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RE: The British Politics Thread - 21/8/2012 11:22:39 PM

great_badir

Posts: 4178
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: A breaking rope bridge in the middle of the jungle

quote:

ORIGINAL: Shifty Bench

quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir

And the funny thing is Galloway is, apparently, a really genuinely nice guy away from the limelight.

Every single piece of evidence I have seen is to the contrary but as I have never met him in real life I'll have to take the word of the reputable sources you speak of.

Without wanting to send the thread off topic...

A mate of mine is a freelance journalist and was with Galloway and his "entourage" (wrong word to use by the sounds of things, but just for ease) for most of Galloway's personal campaign against the war a few years back, as he (my mate) was reporting for a couple of different websites and news journals. Of an evening, miles away from major media, politics and/or "business", Galloway was apparently an incredibly humble, humorous and generous fellow. This was also confirmed by other "hangers on" at the time. I also remember reading at least one broadsheet report at the time that went along the lines of "I expected to be met by a clueless, confrontational, rude and pushy individual, but what I actually got was the complete opposite". Problem is, the minute things got official or the cameras came out, the Galloway most of us know took over.

Anyway, back on topic, RE Assange - many thanks, as ever, to our top legal consultant Dpp.

Also, agree with Super Hans above.

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(in reply to Shifty Bench)

Post #: 5071

RE: The British Politics Thread - 21/8/2012 11:46:42 PM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14575
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: great_badir

Without wanting to send the thread off topic...

A mate of mine is a freelance journalist and was with Galloway and his "entourage" (wrong word to use by the sounds of things, but just for ease) for most of Galloway's personal campaign against the war a few years back, as he (my mate) was reporting for a couple of different websites and news journals. Of an evening, miles away from major media, politics and/or "business", Galloway was apparently an incredibly humble, humorous and generous fellow. This was also confirmed by other "hangers on" at the time. I also remember reading at least one broadsheet report at the time that went along the lines of "I expected to be met by a clueless, confrontational, rude and pushy individual, but what I actually got was the complete opposite". Problem is, the minute things got official or the cameras came out, the Galloway most of us know took over.

Yeah, it's a shame that he apparently changes when the cameras are on him. But if this persona of a git is only what people like me who have never met him (or know anyone who has met him), see of him, it's no wonder that is what people think of him.

Plus, it doesn't help when he says really stupid things like having sex with a sleeping woman is not rape......

< Message edited by Shifty Bench -- 21/8/2012 11:47:56 PM >

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quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b
You have a nice face, Shifty. A face I would have a cup of tea with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: porntrooper
Shifty said it best

(in reply to great_badir)

Post #: 5072

RE: The British Politics Thread - 22/8/2012 12:36:24 PM

superdan

Posts: 7229
Joined: 31/7/2008

I'd say anyone who turns into a contrarian, attention-craving dickhead the moment someone points a lens at him is, in fact, a tube. Regardless of how they act when there aren't any cameras around

(in reply to Shifty Bench)

Post #: 5073

RE: The British Politics Thread - 22/8/2012 12:42:25 PM

Fluke Skywalker

Posts: 9540
Joined: 23/4/2006
From: the dark side of the sun

What I like about Galloway is that he rages in a way you rarely see with politicians - slagging off the Tories, the Iraq War it actually feels real compared to a lot of his peers. He definately loves himself a bit too much though.

In terms of the Assange case isn't it true that the Swedish investigators were invited over here to conduct questioning but refused to do so?

(in reply to superdan)

Post #: 5074

RE: The British Politics Thread - 22/8/2012 3:05:46 PM

Dpp1978

Posts: 1010
Joined: 2/4/2006

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fluke Skywalker

In terms of the Assange case isn't it true that the Swedish investigators were invited over here to conduct questioning but refused to do so?

The way I read it from the court decision is he offered to be questioned via video link, and he deemed that a proportionate response due to there having been no formal charge at that point.

The Swedish authorities disagreed and refused as the investigation was already at an advanced stage (despite there being no formal charges as yet: as I wrote before this step comes relatively late in Sweden) and felt that the sort of interrogation necessary at such a late stage should be carried out both in person and in Sweden.

If it were merely a request for a preliminary interview a video conference may have been appropriate: there is precedent of them being used by the Swedish authorities in the past at earlier stages.

However this would be the final interrogation; the final procedural step before the ultimate decision to indict would be made. It could still be thrown out if what was said by Assange satisfied the prosecutors there is no case to answer: just as a judge can throw out a case in England during the preliminary stages if they feel there is not enough condemning evidence to make at least a prima facie case.

