The UK’s ‘mainstream’ media and democracy are non-functional
As the situation in the Middle East boiled towards war and Iran prepared missile strikes on US bases in Iraq in retaliation for the killing by the US of its senior general Qassem Soleimani, Boris Johnson spent the day in hiding from Parliament.
And the UK’s media spent the day trying to get Jeremy Corbyn to call the assassinated official a terrorist:
Labour Party chair Ian Lavery called Johnson’s cowardice correctly:
When the UK Prime Minister hides from accountability and questions about impending war, but the so-called ‘mainstream’ media spend the day attempting ‘gotcha’ against the outgoing leader of the Opposition, then the UK’s ‘media estate’ is utterly broken and our democracy is not functioning.
History will look back on this period in shame and wonderment.
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The murder of an Iranian leader in a civilian airport on a diplomatic visit is piracy and must breach international Law.But in todays world might is right and I am sure the British public need another war to distract them whilst a revitalised Johnson,refreshed from his exotic holiday thinks of ways to plunder the country.Still we have a good selection of moderate candidates to keep us busy.and how many dream teams.Angela Rayner made a serious mistake in agreeing to run for deputy being as she’s the only one I may have voted for,but unfortunately she had a dodgy ambitious lawyer friend who convinced her that she would not be accepted by the membership or the public….missed chance?
This really does not seem like the right time for a leadership election … The replacement of the hugely experienced and informed Jeremy Corbyn by someone inevitably trying to find their feet is foolhardy.
Syzygsue. You are of course correct and a moment of calm reflection would have been beneficial for everyone including the members and of course Jeremy Corbyn.But that boat has sailed under the moderate candidates and we now have a choice of the best of the worst possible candidates for the leadership….And good luck with that if you spot a socialist amongst them
Why doesn’t it seem like the right time for a leadership election? Funny that you don’t elaborate! And what does it matter anyway. It’s happening, and Jeremy has said he is standing down (once a new leader is elected). Do you somehow think that posting such a comment is going to change anything? Apart from which, in your complete fantasy world where Jeremy is somehow suddenly going to announce that he is going to continue as leader and the leadership election has to be cancelled, it would appear that you would be more than happy for him to be vilified and demonised and smeared etc again, as he would be of course.
Have some respect for the man, and stop living in some asinine fantasy world that is totally and utterly divorced from reality! And doesn’t just about every new leader have to find their feet, as you put it, so it’s a complete nonsense to use that as some sort of justification for Jeremy staying, and doing so when you know damn well that he is standing down anyway.
And Joseph, ‘calm reflection’ about WHAT exactly, hmm?. You’re just spouting platitudes again aren’t you!
On 7 April 2017, USA launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea into Syria’s Shayrat airbase. Only about half landed with interceptions from the older Syrian S300 Russian defence system and most of those missed the target, the airport was scathed but half of the Syrian aircraft were still functional. Not one of Iran’s missiles were intercepted and it seems Iran has a much better hit percentage.
Has anyone heard from Bomber Benn,he’s an expert along with our moderate candidates on pushing the nuke em option.Expect the usual gunboat diplomacy from our fearless junta!
I fear he may be back in the shadow cabinet if Starmer wins. That is why we should reject him in this election.
Who else could we see back in the shadow cabinet?
Yvette Cooper, perhaps.
Rachel Reeves
Pat McFadden
Good reason to try to defeat Starmer.
Johnson will effectively ignore Parliament. He doesn’t need their votes and it fits his theme of how Parliament is to blame for everything. He’ll pronounce policy and become a Presidential Prime Minister driving his Singapore idea – until his own Centrists have had enough. After Thatcher won her biggest majority in 1987 she and her government fell apart and she was thrown out by grey suited Tories.
How wise it is to make this country totally dependent on the US. Two supreme international intelligences clasping hands across the Atlantic.! Now – let’s focus on those bloody Europeans, the main danger to civilisation.
“he UK’s ‘media estate’ is utterly broken”
Now don’t exaggerate. None of the leadership candidates is saying this. Move along – nothing to see here.
Of course – the US and UK are massively responsible for the present situation in Iran, starting with the imposition of the Shah, through the Iran/Iraq war to pushing the country towards nuclear armaments.
And anyone who can’t join up the dots that point towards why the nuclear state of Israel (non-signatory of the nuclear proliferation treaty) was so dominant in the election here needs a few lessons in history and geopolitics.
Have you noticed this corker from Raabit? :
“We urge Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks”
How are Trump’s piles, Dommy?
Qassem Soleimani was as much a terrorist as Nelson Mandela. Even retired US General David Petraeous offered ‘respect’ for the man who helped US military hunt Isis; Al Nusra & the Talibahn post 9/11. He was Shia,& was involved in his own civil war against Islamic State, but was seen by Trump as a threat to ‘Little Satan’ aka Israel. Enough of a threat to be murdered.
Talking of the media – I had to laugh drily at Zoe Williams in the Groan criticizing the active membership of the Labour Party as ‘unrepresentative’.
