informative and at least went some way to show that both Harry and his fiance do a lot of good work over and above their 'day jobs'... that said, the highlight of the programme had to be presenter Kirsty Young, who appeared to have taken a trip to the Dark Side.

 

[UKMikey]

There was a relatively interesting programme about the engagement last night, which despite being the usual BBC fawning, was in fact quite informative and at least went some way to show that both Harry and his fiance do a lot of good work over and above their 'day jobs'... that said, the highlight of the programme had to be presenter Kirsty Young, who appeared to have taken a trip to the Dark Side.

I was thinking more Lady Buckethead.

[EDIT] Britain First leader Jayda Fransen has had three posts retweeted by Donald Trump.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42166663

[EDIT] Apparently this is news enough for the America thread so please disregard.

 

[TenEightyOne]

May has apparently agreed with Dublin on how agreements on how the land border with the EU will work. The swivel-eyed loons in the DUP (to whom May handed an effective veto with her ill-advised election) say No. Oops.

 

[Liquid]

"Strong and stable"

 

[Tired Tyres]

May has apparently agreed with Dublin on how agreements on how the land border with the EU will work. The swivel-eyed loons in the DUP (to whom May handed an effective veto with her ill-advised election) say No. Oops.

In order for there not to be customs border between the Republic and NI there would have to be one between NI and Britain. Or do the DUP want to fill in the sea?

Hell. Doesn't anyone in the DUP see that would make the Republic/NI the natural import/export route...

 

[TenEightyOne]

In order for there not to be customs border between the Republic and NI there would have to be one between NI and Britain. Or do the DUP want to fill in the sea?

The "agreed" proposal was that the border would indeed be at sea. The DUP don't want a border between their part of the UK and the mainland, they want a border on land between the Union (as they're Unionists) and the EU.

Given how recently The Troubles were finally quelled I wonder if May should have got her DUPs ducks in order long before this point.

 

[Touring Mars]

This impasse will be resolved when either politicians in the whole of Ireland learn how to compromise or the Heat Death of the Universe occurs, which ever happens first.

-

The situation in N Ireland at the moment is bonkers. NI voted decisively in favour of remaining in the EU, gaining about as much support as the two main (implacably opposed) political parties combined - a rare example of an issue that united both Unionists and Republicans.

And yet, now that the deal is being trashed out in Brussels (or not as the case may very well be), the DUP (who are propping up the current UK government) have decided that they no longer agree with the majority of the people of NI (in wanting to remain in the EU) and are now pursuing the tactic of "We demand to be the same as the UK", even though the UK (though mainly England) voted the opposite way on continued EU membership.

So it is hardly surprising that it smacks of cutting off their nose to spite their face - the DUP will, at a stroke, throw away a possibly unique opportunity to stay in both the UK and the EU because, by virtue of technically remaining in the EU, Northern Ireland would (in their view at least) become more like Ireland than the UK, and they cannot countenance that - they'd rather press ahead with a course of action that their own people don't want than to risk playing into the hands of those who seek a unified Ireland.

-

Of course, by effectively offering Northern Ireland a 'special deal' that would effectively keep NI in the EU single market and customs union, the UK government have basically confirmed to other 'Remain' regions (notably Scotland and London) that such a deal is possible... if it can be done for NI, then it can be done for them. The cat is out of the bag on that front, and you can bet that the SNP in Scotland will not forget it or let it go.

 

[Liquid]

The leave vote in Northern Ireland isn't the full story; all border areas voted to remain and the DUP has little representation there.

Which leads us to the next bit. Arlene Foster has very little to zero mandate to be talking about representing or speaking for the people of Northern Ireland. Not only does she not reflect the feelings of people in border areas but she doesn't hold any executive power. The Northern Ireland Assembly is suspended and has been for months largely due to a scandal she created. She is not First Minister; there is no current First Minister. And neither is she a Westminster MP.

So it seems like a leap of faith for her to be speaking on behalf of Northern Ireland. She doesn't want any divergence in Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK except for small trivial things like law so they can persecute women.

 

[Touring Mars]

The leave vote in Northern Ireland isn't the full story; all border areas voted to remain and the DUP has little representation there.

Which leads us to the next bit. Arlene Foster has very little to zero mandate to be talking about representing or speaking for the people of Northern Ireland. Not only does she not reflect the feelings of people in border areas but she doesn't hold any executive power. The Northern Ireland Assembly is suspended and has been for months largely due to a scandal she created. She is not First Minister; there is no current First Minister. And neither is she a Westminster MP.

So it seems like a leap of faith for her to be speaking on behalf of Northern Ireland. She doesn't want any divergence in Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK except for small trivial things like law so they can persecute women.

This was always going to be the problem with Theresa May inviting the DUP to form a coalition government - 10 DUP MPs now wield vastly disproportionate power, with Arlene Foster seemingly able to derail the entire Brexit juggernaut with astonishing ease.