As our two legal processes are really quite disparate procedurally no easy analogies can be made. But the court was satisfied that at the very least the case was far enough along for Assange to have passed the threshold between being of interest to the police and being actually "accused" of an offence. An important distinction.

The court threw out the proportionality argument along with the arguments that Assange wasn't in fact a properly "accused" person. They also threw out contentions that what he was accused of would not have been criminal under English law (there must be dual criminality: the alleged conduct must be criminal under both legal systems) and that the warrant was not issued by a competent judicial authority. This was confirmed by the Supreme Court.

The judgments were well reasoned and comprehensive in their breakdown of the issues. On at least half the points Assange's arguments were in my opinion spurious at best: particularly with respect to his definition of rape. If the testimonies of the victims are true it was rape, and for that he should stand trial.

I think that the fact Assange is so closely related to Wikileaks has blurred what would, if related to any other individual, have been a relatively uncontroversial event. The fiasco at the Ecuadorian Embassy has, in my opinion, shown Assange to be at best suffering from a persecution complex (which may have some basis in reality, but certainly not to the extent he would have us believe) and at worse someone who thinks he should be above the law, and is willing to go to farcical lengths to prove it. I suspect the truth lay somewhere in the middle.

In any case any respect I may have had for Wikileaks and its avowed position of holding everyone: including powerful governments to the same standards with respect to wrongdoings (which is commendable whatever I think of some of their methods) is seriously diminished by this.

If the chief architect of the organisation refuses to be held to the same rule of law as everyone else, how is he any different to those he so famously puts to his own particular form of justice?

(in reply to Fluke Skywalker)

Post #: 5075

RE: The British Politics Thread - 22/8/2012 4:53:31 PM

mattjtemp

Posts: 208
Joined: 30/9/2005

The guy is a twat and due process should be done, what seems to muddy this is our current extradition laws in general haven't looked too sound in recent years.

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Post #: 5076

RE: The British Politics Thread - 22/8/2012 7:18:19 PM

Fluke Skywalker

Posts: 9540
Joined: 23/4/2006
From: the dark side of the sun

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dpp1978

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fluke Skywalker

In terms of the Assange case isn't it true that the Swedish investigators were invited over here to conduct questioning but refused to do so?

The way I read it from the court decision is he offered to be questioned via video link, and he deemed that a proportionate response due to there having been no formal charge at that point.

The Swedish authorities disagreed and refused as the investigation was already at an advanced stage (despite there being no formal charges as yet: as I wrote before this step comes relatively late in Sweden) and felt that the sort of interrogation necessary at such a late stage should be carried out both in person and in Sweden.

If it were merely a request for a preliminary interview a video conference may have been appropriate: there is precedent of them being used by the Swedish authorities in the past at earlier stages.

However this would be the final interrogation; the final procedural step before the ultimate decision to indict would be made. It could still be thrown out if what was said by Assange satisfied the prosecutors there is no case to answer: just as a judge can throw out a case in England during the preliminary stages if they feel there is not enough condemning evidence to make at least a prima facie case.

As our two legal processes are really quite disparate procedurally no easy analogies can be made. But the court was satisfied that at the very least the case was far enough along for Assange to have passed the threshold between being of interest to the police and being actually "accused" of an offence. An important distinction.

The court threw out the proportionality argument along with the arguments that Assange wasn't in fact a properly "accused" person. They also threw out contentions that what he was accused of would not have been criminal under English law (there must be dual criminality: the alleged conduct must be criminal under both legal systems) and that the warrant was not issued by a competent judicial authority. This was confirmed by the Supreme Court.

The judgments were well reasoned and comprehensive in their breakdown of the issues. On at least half the points Assange's arguments were in my opinion spurious at best: particularly with respect to his definition of rape. If the testimonies of the victims are true it was rape, and for that he should stand trial.

I think that the fact Assange is so closely related to Wikileaks has blurred what would, if related to any other individual, have been a relatively uncontroversial event. The fiasco at the Ecuadorian Embassy has, in my opinion, shown Assange to be at best suffering from a persecution complex (which may have some basis in reality, but certainly not to the extent he would have us believe) and at worse someone who thinks he should be above the law, and is willing to go to farcical lengths to prove it. I suspect the truth lay somewhere in the middle.

In any case any respect I may have had for Wikileaks and its avowed position of holding everyone: including powerful governments to the same standards with respect to wrongdoings (which is commendable whatever I think of some of their methods) is seriously diminished by this.

