The Political Thread

[Proudhuff]

Well, the end of days are truly upon us as the forum finally believe something that has been published in the Daily Mail and have turned on the Guardian.

Just for balance, I'm sure you've all seen the co-author being interviewed about this, with a smirk on her face. She said something along the lines of, it's up to the reader to believe this or not.

One thing we can all take from this, if Lord Ashcroft wants a job, make sure you cave in and give him what he wants, or else get ready for a story!

Can I just say I've never been a fan of either, as far as I'm concerned this is simply a case of 'when thieves fall out'.

[The Legendary Shark]

Meanwhile, behind the curtain, The case for retiring another 'barbarous relic.'

The arguments in favour of abolishing cash are starting to come to the fore. If past experience is anything to go by, first the idea will be floated as a bit of a crackpot scheme. There might be good reasons for it, but abolishing cash is just absurd. It'll never happen. Then there'll be storylines in the media; some Eastenders character getting busted for using cash "I thought it was suspicious, Officer!" Little old ladies on Crimewatch and Rogue Traders getting done out of cash when a simple little swipe-card would have rendered the con useless. People fiddling with change, holding up the queue. They'll get us used to the idea that cash is fraught with problems. Then they'll look for a bigger excuse, a terrorist attack or other crime made possible by cash. That won't be quite enough to abolish cash at a stroke but it's the first nail. All they have to do is ban fifty quid notes and they're in.

However, it seems that the High Priest's Prime Minister's antics with a pig take precedence...

[Professor Bear]

I read this and thought of you, Sharky: https://www.facebook.com/philip.mahoney.9/posts/10153016373712397

[The Legendary Shark]

Ouch.

[Spikes]

Maybe we just like to see the Tories get a taste of their own medicine... or should that be oink-ment..... especially as this has all come from within.

Whether its true or not..... there is a interesting photo doing the rounds on Twitter.... 

[JayzusB.Christ]

Maybe we just like to see the Tories get a taste of their own medicine... or should that be oink-ment..... especially as this has all come from within.

Whether its true or not..... there is a interesting photo doing the rounds on Twitter....

It's a fake. Someone had to make one

[Grugz]

he aint denied it yet has he?

And when did you stop beating your wife?

  I asked a question ,instead of answering it "yes he has" or "no he hasn't" you post this?
If the Mods can actually be bothere to do their jobs can we get this comment of gordons removed? I find it highly offensive and perhaps a bit libellous

[Richmond Clements]

he aint denied it yet has he?

And when did you stop beating your wife?

and the point of this is?

It's a tried and true journalistic technique.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loaded_question
Andrew Marr was doing this very thing at the weekend in his interview with Comrade Corbyn.

[Jim_Campbell]

I asked a question ,instead of answering it "yes he has" or "no he hasn't" you post this?
If the Mods can actually be bothere to do their jobs can we get this comment of gordons removed? I find it highly offensive and perhaps a bit libellous

I know the British courts are a very favourable venue for pursuing accusations of libel, I'm not entirely sure using a well-known rhetorical device in reply to someone who isn't using their real name is going to qualify as libellous.

Cheers

Jim

(For hard of thinking: Gordon isn't suggesting that you either do or don't beat your wife, but pointing out that there is no answer to that specific phrasing of question which wouldn't make you look guilty.)

[ZenArcade]

Never go to law (unless you're loaded). Z

[GordonR]

he aint denied it yet has he?

And when did you stop beating your wife?

  I asked a question ,instead of answering it "yes he has" or "no he hasn't" you post this?
If the Mods can actually be bothere to do their jobs can we get this comment of gordons removed? I find it highly offensive and perhaps a bit libellous

As has already been pointed out, it's a very well known rhetorical question trap that makes you look guilty if you try to answer it.

here's a  more on the nose reply to your original question:

Lyndon B Johnson once wanted his staff to spead the rumour that a political opponent fucked farmyard animals.  (Accounts vary exactly what kind.). When his appalled staff refused to smear someone like this, LBJ explained "Yes, but then the sonuvabitch will have to deny he's ever fucked a pig."

Do you see why it isn't suspicious that Cameron hasn't denied this yet?

Let us know how the libel case comes along.

[JayzusB.Christ]

He has now.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/sep/27/david-cameron-denies-lord-ashcroft-allegations-call-me-dave-dead-pig

In my book, he did the best he could in an extremely difficult situation - not dignifying it with a response for a while, and leaving it for a while before the denial.

Don't judge the man for a Mail 'scoop' / Twitter rumour.

Judge him because he's a smug, stuck-up, elitist prick who only gives a flying fuck about people as privileged as he is.

[Professor Bear]

We should still be allowed to call him a pigfucker.

[JOE SOAP]

We should still be allowed to call him a pigfucker.

Don't worry, it has stuck. He'll never shake it.

[ZenArcade]

Well if Dave's really down in the mouth, he can always get a hansom cab down to the club and order a hogs head of chateau neuf. Rather! Z