Off Topic The Politics Thread

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Should the UK remain a part of the EU or leave?

  • Stay in

    Votes: 56 47.9%

  • Get out

    Votes: 61 52.1%
  • Total voters
    117
  • Poll closed .
Steelmonkey said:
Simple answer to your question is no. Currently, the existing four mobile network providers use a combination of OEMs in their front end sites - EE use Huawei and Nokia (Finland), O2 use Huawei, Nokia and Ericsson (Sweden), Vodafone use Huawei and Nokia, whilst Three use Nokia and Samsung (South Korea). The emergency services network Airwave (currently Motorola - USA) is being upgraded to Nokia (they refused the tender by Huawei).

The backhaul (from the mobile sites to the main switching equipment) is generally run by BT who use a lot of Huawei, although I'm led to believe that this is to be swapped out for SIAE who are Italian, or Cisco who are American.

I've worked on all these networks, and installed all the different manufacturers equipment - the Huawei stuff is cheap in comparison to the others, which is why they want to use it. I don't even like having their operational software on my laptop, I'm certain it has a backdoor to allow them access if they wish, so I have it disabled whenever I'm working on other equipment.

I certainly would recommend AGAINST owning either a Huawei or Xiaomi device - they may be cheap and have great functionality but their security would put me off - there was a program on TV recently digging into these security issues, and at a conference the audience of people from the likes of GCHQ and other security places were asked who would own a Huawei handset - not one person put their hand up!

On the good side, the industry has been in limbo awaiting the outcome of this review, so hoping that there will now be a raft of projects to get my teeth into!!
Click to expand...
That could just be however that they don't want their bosses or the security services breathing down their necks. Or just plain embarrassment!
 
sb_73 said:
Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Fein leader in Northern Ireland, surprised me (hadn’t really heard her speak before) with a very strong performance on the wireless just now, on the murder of the journalist, power sharing and full control of the useless Mishal Hussein who was obviously trying to get her to show some kind of empathy to the murderers. She didn’t, condemned in incredibly forceful terms. She also pointed out that the Lyra McKee was a big campaigner for equal rights and same sex marriage, one of the issues the DUP is using to block a return to power sharing. Arlene Foster will be at Lyra’s funeral today, presumably if she really believes her religious dogma, to wave her off to hell for being gay.

Meanwhile the UK government, unlike the US and Australia, is going to allow Huawei to be paid lots of money to provide bits of the country’s 5G network. But only the ‘simple bits’ that can’t be used for spying. The fact that simply turning the ‘simple bits’ off, or pretending that they have ‘technical problems’ will bring the country to a complete standstill seems not be be thought a risk. Huawei is obliged by Chinese law to cooperate with state security institutions, like all other Chinese companies and (I think) citizens.

Beyond belief that a government that has gone on about sovereignty and independence can contract out a critical bit of national infrastructure to any other country, let alone one with a record of cyber attacks and espionage like China. Are there no British companies that can build antennae and fibre optic cables?

For an unnecessary reminder of the nature of the Chinese state, peaceful pro democracy protesters in Hong Kong have today been jailed for 16 months. Despite peaceful protest being one of the rights supposedly guaranteed under the 1997 handover agreement. I’ll be interested to see, what, if any, pathetic response the Foreign Office provides, I’m assuming none in case it upsets our economic relationship. What passes for a government in Hong Kong is planning to change extradition laws so in future peaceful protesters can simply be sent to China to disappear. China executes more people per year than the rest of the world put together.
Click to expand...
Is this the same DUP who don't want Northern Ireland to be treated differently to the rest of the UK when it come to Brexit? The party who will not agree to same sex marriage rights nor abortion choice for women in N.I. despite both being available to people in Britain and the Republic?

Oh yes, the word hypocrites springs to mind.
 
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Steelmonkey said:
Thought we didn't do "experts" on this thread? <laugh>

If you've got a spare 15 minutes, this is a good read....

Huawei: The world's most controversial company - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/Huawei
Click to expand...
That is interesting. Eisenhower described what was going on in the US in the 50s as the ‘military-political-industrial complex’ - a massive collusion between different elements of society to (in this case) keep spending on armaments sky high. It seems in China the lines between a successful company, the communist party and the state are effectively zero, this time in order to dominate everything, everywhere. Plenty to be concerned about. I’m usually the first to pour scorn on conspiracy theories but in the case of China I have a genuine (and I think justified) paranoia.
 
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sb_73 said:
I love having experts around, cheers.