If the chief architect of the organisation refuses to be held to the same rule of law as everyone else, how is he any different to those he so famously puts to his own particular form of justice?

Really informative post there - I reckon it's probably time for him to face the music but the question is are we looking at a stitch up which means it's not a level playing field.

Good article here with a conclusion that makes complete sense :

'The solution is obvious. It's the one that Ecuador is proposing � and that London and Stockholm are resisting. If the Swedish government pledged to block the extradition of Assange to the US for any WikiLeaks-related offence (which it has the power to do) � and Britain agreed not to sanction extradition to a third country once Swedish proceedings are over � then justice could be served. But with loyalty to the US on the line, Assange shouldn't expect to leave the embassy any time soon.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/21/why-us-is-out-to-get-assange

< Message edited by Fluke Skywalker -- 22/8/2012 7:40:29 PM >

(in reply to Dpp1978)

Post #: 5077

RE: The British Politics Thread - 22/8/2012 9:05:31 PM

Dpp1978

Posts: 1010
Joined: 2/4/2006

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fluke Skywalker

Really informative post there - I reckon it's probably time for him to face the music but the question is are we looking at a stitch up which means it's not a level playing field.

Good article here with a conclusion that makes complete sense :

'The solution is obvious. It's the one that Ecuador is proposing � and that London and Stockholm are resisting. If the Swedish government pledged to block the extradition of Assange to the US for any WikiLeaks-related offence (which it has the power to do) � and Britain agreed not to sanction extradition to a third country once Swedish proceedings are over � then justice could be served. But with loyalty to the US on the line, Assange shouldn't expect to leave the embassy any time soon.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/21/why-us-is-out-to-get-assange

With all due respect to the author his conclusion is a bit of a nonsense.

He is asking for two nations to make a definitive statement they will not extradite someone under multi-lateral treaties before they are asked to. That is before the case for extradition is made, without any knowledge what the substance of the request might be, and in direct contravention of their responsibilities under the treaties.

I have no doubt there are many in the upper reaches of the US power base who would love to get their hands on Assange. However they haven't sought extradition in all the period he has been living with no small measure of notoriety in England.

We are one of the greatest, if not the greatest, political ally to the US in the world. We suffered no small amount of embarrassment at the hands of Assange and co. Surely if there were clandestine plans afoot to have him shipped to a dark corner somewhere under the auspices of the blackest of the US' intelligence services we'd be a prime candidate for willing collaboration?

Maybe there has been no request due to how our system of safeguards have in the past hampered their attempts to get suspects. After all they've been after Gary McKinnon for years now with little real success and he admitted he did all he was accused of. Maybe that's why they need to go through a third country.

However that would ignore the fact that for Sweden to extradite Assange they'd be subject to all the same safeguards that we are here: all the same human rights issues would need to be examined. On top of that they'd need the permission of our government before the extradition can go ahead. sending him to Sweden would, if anything, complicate things from the US' perspective.

So while it makes for a good old conspiracy yarn that this is all some convoluted plot by the US to nab him, I really think that there are far bigger problems for the US than this egomaniac. Crafting this sort of multi layered scheme seems to me to be akin to using a wrecking ball to swat a fly. But he has his audience who believe that the US is the devil and he is playing up to them beautifully. He has somehow managed to turn the story away from the allegations of rape to allegations of persecution from powerful forces who mean him ill.

The simplest explanations of why the US has not made a request is either they can't make the case or they just aren't that interested.

Think about it. If it wasn't for Assange's theatrics would we still really be talking about the leaked cables? I know the Wikileaks faithful and the conspiracy nuts will be mining them for years and there might be an occasional blip on the mainstream radar here and there, but the 15 minutes have passed. Going after Assange would bring it right to the fore again in the US media.

I'd wager a guess that the thing that worries Assange the most, aside form the potential rape conviction, is if he is sent to Sweden he will no longer be the one in control of the story. And for a master manipulator such as he that must be a bitter pill.

(in reply to Fluke Skywalker)

Post #: 5078

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 12:10:30 AM

superdan

Posts: 7229
Joined: 31/7/2008

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/aug/22/english-gcses-marked-down-teachers

Nice. Real classy. Gove seems to be doing his damnedest to single-handedly turn a brand new generation against the Tory party.

