General Election 2019

[yorkshirehornet]

By the way, when you met her I hope you displayed better manners than you did last night.

 

[yorkshirehornet]

Strap yourselves in folks, one of the political stories of the century is brewing...

1. A concerned mother shares a photo of her 4-year-old boy who was forced to wait hours on a hospital floor with suspected pneumonia.

2. The photo circulates online so a journalist challenges Boris Johnson about it during an interview by showing him the picture of the boy on his phone.

3. Johnson repeatedly refuses to even look at the boy, let alone acknowledge responsibility for the situation, and eventually steals the journalists phone and puts it in his pocket.

4. There is uproar about Johnson's lack of compassion so Health Minister, Matt Hancock, is dispatched to the hospital to deal with the situation.

5. Matt Hancock briefs journalists that, while at the hospital, one of his advisors was "punched" by a Labour activist.

6. Much of the media unquestioningly report the "punch" by the "Labour activist" as fact without checking the validity of the allegation. Widespread rage about "violent Labour activists" spreads like wildfire online.

7. Video footage then emerges online showing that the story had been entirely fabricated and was 100% false.

8. The media sheepishly backtrack on what they have posted out to the world.

9. A Facebook post then appears claiming to be from a "good friend" of a nurse working in Leeds hospital. The post says that the photograph of the 4-year-old was faked by a "Labour activist". The post is shared more than 30,000 times.

10. The claim is unquestioning reported as fact by much of the media without checking its validity.

11. Suspicions of the validity of the claim are then raised as it is discovered there are literally thousands and thousands of Facebook and Twitter accounts posting exactly the same claim, word for word.

12. It becomes clear that bots are being used to spread disinformation. The hospital also confirms the accuracy of the photo and that it had already apologised to the mother.

13. The media sheepishly backtrack on what they have posted out to the world.

14. The account where the post originated then comes into question. It belongs to a (real) woman named Sheree Jenner-Hepburn who claims her account has "hacked".

15. Further investigation shows that Sheree Jenner-Hepburn was not the innocent victim of a hack, but that the post was made from her account intentionally, as she responded to her friend's comments on the post.

16. It's then discovered that Sheree Jenner-Hepburn's son has a Facebook friend with a very prominent role within this story which may cast light on the motives behind the fake post.

17. It's… Matt Hancock's account!!!

In summary: it appears that the actual Health Minister of the British Government has not only fabricated a "punch" to deflect the heat from his boss, but, after being found out the first time, he *may* have used his friend's Facebook account to circulate another entirely fabricated story to try and smear his political opponents.

Even the writers of The Thick Of It would find this story too incredible to script!

[Pictures in the comments to show the proof of various parts of the story for those who have dismissed me as a "mad conspiracy theorist". The "conspiracies" are real. All you have to do is open your eyes.]

Credit Jon Maiden for the excellent text

Such a shame that the BBC is too frightened to go there.. Whatever happened to investigative journalism.
Channel 4 touched on this last night as did look north which clearly debunked the hitting myth.. By replaying the Video.
We really do live in shocking times. I do hope that this can be addressed for the future.... As we can trust so little..
Our Governments and elected reps need to follow a clear ethical code, and pay the price if found wanting

 

[superhorns]

Such a shame that the BBC is too frightened to go there.. Whatever happened to investigative journalism.
Channel 4 touched on this last night as did look north which clearly debunked the hitting myth.. By replaying the Video.
We really do live in shocking times. I do hope that this can be addressed for the future.... As we can trust so little..
Our Governments and elected reps need to follow a clear ethical code, and pay the price if found wanting

A desperate attempt by Labour to move the focus onto the NHS. Labour's non respect of the referendum result will rightly bite them on the bum.
The natives are fuming.

 

[yorkshirehornet]

BBC take on it. :
Analysis: Social media amplifying false tatements

Chris Morris

BBC Reality Check

In the election overall, there have probably been more false or misleading statements than ever before.

You can argue that it’s always been like this, but the amplification effect of social media has really had an impact this time.

It doesn’t really matter if people like me come up with learned explanations about why a number put out by a particular party is wrong if that number is then still pumped out to hundreds of thousands of people, unfiltered, on social media.

And I think there really will be a corrosive impact if it doesn’t matter anymore whether things are true or not.

