BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 May 23 - 06:37 AM

It is DMcG. Max is working on it

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: DMcG
Date: 06 May 23 - 06:31 AM

Seems to be connected with longer (but not long) messages

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: DMcG
Date: 06 May 23 - 06:30 AM

Test meaage: I am getting internal server errors posting

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 May 23 - 06:22 AM

I'm not disputing that the law exists. Just that a law saying all treasure belongs to the crown is a remnant from feudal days and is wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Rain Dog
Date: 06 May 23 - 04:45 AM

No I don't think I have Dave. Report treasure

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 May 23 - 04:40 AM

The point is that their "crime" was possesing and trying sell treasure that is "owned by the crown" but it is only owned by the crown due to unjust laws. It is akin to hanging people for hunting in royal forests and it seems we have not moved much further than that.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 May 23 - 04:36 AM

"Under the Treasure Act, any metal object believed to be more than 200 years old is owned by the Crown and must be declared to authorities within 14 days."

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 May 23 - 04:36 AM

"They were convicted on two charges of possessing and conspiring to sell criminal property worth £766,000, namely coins believed to have been buried by a Viking in the ninth century."

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 May 23 - 04:35 AM

You have missed the point, Rain Dog

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Rain Dog
Date: 06 May 23 - 04:12 AM

Really? I suggest you check your facts. It seems that they did not find the items. They were aware that what they were doing was illegal.
Sentences do seem harsh but i imagine most people would agree that what they did was wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 May 23 - 03:27 AM

https://news.sky.com/story/metal-detectorists-sentenced-to-more-than-five-years-in-jail-12872775

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 May 23 - 03:25 AM

I've just seen that 2 metal detectorists have been jailed for 5 years for not declaring some Viking coins they found. Why is this political? Well, the crime is that any found treasure more than 200 years old belongs to the crown! WTF? Are we still living in feudal times or what. Charlie Big Ears, who already has billions, owns every bit treasure that has been hidden for over 200 years and they will jail anyone who "steals" it!!! And today the country is full of daft prats who will be pledging their allegiance to the greedy bustard. I feel more like emigrating than ever :-(

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Rain Dog
Date: 06 May 23 - 01:47 AM

Well Labour won back Dover District Council for the first time in 20 years. It remains to be seen what difference that will make in the long run.

Turnout across the district was 34% I was told, but in my ward it was 21.22%. That is a cause of concern.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 May 23 - 06:52 PM

We're not going to make it, are we? From Labour List: "But, but, but. As of early Friday evening, Sky News’ model puts Labour 28 seats short of a majority, and the BBC puts it 14 seats short. That’s hung parliament territory, which has attracted too little media focus in recent months..."

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 May 23 - 04:08 AM

Well I took my driving licence, bus pass, passport, electricity bill and YHA membership card and they still wouldn't let me vote. The issue seems to have been that we don't have elections.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Rain Dog
Date: 05 May 23 - 03:13 AM

I was able to cast my votes in both the district and town elections. My 19 year old photo idea was accepted ok.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Ed.
Date: 04 May 23 - 09:05 AM

My wife and I voted this morning using our, sadly, post Brexit blue passports.

Oddly, we received almost exactly the same response as DMcG:

"Oooh, haven't seen one of those before. It looks very new."

Makes one wonder how easy it might be to forge an ID in order to confound this much needed, nay vital, crackdown on rampant voter fraud....

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 May 23 - 08:09 AM

I've opted for that next time BWM. Trouble is with this set of devious bastards I suspect that a law will be introduced making all postal votes with the cross in the wrong place invalid...

:D

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 04 May 23 - 04:58 AM

I voted by post a week ago. No buggering about with photo-ID.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 May 23 - 04:54 AM

No voting here today

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Rain Dog
Date: 04 May 23 - 04:25 AM

Just heading off with my 9 year out of date passport as id. Let's see how i get on. Just a one mile walk to the polling station. At least it is a sunny morning.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: DMcG
Date: 04 May 23 - 03:28 AM

I have just voted using my Irish passport as ID. Everyone was very excited! "Oooh, haven't seen one of those before. It looks very new."

It isn't really, but I normally use my UK one to travel, so it has been kept pretty pristine.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Donuel
Date: 03 May 23 - 08:32 PM

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/26/ed-sheeran-testifies-in-marvin-gaye-plagiarism-case-most-pop-songs-can-fit-over-mo
Ed looks like a relative of mine or vice versa.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 May 23 - 05:10 PM

"If Ed Sherran loses his lawsuit I'm going to copyright 3 ascending notes."

Don't worry, chaps. If ever I saw a chap who ain't got the do-re-mi...

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 03 May 23 - 03:22 PM

True enough Dave. Just realised I broke my personal rule by responding to him - bugger, damn, and blast!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 May 23 - 02:24 PM

WTF does that have to UK politics anyway?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 03 May 23 - 01:44 PM

It’s Sheeran.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Donuel
Date: 03 May 23 - 12:21 PM

If Ed Sherran loses his lawsuit I'm going to copyright 3 ascending notes.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: DMcG
Date: 03 May 23 - 06:28 AM

Read into this what you will. I have been in a fair bit of the country over the past week, from arm-and-a-leg properties to sink estates. So far I have seen mainly Liberal signs in windows, quite a few Green, a handful only of Labour and not one Conservative.

