Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Isn't this just the flip side though of what you've accused the other side of doing in banging on about the ethnic angle? "Oh look, it's a white gang! Not all British-Pakistanis!". What happened to the kids is secondary.
Yes it's almost as if the focus should be on the victims instead of the ethnicity of the nonces.
The attention also needs to be on the government and Home Secretary as they are the ones with the power to reduce the chances of this happening (it will probably never be eliminated).
Mrs May kicked this off by ordering that *all* cases be investigated.
Which got the clipboard types going - since they could no longer ignore "difficult" or "problematic" cases.
In quite a few cases, it seems that the issue was that it was *too common* - since this happened all the time, the clipboardistas saw this as normality....
Did she?
When Starmer called for mandatory reporting of sex abuse claims in 2013, while DPP, the government wasn't keen. May was Home Sec as I remember.
FPT: For some years I have been worrying about the conflicts of interest often found in two-career political families. For example, when Hillary Clinton became secretary of state, I thought that the Clinton Foundation should have stopped taking contributions from other nations. (Spoiler: They didn't.)
Many of our rules were made assuming just one bread winner. (Usually a man, but sometimes a widow, or a woman who has always been single.)
It looks as if the little problem you are having in Scotland may be -- among other things -- another example of that problem.
(And no, I don't have any simple solution to the problem.)
It seems simple enough - the couple in question needs to decide who and what to prioritise, if in positions which could lead to conflicts, rather than just brazen it out on the basis that they are different and it doesn't matter.
Trump seems to have been able to run into massive conflicts of interest, all by himself.
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Isn't this just the flip side though of what you've accused the other side of doing in banging on about the ethnic angle? "Oh look, it's a white gang! Not all British-Pakistanis!". What happened to the kids is secondary.
Yes it's almost as if the focus should be on the victims instead of the ethnicity of the nonces.
The attention also needs to be on the government and Home Secretary as they are the ones with the power to reduce the chances of this happening (it will probably never be eliminated).
Mrs May kicked this off by ordering that *all* cases be investigated.
Which got the clipboard types going - since they could no longer ignore "difficult" or "problematic" cases.
In quite a few cases, it seems that the issue was that it was *too common* - since this happened all the time, the clipboardistas saw this as normality....
Did she?
When Starmer called for mandatory reporting of sex abuse claims in 2013, while DPP, the government wasn't keen. May was Home Sec as I remember.
What kicked it off was the allegations against a number of leading ex-politicians. While that case proved to be bullshit, May ordered the police to investigate *all* reports.
This did lead, for a short period of time, to various people shouting "No, not *those* allegations."
What is with the awful rectangular flashing above that bay window? Not only a boring modern house, but a badly built one.
She must live in the ugliest house of any first minister in the western world.
As I said yesterday, I am oddly reminded of the Calabrian mafia - the Ndrangheta - the richer they are (and they can be very very very rich) the dowdier the house. So as not to attract attention
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Isn't this just the flip side though of what you've accused the other side of doing in banging on about the ethnic angle? "Oh look, it's a white gang! Not all British-Pakistanis!". What happened to the kids is secondary.
Yes it's almost as if the focus should be on the victims instead of the ethnicity of the nonces.
The attention also needs to be on the government and Home Secretary as they are the ones with the power to reduce the chances of this happening (it will probably never be eliminated).
Mrs May kicked this off by ordering that *all* cases be investigated.
Which got the clipboard types going - since they could no longer ignore "difficult" or "problematic" cases.
In quite a few cases, it seems that the issue was that it was *too common* - since this happened all the time, the clipboardistas saw this as normality....
Did she?
When Starmer called for mandatory reporting of sex abuse claims in 2013, while DPP, the government wasn't keen. May was Home Sec as I remember.
What kicked it off was the allegations against a number of leading ex-politicians. While that case proved to be bullshit, May ordered the police to investigate *all* reports.
This did lead, for a short period of time, to various people shouting "No, not *those* allegations."
Yes, the authorities seemed very reluctant to investigate cases in the Anglican, Catholic and independent churches, or in the Royal Family. Cultural sensitivities, I expect.
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
A Tory MP offered to table parliamentary questions, leak a confidential policy document and lobby ministers on behalf of gambling industry investors who proposed paying him thousands of pounds a month, an undercover investigation for The Times has found.
Scott Benton, the MP for Blackpool South, was prepared to help an investment fund influence policymakers and obtain “behind the scenes” information despite rules prohibiting MPs from lobbying in return for payment.
He was secretly filmed by undercover reporters posing as investors with interest in the betting and gaming industry who were looking for an adviser.
During a meeting at a central London hotel early last month, Benton outlined how he was willing to use his position to help their business and try to water down proposed gambling reforms. The MP:
•Guaranteed he could leak a copy of a forthcoming white paper on gambling reforms to the company at least 48 hours before it went public, potentially allowing them to profit from market-sensitive information.
•Offered to submit parliamentary questions and said he had done it on behalf of companies before.
•Boasted of his “easy access to ministers” and said he was prepared to “literally sit outside” a minister’s office if the company needed an urgent answer to a question.
•Claimed many MPs who accepted corporate hospitality were willing to table a written question or make a point during oral questions in return.
•Said he could “call in favours” from colleagues who would be happy to support the company’s interests and offered to host a dinner at the House of Commons.
MPs have long been banned from acting as paid lobbyists and accepting money to raise issues with ministers or ask questions in parliament on behalf of clients.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Virtue = presumably against queer bashing, discrimination, etc, in this instance.
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Isn't this just the flip side though of what you've accused the other side of doing in banging on about the ethnic angle? "Oh look, it's a white gang! Not all British-Pakistanis!". What happened to the kids is secondary.
Yes it's almost as if the focus should be on the victims instead of the ethnicity of the nonces.
The attention also needs to be on the government and Home Secretary as they are the ones with the power to reduce the chances of this happening (it will probably never be eliminated).
Mrs May kicked this off by ordering that *all* cases be investigated.
Which got the clipboard types going - since they could no longer ignore "difficult" or "problematic" cases.
