| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... 13:58 - May 9 with 115113 views | hubble |
..posted by a good friend of mine on Facebook, thought I'd share it on here. He's a former professional footballer (briefly for Birmingham City) and a former copper, working mainly out of Camden police station. He grew up in Kilburn/Queens Park. He's now a writer (among other things).
Worth a read I think, hope you enjoy, whether you agree with him or not, even when he veers off-topic...
"Thoughts of the Week (part 1)
Let’s start with a subheading. ‘Dear, oh dear Diane Abbot!’
In the upcoming General Election campaign and apart from the ‘Leader’ (no, not Gary Glitter) no one is more important for the Labour Party campaign than the Shadow Home Secretary. Why’s this? You ask.
The reason is obvious: Theresa May —the strong woman, Ms subtle, but steely - was the former Home Secretary. A position which she used to inflict near terminal ravages of the nation’s police forces. Under her auspices we saw numbers cut, benefits cut and police stations closed willy-nilly to cash in, short-term, on the booming (especially in London) property market.
The short-sightedness of this policy is astounding. No matter the so-called austerity budget (which only seems to apply to the working classes, while the privileged elite continue to live the life of Riley) the question must be asked as to what will happen when there’s some serious social unrest — and you can feel it stirring. Remember 2011 when the riots broke out? We had anarchy and nihilism on the streets and the police force didn’t cope with it at all. Instead we had a grand mopping up campaign. Suddenly all those poor silly students who had been demonised as hard-core criminals after they smashed the windows of the Tory HQ — and received ridiculously harsh prison sentences for what were in the main first offences - were kicked out of the pokey and replaced by the new batch of rioters. The Criminal Justice system ground to a halt, the prison’s overflowed. The courts were as ram-jam packed as a back-in-the-day David Rodigan dance. In response what did the great Theresa May do? She further decimated the police force. She did the same to the prison service. The vaunted Border Force, our first defence, is comically short of manpower and morale as they attempt to hire staff on Mickey-Mouse contracts. Labour should be slaughtering Theresa May on what she’s done. Instead we got that car crash of an interview on LBC.
To be honest I resisted calls to listen to it for a time. Some of my more right-leaning pals were raving about it, but I thought they were overreacting due to a general contempt for the Hackney MP. I was wrong. When I actually got round to listening to it I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was stunningly incompetent, mind-blowingly nonsensical, embarrassing and shocking. Is this the Shadow Home Secretary who’s going to lead the challenge to Theresa May’s record? She should have stood down immediately and if not the great leader should have forced her hand, no matter past rendezvous in the sack. Of course it didn’t happen and Labour under Jeremy Corbyn has no hope in this election. What a shame it all is because there are loads of issues that they should be taking the government to task on. Just look at that bumbling Tommy Cooper impersonator of a Foreign Secretary, a million miles removed from a serious statesman: Mr Retraction — an embarrassment to the nation.
I’m voting Labour in the coming election, but not for Jeremy, more for the thought of the millions of people who are going to suffer under the coming five years of Tory rule: the working men and women who haven’t seen their wages rise, in real terms, for the last thirty years, while the fat cats, sharks and speculators are minted; the students starting out life saddled with debt; the millions who’ll never be able to afford a home; and in honour of the National Health Service, soon to be dismantled further, but remaining the brightest light in the nation’s modern history. What a rotten, unfair and unbalanced society we’ve become.
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 16:28 - May 22 with 2584 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
I see the BBC have changed it from U turn to rethink
Yeah right! |  |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 16:33 - May 22 with 2567 views | FDC |
Speaking of Wales and polls, this is absolutely insane!
16 point swing from Con to Lab.
"Support for Labour has surged in Wales, with a massive 16-point shift in support towards Jeremy Corbyn's party, the latest poll shows.
A poll by YouGov just two weeks ago showed Welsh Labour trailing Theresa May's party, but a stunning reversal now puts Labour 10 points ahead.
