| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... 13:58 - May 9 with 117316 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 20:48 - May 31 with 2101 views | 1BobbyHazell |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:47 - May 31 by essextaxiboy |
They didnt invent them ..he said them . |
Be fair Essex, you yourself acknowledged how different his actual words were from how they had been 'reported' in the press. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:55 - May 31 with 2090 views | essextaxiboy |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:48 - May 31 by 1BobbyHazell |
Be fair Essex, you yourself acknowledged how different his actual words were from how they had been 'reported' in the press. |
I did ... happily conceded. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:59 - May 31 with 2080 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
The best thing May can do now is do a 'arry and fake illness and resign
Gutless wonder |  |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:33 - May 31 with 2040 views | easthertsr |
The Tory campaign has been a complete car crash from start to finish, strong and stable has been a complete and utter disaster, the poll ratings have haemorrhaged from day one. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:39 - May 31 with 2026 views | SussexRanger |
Astonishing left wing bias on here.
Only person to come out of that shambles with any credit was Thereasa May for having the basic common sense to not get involved in a slanging match with a bunch of rabble that we, as a country, should be ashamed of as leaders of political parties. | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:42 - May 31 with 2020 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
Tories claiming a left wing audience
Trying to scapegoat this disaster by blaming the public and the BBC
Desperation | |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:44 - May 31 with 2014 views | easthertsr |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:39 - May 31 by SussexRanger |
Astonishing left wing bias on here.
Only person to come out of that shambles with any credit was Thereasa May for having the basic common sense to not get involved in a slanging match with a bunch of rabble that we, as a country, should be ashamed of as leaders of political parties. |
So elected politicians we should be ashamed of, but a prime minister nobody has voted for in that role, refuses to turn up is ok. I think the country thinks otherwise! | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:52 - May 31 with 1986 views | connell10 |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:39 - May 31 by SussexRanger |
Astonishing left wing bias on here.
Only person to come out of that shambles with any credit was Thereasa May for having the basic common sense to not get involved in a slanging match with a bunch of rabble that we, as a country, should be ashamed of as leaders of political parties. |
Total rubbish mate! |  |
| AND WHEN I DREAM , I DREAM ABOUT YOU AND WHEN I SCREAM I SCREAM ABOUT YOU!!!!! | | Poll: | best number 10 ever? |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:56 - May 31 with 1972 views | DannytheR |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:39 - May 31 by SussexRanger |
Astonishing left wing bias on here.
Only person to come out of that shambles with any credit was Thereasa May for having the basic common sense to not get involved in a slanging match with a bunch of rabble that we, as a country, should be ashamed of as leaders of political parties. |
Quite right. In fact, it's just basic common sense that we should just get rid of the entire concept of public debate altogether, install Theresa May as Prime Minister for life, never ask her any questions, and simply thank ourselves lucky to have her.
Bloody rabble, I agree. Shoot them like pheasants. [Post edited 31 May 2017 22:11]
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:57 - May 31 with 1967 views | flynnbo |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:39 - May 31 by SussexRanger |
Astonishing left wing bias on here.
Only person to come out of that shambles with any credit was Thereasa May for having the basic common sense to not get involved in a slanging match with a bunch of rabble that we, as a country, should be ashamed of as leaders of political parties. |
Joke post. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:09 - May 31 with 1945 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:39 - May 31 by SussexRanger |
Astonishing left wing bias on here.
Only person to come out of that shambles with any credit was Thereasa May for having the basic common sense to not get involved in a slanging match with a bunch of rabble that we, as a country, should be ashamed of as leaders of political parties. |
As I said desperation on the tory side | |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:14 - May 31 with 1931 views | easthertsr |
Tories are in complete desperation mode. Terrible campaign, terrible leadership ,complete meltdown, Fuc*in love it!!!!!!! | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:23 - May 31 with 1914 views | JamesB1979 |
The BBC host was awful (sky one much better). Half of the time it was just shouting over each other. | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:26 - May 31 with 1906 views | QPR_Jim |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:16 - May 31 by stowmarketrange |
They have no other plan that to attack Corbyn.They thought they'd walk the election and now it's all coming apart at the seams.