In quite a few cases, it seems that the issue was that it was *too common* - since this happened all the time, the clipboardistas saw this as normality....
Did she?
When Starmer called for mandatory reporting of sex abuse claims in 2013, while DPP, the government wasn't keen. May was Home Sec as I remember.
What kicked it off was the allegations against a number of leading ex-politicians. While that case proved to be bullshit, May ordered the police to investigate *all* reports.
This did lead, for a short period of time, to various people shouting "No, not *those* allegations."
Yes, the authorities seemed very reluctant to investigate cases in the Anglican, Catholic and independent churches, or in the Royal Family. Cultural sensitivities, I expect.
They’ve been arresting and prosecuting Catholics & Anglican priests for years. To the point where peado priest jokes are common currency. The issue is coverups inside the Anglican and Catholic (and other churches).
As to Prince Andrew, there remains the small detail of requiring a chargeable allegation, IIRC.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Virtue = presumably against queer bashing, discrimination, etc, in this instance.
The bastards.
I think people forget that Section 28 was the law this millenium.
Things like Wagamama and the rainbow logo help reassure a persecuted minority they do have a lot of allies.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Virtue = presumably against queer bashing, discrimination, etc, in this instance.
The bastards.
I don't use virtue signalling as an inherently negative term. We display our virtue in various ways all the time, for good reason.
That's why I made clear that someone might display their own perceived virtue by deliberate unadoption of specific signifiers for example. People virtue signal with a flag, or they might virtue signal by posting on twitter they are against a flag. I don't mind people doing either, nor corporations. The latter might end up looking silly if they are full on Ben and Jerrys, but that's their choice, and most will simply take uncontroversial inclusive stances.
Whether someone displays their virtue should not do more than annoy, depending on one's own virtues. Getting mad about it is silly.
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
It really means nothing. There are so many multinationals that fly rainbow flags and use rainbow branding that simultaneously operate in countries that are antithetical to the supposed beliefs of the company. If you operate in Saudi Arabia don't even bother pretending you really care about equal rights for LGBT people.
New builds are a disaster. My home town has been plastered with them and they regularly get flooded by standing water. In Scotland ffs.
Some years back, in Abingdon, someone wanted to build some houses by the river. Cognisant of the regular flooding in the area, the design had an elevated roadway running to the houses, which were (in effect) elevated a story up on columns. All services to be suitably arranged.
This was blocked on the grounds that the design made it look like flooding was an issue in the area.
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
It really means nothing. There are so many multinationals that fly rainbow flags and use rainbow branding that simultaneously operate in countries that are antithetical to the supposed beliefs of the company. If you operate in Saudi Arabia don't even bother pretending you really care about equal rights for LGBT people.
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
It really means nothing. There are so many multinationals that fly rainbow flags and use rainbow branding that simultaneously operate in countries that are antithetical to the supposed beliefs of the company. If you operate in Saudi Arabia don't even bother pretending you really care about equal rights for LGBT people.
I would imagine that flag would get you in the shit in Saudi.
New builds are a disaster. My home town has been plastered with them and they regularly get flooded by standing water. In Scotland ffs.
Some years back, in Abingdon, someone wanted to build some houses by the river. Cognisant of the regular flooding in the area, the design had an elevated roadway running to the houses, which were (in effect) elevated a story up on columns. All services to be suitably arranged.
This was blocked on the grounds that the design made it look like flooding was an issue in the area.
Given that it floods every other year….
Developers can be very good at flood mitigation and drainage, which is one reason locals can be so disappointed when 'it floods round here' does not always work as an refusal, but it makes the areas where they have failed to mitigate (or not been required to mitigate) all the more of a problem, since they manage it all the time.
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
It really means nothing. There are so many multinationals that fly rainbow flags and use rainbow branding that simultaneously operate in countries that are antithetical to the supposed beliefs of the company. If you operate in Saudi Arabia don't even bother pretending you really care about equal rights for LGBT people.
*Cough* Formula One *Cough*
All sports really nowadays. There is a huge amount of sportswashing by nasty regimes from all over the world.
New builds are a disaster. My home town has been plastered with them and they regularly get flooded by standing water. In Scotland ffs.
Some years back, in Abingdon, someone wanted to build some houses by the river. Cognisant of the regular flooding in the area, the design had an elevated roadway running to the houses, which were (in effect) elevated a story up on columns. All services to be suitably arranged.
This was blocked on the grounds that the design made it look like flooding was an issue in the area.
Given that it floods every other year….
Developers can be very good at flood mitigation and drainage, which is one reason locals can be so disappointed when 'it floods round here' does not always work as an refusal, but it makes the areas where they have failed to mitigate (or not been required to mitigate) all the more of a problem, since they manage it all the time.
What made it even more stupid was that not far away are some elevated houses - for the same reason. The gardens are water meadows, basically.
Everyone said the design were perfect for the area. Apart from the council.
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
It really means nothing. There are so many multinationals that fly rainbow flags and use rainbow branding that simultaneously operate in countries that are antithetical to the supposed beliefs of the company. If you operate in Saudi Arabia don't even bother pretending you really care about equal rights for LGBT people.
*Cough* Formula One *Cough*
All sports really nowadays. There is a huge amount of sportswashing by nasty regimes from all over the world.
{LeBron James has entered the chat, with a wheelbarrow full of Chinese money}
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
It bothers me because:
(a) if you're doing the right things to support LGB people and trans people then you don't need the flag (b) if you're not doing those things then the flag doesn't help
And it makes me suspect that option (b) is the accurate one. Putting up a flag is easy. Supporting us is hard.
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
It really means nothing. There are so many multinationals that fly rainbow flags and use rainbow branding that simultaneously operate in countries that are antithetical to the supposed beliefs of the company. If you operate in Saudi Arabia don't even bother pretending you really care about equal rights for LGBT people.
*Cough* Formula One *Cough*
All sports really nowadays. There is a huge amount of sportswashing by nasty regimes from all over the world.
{LeBron James has entered the chat, with a wheelbarrow full of Chinese money}
Ronaldo fulfilling his lifelong dream of playing for Al Nassr being paid €200 million a year.