(in reply to Dpp1978)

Post #: 5079

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 4:20:22 PM

Fluke Skywalker

Posts: 9540
Joined: 23/4/2006
From: the dark side of the sun

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dpp1978

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fluke Skywalker

Really informative post there - I reckon it's probably time for him to face the music but the question is are we looking at a stitch up which means it's not a level playing field.

Good article here with a conclusion that makes complete sense :

'The solution is obvious. It's the one that Ecuador is proposing � and that London and Stockholm are resisting. If the Swedish government pledged to block the extradition of Assange to the US for any WikiLeaks-related offence (which it has the power to do) � and Britain agreed not to sanction extradition to a third country once Swedish proceedings are over � then justice could be served. But with loyalty to the US on the line, Assange shouldn't expect to leave the embassy any time soon.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/21/why-us-is-out-to-get-assange

With all due respect to the author his conclusion is a bit of a nonsense.

He is asking for two nations to make a definitive statement they will not extradite someone under multi-lateral treaties before they are asked to. That is before the case for extradition is made, without any knowledge what the substance of the request might be, and in direct contravention of their responsibilities under the treaties.

I have no doubt there are many in the upper reaches of the US power base who would love to get their hands on Assange. However they haven't sought extradition in all the period he has been living with no small measure of notoriety in England.

We are one of the greatest, if not the greatest, political ally to the US in the world. We suffered no small amount of embarrassment at the hands of Assange and co. Surely if there were clandestine plans afoot to have him shipped to a dark corner somewhere under the auspices of the blackest of the US' intelligence services we'd be a prime candidate for willing collaboration?

Maybe there has been no request due to how our system of safeguards have in the past hampered their attempts to get suspects. After all they've been after Gary McKinnon for years now with little real success and he admitted he did all he was accused of. Maybe that's why they need to go through a third country.

However that would ignore the fact that for Sweden to extradite Assange they'd be subject to all the same safeguards that we are here: all the same human rights issues would need to be examined. On top of that they'd need the permission of our government before the extradition can go ahead. sending him to Sweden would, if anything, complicate things from the US' perspective.

So while it makes for a good old conspiracy yarn that this is all some convoluted plot by the US to nab him, I really think that there are far bigger problems for the US than this egomaniac. Crafting this sort of multi layered scheme seems to me to be akin to using a wrecking ball to swat a fly. But he has his audience who believe that the US is the devil and he is playing up to them beautifully. He has somehow managed to turn the story away from the allegations of rape to allegations of persecution from powerful forces who mean him ill.

The simplest explanations of why the US has not made a request is either they can't make the case or they just aren't that interested.

Think about it. If it wasn't for Assange's theatrics would we still really be talking about the leaked cables? I know the Wikileaks faithful and the conspiracy nuts will be mining them for years and there might be an occasional blip on the mainstream radar here and there, but the 15 minutes have passed. Going after Assange would bring it right to the fore again in the US media.

I'd wager a guess that the thing that worries Assange the most, aside form the potential rape conviction, is if he is sent to Sweden he will no longer be the one in control of the story. And for a master manipulator such as he that must be a bitter pill.

I think the American's abhorrent treatment of Bradley Manning shows how interested they are in this whole case. As for Wikileaks 15 minutes, the media might be done with it but it's highlighted some pretty serious stuff such as US death squads, numbers of civilians killed in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the infamous helicopter gunship massacre - these are hard facts that America would never have wanted to be out there.

You're right though, we are the American's no.1 poodles but to extradite him to the US over something unrelated to the rape case would be pretty big news which is why we can't do it directly. It's too high profile now for us to just ship him over.

(in reply to Dpp1978)

Post #: 5080

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 4:39:00 PM

Sinatra

Posts: 7497
Joined: 3/10/2005

quote:

What I like about Galloway is that he rages in a way you rarely see with politicians - slagging off the Tories, the Iraq War it actually feels real compared to a lot of his peers. He definately loves himself a bit too much though.

You think?

the guy is a prick...

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Post #: 5081

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 5:19:13 PM

sanchia

Posts: 16716
Joined: 3/1/2006
From: Norwich

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sinatra

quote:

What I like about Galloway is that he rages in a way you rarely see with politicians - slagging off the Tories, the Iraq War it actually feels real compared to a lot of his peers. He definately loves himself a bit too much though.

You think? the guy is a prick...

I have to agree with that. The self aggrandising takes precedent over anything he is actually talking about.