The obly Conservative leaflet postes theough my door did not mention in any way he was a Conservative apart from in small print that is on behlaf of SICA without explaining who they were.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 May 23 - 08:03 PM

Well whaddya know. The police have suddenly been given extra powers as from today to suppress protests. From the Guardian:

Official warning letters have been sent to anti-monarchists planning peaceful protests at King Charles III’s coronation saying that new criminal offences to prevent disruption have been rushed into law.

Using tactics described by lawyers as “intimidatory”, the Home Office’s Police Powers Unit wrote to the campaign group Republic saying new powers had been brought forward to prevent “disruption at major sporting and cultural events”.

The new law, given royal assent by Charles on Tuesday, means that from Wednesday:

Protesters who block roads, airports and railways could face 12 months behind bars.
Anyone locking on to others, objects or buildings could go to prison for six months and face an unlimited fine.
Police will be able to head off disruption by stopping and searching protesters if they suspect they are setting out to cause chaos.

Of course, the Home Office (hi, Suella) has claimed that it's pure coincidence that the new powers have been rushed in just in time for the coronation. Yeah, right.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 May 23 - 08:17 PM

Our Bude Memory Café on Friday is a cream tea (wahoo!) to celebrate the c*r*nat*on (bugger...). I will smile sweetly and go with the flow. I even have a plastic Union Jack hat somewhere. We do have a fabulous singer called Johnny Inder for half the afternoon, so that should be good. I will not be betraying my lack of allegiances but two bottom lines I do have: I will not sing God Save the King, and there is no way I will wield a plastic union Jack. Oh Father in heaven, this chalice too shall pass...

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 May 23 - 09:57 AM

Un-po your face, Doug. As I said, I knew you were only kidding! The only time I'll nit-pick mistakes is when (a) he who made them is nit-picking, (b) when the mistake arises out of pretentiousness. Trying to be too clever to impress, sort of style. An example I could randomly pluck from the air would be when someone uses the pretentiously-incorrect and little-used "credulous" when they mean "credible." I find that kind of behaviour to be absolutely incredulous!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 May 23 - 09:40 AM

So why try to prolong it by making snide comments, Doug? Why not just mind your own business and let things cool down? That would make more sense.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 01 May 23 - 09:29 AM

It's not the vocabulary that is the problem, BWM; It's the squabbling.

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 May 23 - 09:23 AM

At a time when our government of greedy, self-serving rogues is waging war against trade unions, preparing a case for the privatisation of the NHS and trying to scapegoat NHS staff for it, demonising refugees from war-zones, protecting the wealth of the immensely wealthy whilst attacking what little wealth ordinary people possess, maintaining policies which ensure home-ownership is beyond the wildest dreams of a substantial proportion of our young people to the benefit of private landlords, and much more besides (for instance, see my post of 01 May 23 - 02:32 AM), I’m astonished that the only thing you people seem to be interested in is one small vocabulary error in one of my posts.

I believe it says a great deal more about you than it does about me…

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Donuel
Date: 01 May 23 - 08:54 AM

The A list musicians are refusing to perform for the Coronation.
Adele, Sir Elton John, Harry Styles, and more have reportedly turned down an opportunity to perform at King Charles III's upcoming coronation. The Spice Girls and Robbie Williams are among the other acts who have declined invitations to put on a show at the momentous ceremony, Rolling Stone reported Wednesday. A similar thing happened at Trump's inauguration. Try asking Bruce Springsteen or Nickleback.

Perhaps as a result of inbreeding cousins poor Charlie has a face only a mother could love, and it will be on your new money. Spinach and bean Coronation quiche sounds in keeping with English cuisine imo.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 01 May 23 - 08:39 AM

(a) each word should be capitalised, and (b), there should be gaps between the words.

Getting some nit-picking practice in, Steve?

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 May 23 - 07:51 AM

If you're going to indulge in that sort of pretentiousness, Doug, be aware that (a) each word should be capitalised, and (b), there should be gaps between the words.

(Don't worry - I know you were kidding!)

Interesting that in another thread someone else has been called out for using a fairly obscure incorrect word instead of the required common, correct word. Oh, how deliciously do the pretentious fall... We can all make innocent little mistakes, but that one was so daft as to be barely credulous... ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 01 May 23 - 06:27 AM

What.shouldn't.you.do?

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 May 23 - 03:35 AM

”I'm glad to see that you acknowledge: I have more self-respect than to resort to nit-picking when I know I have no argument. that you have no (valid) argument.”

No such acknowledgement there, Nigel - but indisputable evidence that the standard of your English comprehension skills is no better, and possibly worse, than mine. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 May 23 - 02:32 AM

From ‘Care For Calais’ on FB today - the plain, unvarnished truth about this foul government’s disgusting ‘Illegal Migrants Bill’. Echoes of 1930’s Germany…

”This week the House of Commons passed a new law that is terrifying in its potential.