Remarkable scores on Ukraine and Immigration. Having said that with 9% saying REF and only 4% Green I suppose the real Lab:Con percentages come a GE are around 51%/37%
Though Lab may well get Lib Dem tactical voters in those constituencies.
Feels a bit early for the April Bills Effect to have kicked in. But I suspect that Sunak's Spring Bounce a) was real, b) was driven by people having a bit more cash to spare and c) therefore might be fading.
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Isn't this just the flip side though of what you've accused the other side of doing in banging on about the ethnic angle? "Oh look, it's a white gang! Not all British-Pakistanis!". What happened to the kids is secondary.
I’ve just made a similar point. The victims are what should concern us here.
It’s obviously good that, for once, justice has been done.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
When a niece of mine told me she was annoyed by all the rainbow symbols I see around here, I reminded her of the Noah story. And told her she could interpret the symbols that way, if she chose.
(More seriously, I fear that places that display the symbols may be violating our civil rights laws, by discriminating against people with traditional religous beliefs about families: evangelicals, traditional Catholics, Orthodox Jews, Mormons, and so on. I don't know, offhand, exact numbers, but would guess that, together, those groups make up at least 30 percent of the American population.)
Interesting PPB tonight by Labour tonight clearly aimed at the Red Wall. Dull in itself but EXTREMELY effective in response to the Sunak /Braverman tour of Rochdale yesterday.
Otherwise notable only for the presenter dropping the 'T' on ParTy. Twice
Labour Party election broadcast tonight. Focussed on law and order.
Yet more talking tough. Seems like they are trying to take on the Tories who are making the running on this.
That’s the 43% who trust Labour on crime and policing in the Red Wall against the 34% who trust the Conservatives.
Labour can talk about law and order.
Labour can be accused of a lot of things but being soft on law and order isn’t one that’s going to stick. They’re a highly authoritarian party which is one of the main reasons I’m a Lib Dem.
After 13 years of policing cuts and a justice system in chaos (and of course basic police incompetence) the Tories go on law and order at their peril.
Their strongest hopes for wedge issues are probably ones where the government record isn’t a factor, like the trans debate and…well that’s about it. Everything else they might wish to frighten people about Labour with is now a busted flush due to their own record or external circumstances: tax rates, migration, Brexit, economic growth, Corbyn, policing, even the nefarious influence of the omnipotent SNP
Le Pen (RN-ID): 55% (+14) Macron (RE-RE): 45% (-14)
+/- vs. 2022 election
Le Pen has a very good chance of winning in the next elex
The thing is Macron has spent no time, mmm, grooming a successor. It's been all about him.
Yes, I think LREM will die when he steps down. It has no local roots.
Centrist French politics won’t though. The right and left of centre are extremely weak and the LREM position is the principal opposition to the far right and far left. And Édouard Philippe is popular.
Le Pen (RN-ID): 55% (+14) Macron (RE-RE): 45% (-14)
+/- vs. 2022 election
Le Pen has a very good chance of winning in the next elex
The thing is Macron has spent no time, mmm, grooming a successor. It's been all about him.
As Macron cannot run next time, the Elabe poll is irrelevant. I suspect Edouard Philippe, the current Mayor of Le Havre, is the likely standard bearer for En Marche. Melenchon will probably run and it’s hard to see the centre right picking another hopeless candidate like Pecresse next time.
If it were to be a Melenchon - Le Pen run off I agree she might win but against a centrist or centre right candidate she will lose again in the run off - last year Macron beat her by 17 - 58.5% to 41.5% so to call her chances of winning “good” is a bit of an exaggeration.
Interesting PPB tonight by Labour tonight clearly aimed at the Red Wall. Dull in itself but EXTREMELY effective in response to the Sunak /Braverman tour of Rochdale yesterday.
Otherwise notable only for the presenter dropping the 'T' on ParTy. Twice
When I read this this morning, I did wonder what our police are playing at. It doesn't take specialist training to assess the risk:
"In one case, officers did nothing for 18 months following a report from the National Crime Agency (NCA) of two videos showing a nine-year-old girl being raped. This was despite the fact that officers identified the suspect as living with three children."
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
Remarkable scores on Ukraine and Immigration. Having said that with 9% saying REF and only 4% Green I suppose the real Lab:Con percentages come a GE are around 51%/37%
Though Lab may well get Lib Dem tactical voters in those constituencies.
Come an election, I expect the figures will be close to parity in those seats, although the Conservatives will probably underperform in blue wall seats.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
My experience has been precisely this.
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
The swing in the Red Wall is 14% but was 18% in the England sub sample of the UK wide poll which makes me think the Conservatives are possibly doing disproportionately worse in their areas of greatest strength. The local elections four weeks tomorrow will be informative.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
Labour Party election broadcast tonight. Focussed on law and order.
Yet more talking tough. Seems like they are trying to take on the Tories who are making the running on this.
That’s the 43% who trust Labour on crime and policing in the Red Wall against the 34% who trust the Conservatives.
Labour can talk about law and order.
Labour can be accused of a lot of things but being soft on law and order isn’t one that’s going to stick. They’re a highly authoritarian party which is one of the main reasons I’m a Lib Dem.
After 13 years of policing cuts and a justice system in chaos (and of course basic police incompetence) the Tories go on law and order at their peril.
Their strongest hopes for wedge issues are probably ones where the government record isn’t a factor, like the trans debate and…well that’s about it. Everything else they might wish to frighten people about Labour with is now a busted flush due to their own record or external circumstances: tax rates, migration, Brexit, economic growth, Corbyn, policing, even the nefarious influence of the omnipotent SNP
Problems with criminal justice are an entirely self-inflicted problem for the government. The amounts of money required to fix the system are not that great. It’s a mystery to me why they decided, back in 2010, that criminal justice is not important.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I think exactly the opposite is happening. Try looking through the advertising journal 'Campaign'. Advertisers make their living being up to the minute and 'Woke' as you call it is moving at an extraordinary rate. There's seldom a campaign which isn't progressively 'woke' and the number of campaigns which might have been used just ten years ago but wouldn't see the light of day today is about 70%
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Does anyone seriously dispute that most child sex abuse in the U.K. is by whites? Simply by the majority population. But there has been a particular type of crime associated with groups of largely Pakistani origin men. I note that the current case is very different to those cases, being much more family based.