The YouGov Welsh political barometer has Labour on 44 per cent up 9 per cent on two weeks ago and the Tories on 34 per cent down 7 per cent."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-poll-wales-general-election |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 16:40 - May 22 with 2547 views | ElHoop |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 16:28 - May 22 by 2Thomas2Bowles |
I see the BBC have changed it from U turn to rethink
Yeah right! |
Er I think that what they mean is that with no numbers on the table it's not a U Turn as arguably they could still do pretty much what the manifesto says they will do. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 16:56 - May 22 with 2511 views | wood_hoop |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 16:20 - May 22 by DannytheR |
Yep, IRA all over the Mail and Telegraph from here till the election day. That's what they pay Lynton Crosby all that money for.
Although again, this will mean little to younger voters. Anyone in their 20s or even early 30s will have been a kid at the time of the Good Friday Agreement.
Might well also stir up anti-Irish feeling in certain places, sadly, but then May has already proved herself quite happy to start fires if she thinks she can get a few votes out of it. |
No doubt that the Tory rags & TV pundits will make no mention of the Thatcher & Major very secret talks with the IRA whilst still pushing out a very different official line, at least Corbyn who may not have always towed the party line, did so in front of all.
Wheter you dis-agree with the way he did protest he certainly had some balls to go against the majority, maybe not quite the flunkey many percieve, me one of them. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 17:00 - May 22 with 2502 views | JamesB1979 |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 15:44 - May 22 by robith |
2 things on polls - first national polling is pretty much irrelevant in a plurality constituency system. In 2015 the final poll was well within a statistical margin of error to actual popular vote
Final poll vs final result
C -3.8%
L+1.8%
LD -0.9%
UKIP -0.1%
G -1.2%
Other +0.3%
There were 222 seats where there was a swing from Cons to Lab and around 120 that had the reverse.
But - Labour lose tons of seats in Scotland because of the concentration in SNP vote post referendum, and the Lib Dem collapse led to a swing of 27 seats to the Tories and pretty similar popular vote figures give you a Tory majority. IIRC Labour needed a swing from the Tories of 3% and got around 1.5%, but there was a c.30% swing from Lib Dem to Tories.
Which also gives us the big thing behind this election - UKIP were second in more Tory seats than Labour and have basically swallowed their vote, and the failure of the Lib Dems to bounce back means the Tories will probably keep the south west |
you've got to exclude northern ireland when you look at the final results.
Conservative got 37.8% and Labour got 31.2%
Also, think you should look at the trend not just the last poll...though not sure which one you're looking at anyway. Polls pretty much had them on 33-34% each during the last month. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 17:05 - May 22 with 2493 views | robith |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 16:20 - May 22 by DannytheR |
Yep, IRA all over the Mail and Telegraph from here till the election day. That's what they pay Lynton Crosby all that money for.
Although again, this will mean little to younger voters. Anyone in their 20s or even early 30s will have been a kid at the time of the Good Friday Agreement.
Might well also stir up anti-Irish feeling in certain places, sadly, but then May has already proved herself quite happy to start fires if she thinks she can get a few votes out of it. |
It also seems remarkably odd to be stoking up feeling around Northern Ireland - not like there's say, oh I don't know, a big negotiation on the horizon which that will be a big part of.
Also great that she's interested in NI now, perhaps she can set about getting people who live there the right that are entitled to other UK citizens such as equal marriage and not going to prison for having an abortion |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 17:08 - May 22 with 2490 views | robith |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 17:00 - May 22 by JamesB1979 |
you've got to exclude northern ireland when you look at the final results.
Conservative got 37.8% and Labour got 31.2%
Also, think you should look at the trend not just the last poll...though not sure which one you're looking at anyway. Polls pretty much had them on 33-34% each during the last month. |
Those were both the figures I used, because neither field candidates in NI. 37.8-34 is 3.8, the figure I've shown there, so I'm confused as to your protest?
If you've issues, do it yerself, ya lazy get [Post edited 22 May 2017 17:09]
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 18:41 - May 22 with 2414 views | loftboy |
My mum and Dad (83 and 84) told me today they aren't voting Tory because of the care plan, reckons n she's lost the wrinkly vote. |  |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 18:48 - May 22 with 2403 views | wood_hoop |
Today must be giving the Labour Party a small glimpse of light, no expert by a long long way but just how much of the UKIP vote is now having second thoughts on voting for May, and those Labour supporters in two minds.