The Illegal Migration bill will allow this Government to detain and forcibly deport thousands of refugees, simply for having the temerity to ask for asylum in the UK. Its restrictions on people’s rights are truly chilling.

The consequences will be appalling, but we must first understand how it came to pass in the first place.

Its roots lie in the Brexit campaign’s politics of fear. In 2016, Leave campaigners instilled a terror of migration with billboards showing 1,000s of refugees supposedly marching towards the UK. And since then Conservative Governments have stoked that terror, by telling us that refugees are “illegal migrants”.

“Illegal” in this context implies the people in question are criminals, and therefore undeserving of human rights. It is a form of propaganda and discrimination now acknowledged as stage in genocides.

This week Robert Jenrick, the Minister of State for Immigration, said the alien values of people crossing the Channel in small boats threatened the UK’s social cohesion. It is surely impossible to hear that and not be reminded of Gary Linker’s comment about the political language of 1930s Germany.

This seven-year-long deployment of the politics of fear explains how and why we have the Bill. It represents nothing less than using the most vulnerable people in society – they don’t have status or papers, so they can’t defend themselves – to scare us into voting how the powerful want us to. It is bullying on a grand, industrial scale.

Of course the policies themselves are pointless. Even Rishi Sunak has admitted that he doesn't know if this bill will “stop the boats”. But that is not their purpose.

The pressing question is: what will happen when the Bill comes in?

First, let’s look at the detention aspect.

We currently have a huge asylum accommodation issue. We have over 50,000 people living in long-term hotel accommodation, and nearly 100,000 in asylum housing. Provision of that asylum accommodation costs us billions each year, and the cost has at least doubled with the backlog. That is a big increase in profits for some people.

The Illegal Migration Bill will mean that refugees will be housed in detention facilities. The psychological impact on those detained will be immense, but there is a little-noticed financial aspect to this too.

The detention facilities currently proposed will be cheaper, and generate more profit than the current accommodation. Moreover, they will be out of the public eye and not accessible to NGOs and journalists who might expose poor treatment of asylum seekers or advocate for their rights.

It is hard to resist the suspicion that for some, there is a serious financial motive for NOT reducing the backlog.

Finally, will people be deported? Well, the Rwanda scheme is still going through the courts and there are no agreements with any other country to take our unwanted refugees, so it is questionable that anyone will ever actually be deported to a third country.

We must pray, that they are not. And we must fight every day for the humane treatment of those who have, after all, come to us asking only help and safety.”

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 06:17 PM

My English comprehension was good enough for an ‘A’ at O-Level and a ‘B’ in my A-Level thank you, Nigel

If I didn't believe (from previous comments) that you are older than I (am), I would blame it on falling standards.

I'm glad to see that you acknowledge: I have more self-respect than to resort to nit-picking when I know I have no argument. that you have no (valid) argument.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 04:28 PM

" The difference between you and I..."

You and ME, John. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 03:09 PM

My English comprehension was good enough for an ‘A’ at O-Level and a ‘B’ in my A-Level thank you, Nigel. The difference between you and I is that I have a SoH, and I have more self-respect than to resort to nit-picking when I know I have no argument.

BTW, what do you do with all those nits you pick? Eat them like the lower primates?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 01:38 PM

No, the failure is in your comprehension of the English language. No wriggling required.
I'm sure the original meaning was understood by most readers here.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 01:27 PM

Nigel, you’re in the wrong job - with that kind of wriggling skill you should take up belly-dancing. Second thoughts…eeeeeuuww, don’t bother!.

FAIL.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 11:33 AM

Backwoodsman: Perhaps I’m missing something, but I haven’t seen anyone ‘blaming the moderators’,

I wasn't saying that they had. I was pre-empting.

If you don't understand that there is a difference between 'don't blame the moderators' (being a request on what you may do in the future) and 'stop blaming the moderators' (a comment about past actions), that is not my fault.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 05:32 AM

As I type this you can see the cartoon on the Sky News website and judge for yourself. Here's what I think: I didn't know that Sharp was Jewish. I did know that he worked for Goldman Sachs (where this rabid leftie has some of his savings...). I didn't see any overt antisemitism in the cartoon, but then again I didn't know that Sharp is Jewish. Now that I do know that, I still don't see any overt or intended antisemitism. Accidental, maybe, though I'm not sure. Deliberate, definitely not. Public figures are the main fodder for cartoonists who like to caricature and I can't see much that's different about this. The Guardian has quickly pulled the cartoon and apologised, as has Martin Rowson, the cartoonist (whose caricatures are always strongly drawn). That's the right thing to do, but I would add the little caveat that we should always be careful who we kowtow to.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Rain Dog
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 03:00 AM

From the BBC

Guardian apologises over cartoon of BBC chairman Richard Sharp

The story has been widely reported on other outlets since yesterday. I could not find anything about it on the Guardian site. I assume it will appear there at some point.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 30 Apr 23 - 02:03 AM

Another piece of nonsense designed to keep us common people doffing our caps, tugging our forelocks, and in our place - under the thumbs of the immensely wealthy and over-privileged.