Expect the Tory press to hammer him on every front page for the next 8 days. |
They'll start fear mongering about about a Labour led coalition, Rudd was already setting the groundwork for May to do that tonight. They did it in 2015 and they'll wheel it out again over the next week. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:39 - May 31 with 1882 views | stowmarketrange |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 20:55 - May 31 by essextaxiboy |
I did ... happily conceded. |
That's more the Tory MPs have done. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:48 - May 31 with 1862 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
Theresa May She never turns up, she never turns up Theresa May she never turns up
Metro: 'The lady's not for turning up' [Post edited 31 May 2017 23:00]
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:57 - May 31 with 1834 views | JamesB1979 |
Farron and Lucas were the best for me. I also think Wood is pretty good. | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:58 - May 31 with 1833 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 21:42 - May 31 by 2Thomas2Bowles |
Tories claiming a left wing audience
Trying to scapegoat this disaster by blaming the public and the BBC
Desperation |
This is the Mails front page
Fury at bias on BBC TV debate | |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 23:21 - May 31 with 1800 views | DannytheR |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:26 - May 31 by QPR_Jim |
They'll start fear mongering about about a Labour led coalition, Rudd was already setting the groundwork for May to do that tonight. They did it in 2015 and they'll wheel it out again over the next week. |
You're right, but I'll interested to see how that pans out for them. Last time out their entire strategy involved saying that a Labour/SNP coalition would plunge the country into chaos, which given everything that's happened since seems pretty funny now.
Ideas-wise their cupboard is completely bare. | | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 23:34 - May 31 with 1779 views | FredManRave |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:57 - May 31 by JamesB1979 |
Farron and Lucas were the best for me. I also think Wood is pretty good. |
At last! A bit of witty inuendo in the thread. Well done James.
As you were... |  |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 00:03 - Jun 1 with 1737 views | FDC |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 22:58 - May 31 by 2Thomas2Bowles |
This is the Mails front page
Fury at bias on BBC TV debate |
Based on a throw-away tweet by George Eaton. Utterly bizarre. I think we may have broken the Mail. |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 07:50 - Jun 1 with 1650 views | hubble |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 09:22 - Jun 1 with 1573 views | robith |
Turns out a seven way debate between people who all think differently doesn't work. Who'd have guessed it.
Corbyn did ok - he let the smaller parties do the personal attacks, and then made his own points but it's hard to stand out. Actually felt bad for Rudd. She was sent out in her boss' place with nothing but soundbites in her locker. May took a kicking but it was actually better than her turning up from her perspective - they would've destroyed her.
I get SNP/PC coming but it deffo fractures the debate. Leanne Wood is good, but she's slating Corbyn over something that happens in the Welsh Assembly at a UK wide event. Meanwhile Angus Robinson seemed like he cba at all.
This on Farron brought me tears of laughter
The way Nuttall says jihadis is quite soothing. Jeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaddieezzzzzzzz |  | | |
| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 09:44 - Jun 1 with 1544 views | 2Thomas2Bowles |
May did a PPB a bit later, now you will know I despise her but in all truth she was so wooden and clearly reading from a auto prompt and the only subject was Brexit.
She has no charisma at all. robotic soundbites. | |
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| On Diane Abbot, why we should vote Labour anyway, and more... on 11:17 - Jun 1 with 1487 views | hoof_hearted |
Postal vote just dealt with. No need to respond because it's a done deed and it's my personal private vote that I'm sharing with the power of anonymity as I've ummed and ahh'd a bit in your company. Just make of it/me what you will but here's my final thinking:-
I dislike my conservative candidate, Nick (neither seen nor) Hurd, but he'll get in with a huge majority as always so I don't need to consider any direct impact on the next government. He can feck right off.
The local Labour candidate seems to be a potentially much better MP for us and associates with Starmer and Khan rather than the unpalatable Corbyn and McDonnell which would give her my vote but I could never, ever. ever associate myself with Corbyn and McDonnell.
UKIP - never entered the debate for me.
Lib Dems - Tim Farron? Really? I'm not against having some sort of check back about the final Brexit deal to keep a rein on whoever is agreeing things on my behalf but if my mates want to play hide the sausage with each other then I don't want a god botherer condemning them to hell from parliament.
Yesterday I looked into all my local candidates as much as is possible. I've read the local manifestos of all the parties, factored in my personal prejudices as above and looked and listened to the performances last night.
I have voted Green and not as a wasted protest vote. They have no baggage, no class war hatred, no fantasy economics - they admit we'll all have to pay more taxes and they don't indulge in the fantasy it is "only the top 5%". They don't have joint- leaders with the full backing of the party and a decent number of very credible candidates. They aren't going to get into power but I think a bit more of their influence would do the country an enormous amount of good. It worked for UKIP.
Over and out for politics for me. If it's a hung parliament then see you all on the next thread in October. Otherwise keep well until 2022  . |  | | |
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