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Post #: 5082

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 5:35:15 PM

Dpp1978

Posts: 1010
Joined: 2/4/2006

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fluke Skywalker

I think the American's abhorrent treatment of Bradley Manning shows how interested they are in this whole case. As for Wikileaks 15 minutes, the media might be done with it but it's highlighted some pretty serious stuff such as US death squads, numbers of civilians killed in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the infamous helicopter gunship massacre - these are hard facts that America would never have wanted to be out there.

You're right though, we are the American's no.1 poodles but to extradite him to the US over something unrelated to the rape case would be pretty big news which is why we can't do it directly. It's too high profile now for us to just ship him over.

Bradley Manning is a US citizen: more than that he is a member of the US military. They had little choice but to prosecute him to the fullest extent the law allows.

You cannot use Manning's treatment to predict how Assange would be treated. Military justice is harsher than civilian justice: it has to be. Things which would be unthinkable in the civilian system are relatively routine under military jurisdiction. This is allowable, even if it's no more palatable, as you have to willingly subject yourself to it. The cynical view is Manning knew what the risks were when he did what he did.

You are right the extradition of Assange from the UK on espionage charges would be big news. But before that could happen the courts over here would have to examine the request on its merits and also assure themselves that there was no risk that his human rights would be in danger of being breached. The US would have to give assurances that he would be treated well and according to internationally agreed standards. If there is any truth to his fears about Guantanamo, he would not be extradited.

If they were to fail to live up to these assurances or meet these standards they would seriously damage any chance of getting anyone resident in the EU extradited to their shores ever again.

It is because it would be big news that should the (in my view unlikely) event happen and Assange is extradited everyone would be watching and taking note.

The Wikileaks affair has already tarnished the US' less than sterling reputation on the international stage with the leaks. Does anyone really think they'd want to exacerbate the issue, and in doing so further strain its relationship with the rest of the world?

(in reply to Fluke Skywalker)

Post #: 5083

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 9:18:21 PM

JessFranco

Posts: 2515
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: London

quote:

ORIGINAL: superdan

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/aug/22/english-gcses-marked-down-teachers

Nice. Real classy. Gove seems to be doing his damnedest to single-handedly turn a brand new generation against the Tory party.

I'm still trying to get my head around this and i work for an exam board. As far as i can tell, the standard students are meant to reach has remained the same but the switch in assessment methods meant that the pass marks that had been used in mock exams for predicted grades weren't the same as in the main test. The switch away from coursework seems to be significant as well.

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Post #: 5084

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 10:06:10 PM

elab49

Posts: 51617
Joined: 1/10/2005

I hadn't picked this up - is it true the examination Boards are all trying to position themselves because they will be kept but each will be given a separate subject - and they all want the most profitable ones?

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Post #: 5085

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 10:52:22 PM

JessFranco

Posts: 2515
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: London

There's a long way to go before that becomes a reality, to be honest. It's certainly on Gove's agenda but there are lots of ways it could be derailed. I imagine it's fairly prominent in the minds of all the boards but i don't think it's connected to this.

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Post #: 5086

RE: The British Politics Thread - 23/8/2012 11:28:38 PM

Rinc

Posts: 12518
Joined: 2/10/2005
From: A park bench, with a newspaper quilt

I was an examiner for one of the English Language papers this summer and compared to the same exam in January and the one the previous July, there really didn't seem much difference in the standard of the exam or the grade boundaries.

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Post #: 5087

RE: The British Politics Thread - 24/8/2012 8:36:11 AM

MrsFinkelstein

Posts: 150
Joined: 29/2/2012

quote:

ORIGINAL: superdan

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/aug/22/english-gcses-marked-down-teachers

Nice. Real classy. Gove seems to be doing his damnedest to single-handedly turn a brand new generation against the Tory party.

A handy excuse to turn 'failing' schools (of which there will now be proportionally more due to this) into Academies.

Wonder if the same principles to reduced grade inflation were used within Free Schools?

Gove really is a slug.

(in reply to superdan)

Post #: 5088

RE: The British Politics Thread - 29/8/2012 3:27:19 PM

MrsFinkelstein

Posts: 150
Joined: 29/2/2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/aug/28/bradford-free-school-government-funding

You mean that parents aren't racing to enrol their precious children in untested, experimental 'schools' set up by well intentioned but inexperienced parents and taught by untrained, unqualified 'teachers' not following a recognised national curriculum?????

Well, colour me surprised.

(in reply to MrsFinkelstein)

Post #: 5089

RE: The British Politics Thread - 4/9/2012 10:10:52 AM

emogeek

Posts: 21724
Joined: 15/4/2006
From: Satan's Trampoline

Made up that Mr Gove has kept his job...