“Why should that self-selecting band have rights in a two-party political system that others do not?”
… from yet another private school to Oxbridge member of the self-selecting scribbling class clique who constantly shout in the public ear.
An examination of their backgrounds is indeed instructive.
Back to the leadership issue (partly on topic, given the implications for foreign policy given current events). There is an interesting. pretty balanced article in ‘The Canary’ about Long-Bailey :
“https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2020/01/07/if-rebecca-long-bailey-really-wants-to-heal-the-labour-divide-she-needs-to-start-here/”
The article picks up on :
“In 2019, Long-Bailey condemned any comments “perceived to be” antisemitic.”
When will we hear a condemnation of the role of Israel in the US/Iran conflict (or any other in the ME) called out as ‘antisemitic’ rather than just a statement of the bleedin’ obvious?
If she really can’t see the danger (which actually is the existing situation) of effectively conceding the definition of antisemitism to small sectarian sects antagonistic to the Labour Party, then she truly has not got what it takes, politically or intellectually, to lead the Party.
Interesting that Lewis is positioning himself more to the radical left than RLB.- tho’ another who is disappointing on the key issue of a response to the AS fictions.
RH
Applies to all of them,
Vexatious claims of anti semitism
MSM and toilet papers
Disloyalty in PLP
Your a fucking anti semite and a racist
I’m sorry you feel that way
The one who squares that circle claims the prize
????
Back to the day job
PLP members I have watched on Newsnight and Sky this morning, were largely appallingly useless
Now we know the media hand pick them but
It all comes down to management of the party, not least the PLP and my thoughts are,
The marriage has irretrievably broken down and it’s time go our separate ways, who gets to keep what is now the only game in town
Wouldn’t it be nice if all the Middle East countries took the oil and gas pipelines into democratic public ownership on their soil, a peaceful, democratic, socialist solution? Food for thought as it was recently announced Iran has discovered a new oil field with a potential 53 billion barrels. Food for thought indeed.
Wouldn’t it be nice (not the Beach Boys) if all the oil & gas was left in the sand & a technological breakthrough was announced that energy could be created chemically, without the need for combustion. A cheap & simple process that could be utilised in every home or workplace……….dream on or……………?
“Wouldn’t it be nice if all the Middle East countries took the oil and gas pipelines into democratic public ownership on their soil, a peaceful, democratic, socialist solution?”
The problem is, Bazza, that the Middle East theocracies are neither peaceful, democratic, nor remotely socialist.
The sins of the West don’t validate the actions of its opponents. The eternal problem of the left – a credible protagonist in a world where the same power structures and resulting exploitation pertain in a variety of forms – just with different names.
As Marx said – “They’re a real bugger, these totalitarian revolutionaries”.
Mmm! Not sure about some aspects of this comment. Iraq was the only country I have lived in, in the ME, that ever mentioned communism and there are many socialists and communists living in Iraq, many of them in high positions. Of course the people of the ME come from different traditions than you and I. Those in the south are more prone to tribalism while those on the North are more European in tradition (Assad’s Syria is definitely NOT a theocracy)
Truth is the first casualty.
Well yes but US and UK just spout lie after lie and refer back to previous lies for justification of their illegal, murderous and monstrous acts… who are the modern barbarians? Mountains of lies support their ‘rules based order’ aka ‘do as we say or else.’ Not just rogue states but gangster states, structures and systems.
Jeremy needed to take a page from BoJo’s handbook on Machiavelli’s treatment of MPs (just the one page), or the book of Ecclesiastes……….a time for a night of the long knives, starting with Jess Phillips.
Bet365 (Betfair) has just announced a ‘new deal’ with the Football Association in which Football Supporters must have a ‘betting account’ in order to watch their team on TV. Strange how a sport is in hoc to a betting company in an era in which Mental Health Issues are in focus. Why is this relevant to the Labour Party? Major benefactor! How can the Labour Party ever take the moral high ground?
I didn’t know Labour took money from betting companies – that’s shocking.
Not a fan myself but isn’t football totally reliant on TV paying to broadcast matches and didn’t Murdoch own all the rights at one time?
I vaguely remember Blair wanting to create a ‘British Las Vegas’ and Blackpool getting all excited at the prospect.
Gambling’s a curse about which I know little – but enough to know I’d ban the worst aspects and regulate the rest quite tightly.
Having football dependent on gambling instead of TV seems like the worst possible way of making footballers millionaires.
Going back 20 years, I remember how hard it was in Planning terms to inhibit the opening of betting shops in decaying town centres.
Barry Gardiner reportedly set to enter Labour leadership race in surprise move
Once you accept the bookies have an average 30% profit margin then you accept the only thing you control are your losses
Then you can enjoy gambling
‘Terrorist, yes or no?’
Incredible arrogance:
“I will choose the question and I am going to tell you how you should answer it”
(Solid performance by Corbyn yesterday although I doubt that Kinnock and McFadden will see it that way).