I don’t get why some people find it difficult to accept that there has been, and probably still is, an issue with a minority of Pakistani men. Saying doesn’t mean diminish in any way the horror of all other sexual abuse.
Labour Party election broadcast tonight. Focussed on law and order.
Yet more talking tough. Seems like they are trying to take on the Tories who are making the running on this.
That’s the 43% who trust Labour on crime and policing in the Red Wall against the 34% who trust the Conservatives.
Labour can talk about law and order.
Labour can be accused of a lot of things but being soft on law and order isn’t one that’s going to stick. They’re a highly authoritarian party which is one of the main reasons I’m a Lib Dem.
After 13 years of policing cuts and a justice system in chaos (and of course basic police incompetence) the Tories go on law and order at their peril.
Their strongest hopes for wedge issues are probably ones where the government record isn’t a factor, like the trans debate and…well that’s about it. Everything else they might wish to frighten people about Labour with is now a busted flush due to their own record or external circumstances: tax rates, migration, Brexit, economic growth, Corbyn, policing, even the nefarious influence of the omnipotent SNP
Indeed, on understanding the challenges of the Criminal Justice system Starmer has expert knowledge.
Doing the hard stuff of collating evidence that will stick and financing the system to have the capacity for swift and effective justice might not be populist enough though. Much easy to bang on about more "Bobbies on the Beat" etc. There is no point in new laws when the existing ones are in effectually enforced.
If you've done anything good in life let your actions and virtue be your result. You never show off about it - my Dad taught me that, that's the sign of a dickhead - you shut up and get on with it, and let others recognise you for it.
Otherwise all you really care about is yourself. Not them.
Remarkable scores on Ukraine and Immigration. Having said that with 9% saying REF and only 4% Green I suppose the real Lab:Con percentages come a GE are around 51%/37%
Though Lab may well get Lib Dem tactical voters in those constituencies.
Come an election, I expect the figures will be close to parity in those seats, although the Conservatives will probably underperform in blue wall seats.
The opposite I think. Sunak has zero to offer the red wall, but is reassuringly posh and urbane for the blue wallers.
Labour Party election broadcast tonight. Focussed on law and order.
Yet more talking tough. Seems like they are trying to take on the Tories who are making the running on this.
That’s the 43% who trust Labour on crime and policing in the Red Wall against the 34% who trust the Conservatives.
Labour can talk about law and order.
It seems to me that in UK politics today there are two outstandingly 'lucky generals' in Napoleon's sense - both way ahead of the rest
They are SKS and Kate Forbes.
However another even more ancient concept, as Boris discovered a bit after Hartlepool, comes into play; the Wheel of Fortune - much loved by Chaucer. But when?
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Does anyone seriously dispute that most child sex abuse in the U.K. is by whites? Simply by the majority population. But there has been a particular type of crime associated with groups of largely Pakistani origin men. I note that the current case is very different to those cases, being much more family based.
I don’t get why some people find it difficult to accept that there has been, and probably still is, an issue with a minority of Pakistani men. Saying doesn’t mean diminish in any way the horror of all other sexual abuse.
The issue is that this is the only thing the government focuses on when protecting vulnerable children. It is a small percent of the answer and they say and do nothing to fix the rest.
Why are they so fixated on this issue? It is not because of protecting children or else they would have taken other steps including providing much better funding a decade since the Jay report.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I think exactly the opposite is happening. Try looking through the advertising journal 'Campaign'. Advertisers make their living being up to the minute and 'Woke' as you call it is moving at an extraordinary rate. There's seldom a campaign which isn't progressively 'woke' and the number of campaigns which might have been used just ten years ago but wouldn't see the light of day today is about 70%
You've literally just lost in Scotland, and now are about to across the whole Equality Act.
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Isn't this just the flip side though of what you've accused the other side of doing in banging on about the ethnic angle? "Oh look, it's a white gang! Not all British-Pakistanis!". What happened to the kids is secondary.
Yes it's almost as if the focus should be on the victims instead of the ethnicity of the nonces.
The attention also needs to be on the government and Home Secretary as they are the ones with the power to reduce the chances of this happening (it will probably never be eliminated).
Mrs May kicked this off by ordering that *all* cases be investigated.
Which got the clipboard types going - since they could no longer ignore "difficult" or "problematic" cases.
In quite a few cases, it seems that the issue was that it was *too common* - since this happened all the time, the clipboardistas saw this as normality....
Did she?
When Starmer called for mandatory reporting of sex abuse claims in 2013, while DPP, the government wasn't keen. May was Home Sec as I remember.
If you've done anything good in life let your actions and virtue be your result. You never show off about it - my Dad taught me that, that's the sign of a dickhead - you shut up and get on with it, and let others recognise you for it.
Otherwise all you really care about is yourself. Not them.
I recall a youth program on the BBC in the 80s
The young gentleman interviewed was really upset that governments etc were getting in on aid for Ethiopia
Apparently, up till then it had been a cool, counter culture kind of thing. But all these big organisations feeding starving people had ruined it as a hip cause.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
My experience has been precisely this.
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
You get banks with dirty reputations flying rainbow flags, companies that boast of their “ethical credentials” employing children in poor countries, turning a blind eye to sexual harassment, or routing their profits through tax havens..
The worst I know was a truly horrid law firm called MacMillan Williams, which has thankfully gone bankrupt. They wanted their employees to be “social activists.” They were so woke that on their very extensive diversity monitoring forms, they were asking intrusive questions about peoples’ sexual practices.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
My experience has been precisely this.
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
You get banks with dirty reputations flying rainbow flags, companies that boast of their “ethical credentials” employing children in poor countries, or routing their profits through tax havens, like a well known l
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
My experience has been precisely this.