That’s one of the reasons why Plaid Cymru has suggested a new law which would make lying by politicians illegal.

But that begs the question - how do you really define what a lie is when numbers, in particular, can be used in different ways to make different points?

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Posted at 9:179:17
The political contest in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland graphic
BBCCopyright: BBC
Completing our tour of the nations, a few useful pieces on the situation in Northern Ireland.

Our political editor there, Mark Devenport, looks at what's at stake.

Here's a full list of all the candidates standing and some answers to the questions you've been asking about the contest in Northern Ireland.

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Posted at 9:109

 

[oldfrenchhorn]

Such a shame that the BBC is too frightened to go there.. Whatever happened to investigative journalism.
Channel 4 touched on this last night as did look north which clearly debunked the hitting myth.. By replaying the Video.
We really do live in shocking times. I do hope that this can be addressed for the future.... As we can trust so little..
Our Governments and elected reps need to follow a clear ethical code, and pay the price if found wanting

As I said in the post I put up about my MPs they were all clearly honest as well as competent. They all worked hard to do the best for the people they represented. Today we have a PM who has spouted lie after lie, in fact I am not sure if he knows when he is speaking the truth. Yet another example is him saying that there will be no customs checks at the border between the mainland and Northern Ireland, while those facilities are actually being put in place. Facilities that will allow for EU customs officials to do their checks in Liverpool and Stranraer. Today we see some members of the public lapping these lies up and dismissing them as just Boris, while others say enough is enough, let us get back to having MPs that serve, and not simply push the agenda that is good for them.

 

[andytoprankin]

BBC take on it. :
Analysis: Social media amplifying false tatements

Chris Morris

BBC Reality Check

In the election overall, there have probably been more false or misleading statements than ever before.

You can argue that it’s always been like this, but the amplification effect of social media has really had an impact this time.

It doesn’t really matter if people like me come up with learned explanations about why a number put out by a particular party is wrong if that number is then still pumped out to hundreds of thousands of people, unfiltered, on social media.

And I think there really will be a corrosive impact if it doesn’t matter anymore whether things are true or not.

That’s one of the reasons why Plaid Cymru has suggested a new law which would make lying by politicians illegal.

But that begs the question - how do you really define what a lie is when numbers, in particular, can be used in different ways to make different points?

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Posted at 9:179:17
The political contest in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland graphic
BBCCopyright: BBC
Completing our tour of the nations, a few useful pieces on the situation in Northern Ireland.

Our political editor there, Mark Devenport, looks at what's at stake.

Here's a full list of all the candidates standing and some answers to the questions you've been asking about the contest in Northern Ireland.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/election-2019-50739883?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5df0b43b10dc73067b7365af&The political contest in Northern Ireland&2019-12-11T09:17:48.457Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:b7c956a7-6628-438b-b151-900210acf631&pinned_post_asset_id=5df0b43b10dc73067b7365af&pinned_post_type=share

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Posted at 9:109

Interesting society when a passing a law to stop politicians lying is a priority. Thank heaven we live in a democracy.

 

[andytoprankin]

A desperate attempt by Labour to move the focus onto the NHS. Labour's non respect of the referendum result will rightly bite them on the bum.
The natives are fuming.

Kind of important to the country.

 

[andytoprankin]

Boris front of some Tory rag today saying he’ll give heavier sentences to criminals. Well he can start with himself, Matt Hancock and all those other lying scumbags. They should all get some serious stir for what they have done to this election.

 

[oldfrenchhorn]

Oh dear. Boris hides in a fridge rather than speak to Piers Morgan.

 

[colognehornet]

A desperate attempt by Labour to move the focus onto the NHS. Labour's non respect of the referendum result will rightly bite them on the bum.
The natives are fuming.

A desparate attempt to turn the election into what it should be - namely one based on a whole range of topics rather than just 'get Brexit done'. And will Brexit actually be done if the Tories get their majority ? Presuming that Johnson will have enough support for his deal then Britain would leave the EU in name only on January 31st. We will still be subject to all EU laws until the end of the transition period and the only bit of 'Brexit' you will receive before then is the loss of voting rights ! You will also have a border running through the North Sea creating a Disunited Kingdom. The only way you are going to get a trade deal with the EU by the end of 2020 is by giving in to all the EU's demands - so the spectre of the hard Brexit choice has simply been kicked further down the road. Labour's option of asking the British people if, having got to know the difficulties, they still want all of this appears the only logical way forward - however, my main concern is that the British people will realize this too late.

