UK General Discussion: Rishecession

[CumbrianLefty]

Seems like Liz Truss is trying to make a comeback of sorts but it's going about as well as her tenure as Prime Minister

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/06/bring-the-popcons-out-liz-truss-is-the-entertainment-that-keeps-giving

Another opportunity to savour the latest incarnation of one of UK’s shortest-reigning prime ministers

"My platform was amazingly popular, its just that nobody will admit it".

Yes, that is what she quite genuinely believes.

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

Seems like Liz Truss is trying to make a comeback of sorts but it's going about as well as her tenure as Prime Minister

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/06/bring-the-popcons-out-liz-truss-is-the-entertainment-that-keeps-giving

Another opportunity to savour the latest incarnation of one of UK’s shortest-reigning prime ministers

"My platform was amazingly popular, its just that nobody will admit it".

Yes, that is what she quite genuinely believes.

She seems totally clueless, but she is still only 48. To be sure, I read about this on a Canadian news site, but most comment sections are dominated by right wingers who lap up this 'anti woke' stuff and made comments like "Liz telling it like it is!"

So, who knows, maybe she thinks if she says that enough, that in 10 years or so she'll be able to convince people that she was pushed out by the pro woke bond traders.

[CumbrianLefty]

She is never coming back to a major political role in the UK, trust me on this.

[afleitch]

The PM made a trans joke at PMQ's today.

While Brianna Ghey's mother was in the gallery.

I hate this country.

[Storr]

"Exclusive: An alleged Russian GRU agent who came to the UK as a refugee with a false asylum statement worked for the Foreign Office and Home Office, and says he was employed by GCHQ and MI6.

The man, who can be identified only as C2, He worked with two prime ministers and met Prince Charles and Prince William on visits to Afghanistan while working for the British government. He ultimately obtained both Russian and British citizenship.

In court this week he admitted lying in his asylum application. He also admitted to passing cash bribes to Russian military attaches. But he denies that he was ever an agent of the GRU."

https://twitter.com/Effy_Yeomans/status/1755314588940214420?s=20

[All Along The Watchtower]

Doesn't help that a very different American Woman is still remembered.

Yes, very different, in that she was a horrible racist and was the partner of the actual heir/King (whose actions, it must be said, we cannot lay responsibility for on his wife even as she herself was also an odious traitor who colluded with the most evil regime in history).

Arguing the Sussexes are like that pair, as some have, is just disgusting. And I say that as someone who finds the Sussexes rather irritating these days.

[LabourJersey]

She is never coming back to a major political role in the UK, trust me on this.

Talk of a Liz Truss comeback reminds me of how my Dad always wondered why they didn't replace Corbyn with the "electable" "statesman"...

Tony Blair

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Out of curiosity, why does the British press hate Megan Markle so much?

I wonder whether racism is at least a part of it. Or because she's not originally British?

Edward VIII had to abdicate because he wanted to marry a divorced American. So maybe that's part of the reason. Of course Wallis Simpson turned out to basically be a Nazi.

[Pouring Rain and Blairing Music]

Maybe the problem with William is that is just not much there. At least Harry has a personality. He has character. William is just.... blah. Boring, no personality, no real interests, nothing.

Charles can be quirky but there is depth to him.

To go on a tangent about cars, the worst thing a car can do is be boring. A car can be bad, but if it has character or some weird funky features, it’ll have its fans. But an alright car that is super boring won’t have any fans. Who cares about the first gen Honda Pilot?

Wrapping that back around to people, Charles and Harry at least seem human. William seems to have been grown in a test tube to desire the crown and lose his hairline at 30. Looks nice when new, but just gets boring and ignored after a decade and a half. Charles has always at least seemed interested in using the (to borrow an Americanism) bully pulpit. Harry I think in many ways has been treated unfairly (like maybe 10% is self-inflicted). The British press seem to hate Harry more than Andrew, which is frankly disgusting, but what do you expect when Piers Morgan still has a job.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Maybe the problem with William is that is just not much there. At least Harry has a personality. He has character. William is just.... blah. Boring, no personality, no real interests, nothing.

Charles can be quirky but there is depth to him.

To go on a tangent about cars, the worst thing a car can do is be boring.

[Conservatopia]

Much ado about nothing over the trans joke. Slightly ill-judged perhaps but nothing to apologise for.

1. It was a joke aimed at Starmer's flip flop on the issue, not at transgenders themselves. It could easily have been said by someone who believes in transgender as an attack on Starmer for not being pro-trans enough.
2. Ghey's mother wasn't actually in the gallery at the time (though Sunak thought she was).
3. Labour are the ones weaponising the murdered child, not Sunak.

Of course the usual suspects must have their trans hobby horse to bleat on about.

[afleitch]

Much ado about nothing over the trans joke. Slightly ill-judged perhaps but nothing to apologise for.

1. It was a joke aimed at Starmer's flip flop on the issue, not at transgenders themselves. It could easily have been said by someone who believes in transgender as an attack on Starmer for not being pro-trans enough.
2. Ghey's mother wasn't actually in the gallery at the time (though Sunak thought she was).
3. Labour are the ones weaponising the murdered child, not Sunak.

Of course the usual suspects must have their trans hobby horse to bleat on about.

Well that's alright then...

[Torrain]

Scottish Health Secretary Michael Matheson has quit.

He’s the one who mislead the public and media over his use of a government iPad to rack up over £10k in roaming charges watching football. Humza Yousaf called an inquiry, rather than firing him when the story broke, and the findings are due in the coming days.

