This Once Great Movement Of Ours

[Estrella]

Yes, but it was the Cooper campaign that was responsible for the galaxy-brain move of ensuring that a certain somebody made the ballot, and it was the Cooper campaign that was responsible for a certain whipped stance on a certain parliamentary vote; both moves designed to wreck Burnham's campaign. Which, I suppose, they did. However...

Apologies for what might be a stupid question, but I'm not very good with labourology - what vote was that?

[Estrella]

https://twitter.com/epkaufm/status/1390735605437456387?s=21

I would suggest implicitly slagging off a large swath of your electorate (young graduates, most of whom are not “rich” by any means) tends not to be the best of ideas.

The MP is dead on though. I don't see this as 'slagging off' anyone. He's making a valid point.

He’s really not though. He’s trafficking in tired, lazy stereotypes and epitomises one of the main problems with Labour at the moment.

Labour need to stop romanticising a largely mythical working class; barely anyone works in factories anymore. In many cases, these young graduates are much less economically secure than blue collar homeowning pensioners. And they should certainly be grateful for any movement towards their party, and stop assuming that certain groups “should” or “shouldn’t” be voting for Labour.

Labour: young people, we don't want your votes!

Young people: *don't turn out*

Labour:

[Estrella]

In other news, R*s*e D*f*i*l* is doing transphobia again

Is there some kind of correlation between TERFery and left/right position, or are those people everywhere?

[Estrella]

My CLP is still doing meetings via Zoom, which makes the situation worse than it would otherwise be.

Those sound like torture to me.

So you're familiar with CLP meetings, then?

But does Jackie Weaver have any authority here?

[Estrella]

It's quite simple for me. If Starmer gets fined and it's not an egregious miscarriage of justice he has to resign.
Can't attack Johnson like that and then get fined. That is just asking to get punished the next election.

May not be fair, but Labour is there to win elections not protect their leader.

Exactly. This was (or should have been) the case with Corbyn, and with Starmer it shouldn't be any different.

[Estrella]

Bishop Auckland is basically Ohio right?

Not sure you get cornfields that far up in t' north. Maybe the new GMO regulations are a part of the Tory strategy to Americanize British politics.

Anyway, about the article.

John McTernan, a political strategist and onetime aide to then-Prime Minister Tony Blair

At first I wanted to stop reading right here, but I decided to go on. The article doesn't say anything too stupid, but that's because 1) it quotes actual Brits rather than overpaid Clintonite consultants and 2) it doesn't say anything, period. It's just a string of platitudes about voters not knowing Labour policies, the need to rebuild and whatnot.

[Estrella]

By a complete coincidence, while researching for a school project right after reading this thread, I stumbled upon the work of one early 20th century astronomer, a certain Ernst Öpik.

His grandson, Lembit Öpik, was the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire in Wales from 1997 to 2010, and has advocated searching for asteroids that may collide with the Earth. Lembit also became Chairman of the Parliament of Asgardia in 2019 and is a Member of the Supreme Space Council (SSC).

Asgardia?

Asgardia, also known as the Space Kingdom of Asgardia and Asgardia the Space Nation, is a micronation formed by a group of people who have launched a satellite into Earth orbit. They refer to themselves as "Asgardians" and they have given their satellite the name "Asgardia-1". They have declared sovereignty over the space occupied by and contained within Asgardia -1. The Asgardians have adopted a constitution and they intend to access outer space free of the control of existing nations and establish a permanent settlement on the Moon by 2043.

Edit: lmaooo

Lembit Öpik is Celebrating his 56th Birthday Today!

On 5 Aries (2 March), the Chairman of the first ever Space Parliament receives congratulations from the entire planet. Lembit Öpik is celebrating his 56th birthday today!

Lembit Öpik has been heading the unique international parliament of the First Space Nation for more than 4 years. People here speak different languages, but understand each other well. ‘We’ve Become the Most Experienced Digital Democracy in Human History!’ says Lembit.

His vast experience in moderating sessions and legislative forums comes from the United Kingdom Parliament, where he was among the leaders of the British Liberal Democrats and a member of the House of Commons from 1997 to 2010.

Mr. Öpik is not only a highly respected and trusted person. He is always extremely friendly with his colleagues, inviting everyone to speak out with no hesitation during online meetings. His professionalism and, when needed, humour are indisputable.

He believes that, unlike traditional countries where the evolution of the state structure is rather slow, Asgardia comes up with a completely different approach to building the political system, which is much more advanced and altruistic.

[Estrella]

Who knows, "Paul Mason for Islington North" may actually be a thing.

Get the popcorn out!

Bermondsey 1983 if Twitter existed *shudders*. Though if Luciana Berger were the candidate, by the end of the campaign there'd be Nuremberg rallies at the Emirates Stadium, so I guess it's still an improvement.

[Estrella]

It's Guido Fawkes, but still. I'm glad Labour has such a principled stance on human rights.
https://twitter.com/GuidoFawkes/status/1669694015489318916

[Estrella]

The archetypal Labour Home Secretary remains Chuter Ede (1945-51). Of course he was actually a former Liberal, but that was back when the word had different political associations to today.

Out of curiosity: if you asked an average person back then to place the Liberals on a left-right axis, what would they say?

[Estrella]

He was born and brought up in Pontarddulais (a postindustrial town notable for many sportsmen located roughly halfway between Swansea and Llanelli), was someone one of the first AMs/MSs to be Out when first elected (in... _{yeah... 2016}), is a Welsh-speaker and a member of the Co-operative Party.

What is the point of Co-operative Party’s, you know, existence? And is there any rhyme or reason to which MPs are Labour Co-op as opposed to just Labour?