Brexit is on whoever gets in...
The cap that the Tories havn't given yet is runoured to be about £70k, a lot of marginal seats where the Tories must have thought they were rock solid seem to be in areas where average house prices are well well below London prices, so asuming my figure isn't too far out and take an average of £150-180k and the pot of £100k is to be left, taking a chance of voting Tory and losing such a chunk dosn't need a degree in maths to work out, plus no uni fees, rise in NHS wages and the other money that Corbyn is offering to dole out seems like a no brainer.
Just what May can now offer as she is winning hands down the prize of the 'wibbly wobbly' politician of the year so far will be interesting to see. | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 18:53 - May 22 with 2392 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 18:48 - May 22 by wood_hoop |
Today must be giving the Labour Party a small glimpse of light, no expert by a long long way but just how much of the UKIP vote is now having second thoughts on voting for May, and those Labour supporters in two minds.
Brexit is on whoever gets in...
The cap that the Tories havn't given yet is runoured to be about £70k, a lot of marginal seats where the Tories must have thought they were rock solid seem to be in areas where average house prices are well well below London prices, so asuming my figure isn't too far out and take an average of £150-180k and the pot of £100k is to be left, taking a chance of voting Tory and losing such a chunk dosn't need a degree in maths to work out, plus no uni fees, rise in NHS wages and the other money that Corbyn is offering to dole out seems like a no brainer.
Just what May can now offer as she is winning hands down the prize of the 'wibbly wobbly' politician of the year so far will be interesting to see. |
Just watched her on Andrew Neil, not only the bottom lip but the whole chin was wobbling, I thought she was going to cry. | |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 18:55 - May 22 with 2385 views | Dorse |
The South West may well return more Lib Dems than last time but I can't see them pulling back the 20-odd seats they lost in 2015. For example, in my part of the world, the results last time were Tory (just over 30k), UKIP (just over 9k) with the Lib Dems in third place with about 7 thousand votes. Comparing that to what has gone before, UKIP took a roughly even split of the Lib Dem and Tory votes.
The Labour candidate here is only ever a token gesture - no real change.
However, the demographic here is very senior-heavy and the manifesto has clearly pissed off quite a few of the locals. It is unlikely to mean much to the result but I can see the Tory majority being cut.
This is what really irritates me. Proportional Representation would mean swings like this actually make a national difference but the Coalition referendum on PR really fudged the issue (deliberately so from the Tories). I'm still fcuked off about that. Cunce, the lot of 'em. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 19:34 - May 22 with 2344 views | FDC |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 18:53 - May 22 by 2Thomas2Bowles |
Just watched her on Andrew Neil, not only the bottom lip but the whole chin was wobbling, I thought she was going to cry. |
She's like a chatbot that only has 5 or 6 things it can say. Lynton Crosby has rehearsed with a set of stock lines, and after every question she decides which one sounds least ridiculous as an answer.
In all seriousness, this whole premise that she'd be a stronger negotiater over Brexit is ludicrous. She's so brittle. | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 19:47 - May 22 with 2325 views | TacticalR |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 19:34 - May 22 by FDC |
She's like a chatbot that only has 5 or 6 things it can say. Lynton Crosby has rehearsed with a set of stock lines, and after every question she decides which one sounds least ridiculous as an answer.
In all seriousness, this whole premise that she'd be a stronger negotiater over Brexit is ludicrous. She's so brittle. |
For what it's worth, I don't think that this is about May's weakness as an individual, more about Britain's weakness in relation to Germany (which would also have been the case if Britain had chosen to stay in the EU).
You can see this by Farage's howls of rage over the French election, David Davis' refusal to believe that European agencies are leaving London, and the whole desperate mantra that Europe needs us more than we need them. |  |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:14 - May 22 with 2292 views | DannytheR |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 19:34 - May 22 by FDC |
She's like a chatbot that only has 5 or 6 things it can say. Lynton Crosby has rehearsed with a set of stock lines, and after every question she decides which one sounds least ridiculous as an answer.