If I’m honest, I think he’s got a fair chance of coming back at some point - the talent pool at Holyrood is pretty shallow (see Angela Constance being dismissed and rehired multiple times by Sturgeon because there was no one else). He was viewed as one of the more competent cabinet secretaries by a number of Holyrood watchers.

My hot-take about this saga has always been that if Yousaf wanted to retake the narrative, he should have fired Matheson before the story blew up, and publicly offered Kate Forbes the poisoned chalice, on ground of her previous ministerial competence in the Finance brief.

Either she says no to one of the biggest jobs in Holyrood (making her look like she’s angling for the leadership over public service, which hurts her brand) or she accepts a job that leaves her busy and unpopular enough to extinguish any lingering threat.

[CumbrianLefty]

Isn't "Sunak thought she was" actually the relevant point there, though?

[EastAnglianLefty]

I think the relevant point is that you can't credibly accuse Labour of weaponising it when Brianna's father is demanding an apology from the Conservatives.

[CumbrianLefty]

Though online types are already accusing him of doing Labour's bidding.

[Torrain]

In minor Scottish news, Conservative MSP Donald Cameron is quitting Holyrood to head to the Lords, as he's just been appointed to a junior ministerial position in the Scotland Office.

Before he takes up the barony, Cameron was already a form of very minor Scottish nobility, having succeeded as Lochiel (Chief) of Clan Cameron in 2021 on the death of his father.

His Highlands and Islands list seat will fall automatically to the next-ranked Conservative, Tim Eagle. Eagle was a local councillor until recently, but stood down, so no Moray byelection, alas. Would have been nice to take the temperature on the SNP and Tory voteshares in that part of the country, given how marginal it was in 2019, but alas...

[CumbrianLefty]

Our former PM of that ilk has Donald as one of his middle names.

[Torrain]

Humza Yousaf has gone for a nice wee post-reshuffle holiday… in Qatar.

Totally consistent for a man who’s spent most of his time in office lecturing others about human rights and the environment, to vacation in a petro-state best known for its use of slave labour and harbouring Hamas’ leadership…

Man’s a gift to his political opponents sometimes.

[JimJamUK]

Presented without comment.

https://twitter.com/thetimes/status/1757283463462535636?s=61&t=I1DE8_cg7gmZr...

[afleitch]

Humza Yousaf has gone for a nice wee post-reshuffle holiday… in Qatar.

Totally consistent for a man who’s spent most of his time in office lecturing others about human rights and the environment, to vacation in a petro-state best known for its use of slave labour and harbouring Hamas’ leadership…

Man’s a gift to his political opponents sometimes.

I'm well aware that the Scottish press will pretend to give a sh-t about the environment and human rights for a few days but similar disqualifications would effectively restrict most British politicians from visiting family in India, Pakistan etc.

While I wouldn't holiday in Qatar if you paid me, at least he's not being thrown a bung to visit Qatar 'diplomatically', like a lot of politicians on record.

[EastAnglianLefty]

Going to visit family and going on holiday are not equivalent.

I would also note that the government of India was democratically elected and the government of Pakistan pretends it was. No such pretence is made by the rulers of Qatar.

[Torrain]

I'm well aware that the Scottish press will pretend to give a sh-t about the environment and human rights for a few days but similar disqualifications would effectively restrict most British politicians from visiting family in India, Pakistan etc.

While I wouldn't holiday in Qatar if you paid me, at least he's not being thrown a bung to visit Qatar 'diplomatically', like a lot of politicians on record.

Wait… So the media are bad for pointing out the hypocrisy, but our Humza’s good, because he’s not being *bribed* to go to Qatar - he chose the viciously homophobic dictatorship because it appealed more than any of the other options?

[afleitch]

I'm well aware that the Scottish press will pretend to give a sh-t about the environment and human rights for a few days but similar disqualifications would effectively restrict most British politicians from visiting family in India, Pakistan etc.

While I wouldn't holiday in Qatar if you paid me, at least he's not being thrown a bung to visit Qatar 'diplomatically', like a lot of politicians on record.

Wait… So the media are bad for pointing out the hypocrisy, but our Humza’s good, because he’s not being *bribed* to go to Qatar - he chose the viciously homophobic dictatorship because it appealed more than any of the other options?

No.

I personally don't know what possesses anyone to vacation in Qatar or other such countries. Since you brought up homophobia, I have so far not travelled anywhere that would require an overnight, never mind a direct stay in any nation that outlaws homosexuality. Which puts travel east beyond Europe almost out of reach. That's a personal choice.

If a nations environmental record, oil misuse and human rights abuses and now, their homophobia should be a disqualifier then it shouldn't matter whether it's a holiday, or a family visit, or whether the country is democratic or considers itself to be. That effectively disqualifies a number of Commonwealth nations with which we have diplomatic relations or politicians that have close family in.

Qatar lobbies and gives gifts to a sizable number of British politicians as a mere glance at the register of interests will show you. Starmer took a Qatari funded private jet in December. Mark Drakefor's hotel was paid for in 2022 during the World Cup.

So I do think it's less objectionable to take a self-funded holiday in Qatar, assuming that is what it is, than to take paid and subsidised trips from the Qatari purse.

[Conservatopia]

Afleitch logic:

SNP is always right.
If SNP is wrong then it's the fault of unionist press, internal saboteurs, social conservatives in the nationalist movement or people not truly committed to the cause. Oh and Alex Salmond.

Finally if it turns out that it genuinely is "Humza" who is wrong then it's fine because everyone else is apparently worse.

Nobody else here goes out to bat so hard for their party and fails so hard.