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
You get banks with dirty reputations flying rainbow flags, companies that boast of their “ethical credentials” employing children in poor countries, turning a blind eye to sexual harassment, or routing their profits through tax havens..
The worst I know was a truly horrid law firm called MacMillan Williams, which has thankfully gone bankrupt. They were so woke that on their very extensive diversity monitoring forms, they were asking intrusive questions about peoples’ sexual practices.
Sure, lots of companies go in for Woke-washing as well as Green-washing. A lot of it is superficial and tokenistic
It is the Zeitgeist changing, and a step in the right direction. Before people and organisations change, they need to desire that change. Campaigns will always lead reality.
There are still significant issues with sexism and racism in the NHS, and more to be done, but things are far, far better then they were 3 decades ago.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
My experience has been precisely this.
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
You get banks with dirty reputations flying rainbow flags, companies that boast of their “ethical credentials” employing children in poor countries, turning a blind eye to sexual harassment, or routing their profits through tax havens..
The worst I know was a truly horrid law firm called MacMillan Williams, which has thankfully gone bankrupt. They wanted their employees to be “social activists.” They were so woke that on their very extensive diversity monitoring forms, they were asking intrusive questions about peoples’ sexual practices.
If you've done anything good in life let your actions and virtue be your result. You never show off about it - my Dad taught me that, that's the sign of a dickhead - you shut up and get on with it, and let others recognise you for it.
Otherwise all you really care about is yourself. Not them.
That's exactly how this period of woke started - with people on twitter sharing their stories of how they became "woke" to social injustice and congratulating each other on their greater awareness compared to everyone else.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
My experience has been precisely this.
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
You get banks with dirty reputations flying rainbow flags, companies that boast of their “ethical credentials” employing children in poor countries, turning a blind eye to sexual harassment, or routing their profits through tax havens..
The worst I know was a truly horrid law firm called MacMillan Williams, which has thankfully gone bankrupt. They were so woke that on their very extensive diversity monitoring forms, they were asking intrusive questions about peoples’ sexual practices.
There are still significant issues with sexism and racism in the NHS, and more to be done, but things are far, far better then they were 3 decades ago.
I agree, and the Wokery has precisely nothing to do with fixing that.
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Does anyone seriously dispute that most child sex abuse in the U.K. is by whites? Simply by the majority population. But there has been a particular type of crime associated with groups of largely Pakistani origin men. I note that the current case is very different to those cases, being much more family based.
I don’t get why some people find it difficult to accept that there has been, and probably still is, an issue with a minority of Pakistani men. Saying doesn’t mean diminish in any way the horror of all other sexual abuse.
The issue is that this is the only thing the government focuses on when protecting vulnerable children. It is a small percent of the answer and they say and do nothing to fix the rest.
Why are they so fixated on this issue? It is not because of protecting children or else they would have taken other steps including providing much better funding a decade since the Jay report.
Estimates of the numbers of victims of “Asian grooming” go from the high tens of thousands to one million. Literally one million
The idea this is a really small subset of a much bigger problem is odd, in that light
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Does anyone seriously dispute that most child sex abuse in the U.K. is by whites? Simply by the majority population. But there has been a particular type of crime associated with groups of largely Pakistani origin men. I note that the current case is very different to those cases, being much more family based.
I don’t get why some people find it difficult to accept that there has been, and probably still is, an issue with a minority of Pakistani men. Saying doesn’t mean diminish in any way the horror of all other sexual abuse.
Because if you link rape to Pakistani men the 99.9% of Pakistani men who would never commit a rape are offended. It tars the innocent with the same brush and it is therefore grossly offensive.
I heard something on the radio about a fraudster in Ireland who was called 'Israel' and it was assumed he was Jewish. They had the head of the Jewish community in Ireland saying how offensive such a trope was. And that was a single fraudster. Well the villification of Pakistani Muslim men goes way beyond that
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Does anyone seriously dispute that most child sex abuse in the U.K. is by whites? Simply by the majority population. But there has been a particular type of crime associated with groups of largely Pakistani origin men. I note that the current case is very different to those cases, being much more family based.
I don’t get why some people find it difficult to accept that there has been, and probably still is, an issue with a minority of Pakistani men. Saying doesn’t mean diminish in any way the horror of all other sexual abuse.
The issue is that this is the only thing the government focuses on when protecting vulnerable children. It is a small percent of the answer and they say and do nothing to fix the rest.
Why are they so fixated on this issue? It is not because of protecting children or else they would have taken other steps including providing much better funding a decade since the Jay report.
Estimates of the numbers of victims of “Asian grooming” go from the high tens of thousands to one million. Literally one million
The idea this is a really small subset of a much bigger problem is odd, in that light
Well if it is a million, which it clearly isn't, then it is surely even worse that the government are not allocating resources to tackle the issue? Is it not?
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
It seems like a bad sign that businesses feel the need to make these political statements. It is evidence of polarisation in the public sphere. On a slightly different side of the political debate, Wetherspoons were peddling pro Brexit propoganda for a long time and it was mildly annoying in the same way as businesses that are now trying to jump on to the 'woke' bandwagon.
I wouldn't avoid either wetherspoons or wagamama, but I have a lot more respect towards businesses that stay neutral, it feels like they are more genuinely inclusive.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
My experience has been precisely this.
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
You get banks with dirty reputations flying rainbow flags, companies that boast of their “ethical credentials” employing children in poor countries, turning a blind eye to sexual harassment, or routing their profits through tax havens..
The worst I know was a truly horrid law firm called MacMillan Williams, which has thankfully gone bankrupt. They were so woke that on their very extensive diversity monitoring forms, they were asking intrusive questions about peoples’ sexual practices.
There are still significant issues with sexism and racism in the NHS, and more to be done, but things are far, far better then they were 3 decades ago.
I agree, and the Wokery has precisely nothing to do with fixing that.
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Virtue = presumably against queer bashing, discrimination, etc, in this instance.
The bastards.
I don't use virtue signalling as an inherently negative term. We display our virtue in various ways all the time, for good reason.