In all seriousness, this whole premise that she'd be a stronger negotiater over Brexit is ludicrous. She's so brittle. |
The idea she'd be stronger in Brexit negotiations is also ludicrous because it's become more and more obvious the whole plan is to walk away without a deal, and pin the blame on Juncker and co.
It writes itself.
The politics aside, anyone being remotely honest with themselves can see this lot are the worst kind of cynical lightweights. Even if you buy the idea that Brexit has to be executed like a World War II re-enactment with tea and biscuits, the idea that the best men to represent us are Davis, Fox and Boris Johnson is comical.
It's like watching Graham Taylor sending Carlton Palmer out against the Dutch. [Post edited 22 May 2017 20:17]
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:24 - May 22 with 2270 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 19:34 - May 22 by FDC |
She's like a chatbot that only has 5 or 6 things it can say. Lynton Crosby has rehearsed with a set of stock lines, and after every question she decides which one sounds least ridiculous as an answer.
In all seriousness, this whole premise that she'd be a stronger negotiater over Brexit is ludicrous. She's so brittle. |
In the whole interview she was a utter shambles
Not one honest answer. | |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:41 - May 22 with 2234 views | FDC |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:50 - May 22 with 2197 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
Can you imagine that if she is so flustered on AN that she would be any better over Brexit, they will eat her alive
It will be, those nasty men picking on a woman *sob* she is no Thatcher | |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:52 - May 22 with 2187 views | QPR_John |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 19:47 - May 22 by TacticalR |
For what it's worth, I don't think that this is about May's weakness as an individual, more about Britain's weakness in relation to Germany (which would also have been the case if Britain had chosen to stay in the EU).
You can see this by Farage's howls of rage over the French election, David Davis' refusal to believe that European agencies are leaving London, and the whole desperate mantra that Europe needs us more than we need them. |
"and the whole desperate mantra that Europe needs us more than we need them"
Depends of course how you look at the relationship, trade etc that may be right I am no expert but the EU really needs us simply as we are a net contributor | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:10 - May 22 with 2161 views | Hunterhoop |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 18:55 - May 22 by Dorse |
The South West may well return more Lib Dems than last time but I can't see them pulling back the 20-odd seats they lost in 2015. For example, in my part of the world, the results last time were Tory (just over 30k), UKIP (just over 9k) with the Lib Dems in third place with about 7 thousand votes. Comparing that to what has gone before, UKIP took a roughly even split of the Lib Dem and Tory votes.
The Labour candidate here is only ever a token gesture - no real change.
However, the demographic here is very senior-heavy and the manifesto has clearly pissed off quite a few of the locals. It is unlikely to mean much to the result but I can see the Tory majority being cut.
This is what really irritates me. Proportional Representation would mean swings like this actually make a national difference but the Coalition referendum on PR really fudged the issue (deliberately so from the Tories). I'm still fcuked off about that. Cunce, the lot of 'em. |
Indeed. Really hope the LDs see a solid return of seats in SW London and the SW, but concerned, like you, that in the latter especially they'll fall just short.
A hung Parliament would be good fun. A Lab, LD, SNP coalition pushing through PR would be brilliant for British politics! I can but wish. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:26 - May 22 with 2128 views | Brightonhoop |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 16:20 - May 22 by DannytheR |
Yep, IRA all over the Mail and Telegraph from here till the election day. That's what they pay Lynton Crosby all that money for.
Although again, this will mean little to younger voters. Anyone in their 20s or even early 30s will have been a kid at the time of the Good Friday Agreement.
Might well also stir up anti-Irish feeling in certain places, sadly, but then May has already proved herself quite happy to start fires if she thinks she can get a few votes out of it. |
roblem is, the Cons are forgetting one of there own in Croydon Council was actually in the IRA, as a member,advocating killing British soldiers.
Link and article below.
http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/activists-point-to-councillor-8217-s-ira-past
The Conservatives have been accused of hypocrisy after claiming Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn refused to condemn the IRA, though a Croydon Conservative councillor used to be a member of the terrorist group.
Social media users and pro-Corbyn blogs have made the accusation after highlighting the case of Croham councillor Maria Gatland, who was exposed as former IRA member Maria McGuire in 2008 during a row over the conversion of a school in Ashburton into an academy.