Any bit of tech seems to have at least something from China in it nowadays. My company, for which confidentiality is of critical importance, is switching us from HP (doubtless built in China) to Lenovo laptops. I’ve told them that I’m hanging on to my HP until I retire, the Lenovo is a horrible bit of kit, really flimsy and like you I’m sure it has the capacity to send anything on it to Shanghai. False economy. Mind you my firm has the most chaotic approach to IT I can imagine. Currently running three different video conferencing systems, everyone has apple phones and a lot of us work iPads, but laptops all run on Microsoft (whatever is claimed the OS’ do not talk to each other effectively), multiple ‘secure’ platforms for sharing information in the cloud across teams, it’s nuts. And yet the security to actually open my laptop up is intense, it can take 20 minutes, and every couple of weeks IT security send us a fake phishing email - if you click on a link in three in any one year you are sent somewhere for retraining. Schizophrenic.
Click to expand...
Do they return and if they do, are they all there?
 
Back on Huawei, first ever leak from the National Security Council - the group of ministers (what the **** are Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Wright doing on it?) and security chiefs, shows that May ignored concerns from many in the Council about the company. This is one thing, the leak, which must have come from a politician, is huge. There is no longer a forum where experts and government can discuss matters of national security with any confidence of these discussions remaining private. ****ing brilliant, these selfish ****s are actively making me less safe.

As are the idiots who don’t get their kids vaccinated against measles, now half a million unvaccinated kids in this country. ****wits.
 
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Is it offered on its own now
My wife wasn't keen on getting the mmr vaccine due to the supposed risk of autism so we spent a pile of time and money getting them done seperatly
I blame the govt of the time who refused to offer them individually
How many people didn't get the kiddies done then
 
kiwiqpr said:
My wife wasn't keen on getting the mmr vaccine due to the supposed risk of autism so we spent a pile of time and money getting them done seperatly
I blame the govt of the time who refused to offer them individually
How many people didn't get the kiddies done then
Click to expand...

Too many. Measles is up 300% worldwide. These anti-vacc parents should be locked up and kids forcibly vaccined. It’s not a ****ing lifestyle choice.
 
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kiwiqpr said:
My wife wasn't keen on getting the mmr vaccine due to the supposed risk of autism so we spent a pile of time and money getting them done seperatly
I blame the govt of the time who refused to offer them individually
How many people didn't get the kiddies done then
Click to expand...
Why the **** should my tax money go to pay for your kids having totally unnecessary separate jabs? Too many people preferred to listen to a liar and cheat than the broader medical community. Bad luck, if what the rest of us have isn’t good enough for your precious kids, you can waste your own money on alternatives, not mine.
 
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sb_73 said:
Why the **** should my tax money go to pay for your kids having totally unnecessary separate jabs? Too many people preferred to listen to a liar and cheat than the broader medical community. Bad luck, if what the rest of us have isn’t good enough for your precious kids, you can waste your own money on alternatives, not mine.
Click to expand...
Then don't complain when people don't get anything done
At the time there seemed a risk
There should have been alternatives offered for the parents that weren't keen on the risks
From memory the pm at the time wouldn't even say what they had done whilst insisting the mmr was safe for everyone else
Smacks of feeding burgers to kids while saying mad cow disease wasn't a problem
 
Last edited:
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sb_73 said:
Back on Huawei, first ever leak from the National Security Council - the group of ministers (what the **** are Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Wright doing on it?) and security chiefs, shows that May ignored concerns from many in the Council about the company. This is one thing, the leak, which must have come from a politician, is huge. There is no longer a forum where experts and government can discuss matters of national security with any confidence of these discussions remaining private. ****ing brilliant, these selfish ****s are actively making me less safe.

As are the idiots who don’t get their kids vaccinated against measles, now half a million unvaccinated kids in this country. ****wits.
Click to expand...

Huawei row: 'Inquiry to be held' into National Security Council leak
  • 16 minutes ago

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Media captionHuawei leak: Minister says he cannot rule out a criminal investigation
Cabinet sources have told the BBC there will be a formal inquiry into the leak of the discussions about Huawei at the National Security Council.

Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill will lead the inquiry, BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg has learned.

This follows the Daily Telegraph publishing details of a meeting about using Chinese telecoms firm Huawei to help build the UK's 5G network.

Several cabinet ministers have denied they were involved in the leak.

The National Security Council (NSC) is made up of senior cabinet ministers and its weekly meetings are chaired by the prime minister, with other ministers, officials and senior figures from the armed forces and intelligence agencies invited when needed.