That's why I made clear that someone might display their own perceived virtue by deliberate unadoption of specific signifiers for example. People virtue signal with a flag, or they might virtue signal by posting on twitter they are against a flag. I don't mind people doing either, nor corporations. The latter might end up looking silly if they are full on Ben and Jerrys, but that's their choice, and most will simply take uncontroversial inclusive stances.
Whether someone displays their virtue should not do more than annoy, depending on one's own virtues. Getting mad about it is silly.
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Does anyone seriously dispute that most child sex abuse in the U.K. is by whites? Simply by the majority population. But there has been a particular type of crime associated with groups of largely Pakistani origin men. I note that the current case is very different to those cases, being much more family based.
I don’t get why some people find it difficult to accept that there has been, and probably still is, an issue with a minority of Pakistani men. Saying doesn’t mean diminish in any way the horror of all other sexual abuse.
Because if you link rape to Pakistani men the 99.9% of Pakistani men who would never commit a rape are offended. It tars the innocent with the same brush and it is therefore grossly offensive.
I heard something on the radio about a fraudster in Ireland who was called 'Israel' and it was assumed he was Jewish. They had the head of the Jewish community in Ireland saying how offensive such a trope was which was understandable. Well the villification of Pakistani Muslim men goes way beyond that
So what? I’m offended when people say all men are potential rapists, and that people like Wayne Couzens are our responsibility (for not calling out misogyny). It’s attitudes like that which have allowed Rotherham and other cases to go on so long. Damn the offence, speak truth.
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Doesn't it show the precise opposite? In a country which is 85% white you'd expect most criminals to also be white.
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Meanwhile, another Pakistani men paedophile ring has been jailed. Thank goodness the Home Secretary has spoken out calling for more action, otherwise of these Pakistani men will be at it.
Not just the home secretary, pbs finest protectors of vulnerable young girls have been posting furiously about this scandal all day. Just with invisible ink.
When they all eventually serve their sentences and are released, repatriate them back from whence they came! Er, Walsall...
Isn't this just the flip side though of what you've accused the other side of doing in banging on about the ethnic angle? "Oh look, it's a white gang! Not all British-Pakistanis!". What happened to the kids is secondary.
Yes it's almost as if the focus should be on the victims instead of the ethnicity of the nonces.
The attention also needs to be on the government and Home Secretary as they are the ones with the power to reduce the chances of this happening (it will probably never be eliminated).
Mrs May kicked this off by ordering that *all* cases be investigated.
Which got the clipboard types going - since they could no longer ignore "difficult" or "problematic" cases.
In quite a few cases, it seems that the issue was that it was *too common* - since this happened all the time, the clipboardistas saw this as normality....
Did she?
When Starmer called for mandatory reporting of sex abuse claims in 2013, while DPP, the government wasn't keen. May was Home Sec as I remember.
If you've done anything good in life let your actions and virtue be your result. You never show off about it - my Dad taught me that, that's the sign of a dickhead - you shut up and get on with it, and let others recognise you for it.
Otherwise all you really care about is yourself. Not them.
I recall a youth program on the BBC in the 80s
The young gentleman interviewed was really upset that governments etc were getting in on aid for Ethiopia
Apparently, up till then it had been a cool, counter culture kind of thing. But all these big organisations feeding starving people had ruined it as a hip cause.
The reunion R4 program about the Band Aid mission was the best of that excellent series I ever heard. The irritation of the nurse having to take time out to explain to this tosser of a pop star what was going on and what was needed. And then being asked to drive to the middle of nowhere. And then the planes started landing. I was honestly in tears.
Labour Party election broadcast tonight. Focussed on law and order.
Yet more talking tough. Seems like they are trying to take on the Tories who are making the running on this.
That’s the 43% who trust Labour on crime and policing in the Red Wall against the 34% who trust the Conservatives.
Labour can talk about law and order.
It seems to me that in UK politics today there are two outstandingly 'lucky generals' in Napoleon's sense - both way ahead of the rest
They are SKS and Kate Forbes.
However another even more ancient concept, as Boris discovered a bit after Hartlepool, comes into play; the Wheel of Fortune - much loved by Chaucer. But when?
Boris Johnson had all the luck going until the Faustian nature of the deal he presumably struck with Lucifer became apparent. He got what he always desired - to be leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister.
Everything that happened after he won his 80 seat majority in December 2019 makes me think he didn’t appreciate what he had done.
Interesting PPB tonight by Labour tonight clearly aimed at the Red Wall. Dull in itself but EXTREMELY effective in response to the Sunak /Braverman tour of Rochdale yesterday.
Otherwise notable only for the presenter dropping the 'T' on ParTy. Twice
Which probably few saw as we have got good at avoiding all forms of marketing these day. We recognise parasites when we see them
Woke is collapsing in on itself. Simply delightful.
I honestly don't think it is, sadly. Perhaps the cause of woke is advancing less fast. But it's everywhere. I mean, I just looked up from writing this and saw this:
It's the start of a trend. These bullshit flags are everywhere but although people show them no-one really takes them seriously.
It just says, "Oh, look at me! I'm inclusive!"
Doesn't really mean anything.
Serious question. If it doesn't mean anything then why does it bother you? I am certainly no admirer of the current 'woke' debate when it has real world physical consequences in terms of removal of statues or changing books. But when it comes to people putting up flags to show their support for a particular issue - even if it is one I disagree with - then I really don't see why anyone should be hassled by that. Clearly the companies feel there is mileage in doing this and my attitude is good luck to them.
People really do need to stop being offended by stuff so much. And that applies equally to the 'woke' and the 'anti-woke'
People can signal their virtue by displaying a flag (or deliberately not displaying one) or what have, there's no point getting worked up about that. Actual law and policy changes which are harmful or nonsensical should be the focus.
Agreed, but “woke capitalism” is a case of “the louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons”.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
My experience has been precisely this.
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
You get banks with dirty reputations flying rainbow flags, companies that boast of their “ethical credentials” employing children in poor countries, turning a blind eye to sexual harassment, or routing their profits through tax havens..
The worst I know was a truly horrid law firm called MacMillan Williams, which has thankfully gone bankrupt. They were so woke that on their very extensive diversity monitoring forms, they were asking intrusive questions about peoples’ sexual practices.
