Off Topic Politics Thread

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Fair enough.

I read that Telegraoh article btw; the headline was quite provocative, but the article itself seemed to be arguing that xenophobia (fear of foreigners) was the "outers" best hope of oersuading voters, given the strength of the economic arguments lined up against them. Which I thought was fair comment.

I think the strongest argument for me is the democracy aspect and that the eu is run by the elite who cannot be opposed and create laws in secrecy.

I agree with your point though that this is probably to much ti digest and it's far easier to run a campaign on xenophobia as it's a far simpler message
 
I think the strongest argument for me is the democracy aspect and that the eu is run by the elite who cannot be opposed and create laws in secrecy.

I agree with your point though that this is probably to much ti digest and it's far easier to run a campaign on xenophobia as it's a far simpler message

Out of interest Bobby, what laws have been created in secrecy?
 
Out of interest Bobby, what laws have been created in secrecy?

Ttip for one. Know one really knows the content whatsoever. If something like that which is massive is unknown to the meps i would not be surprised if there are far more laws done secretly before being put to the vote
 
I've completely changed one of my core political views over the past couple of months. Much to my surprise I find myself wishing for something other than the first past the post electoral voting system. In that world the result might be a centrist party coalition of middle ground parties. All the right-wing nutters and foaming marxists could shout their mouths off in the wings while the moderates who can see two sides of an argument get on with running things.

Even six months ago I would have argued against that quite aggressively. It's funny what time can do.

Vin

It could work or it could result in "road blockage" as in Spain where two of the politicos cannot work the other. PP and Podemos is a non starter, same with PSOE and PP. PSOE and Podemos could do a deal with the nationalists wagging the proverbial tail but that would entail giving too much away to the Catalans and Basques, the UK is stuck with the present system for the time being. If Cameron had been statesman like after his election victory he should have invited a few Laourites into his cabinet like Peter Mandelson, who with his intellect and connections would have made an outstanding Foreign Secretary, but due to pre-historic loyalty he decided to stick with Philip Hammond (Enough said!!) Alan Milburn would also have made a fantastic contribution in a government portfolio.
 
No of course not..........the people/race card consideration was/is never a consideration for me. However because of the way I was leaning, IE to leave the EU. By starting to call me, or brand me is enough for me to say sod you then.
Nothing to do with Israel other than it seems I'm anti Semitic for criticising them. Another name to go by...........It seems I am now an anti Semitic xenophobic.

Hopefully Royston Smith loses. The guy does **** all and is also a bit of a dick.

And also anti-Semitic if you say anything critical about Tottenham Hotspur!!
 
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How the **** is Goldsmith allowed to do this ****? The guy is disgusting.
 
Not sure that's Goldmith's work actually. Others will know better than I do, but my guess would be that Goldsmith only wrote the article, and there's no mention of terrorism in the text of the article that's actually visible in that photo. It will have been someone else at the newspaper (looks like the Mail on Sunday?) who will have chosen the photo and headline.
 
Not sure that's Goldmith's work actually. Others will know better than I do, but my guess would be that Goldsmith only wrote the article, and there's no mention of terrorism in the text of the article that's actually visible in that photo. It will have been someone else at the newspaper (looks like the Mail on Sunday?) who will have chosen the photo and headline.
You would have though he would have to sanction that pic going with his article. He isn't just some random journo you can do that with.
 
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The quote on the pic is from his article though? As it leads on to the main article part. Also you would have though he would have to sanction that pic going with his article. He isn't just some random journo you can do that with.
Sort of. I've looked up the article online and the words on the picture are a highly sensationalised version of one passage in the article, as you'd expect from a headline. Most of the article is an attack on Khan's character, saying he's completely unprincipled, talking about how he changes position on issues and linking him with Corbyn and Ken Livingstone, who are presumably seen as vote losers at the moment.

I don't know how much say he'd have on the picture, I've seen journos complain about headlines and pictures used with their articles but as you say he's in a different position. Someone like DTLW might know more.
 
Sort of. I've looked up the article online and the words on the picture are a highly sensationalised version of one passage in the article, as you'd expect from a headline. Most of the article is an attack on Khan's character, saying he's completely unprincipled, talking about how he changes position on issues and linking him with Corbyn and Ken Livingstone, who are presumably seen as vote losers at the moment.

I don't know how much say he'd have on the picture, I've seen journos complain about headlines and pictures used with their articles but as you say he's in a different position. Someone like DTLW might know more.
Goldsmith isn't a random journo though? I have also read the article. The title and the pics are meant to be shock pieces, but come across as disgusting.
 
Not sure that's Goldmith's work actually. Others will know better than I do, but my guess would be that Goldsmith only wrote the article, and there's no mention of terrorism in the text of the article that's actually visible in that photo. It will have been someone else at the newspaper (looks like the Mail on Sunday?) who will have chosen the photo and headline.

His whole campaign has been a disgrace, to the extent that Sadiq Khan has told him "you don't have to keep reminding everyone I'm a muslim; I put it in my leaflets". Goldsmith's team are ramping this stuff up the more desperate they get. The best you can say for him is that others in his team are pulling the strings; in other words he's a weak man rather than an unprincipled one.
 
His whole campaign has been a disgrace, to the extent that Sadiq Khan has told him "you don't have to keep reminding everyone I'm a muslim; I put it in my leaflets". Goldsmith's team are ramping this stuff up the more desperate they get. The best you can say for him is that others in his team are pulling the strings; in other words he's a weak man rather than an unprincipled one.
To some extent I agree but I wouldn't necessarily say he's weak. Unlike Boris, Ken or Sadiq Khan, Zac Goldsmith has never struck me as someone who desperately wants the job of mayor. To me he's always seemed perfect for his current role as a back bencher in a pretty safe Conservative seat. My guess would be that his campaign is being driven by the party machine rather than him or "his" people and the party haven't realised that the tactics that will win them general elections won't win them an election in London.
 
German media say secret documents reveal the US has pressured the EU to approve a transatlantic free trade deal. The reports say Washington may block easier car exports if the EU doesn't open up its agricultural market.

German media say 240 pages of text from secret transatlantic free trade talks obtained by Greenpeace show that the US is pressuring the EU.

Washington was blocking European car exports into the US to force the 508-million-population EU to buy more environmentally risky US farm produce, claimed the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (SZ) newspaper and two German public television channels. Greenpeace said it would publish the material later on Monday, contrary to strict secrecy maintained by US and EU negotiating teams during three years of talks on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
http://www.ttip-leaks.org

US proposals include an obligation on the EU to inform its industries of any planned regulations in advance, and to allow them the same input into EU regulatory processes as European firms.

American firms could influence the content of EU laws at several points along the regulatory line, including through a plethora of proposed technical working groups and committees.

“Before the EU could even pass a regulation, it would have to go through a gruelling impact assessment process in which the bloc would have to show interested US parties that no voluntary measures, or less exacting regulatory ones, were possible,” Riss said.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/01/leaked-ttip-documents-cast-doubt-on-eu-us-trade-deal