In todays news...

[JackyJoll]

…

[Mr. Dazzle]

Works parties are probably alright too, judging from how keen they all are to attend them.

[JackyJoll]

Works parties are probably alright too, judging from how keen they all are to attend them.

Works parties that you feel you have to go to are a pain in the arse.

[Cousin Jack]

And if you get sacked you get a pay-off, and if you were a Tory minister, even a junior one, you can expect a couple of juicy directorships. Labour ministers are a bit poorer, they usually finish up as the CEO of a charity or something like that. Similar money, but they need to work for it.

[JackyJoll]

And if you get sacked you get a pay-off

This?

[JackyJoll]

And in regard of the above, are the politicians cleverer than their voters?

Only fair way to judge is on long term performance. I will bet that an MPs pension is better than yours, or mine.
So yes, they are cleverer.

It does look like a good pension, if you can hold on to the job for more than a few years.

Seems I’m out of date. Their final salary scheme is closed.

[Mr. Dazzle]

They probably accidentally closed it themselves via new legislation intended to target other people.

Bet ya senior civil servants still get final salary.

[Count Steer]

And if you get sacked you get a pay-off

This?

Seems a bit odd. You'd expect winding up expenses to be higher for non-London MPs. They're the ones that will have had to take on accommodation costs and term rental contracts in that London.

WRT Braverman etc. When you can't get a fag paper between the 2 major parties on policy on the 4 main issues facing the government (if they actually have any detectable policies) and both sides are lined up behind Israel and their right to pulverised Gaza, sorry, defend themselves, then some of them feel you have to divide/polarise the electorate in other ways. The easiest way is to play the 'culture war' angle. Whip up enough hate and a chunk of the population will cheer you to the echo, another chunk will go on the offensive.

So, migrants, unemployed, homeless, poor, ethnic minorities etc are easy targets if you think they don't vote for you anyway.

Government posts are supposed to be held by 'statesmen-like' (statesperson if you wish) people not rabble rousers who claim free speech is fine if you're 'on-message' but not if you ain't. The government is suppose to protect ALL our interests whether we voted for them or not. If Braverman and her cheerleaders thinks she's making a play to replace Sunak and steer herself to being Prime Minister and that this countries electorate is, as an entity, a liberally minded, 'colour-blind' bunch of reasonable, thoughtful people or, conversely, that there are enough Tommy Robinson-alikes to swing an election in her favour - she doesn't really get it and is prepared to ditch up to 2.7 million votes to find that out.

Could be wrong though...the divide and conquer tactics worked for Trump.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Yeah that pretty much.

Get the politicians you deserve and all that. Turns out it's us what is the c*nts.

[demographic]

Think they'll have to ban protests eventually, especially in multifaith countries. Someone's always gonna get upset.

People are too easily triggered IMO.
Especially when every news outlet bas pointed out that Suella is just stoking the culture wars in an effort to head the conservatives after Sunak. She's looking increasingly desperate and in a right old flap.
Then some people are just easy led.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Political parties are a fucking terrible idea.

I mean, they're a really good idea 'cause it allows people with generally aligned concepts to stand on a common platform and pool their talents.

But they're a fucking terrible idea in that they encourage this sort of malarky, politicians playing around with the country and our lives so they can be boss of their little club.

[JackyJoll]

Political parties are a fucking terrible idea.

I mean, they're a really good idea 'cause it allows people with generally aligned concepts to stand on a common platform and pool their talents.

But they're a fucking terrible idea in that they encourage this sort of malarky, politicians playing around with the country and our lives so they can be boss of their little club.

Is there a form of government anywhere that doesn’t involve a few terrible ideas?

[Cousin Jack]

I am available as a benevolent dictator. I am also life limited, so if you don't like me I will self destruct in a maximum of 25 years, and probably a lot less.

You know it makes sense.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I dunno. What's the one in Star Trek?

[JackyJoll]

I dunno. What's the one in Star Trek?

The Klingon Empire.

[irie]

And if they do listen and change their minds they are shouted down for being weak and populist.

A sign of intellect is the ability to change your mind in the face of new facts.

A mark of wisdom is refusing to let the fear of admitting you were wrong stop you from getting it right

And who is Adam Grant? Should I have heard of him?

And in regard of the above, are the politicians cleverer than their voters?

It doesn't matter who he is, it was important to credit him with what he said.

Which (unsurprisingly) I happen to agree with.

[irie]

Political parties are a fucking terrible idea.

I mean, they're a really good idea 'cause it allows people with generally aligned concepts to stand on a common platform and pool their talents.

But they're a fucking terrible idea in that they encourage this sort of malarky, politicians playing around with the country and our lives so they can be boss of their little club.

We have politics because in their absence the only way open to people who disagree is to physically fight each other.

[Buckaroo]

Wonder what Benjamin Netanyahu will think of our marches.

Bring the bulldozers in and hoike the road up.

That's what the delightful IDF do.

They can then stop the protests and the Palestinians.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Political parties are a fucking terrible idea.

I mean, they're a really good idea 'cause it allows people with generally aligned concepts to stand on a common platform and pool their talents.

But they're a fucking terrible idea in that they encourage this sort of malarky, politicians playing around with the country and our lives so they can be boss of their little club.

We have politics because in their absence the only way open to people who disagree is to physically fight each other.

I think Iccy is right about you What's your point? I didn't say we don't need politics.

[Potter]

To the best of my knowledge "Hitting old poppy sellers and vandalising war memorials" is merely a product of Potter's overwrought brain and is firmly in the realms of fiction...

I've only caught the news very briefly and it's been on enough times that I don't need to make stuff up, the poppy sellers were attacked and war memorials have been vandalised in the last few days, IIRC Rochdale was one of them reported on the news yesterday, a war memorial was painted with Palestine flag colours and sprayed with graffiti.

You must literally be in utter denial to anything that doesn't suit your very peculiar view of the world.