The Political Thread

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

What works for Manchester doesn't necessarily work for Truro.

Well okay, I'll give you Cornwall!

[The Legendary Shark]

Even I am susceptible to propaganda, especially when it chimes with or reinforces my personal world view. I had it in my head that most of the UK's legislation originated in, and was imposed by, the European Parliament. So I've done some quick and shallow research on the matter.
.
According to this article, the proportion of EU legislation utilised in the UK is 8 - 10%; but this seems to be a pro-EU site, so they would say that, wouldn't they? This article, however, puts the figure at 65%; but this seems to be an anti-EU article, so it would say that, wouldn't it?  Finally, this site estimates figures between 15 and 53%. So, basically, I don't know how many of the UK's "laws" come from Brussels and I think that trying to figure it out properly might well drive me insane!

[CrazyFoxMachine]

A glimpse into a possible KIPperry future...

keep that be-foil'd helmet on Shark. All subversive minds and opponents to the status quo will be monitered!!

No word on opponents to Status Quo but I imagine Nige likes to get down down deeper and down to a bit of Rossi & Parfitt

[The Legendary Shark]

The police and I will be facing each other in court soon*.
.
*This is, of course, the legal definition of the word 'soon' - which is months and months and months off yet...

[The Legendary Shark]

There was at least one baby born today who will never know hunger, sub-standard education, deprivation, a poor diet, a cold bedroom, poverty, crappy healthcare, police brutality, lack of opportunity, crippling debt, food banks, second-hand clothing or homelessness. Rejoice!

[Professor Bear]

So there's this 17 year old who has a Twitter account called #Millifan or something, and she tweeted in support of Ed Milliband and got mentioned by Guardian writers once or something like that - more grist for the three-ringed election mill and not really much of note, if we're honest.  Anyway, her real name wasn't on the Twitter account, nor was her location, it wasn't synched with any other social media accounts, there was no information on who or where she was, but tonight journalists from the Sun show up on her doorstep.
Good to see Rupert Murdoch put the kibosh on all that hacking, although in Murdoch's defence, maybe he thought she'd been murdered and just wanted to check her voicemail for a scoop.

[Greg M.]

He's a good man, that Murdoch. He properly cares.

About his obscene volume of money, into which he dives, Scrooge McDuck-like, on a daily basis. Spattered as it is with blood.

And cum.

Loathsome cunt.

Yeah, that'll teach her to care about things. Never mind, she'll grow out of it.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

They'll probably just claim she was asking for it, what with the way she was flaunting her opinions and all.

[Professor Bear]

She's 17, he's 85.  The maths on who'll be having the last laugh are pretty straightforward.

[Greg M.]

Only if you disregard Cold Lazarus-style science and inevitable remembrances of encounters with tramps in the woods.

[Banners]

I keep hearing Labour say they are the party of hard-working families, and now Steve Coogan's at it, but as the main breadwinner (currently) of this hard-working family, my combined income tax and NI bill in 2010/11 was 3.8 times more than it was in 2014/2015.

I'm not pro-Tory – I'd vote Left Unity if I could – but I just don't get it.

[Professor Bear]

Two scenarios suggest themselves:
1 - you are the primary and deliberate beneficiary of Tory cuts and legislation and their policies are working a treat for working families, or
2 - you're better off completely by accident of their doing something that benefits themselves, their mates, or lobby groups with deep pockets.

I don't know your personal situation, Banners, but my instinctive loathing of the Tories and their track record of shafting everyone who's not filthy rich makes me think it's probably #2.

[The Legendary Shark]

"Hard working families" is code for "tax paying muppets financing HMRC's pyramid scheme." It makes my skin crawl and my bile rise every time I hear one of those Westminster parasites use this phrase.

[Something Fishy]

What works for Manchester doesn't necessarily work for Truro.

Well okay, I'll give you Cornwall!

Who's giving us away to what now?

[Something Fishy]

The whole point of devolving to regions rather than England as a whole is to try to avoid a national government becoming so powerful that it rivals the UK government

Not really. The point of devolving to regions is so said regions can make adjustments to policy that directly benefit the people who live there, depending on local economies and other factors. What works for Manchester doesn't necessarily work for Truro.

ah yes indeed.  There has been a substantial voice for an Assembly here for years now.  It's something I can see happening as the UK devolves more.  The libs have promised it..  but their promises count for nothing when it comes down to it.