Lee Anderson

[Roxanne]

This thread is surreal.

[La Colombe]

Time to up the surreality. Lol. 

 

 

[La Colombe]

 

[Declan]

On 3/11/2024 at 12:09 PM, La Colombe said:

Time to up the surreality. Lol. 

 

 

Do you remember those 80's TV dramas where England fell under the spell of a populist demagogue and descended into totalitarianism? They always had backdrops like that. 

Edited March 12 by Declan

[The Voice of Reason]

5 hours ago, Declan said:

Do you remember those 80's TV dramas where England fell under the spell of a populist demagogue and descended into totalitarianism? They always had backdrops like that. 

I’ll help you out here Declan.

Yes I do. The face that looked like they were a friend but underneath that were scheming all sorts of despotic things. Even a bit 1984 ish if you like ( both book and time)

[Max Power]

Well, we don't need to worry, after the General Election we'll all be ok.

[La Colombe]

Is Max Power Eddie Lowey? From beyond the grave. 

[Declan]

I think Eddie Lowey is still alive. So I'd be careful comparing him to Max, he might sue. 

[manxman1980]

5 hours ago, Max Power said:

Well, we don't need to worry, after the General Election we'll all be ok.

You realise that Labour have been taking a hammering in recent weeks because they had not called for a ceasefire in Gaza?  They are/were real concerns about Labour losing the votes of the Asian community. 

It was at the root of the problems with the Rochdale by-election and a major reason George Galloway was so successful. 

It was also the root of the arguments over the battle between the SNP, Labour and Tories about the wording of a motion in Parliament about a ceasefire.

 

[P.K.]

3 hours ago, manxman1980 said:

It was at the root of the problems with the Rochdale by-election and a major reason George Galloway was so successful. 

Firstly anyone who thinks that Galloway will do anything for Rochdale needs to go and lie down in a darkened room until reality intervenes:

So what can Rochdale expect from their new MP? Not a lot of work inside parliament, if Galloway’s track record is anything to go by. In three years as Bradford West’s MP he spoke just 16 times in the House of Commons, sometimes going for six months or more without saying a word in the debating chamber.

When he did speak in parliament, it was usually about foreign affairs or to insult other MPs, once responding to an intervention from a Tory MP by saying: “I would much prefer to give way to the honourable gentleman than for him to cackle and wobble his ample girth from a sedentary position.”

Secondly the farrago in Rochdale threw up an interesting question to wit:

"Is bringing the Israeli Government and their policies into question antisemitism...?"

Because I thought the Labour candidate was doing just that - passing comment on possible Knesset policy. To me that's not racist it's just criticising a crap government like the well-informed amongst us do about Tynwald and Westminster all the time!

But the UK tory right wing press, which is to say pretty much all of it, are always going to blow minor issues like that into a massive drama and they do it because unfortunately their gullible readership believes every word...

[manxman1980]

6 hours ago, P.K. said:

Secondly the farrago in Rochdale threw up an interesting question to wit:

"Is bringing the Israeli Government and their policies into question

Because I thought the Labour candidate was doing just that - passing comment on possible Knesset policy. To me that's not racist it's just criticising a crap government like the well-informed amongst us do about Tynwald and Westminster all the time!

It was the spreading of anti-semitic tropes that was the issue.  I think he could have phrased his comments about why Israel had failed to respond to the warning from Egypt in a better way.  As I have said elsewhere it is possible that it was just everyday incompetence and not a deliberate decision by someone in the Israeli chain of command. 

The right wing press weren't the only ones who were critical of the comments.   Everyone was but the Tory party definitely saw an opportunity to try and label the Labour Party as anti-semitic and pro-Palestine.  It looks like @Max Power is just parroting that line.

We, of course know,  that despite having the most diverse cabinet in history, the Tory party have their own issues with Islamaphobia and racism.

[Declan]

Rochdale has drawn the short straw, MP wise over the years. 

[Max Power]

7 hours ago, manxman1980 said:

The right wing press weren't the only ones who were critical of the comments.   Everyone was but the Tory party definitely saw an opportunity to try and label the Labour Party as anti-semitic and pro-Palestine.  It looks like @Max Power is just parroting that line.

We, of course know,  that despite having the most diverse cabinet in history, the Tory party have their own issues with Islamaphobia and racism.

Nah, I just thought that it was a funny cartoon. 

I think a lot of people suffer from Islamophobia, it may be an irrational fear or dislike, but part of the problem is that nothing is done to allay that fear and often it is quite the reverse. Politicians are human too, and are bound to echo the fears of their constituents sometimes. it's difficult when the problems of Islam appear to affect them more and more, whether real or imagined. Personally, I have never been affected and always thought that much of the problem was imagined, although I have friends who live in the midlands who have told me some real horror stories. I think we need to be cautious in drawing conclusions from other people's experiences.  

5 hours ago, Declan said:

Rochdale has drawn the short straw, MP wise over the years. 

To be fair, he was giving it hell in Parliament regarding there being no maternity facilities or Rochdale postcodes. Nobody can now say they were born in Rochdale apparently. He's making a run for the GE most probably.

[P.K.]

1 hour ago, Max Power said:

To be fair, he was giving it hell in Parliament regarding there being no maternity facilities or Rochdale postcodes. Nobody can now say they were born in Rochdale apparently. He's making a run for the GE most probably.

What a load of utter nonsense Galloway spouts. Of course folks can say they come from Rochdale. Although l'm not sure you'll find anybody readily admitting they come from there. Because for years one area of Rochdale, Falinge, was the most deprived place in the North West...

[manxman1980]

2 hours ago, Max Power said:

Nah, I just thought that it was a funny cartoon. 

I think a lot of people suffer from Islamophobia, it may be an irrational fear or dislike, but part of the problem is that nothing is done to allay that fear and often it is quite the reverse. Politicians are human too, and are bound to echo the fears of their constituents sometimes. it's difficult when the problems of Islam appear to affect them more and more, whether real or imagined. Personally, I have never been affected and always thought that much of the problem was imagined, although I have friends who live in the midlands who have told me some real horror stories. I think we need to be cautious in drawing conclusions from other people's experiences.  

It really isn't funny though is it?  Why?  Because it promotes exactly the irrational islamophobia you say is a problem.  I happen to know many muslims and not one of them is a terrorist or trying to take over the country.  They are hardworking, volunteer in the local community (not just in Islamic communities) and the majority I encounter work in health care.