There are still significant issues with sexism and racism in the NHS, and more to be done, but things are far, far better then they were 3 decades ago.
I agree, and the Wokery has precisely nothing to do with fixing that.
There are two problems:-
1. It’s performative.
2. Antnomianism. The belief that “to the pure all things are pure.” If your beliefs are pure, your conduct really does not matter. I don’t doubt that people like Weinstein or Polanski think they’re good people because they’ve always backed what they see as noble causes.
Of course, you can find it among their opponents. Some of the wickedest people that you’ll ever encounter are found among social conservatives who call themselves devoutly religious.
What I admire is the historic nonconformist (especially Quaker) belief that good work and good works are one and the same. You treat staff, customers, creditors fairly, and you don’t brag about it.
It seems like a bad sign that businesses feel the need to make these political statements. It is evidence of polarisation in the public sphere. On a slightly different side of the political debate, Wetherspoons were peddling pro Brexit propoganda for a long time and it was mildly annoying in the same way as businesses that are now trying to jump on to the 'woke' bandwagon.
I wouldn't avoid either wetherspoons or wagamama, but I have a lot more respect towards businesses that stay neutral, it feels like they are more genuinely inclusive.
I don't have a problem with a company promoting their values, but I do expect them to be sincere, it shouldn't be a bit of branding to make them look good.
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Doesn't it show the precise opposite? In a country which is 85% white you'd expect most criminals to also be white.
No one is trying to pretend that all grooming gangs are of Pakistani origin. That would be ridiculous. What they are saying is that they are grossly disproportionate to their share of the population. Which they very clearly are. Particularly in certain towns where there has clearly been a deeply poisonous culture which somehow made this ok.
The Walsall child sex abuse case is grotesque. It sounds like abuse within families over multiple generations. Like something from darkest Appalachia
It shows the crassness of trying to link rape cases to ethnicity as Sunak and Braverman did yesterday backed up today by a really vile article by Alison Pearson in the Telegraph
Does anyone seriously dispute that most child sex abuse in the U.K. is by whites? Simply by the majority population. But there has been a particular type of crime associated with groups of largely Pakistani origin men. I note that the current case is very different to those cases, being much more family based.
I don’t get why some people find it difficult to accept that there has been, and probably still is, an issue with a minority of Pakistani men. Saying doesn’t mean diminish in any way the horror of all other sexual abuse.
The issue is that this is the only thing the government focuses on when protecting vulnerable children. It is a small percent of the answer and they say and do nothing to fix the rest.
Why are they so fixated on this issue? It is not because of protecting children or else they would have taken other steps including providing much better funding a decade since the Jay report.
Estimates of the numbers of victims of “Asian grooming” go from the high tens of thousands to one million. Literally one million
The idea this is a really small subset of a much bigger problem is odd, in that light
Well if it is a million, which it clearly isn't, then it is surely even worse that the government are not allocating resources to tackle the issue? Is it not?
It’s not me coming up with the “1 million” number. It’s the, er, MP for Rotherham. The LABOUR MP. Sarah Champion
EXCLUSIVE: Child sex abuse gangs could have assaulted ONE MILLION youngsters in the UK Rotherham’s Labour MP Sarah Champion describes it as a “national disaster” and is demanding a taskforce to fight the “horror"
Comments
When Starmer called for mandatory reporting of sex abuse claims in 2013, while DPP, the government wasn't keen. May was Home Sec as I remember.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/nov/04/child-abuse-keir-starmer-prosecute-professionals?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
What is with the awful rectangular flashing above that bay window? Not only a boring modern house, but a badly built one.
This did lead, for a short period of time, to various people shouting "No, not *those* allegations."
As I said yesterday, I am oddly reminded of the Calabrian mafia - the Ndrangheta - the richer they are (and they can be very very very rich) the dowdier the house. So as not to attract attention
The Times have just started posting video clips - I can't see this finishing anyway beyond him resigning or being thrown out.
The bastards.
Yet more talking tough. Seems like they are trying to take on the Tories who are making the running on this.
As to Prince Andrew, there remains the small detail of requiring a chargeable allegation, IIRC.
Things like Wagamama and the rainbow logo help reassure a persecuted minority they do have a lot of allies.
That's why I made clear that someone might display their own perceived virtue by deliberate unadoption of specific signifiers for example. People virtue signal with a flag, or they might virtue signal by posting on twitter they are against a flag. I don't mind people doing either, nor corporations. The latter might end up looking silly if they are full on Ben and Jerrys, but that's their choice, and most will simply take uncontroversial inclusive stances.
Whether someone displays their virtue should not do more than annoy, depending on one's own virtues. Getting mad about it is silly.
Bishop Auckland has loads of new estates.
They look very generic. I wouldn’t touch them.
I’m sure most are fine but this guys YouTube I watch from time to time. It’s staggering the snagging problems.
https://youtu.be/eTyQ6CBGEbE
This was blocked on the grounds that the design made it look like flooding was an issue in the area.
Given that it floods every other year….
Mind you I caught some of the womens IPL and very good it was too.
SKSWNBPM
Well SKS is on -20
https://twitter.com/keiranpedley/status/1643199953735495680/photo/1
Everyone said the design were perfect for the area. Apart from the council.
Red Wall VI (3 April):
Labour 49% (+1)
Conservative 30% (-2)
Reform UK 9% (+1)
Liberal Democrat 6% (–)
Green 4% (–)
Plaid Cymru 1% (–)
Other 1% (-1)
Changes +/- 19 March
Starmer leads Sunak by 6%.
At this moment, which of the following do Red Wall voters think would be the better PM for the UK? (3 April)
Starmer 41% (+6)
Sunak 35% (-2)
Don't Know 24% (-4)
Changes +/- 19 March
Labour most trusted on EVERY issue in the Red Wall.