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Post #: 5090

RE: The British Politics Thread - 4/9/2012 10:16:58 AM

sanchia

Posts: 16716
Joined: 3/1/2006
From: Norwich

quote:

ORIGINAL: emogeek

Made up that Mr Gove has kept his job...

Rather horrifyingly I have heard him named twice as a potential future leader of the Conservative party. It is scary when Cameron looks like a good choice.

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Post #: 5091

RE: The British Politics Thread - 4/9/2012 10:20:46 AM

elab49

Posts: 51617
Joined: 1/10/2005

Demonstrates a divorcement from reality. Gove could not swing an electorate, no matter that his Murdoch mates (whom he's happily shilled for even at Leveson) will portray him as the 2nd coming.

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Post #: 5092

RE: The British Politics Thread - 4/9/2012 1:01:38 PM

emogeek

Posts: 21724
Joined: 15/4/2006
From: Satan's Trampoline

Health Secretary - Jeremy Hunt

And, just in case that hasn't sunk in...

Health Secretary - Jeremy Hunt...

God help us all...

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Post #: 5093

RE: The British Politics Thread - 4/9/2012 2:00:10 PM

Fluke Skywalker

Posts: 9540
Joined: 23/4/2006
From: the dark side of the sun

George Osbourne booed at Paralympics

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2197924/George-Osborne-booed-announced-Paralympics-medal-ceremony.html

(in reply to emogeek)

Post #: 5094

RE: The British Politics Thread - 4/9/2012 10:35:22 PM

Skiba

Posts: 4176
Joined: 24/11/2005
From: London

Maria Miller as minister for equality? Fuck me it's surely some sort of sick joke. She's against gay adoption and fertility treatment for lesbian couples. That's fucking equality right there, isn't it?

Could they have found a worse candidate to give out medals at the paralympics than Osborne? Seriously...

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Post #: 5095

RE: The British Politics Thread - 4/9/2012 10:50:58 PM

elab49

Posts: 51617
Joined: 1/10/2005

Apparently May got the same treatment. Seriously, do they think it's funny? Or are they conforming to the Tory S&M stereotype....

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(in reply to Skiba)

Post #: 5096

RE: The British Politics Thread - 4/9/2012 11:47:36 PM

moontheloon

Posts: 6170
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Birmingham

quote:

ORIGINAL: emogeek

Health Secretary - Jeremy Hunt

And, just in case that hasn't sunk in...

Health Secretary - Jeremy Hunt...

God help us all...

This shocked me. I genuinely thought they may axe him in this reshuffle, a quieter way to fire him for... well for being shit at his job.... but instead they promote him and get rid of the one Tory Cabinet member I like Ken Clarke. Ken didn't always say the right thing, but you always got the impression he knew what he was talking about and he wanted to move in the right direction. This reshuffle is a joke.Chris Grayling for Justice? The man swindled his expenses, thinks it's fine for B&Bs to turn away Gay couples (which isn't standing up for Christian rights, it's discriminating against Gay rights) and generally seems like a nasty character.

Osbourne needed to go to sort out the economy, we've taken a massive step toward building more runways at Heathrow despite saying they wouldn't and positioning themselves as the Green Party, they've kept Gove on as Education secretary when the man is patently insane, and I've yet to meet a single teacher who likes or respects him. This is a joke of a reshuffle. I was actually expecting something fresh and perhaps something to make me reassess this government. Instead we get this. Just awful.

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(in reply to emogeek)

Post #: 5097

RE: The British Politics Thread - 5/9/2012 12:39:51 AM

superdan

Posts: 7229
Joined: 31/7/2008

We now have a supposed 'Health Secretary' who is anti-abortion, believes in homeopathy and has gone on record as saying the NHS is an evil. Some people will be happy, but most of us are fucked

(in reply to moontheloon)

Post #: 5098

RE: The British Politics Thread - 5/9/2012 9:07:58 AM

matty_b

Posts: 12883
Joined: 19/10/2005
From: Outpost 31 calling McMurtle.

Don't get ill, people.

And if you've seen the new Equality Minister, don't get gay either.

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Cool Breeze
Mattyb is a shining example of what the perfect Empire Forum member is.

(in reply to superdan)

Post #: 5099

RE: The British Politics Thread - 5/9/2012 9:25:34 AM

sanchia

Posts: 16716
Joined: 3/1/2006
From: Norwich

If someone had made it up people would never believe it.

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(in reply to matty_b)

Post #: 5100

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