The Conservative Party Headquarters press office tweeted that Corbyn had refused to condemn the IRA on Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme yesterday.
During the exchange, Mr Corbyn said: "I condemn all the bombings by both the Loyalists and the IRA."
The Conservatives argue he did not condemn the IRA specifically.
In response, Labour activists have been highlighting Cllr Maria Gatland's former past with the IRA, in stories shared thousands of times on social media.
In 2008, it was revealed that Cllr Gatland was in fact Maria McGuire, who under that name in 1972 had published a book about her former involvement with the terrorist group.
In a story shared thousands of times on Facebook, pro-Corbyn political blog The Canary has claimed the Conservatives are "forgetting" Cllr Gatland's past.
Also, one of the Advertiser's original stories revealing Cllr Gatland's past has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook pages such as 'Fighting together against right wing views' and Tory policy' and 'Occupy London'.
One commenter said: "It astounds me how many have slated Corbyn because of the peace talks he had with the IRA. As many have before him and since. Yet these same people think it's perfectly ok and acceptable that this woman is a Tory member ... and don't blink an eye. One word springs to mind. Hypocrisy."
However, another replied: "She turned informer on the IRA and was given protection. She denounced their activities. Well done on her I say. Her information probably lead to many terrorists being locked up or killed. Good riddance to them.
"Corbyn, however, still refuses to denounce the IRA. That speaks volumes."
In the book, 'To Take Arms, a Year in the Provisional IRA', she describes how she spent time on the run across Europe in 1971 as she was being pursued by security forces from several countries over her role in a huge arms deal.
But as violence escalated in Belfast after a failed ceasefire in July 1972, McGuire decided she could not support the sectarian killing, and fled to England.
There she gave extensive interviews in the British press and published her book hoping to lift the lid on IRA brutality.
She said of her time with the IRA: "After a year I began to realise it wasn't something I wanted to be involved in and so I left.
"I realised violence was not the answer and I now abhor violence."
At the time she was exposed, Cllr Gatland was the Conservatives' cabinet member for education, and resigned from the cabinet after the revelation.
However, she remained as a Conservative councillor in Croydon, and has since won re-election twice in the Croham ward in South Croydon.
She now serves as the Conservatives' shadow cabinet member for education.
The Conservative Party has been approached for comment. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:54 - May 22 with 2088 views | easthertsr |
At last we now have an election! May is absolutely hopeless as a campaigner, it is just plain embarrassing! Tonight's interview was an absolute car crash. Strong and stable has been replaced with weak and wobbly! | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 08:57 - May 23 with 1934 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
Events last night will no doubt change the tone of the election now, distracting from how bad May is.
I'm sure some will hate me saying it but this is..in the softest way I can say it...helpful for May. | |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 09:16 - May 23 with 1895 views | stevec |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 08:57 - May 23 by 2Thomas2Bowles |
Events last night will no doubt change the tone of the election now, distracting from how bad May is.
I'm sure some will hate me saying it but this is..in the softest way I can say it...helpful for May. |
What's helpful for May is Corbyn has got history when it comes to terrorism.
He could redeem himself here but he won't.
1/5 Trumps fault
1/2 Britains fault
100/1 fault of religious fanatics
Let's see how it pans out. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 09:43 - May 23 with 1850 views | essextaxiboy |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 08:57 - May 23 by 2Thomas2Bowles |
Events last night will no doubt change the tone of the election now, distracting from how bad May is.
I'm sure some will hate me saying it but this is..in the softest way I can say it...helpful for May. |
There are some sick fcks on Twitter saying the same only not so softly .
In contrast the votes the Torys were claiming back from UKIp ,may stay where they are as they have the most hardline immigration policy regardless of whether this cnt is British or not . |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 09:51 - May 23 with 1828 views | nadera78 |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 09:16 - May 23 by stevec |
What's helpful for May is Corbyn has got history when it comes to terrorism.
He could redeem himself here but he won't.
1/5 Trumps fault
1/2 Britains fault
100/1 fault of religious fanatics
Let's see how it pans out. |
You really are an ignorant pr1ck. | | | |
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