Party Trustworthiness (3 April):
Who do Red Wall voters trust the most on...? (Lab | Con)
NHS (40% | 19%)
Housing (37% | 19%)
Economy (33% | 26%)
Immigration (31% | 22%)
Ukraine (30% | 28%)
https://twitter.com/RedfieldWilton
(a) if you're doing the right things to support LGB people and trans people then you don't need the flag
(b) if you're not doing those things then the flag doesn't help
And it makes me suspect that option (b) is the accurate one. Putting up a flag is easy. Supporting us is hard.
Our own T20 Blast and the Big Bash far Superior
playing for Al Nassrbeing paid €200 million a year.Though Lab may well get Lib Dem tactical voters in those constituencies.
It’s obviously good that, for once, justice has been done.
Labour can talk about law and order.
Giving a few thousand to Stonewall is like buying indulgences.
(More seriously, I fear that places that display the symbols may be violating our civil rights laws, by discriminating against people with traditional religous beliefs about families: evangelicals, traditional Catholics, Orthodox Jews, Mormons, and so on. I don't know, offhand, exact numbers, but would guess that, together, those groups make up at least 30 percent of the American population.)
Otherwise notable only for the presenter dropping the 'T' on ParTy. Twice
After 13 years of policing cuts and a justice system in chaos (and of course basic police incompetence) the Tories go on law and order at their peril.
Their strongest hopes for wedge issues are probably ones where the government record isn’t a factor, like the trans debate and…well that’s about it. Everything else they might wish to frighten people about Labour with is now a busted flush due to their own record or external circumstances: tax rates, migration, Brexit, economic growth, Corbyn, policing, even the nefarious influence of the omnipotent SNP
If it were to be a Melenchon - Le Pen run off I agree she might win but against a centrist or centre right candidate she will lose again in the run off - last year Macron beat her by 17 - 58.5% to 41.5% so to call her chances of winning “good” is a bit of an exaggeration.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_23_2063
https://twitter.com/UKLabour/status/1643666409019277347?t=NSs_7YjUxOpqCsxBMEJniQ&s=19
When I read this this morning, I did wonder what our police are playing at. It doesn't take specialist training to assess the risk:
"In one case, officers did nothing for 18 months following a report from the National Crime Agency (NCA) of two videos showing a nine-year-old girl being raped. This was despite the fact that officers identified the suspect as living with three children."
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/05/police-take-up-to-18-months-to-make-arrests-in-online-child-sexual-abuse-cases
The worst leaders I've worked for in my career have been the most publicly "Wokey", which is one reason I have such contempt for it. I don't respect it.
People think that must mean I'm a secret bigot. Nothing could be further from the truth and then need to see through - and not be taken in - by such shallowness or my contempt will extend to them too.
The swing in the Red Wall is 14% but was 18% in the England sub sample of the UK wide poll which makes me think the Conservatives are possibly doing disproportionately worse in their areas of greatest strength. The local elections four weeks tomorrow will be informative.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/05/drag-queen-story-time-allowed-schools-teachers-union-neu/
I don’t get why some people find it difficult to accept that there has been, and probably still is, an issue with a minority of Pakistani men. Saying doesn’t mean diminish in any way the horror of all other sexual abuse.
Doing the hard stuff of collating evidence that will stick and financing the system to have the capacity for swift and effective justice might not be populist enough though. Much easy to bang on about more "Bobbies on the Beat" etc. There is no point in new laws when the existing ones are in effectually enforced.
Fuck off you insecure needy self-obsessed twat.
If you've done anything good in life let your actions and virtue be your result. You never show off about it - my Dad taught me that, that's the sign of a dickhead - you shut up and get on with it, and let others recognise you for it.
Otherwise all you really care about is yourself. Not them.
They are SKS and Kate Forbes.
However another even more ancient concept, as Boris discovered a bit after Hartlepool, comes into play; the Wheel of Fortune - much loved by Chaucer. But when?
Why are they so fixated on this issue? It is not because of protecting children or else they would have taken other steps including providing much better funding a decade since the Jay report.
@Roger "Wodger" about everything.
All the time.
https://twitter.com/LouiseScottITV/status/1643680580821819405
The young gentleman interviewed was really upset that governments etc were getting in on aid for Ethiopia
Apparently, up till then it had been a cool, counter culture kind of thing. But all these big organisations feeding starving people had ruined it as a hip cause.
The worst I know was a truly horrid law firm called MacMillan Williams, which has thankfully gone
bankrupt. They wanted their employees to be “social activists.” They were so woke that on their very extensive diversity monitoring forms, they were asking intrusive questions about peoples’ sexual practices.
It is the Zeitgeist changing, and a step in the right direction. Before people and organisations change, they need to desire that change. Campaigns will always lead reality.
There are still significant issues with sexism and racism in the NHS, and more to be done, but things are far, far better then they were 3 decades ago.
The idea this is a really small subset of a much bigger problem is odd, in that light
I heard something on the radio about a fraudster in Ireland who was called 'Israel' and it was assumed he was Jewish. They had the head of the Jewish community in Ireland saying how offensive such a trope was. And that was a single fraudster. Well the villification of Pakistani Muslim men goes way beyond that
I wouldn't avoid either wetherspoons or wagamama, but I have a lot more respect towards businesses that stay neutral, it feels like they are more genuinely inclusive.
Everything that happened after he won his 80 seat majority in December 2019 makes me think he didn’t appreciate what he had done.
Tragedy is now tottering on farce.
1. It’s performative.
2. Antnomianism. The belief that “to the pure all things are pure.” If your beliefs are pure, your conduct really does not matter. I don’t doubt that people like Weinstein or Polanski think they’re good people because they’ve always backed what they see as noble causes.
Of course, you can find it among their opponents. Some of the wickedest people that you’ll ever encounter are found among social conservatives who call themselves devoutly religious.
What I admire is the historic nonconformist (especially Quaker) belief that good work and good works are one and the same. You treat staff, customers, creditors fairly, and you don’t brag about it.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/child-sex-abuse-gangs-could-5114029
EXCLUSIVE: Child sex abuse gangs could have assaulted ONE MILLION youngsters in the UK
Rotherham’s Labour MP Sarah Champion describes it as a “national disaster” and is demanding a taskforce to fight the “horror"