 

[yorkshirehornet]

A desperate attempt by Labour to move the focus onto the NHS. Labour's non respect of the referendum result will rightly bite them
on the bum.
The natives are fuming.

Rubbish.... i am sure this will all come to bite the politicans in rthe post election analysis when the intelligent media will not be frightened of bias complaints.... I can see a good Panorama or Channel 4 programme followed by private cases and parliamentary debate...... and, just like the expenses scandal, MPs will roll over and submit...

Even you must admit there is ZERO basis for misinformation by polticians or there representatives in this era??????
Nothing party political about what is being said here...

 

[andytoprankin]

Rubbish.... i am sure this will all come to bite the politicans in rthe post election analysis when the intelligent media will not be frightened of bias complaints.... I can see a good Panorama or Channel 4 programme followed by private cases and parliamentary debate...... and, just like the expenses scandal, MPs will roll over and submit...

Even you must admit there is ZERO basis for misinformation by polticians or there representatives in this era??????
Nothing party political about what is being said here...

Awaiting an intelligent reply from a:

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...is like:

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[oldfrenchhorn]

There once was a blond-headed geezer,
Who wanted to rule like a Caesar.
He was quite out of touch
And it got a bit much,
So he ran off to hide in a freezer.

Thanks to a comment in The Guardian.

 

[superhorns]

There seems to be a subdued realisation that Labour have lost once again. It remains to be seen if Boris will obtain his necessary majority to see us leave the EU. I agree with Cologne the EU's demands will create an impossible position for the UK government and we leave at the end of 2020 on WTO terms instead of a deal. Of course the deteriorating troubled scene in the EU may worsen so they could be forced to negotiate properly.

Coming back to Labour's default losing position, it only has itself to blame for not confronting the infiltration by Momentum. The cowardly moderates fled instead of tackling the insidious incursion, even the wet Kinnock managed that previously. Conversely the UK public do not believe Labour's splurge of borrowed money is a good idea. They know the economy is in much safer hands with the tried and tested Tories.

 

[superhorns]

We are soon off out to xmas lunch with some anti Tory, anti Brexit, misguided souls. I'll only have 2 or 3 hours to educate them, is that long enough?

 

[oldfrenchhorn]

Yet another example from the area where I lived about the effects of Tory cuts within our NHS.
https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/n...ing-left-waiting-hours-woodford-halse-1337747

I have experienced a similar situation in Dorset when my friend appeared to have a heart attack. Fortunately not. Forty minutes for a first responder to arrive, and when he did he immediately called for an ambulance that took nearly an hour and a half to arrive.

It is quite right that in a general election that the government should have it's record examined on the NHS, schools, housing, social care etc. It is little wonder that this government wishes to steer the conversation away from such issues.

 

[Toby]

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/commentisfree/2019/dec/11/homelessness-britain-death

Brilliant article by Philip Pullman on the changes in society since he was born. Bit depressing though...

 

[Toby]

https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/10/inve...ry-ads-misleading-compared-0-labour-11651802/

88% seems a bit low imho.

 

[andytoprankin]

There seems to be a subdued realisation that Labour have lost once again. It remains to be seen if Boris will obtain his necessary majority to see us leave the EU. I agree with Cologne the EU's demands will create an impossible position for the UK government and we leave at the end of 2020 on WTO terms instead of a deal. Of course the deteriorating troubled scene in the EU may worsen so they could be forced to negotiate properly.

Coming back to Labour's default losing position, it only has itself to blame for not confronting the infiltration by Momentum. The cowardly moderates fled instead of tackling the insidious incursion, even the wet Kinnock managed that previously. Conversely the UK public do not believe Labour's splurge of borrowed money is a good idea. They know the economy is in much safer hands with the tried and tested Tories.

Not according to the

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.

Respond when you have the backbone.

 

[andytoprankin]

We are soon off out to xmas lunch with some anti Tory, anti Brexit, misguided souls. I'll only have 2 or 3 hours to educate them, is that long enough?

I’m surprised the warden lets you out that long.