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Reply | Oldham grooming gangs: Government blocks national inquiry
at 17:49 18 Jan 2025
One thing I hadn't really picked up before now is that the UK rape gang phenomenon is stirring up international interest. One might say that the obfuscation and inaction of the British authorities has given ammunition to right-wing critics of immigration elsewhere. In saying that I do not imply they are wrong in using that ammunition, but just that British political correctness did not so much win hearts and minds as push many in the opposite direction. I went on X to see what Musk was saying, and discovered that the UK gangs are a hot topic in Spain, as reflected in a recent video produced by the Vox political party. The thread at the link below illustrates the way opinion may be moving.
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Reply | January Transfer Thread
at 17:02 18 Jan 2025
Another central defender on the move is Tristan Crama who has reportedly just been signed by Millwall from Brentford. He had been on loan at Exeter, where he had done well this season. I guess he was one we could have considered. |
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Reply | Cardiff City v Swansea City : Match day thread
at 14:28 18 Jan 2025
Deeply depressing today. Shambolic defence, unimaginative midfield, two wingers who cannot beat a man, and anonymous strikers. I don't think we would have scored if we had played until midnight. This is probably the most comprehensive derby defeat I can remember. Biggest loss against Cardiff for 60 years. We are going backwards rather than progressing. |
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Reply | Cardiff City v Swansea City : Match day thread
at 13:42 18 Jan 2025
Not impressed with the inside knowledge of the Sky commentary team. 100 years of hostile rivalry? Only hostile since the 1960s really. Key in great form? Nice to have the derby and some of our players bigged up, but more homework was in order. |
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Reply | Oldham grooming gangs: Government blocks national inquiry
at 08:24 18 Jan 2025
Some welcome, if belated, action. However, the fact that two of the three sentenced offenders managed to flee the country and escape prison as the case proceeded, hardly indicates a well-oiled justice system. The system seems to have been notably more effective in jailing the far-right internet offender mentioned in Gwyn's link. That low-life fully deserves what he got, but I'd say he has been rather less productive in terms of number of victims suffering severe harm compared with the rape gang offenders. |
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Reply | Denis Law
at 21:37 17 Jan 2025
Saw him play in the flesh just once in 1969, Indeed, he had that extra touch of class. RIP. |
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Reply | Oldham grooming gangs: Government blocks national inquiry
at 16:03 17 Jan 2025
It is on the inflamed/ incited discrimination issue that you and some others of us differ. This has come up in several points in this thread. You contend that the call for an inquiry is at base motivated by racism, involves throwing one's lot in with the far right, and will harm community relations. In other words it will inflame tensions. Those who side with me say this is precisely the mindset that allowed the rape gangs to damage so many young girls; that it was reluctance to be seen as a racist with an agenda that led so many to avert their eyes. Just this morning on BBC Radio 4, Nick Robinson said to Lisa Nandy that several journalist colleagues had told him that the police had warned them not to print details of ethnicity re the gangs because it would inflame community tensions. That way of thinking is a huge part of the problem, and Elin Jones still hasn't grasped that lesson. I don't think I am going to convince you on this so I will leave it at that, but that is where a key line of difference in opinions lies. |
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Reply | Oldham grooming gangs: Government blocks national inquiry
at 14:26 17 Jan 2025
I'm not sure any of the three principal actors in this drama emerge with perfect scores, but surely the key passage in what the Llwydd said is: "You're being overly descriptive and verging on not being totally respectful of the victim at this point. (...) The use of language in this place needs to be making sure that you are keeping well away from inflaming any kind of discrimination or inciting of any kind of discrimination." For me the first issue is that the problem is that debates about the rape gang phenomenon haven't involved full descriptions, but rather descriptions that leave certain things out. In my view describing the horror of the rapes does not disrespect the victims. The second issue is that limiting what can be said because it might involve the "inciting of any kind of discrimination" is precisely what stymied investigations and action to control the child exploitation that we've seen. The ability to ask questions that may offend some is one of the main reasons why many people want a national inquiry (over 70% in recent surveys). [Post edited 17 Jan 14:27]
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Reply | Oldham grooming gangs: Government blocks national inquiry
at 09:34 17 Jan 2025
Probably I should have added more context.
Darren Millar, in his third session of FMQs as leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, asks whether the first minister supports the calls for a new national inquiry into grooming gangs. (…)
Eluned Morgan replies "the Welsh government fully supported the previous independent inquiry into child sexual abuse and we are, on the back of that, developing a 10-year strategy for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse. The author of that report made it very clear that her interest was in making sure that the recommendations of that report were actioned, and I can assure you that several of those recommendations have already been implemented here in Wales."
Darren Millar asks "given the extent of public concern, will you now commission a Wales-wide inquiry into child sexual exploitation by grooming gangs here in Wales?"
The first minister replies, "I can make it clear to you that I have asked questions about the extent to which this is an issue in Wales of the police. I think that what is important is that we recognise that, actually, in Wales, we have legislated. There are duties in Wales to report, which were introduced back in 2014. You may not be aware of this, Darren, but this was a part of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. There is a legal duty on agencies, including health boards, including police, probation and other local authorities to inform the local authority if they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child, or an adult with care and support needs, in their area is at risk of abuse, neglect or harm. That's in our law."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cqx9wdqjr73t
Not everybody was happy about what critics took to be the Presiding Officer, Elin Jones’s attempt to put limits on the way questions could be framed.
https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2025-01-15/tory-minister-accuses-senedd-of-censor |
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Reply | Chagos Islands
at 08:53 17 Jan 2025
We did hear a lot a few months ago about the grown ups now being in the room.... not so much now. |
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Reply | Oldham grooming gangs: Government blocks national inquiry
at 08:44 17 Jan 2025
I'm not a great admirer of Tory MS members, but take a look at what happened in the Senedd when Darren Moore tried to raise the issue of whether we have a rape gang problem in South Wales. This is how they shut down a topic.
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Reply | Israel and Hamas agree to cease-fire, 33 hostages to be released
at 08:43 16 Jan 2025
A ceasefire is good news. The worry when you see Hamas still coordinating celebrations with guns in evidence, and pressure to let UNWRA continue assisting Hamas to run things, is that the basic problem of a route to living peacefully side by side will not be solved. Only a Palestinian move to force Hamas out will lead to a more responsive stance from an Israeli government. Unfortunately, too many Palestinians are still committed to the old ways.
On a slightly different topic, Lammy has been quick to say that the UK will make a financial contribution to rebuilding Gaza. I hope he has worked out a way of stopping HAMAS from stripping out water supply pipes to make rockets. |
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