It is a forum where secret intelligence can be shared by GCHQ, MI6 and MI5 with ministers, all of whom have signed the Official Secrets Act.

But following Tuesday's meeting, the Daily Telegraph reported that the NSC had agreed to allow Huawei limited access to help build Britain's new 5G network, amid warnings about possible risks to national security.

It also reported that various ministers had raised concerns about the plan.

Downing Street has not confirmed that an inquiry will be held, but Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright told MPs: "We cannot exclude the possibility of a criminal investigation here and everyone will want to take seriously that suggestion."

Amid speculation about who was behind the leak, several ministers have denied any involvement.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said divulging sensitive information was "completely unacceptable", adding: "If it happens it should absolutely be looked at."

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt denied the leak had come from them, with Mr Hunt calling it "utterly appalling".

Sources close to International Trade Secretary Liam Fox also categorically denied that he had been involved.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Huawei would be allowed to help build the "non-core" parts of the UK's 5G network, such as antennas.

There has been no formal confirmation of Huawei's role in the 5G network and No 10 said a final decision would be made at the end of spring.

Huawei has denied there is any risk of spying or sabotage, or that it is controlled by the Chinese government.

Earlier, former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC: "All those involved should be investigated now to find out who this leaker is.

"Ministers are subject to the Official Secrets Act just like anybody else. It is an offence to divulge secret information from the most secret of all government bodies, which is the National Security Council. It has got to be stopped."

When questioned, Prime Minister Theresa May replied: "We don't comment on leaks and on those matters.

"On the overall matter of security and our telecoms network, we are very clear that we give that high priority. We want to ensure we see greater resilience in our telecoms network and that we are able to provide high levels of cyber security, but we also see diversity of suppliers
 
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sb_73 said:
Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Fein leader in Northern Ireland, surprised me (hadn’t really heard her speak before) with a very strong performance on the wireless just now, on the murder of the journalist, power sharing and full control of the useless Mishal Hussein who was obviously trying to get her to show some kind of empathy to the murderers. She didn’t, condemned in incredibly forceful terms. She also pointed out that the Lyra McKee was a big campaigner for equal rights and same sex marriage, one of the issues the DUP is using to block a return to power sharing. Arlene Foster will be at Lyra’s funeral today, presumably if she really believes her religious dogma, to wave her off to hell for being gay.

Meanwhile the UK government, unlike the US and Australia, is going to allow Huawei to be paid lots of money to provide bits of the country’s 5G network. But only the ‘simple bits’ that can’t be used for spying. The fact that simply turning the ‘simple bits’ off, or pretending that they have ‘technical problems’ will bring the country to a complete standstill seems not be be thought a risk. Huawei is obliged by Chinese law to cooperate with state security institutions, like all other Chinese companies and (I think) citizens.

Beyond belief that a government that has gone on about sovereignty and independence can contract out a critical bit of national infrastructure to any other country, let alone one with a record of cyber attacks and espionage like China. Are there no British companies that can build antennae and fibre optic cables?

For an unnecessary reminder of the nature of the Chinese state, peaceful pro democracy protesters in Hong Kong have today been jailed for 16 months. Despite peaceful protest being one of the rights supposedly guaranteed under the 1997 handover agreement. I’ll be interested to see, what, if any, pathetic response the Foreign Office provides, I’m assuming none in case it upsets our economic relationship. What passes for a government in Hong Kong is planning to change extradition laws so in future peaceful protesters can simply be sent to China to disappear. China executes more people per year than the rest of the world put together.
Click to expand...

Late again to the thread!

Just to interject but if you agree with the arrests of extinction rebellion protestors blocking up the place then it would be hypocritical to think blocking up the streets of hk is absolutely fine as well (not directly at you sb).

Else carry on boys
 
Change UK: Second candidate resigns in 24 hours, after 'crazy black wh***' remarks emerge
Joseph Russo was the party's top candidate in Scotland and was unveiled only yesterday
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Indy Politics
A second candidate from new centrist party Change UK has been forced to resign within 24 hours, after it emerged he had made a series of sexist and derogatory comments about women.
Joseph Russo, who was announced as the party’s top candidate for Scotland just yesterday, had said: “Black women scare me. I put this down to be chased through Amsterdam by a crazy black wh***”.
In another tweet, he had also said: “I wonder if there’s a c*** / anchovy correlation. One smells like the other.”

