In todays news...

[Count Steer]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60856763

Quite a boring HRH Willz “slavery apology” story, but it occurred to me that Andrew Holness wouldn’t be Prime Minister of Jamaica, were it not for British Imperial slavery.

In fact, almost none of the present day Jamaicans would be Jamaicans.

Are you trying to say that there's an upside to slavery?

Not for slaves, there wasn’t.

Not for slaves there isn't. It's not like it's not happening any more. Didn't some diplomats bring theirs here? We had those cockle pickers working for gang bosses etc etc. Probably find a fair bit of our food and cheap clothing still produced by what we'd think of as slaves.

[Rockburner]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60856763

Quite a boring HRH Willz “slavery apology” story, but it occurred to me that Andrew Holness wouldn’t be Prime Minister of Jamaica, were it not for British Imperial slavery.

In fact, almost none of the present day Jamaicans would be Jamaicans.

Are you trying to say that there's an upside to slavery?

Not for slaves, there wasn’t.

But I had an idea someone would try to see something pro-slavery in what I wrote.

Ah, trolling, ok, as you were.

[JackyJoll]

Are you trying to say that there's an upside to slavery?

Not for slaves, there wasn’t.

But I had an idea someone would try to see something pro-slavery in what I wrote.

Ah, trolling, ok, as you were.

Thanks for the facile comment.

Not in the least anyway . It only occurred to me afterwards, that I may not have put enough virtue signalling in, for some people.

[JackyJoll]

Are you trying to say that there's an upside to slavery?

Not for slaves, there wasn’t.

Not for slaves there isn't. It's not like it's not happening any more. Didn't some diplomats bring theirs here? We had those cockle pickers working for gang bosses etc etc. Probably find a fair bit of our food and cheap clothing still produced by what we'd think of as slaves.

Wasn’t, isn’t and won’t be.

But I don’t hold a grudge against Prince William, about the 18th century sugar trade.

[Saga Lout]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60856763

Quite a boring HRH Willz “slavery apology” story, but it occurred to me that Andrew Holness wouldn’t be Prime Minister of Jamaica, were it not for British Imperial slavery.

In fact, almost none of the present day Jamaicans would be Jamaicans.

Prince William said slavery was abhorrent, "should never have happened" and "forever stains our history".

I suppose that's one way of looking at it if you don't know your country's history.

Slavery was endemic throughout the world until the British decided to abolish it. Britain spend a large amount of men, money and ships fighting the trans Atlantic slave trade in the 19th century, Slavery didn't start with blacks being transported to the Americas, it had been happening for millennia. And it didn't stop until Britain decided to stop it. If anything, we should be proud of that part of our history, not apologetic.

[DefTrap]

If anything, we should be proud of that part of our history, not apologetic.

At least two upsides then.

You should get a streetcorner in London and shout that at all the lucky buggers that pass.

[JackyJoll]

I suppose that's one way of looking at it if you don't know your country's history.

Slavery was endemic throughout the world until the British decided to abolish it. Britain spend a large amount of men, money and ships fighting the trans Atlantic slave trade in the 19th century, Slavery didn't start with blacks being transported to the Americas, it had been happening for millennia. And it didn't stop until Britain decided to stop it. If anything, we should be proud of that part of our history, not apologetic.

Yes, the Navy went to an impressive amount of trouble against the slave trade.

No doubt there are diplomatic reasons for these apologies about history, but to me it looks like “wet” posturing.

[DefTrap]

Apologising is free, you don't even have to mean it.
Does it set a precedent for reparations?

[Felix]

Good one

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60881550

[Yambo]

Good one

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60881550

Agreed

I'm not sure I understand how this P & O thing has been allowed to happen. I keep reading about P & O making the crews redundant. Replacing them with cheap labour means that the crews are not redundant, or does the word redundant have a new meaning?

It seems to me that P & O have broken the law, broken the spirit of the law and stuck a finger up to the law. Is the law so inadequate?

[Felix]

Good one

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60881550

Agreed

I'm not sure I understand how this P & O thing has been allowed to happen.

Me neither but i wont use them again. DFDS crossing is about 100 miles closer to home but P&O was the better crossing but what they did was low. Re planned my trip for next year and still to look into who owns the Italy - Croatia crossing as if that is part of the same group that will get re arranged also.

[Pirahna]

I'm not sure I understand how this P & O thing has been allowed to happen.

It's a Brexit benefit, Tories get to weaken the employment laws. Didn't something go through parliament about hire and fire rules and the Tories voted to abolish them? Something like that anyway.

This sort of thing was pointed out by Project Fear but people voted for it.

[Mussels]

I read that the P&O boss admitted to MPs that they did break the law, so just maybe it has nothing to do with Brexit and evil Tories.

[Hoonercat]

I'm not sure I understand how this P & O thing has been allowed to happen.

It's a Brexit benefit, Tories get to weaken the employment laws. Didn't something go through parliament about hire and fire rules and the Tories voted to abolish them? Something like that anyway.

This sort of thing was pointed out by Project Fear but people voted for it.

The Tories blocked a bill that was designed to only allow fire & rehire if the alternative was the company going out of business. They felt it would be better for ACAS to advise firms not to do it, rather than force firms not to do it, despite describing the practise as 'completely unacceptable'. Not sure it would have made any difference where P&O are concerned though, as the offers of rehire are on an agency worker basis?
But don't despair, the RMT will sort it

RMT.jpg (197.09 KiB) Viewed 285 times

[JackyJoll]

OK, so “the Tories,” referendum voters, P&O, the EU and the trade union are all evil?

Tell you what- us good guys are up against it!

[irie]

Somebody's lost the plot!

[Noggin]

The thing is, I can understand where that has come from. There are times when people can stare with lust, stare whilst mentally undressing someone (which is pretty obvious when you watch the face of the starer!). Which could seriously unnerve the one being stared at depending on the situation

But HTF can you legislate against it?

[DefTrap]

But HTF can you legislate against it?

I just live with it.

Srsly though - as a massive, hairy, and now old, bastard, I get stared at all the time. (I don't notice any more, the missus tells me). Yes I know this isn't the same as what they're talking about, but human nature is the same. Unfortunately it would be easier for me to change and not them.

[Count Steer]

The thing is thinking that a poster is actually going to make a positive* difference. It's like putting a sign up reminding passengers that pickpocketing is against the law.

* It'll make a negative difference though. If you're innocently staring blankly into space, wondering what to cook this evening, some flake will start screaming at you that you're staring at them and call 999.

[Yambo]

You're not allowed to call them 'flakes' any more CS, they're 'victims' now and you're a hate criminal.