UK General Discussion: Rishecession

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It has had by far the steepest drop in quality of any of the 'broadsheet' papers. It used to prize itself on its extremely high standards (e.g. Caradog Prichard was a sub-editor during the postwar period!) and this was a major sales-point even for people who disagreed with its politics. Under Conrad Black's ownership its editorial line shifted hard to the Right(though it was always a Conservative paper, of course), but the quality of its news coverage and analysis remained very high, while its sports coverage was widely admired and the features were decent as well. But after the Barclay Brothers bought it... oh dear.

[CumbrianLefty]

Who is a better (bad but entertaining) journalist? John Rentoul or Allistair Heath?

Heath is undoubtedly entertaining in a "so disturbingly unhinged you have to laugh" way.

Rentoul is, in contrast, just a disingenuous grifter with an almost creepy Blair fixation.

[TheTide]

It has had by far the steepest drop in quality of any of the 'broadsheet' papers. It used to prize itself on its extremely high standards (e.g. Caradog Prichard was a sub-editor during the postwar period!) and this was a major sales-point even for people who disagreed with its politics. Under Conrad Black's ownership its editorial line shifted hard to the Right(though it was always a Conservative paper, of course), but the quality of its news coverage and analysis remained very high, while its sports coverage was widely admired and the features were decent as well. But after the Barclay Brothers bought it... oh dear.

There's a scene in the film The Beach (2000) where a character requests a copy of the paper. There is an initial awkward pause, before he clarifies that he wants it "for the sport".

[CumbrianLefty]

That's the thing, its sports coverage has *also* totally plummeted under the Barclays.

They have utterly ruined the paper.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Is there much of a chance whoever (eventually) buys the Telegraph from the Barclays will start to rebuild the paper?

[CumbrianLefty]

Given the background of the most likely bidder, I'm not getting my hopes up too much.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Oh is the Mail the most likely bidder? I’d just assumed they’d get into competition law difficulties.

[Blair]

It has had by far the steepest drop in quality of any of the 'broadsheet' papers. It used to prize itself on its extremely high standards (e.g. Caradog Prichard was a sub-editor during the postwar period!) and this was a major sales-point even for people who disagreed with its politics. Under Conrad Black's ownership its editorial line shifted hard to the Right(though it was always a Conservative paper, of course), but the quality of its news coverage and analysis remained very high, while its sports coverage was widely admired and the features were decent as well. But after the Barclay Brothers bought it... oh dear.

This had the very funny side effect of making sport readers of the paper very right wing as they subtly absorbed the news content without knowing there was more to the story about Baaa Baaa Black Sheep or whatever outrage was being cooked up.

Also meant it was hard to tell a persons politics from it- I knew several left people wing who bought it either for the crossword or cricket/rugby coverage.

[CumbrianLefty]

"I just read it for the sport" was also what a lot of Sun readers said back in the day.

(some still doubtless do, though its circulation has fallen off the proverbial cliff now)

[Pericles]

I know the timing is unlucky, but this really makes the election of Boris Johnson in 2019 look like an absolute catastrophe for the UK. A whole parliament of lost economic growth. Big change to the UK's economic policies can't come soon enough.

[CumbrianLefty]

Oh is the Mail the most likely bidder? I’d just assumed they’d get into competition law difficulties.

The current favourite to take over ownership is Paul Marshall, a major investor in GB News.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Oh is the Mail the most likely bidder? I’d just assumed they’d get into competition law difficulties.

The current favourite to take over ownership is Paul Marshall, a major investor in GB News.

We live in the worst timeline. Should be Axel Springer for the sheet hilarity of Germans running the Telegraph.

[JimJamUK]

We live in the worst timeline. Should be Axel Springer for the sheet hilarity of Germans running the Telegraph.

Axel Springer ‘requires’ its employee to support the European Union, which would be even more hilarious.

[Torrain]

Angus MacNeil has been formally expelled from the SNP.

He’d previously stated that he planned to remain an independent, without the SNP whip until he’d seen the outcome of this autumn’s party conference, and progress on independence policy. Stephen Flynn had been telegraphing that this wasn’t acceptable for a wee while now, and seems confident making an example of MacNeil.

Makes the election in Na h-Eileanan an Iar next year (already shaping up as a curious race with some ferry-based-grievance) more interesting - even if MacNeil  doesn’t honour his pledge to run, regardless of party affiliation.

[CumbrianLefty]

In other news, it appears that the Legionella virus is part of the WOKE BLOB now.

[Cassius]

In other news, it appears that the Legionella virus is part of the WOKE BLOB now.

Who knew that Cultural Marxism was a bacterium as opposed to a virus.

[MABA 2020]

In other news, it appears that the Legionella virus is part of the WOKE BLOB now.

Thats a big signing for team woke

[Coldstream]

Angus MacNeil has been formally expelled from the SNP.

He’d previously stated that he planned to remain an independent, without the SNP whip until he’d seen the outcome of this autumn’s party conference, and progress on independence policy. Stephen Flynn had been telegraphing that this wasn’t acceptable for a wee while now, and seems confident making an example of MacNeil.

Makes the election in Na h-Eileanan an Iar next year (already shaping up as a curious race with some ferry-based-grievance) more interesting - even if MacNeil  doesn’t honour his pledge to run, regardless of party affiliation.

Our votes actually been pretty consistent there since 2005, so if MacNeil did run as an independent he wouldn’t have to take much of the SNP for Labour to take it.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It was going to be an interesting contest anyway: even before this it was generally thought to be a much more vulnerable seat than quite a few with more recent Labour success.

[afleitch]

It was perceived as vulnerable to Labour because of MacNeil. Labour don't have the best candidate so it really is up to who the SNP nominate to see if there's much to separate the potential candidates.

[YL]

It's also a very distinctive constituency which might not follow national trends.  It also has some really stunning scenery, not that that's very relevant to its politics.

[Coldstream]

It was perceived as vulnerable to Labour because of MacNeil. Labour don't have the best candidate so it really is up to who the SNP nominate to see if there's much to separate the potential candidates.

Let’s be real, it was perceived as vulnerable cos the electorate is so small it doesn’t require a large number of people to change their votes - MacNeil has always been dodgy but that hasn’t stopped him winning 5 times. If Labour win it’ll be cos of vote splitting or the national swing - not cos people finally realise who MacNeil is.

[Oryxslayer]

It was perceived as vulnerable to Labour because of MacNeil. Labour don't have the best candidate so it really is up to who the SNP nominate to see if there's much to separate the potential candidates.

Let’s be real, it was perceived as vulnerable cos the electorate is so small it doesn’t require a large number of people to change their votes - MacNeil has always been dodgy but that hasn’t stopped him winning 5 times. If Labour win it’ll be cos of vote splitting or the national swing - not cos people finally realise who MacNeil is.

For the same reasons,  this seems like the type of seat where certain types of independents could win convincingly.

[Blair]

Apparently after the success of boat week next week will be health week for the Government and Barclay will write to the Welsh Government to say the NHS is broken in Wales.

I feel this is the sort of political tactic that worked in say 2013 to blunt the edges of Labour but does it really work when the waiting list is 7.5 million and growing?

[CumbrianLefty]

Apparently after the success of boat week next week will be health week for the Government and Barclay will write to the Welsh Government to say the NHS is broken in Wales.

I feel this is the sort of political tactic that worked in say 2013 to blunt the edges of Labour but does it really work when the waiting list is 7.5 million and growing?

Well that's just it isn't it.

We have zombie Osbornism to go alongside zombie Blairism.