Mr Russo deleted his Twitter account on Wednesday morning after social media users highlighted the old posts.
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Change UK candidate resigns over ‘Romanian pickpockets’ comments
In a statement, a spokesperson for Change UK said: ”We have been made aware of several offensive Twitter posts. We have discussed this with Joseph Russo and it has been agreed that he will stand down and is no longer on our list of candidates.”
Mr Russo would have been in his late 20s when he made the remarks, which date from 2010-2013.
The resignation comes after another Change UK candidate in London, former Tory Ali Sadjady, resigned shortly after being unveiled. Mr Sadjady had said: “When I hear that 70% of pick pockets caught on the London Underground are Romanian it kind makes me want Brexit.”
The new centrist party’s original launch as The Independent Group earlier this year was also dogged by a race row after one of its MPs, Angela Smith, used the phrase “funny tinge” to refer to BME people in a televised discussion about racism. She did not resign, but later apologised for having “misspoke”.
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One person who unsuccessfully applied to be a candidate for Change UK told The Independent that they had had to submit all their social media profiles for examination by the party during the process – raising questions about its vetting procedure.
Shape Created with Sketch. Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well
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Shape Created with Sketch. Top politicians' Brexit tweets haven't aged well
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Other candidates for the party include former BBC journalist Gavin Esler, the former conservative deputy prime minister of Poland Jacek Rostowski, and Rachel Johnson, a journalist who is also the sister of Boris Johnson.
At its election campaign launch the party said it would unveil some policies in the future, but immediately confirmed it would not be supporting a no-confidence vote in Theresa May’s government – potentially throwing the embattled prime minister a lifeline.
 
Steelmonkey said:
Huawei row: 'Inquiry to be held' into National Security Council leak
  • 16 minutes ago
You must log in or register to see images


Media captionHuawei leak: Minister says he cannot rule out a criminal investigation
Cabinet sources have told the BBC there will be a formal inquiry into the leak of the discussions about Huawei at the National Security Council.

Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill will lead the inquiry, BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg has learned.

This follows the Daily Telegraph publishing details of a meeting about using Chinese telecoms firm Huawei to help build the UK's 5G network.

Several cabinet ministers have denied they were involved in the leak.

The National Security Council (NSC) is made up of senior cabinet ministers and its weekly meetings are chaired by the prime minister, with other ministers, officials and senior figures from the armed forces and intelligence agencies invited when needed.

It is a forum where secret intelligence can be shared by GCHQ, MI6 and MI5 with ministers, all of whom have signed the Official Secrets Act.

But following Tuesday's meeting, the Daily Telegraph reported that the NSC had agreed to allow Huawei limited access to help build Britain's new 5G network, amid warnings about possible risks to national security.

It also reported that various ministers had raised concerns about the plan.

Downing Street has not confirmed that an inquiry will be held, but Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright told MPs: "We cannot exclude the possibility of a criminal investigation here and everyone will want to take seriously that suggestion."

Amid speculation about who was behind the leak, several ministers have denied any involvement.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said divulging sensitive information was "completely unacceptable", adding: "If it happens it should absolutely be looked at."

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt denied the leak had come from them, with Mr Hunt calling it "utterly appalling".

Sources close to International Trade Secretary Liam Fox also categorically denied that he had been involved.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Huawei would be allowed to help build the "non-core" parts of the UK's 5G network, such as antennas.

There has been no formal confirmation of Huawei's role in the 5G network and No 10 said a final decision would be made at the end of spring.

Huawei has denied there is any risk of spying or sabotage, or that it is controlled by the Chinese government.

Earlier, former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC: "All those involved should be investigated now to find out who this leaker is.

"Ministers are subject to the Official Secrets Act just like anybody else. It is an offence to divulge secret information from the most secret of all government bodies, which is the National Security Council. It has got to be stopped."

When questioned, Prime Minister Theresa May replied: "We don't comment on leaks and on those matters.

"On the overall matter of security and our telecoms network, we are very clear that we give that high priority. We want to ensure we see greater resilience in our telecoms network and that we are able to provide high levels of cyber security, but we also see diversity of suppliers
Click to expand...
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Japanese Ambassador to the EU says on Sky News that it would take a far shorter length of time to agree a trade deal between the UK and Japan, compared to the 9 years it took the EU.
 
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sb_73 said:
Why the **** should my tax money go to pay for your kids having totally unnecessary separate jabs? Too many people preferred to listen to a liar and cheat than the broader medical community. Bad luck, if what the rest of us have isn’t good enough for your precious kids, you can waste your own money on alternatives, not mine.
Click to expand...
look stan
the lords want to save some more of your tax money

A House of Lords Committee has recommended the abolition of free bus passes, fuel allowences and free TV licenses for OAPs.
 
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