First Minister tells Starmer to stop being a ‘pale imitation’ of the Tories and provide some actual opposition
Nicola Sturgeon has derided Labour leader Keir Starmer’s ‘pale imitation’ of the Tories after the UK government trampled on Scottish autonomy to overrule Holyrood’s gender reform bill. Starmer has sided with the Tories against the bill, telling LBC this week that he thinks it goes too far in the rights it gives to 16- and 17-year-olds.
Sturgeon said:
Keir Starmer needs to stop trying to be a pale imitation of the Tory government he’s seeking to replace, and actually start offering some positive alternative.
The government has this morning used a ‘Section 35’ order – for the first time ever – to overrule the Scottish government, in another display of contempt for the autonomy of Scotland and other nations that Sturgeon has described as a ‘full frontal attack’.
Starmer’s decision to side with the government despite Scottish MSPs voting for the bill is not the first time he has shown his own contempt for Scottish Labour’s supposed independence from Westminster. In 2021, he intervened to remove Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard and other left figures elected by Scottish party members.
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Scottish parliament have made it so convicted nonces can change gender and assume a new identity, free from any scrutiny or supervision.
NO.
As for smarmer, the same applies…In every respect. NO.
You are absolutely correct Toffee and as far as the working class are concerned the SNP are just another neo liberal nightmare for the people of Scotland……Whilst they are playing distraction politics the real issues of poverty and inequality are ignored and the plight of the ordinary people sidlined.
Independence yes but the issue of gender is not the priority for the ordinary joe.whos fighting to exist and survive.
Now that really is the issue for all parliaments
Reply to Joseph O’Keefe
Most if not all of the SNP’s policies are to the Left of anything Starmer has offered so far and clearly the Scottish electorate who gave them the vast majority of Scottish seats in Westminister and control in Holyrood do not consider the SNP the “neo Liberal nightmare” you have called them. As you have provided no evidence to back up your comment, I think you are being very unfair to them and to the people of Scotland who elected them.
I am not 100% but I think that they have the highest prisoner population in Europe. Drugs, poverty, self-harm, alcohol abuse, bad housing, and violence are all at catastrophic levels and they concern themselves with this. I’m not sure that this is what people voted for. The EU is not going to sort Scotlands’ problems out.
Extreme liberalism. Absolutely vile. Totalinarianism of the perverted. This lot is going to lead the Scots to a rainbow utopia. Oh for an hour of Bonny Dundee.
Sturgeon shows herself to the left of Starmer. Labour has absolutely no chance in Scotland under Starmer’s leadership.
That Starmer offering wishy-washy opposition to the Tories – and no opposition AT ALL on this issue for the people of Scotland – shows he isn’t interested AT ALL in winning back Scotland.
Starmer is on a vain, futile hunt for Tory votes in the Home Counties as he knows he’s got no chance winning back Red Wall voters either.
#StarmerOut #Evansout #LabourLeadershipElection2023
#LabourFiles #IStandWithJeremyCorbyn #ItWasAScam #TUCConfidenceVote
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWZ_ZFn-0oI
Here’s Sturgeon’s full press conference yesterday. Especially 11′.00” to 15′.00” where she demolishes Starmer’s complete lack of balls.
Jeez, Wee Eck stuffs Headroom.
Sturgeon shows herself to the left of Starmer
So does sunak, most of the time.
I consider meself on the left. I don’t support the bill/legislation. Nor do I see it as a prerequisite to being socialist.
He doesn’t need to show active support for the Tories’ position though. Why does he always want to share the blame? As over Brexit, when he demanded Labour MPs vote for Johnson’s bad hard Brexit deal?
That’s his true nature coming through; as shown with the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act i.e., Spycops legislation, which allows British citizens to be killed, raped or seriously injured by officers maintaining deep cover(even in the US that’s not allowed against US citizens). And the legislation giving UK forces overseas immunity. Noticed how they’ve gone very quiet about the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act in light of atrocity accusations against Russia.
Andy – Given that the only other option on offer was a No Deal Brexit would your rather Labour had voted against the Tories Brexit deal.
Given that the only other option on offer was a No Deal Brexit would your rather Labour had voted against the Tories Brexit deal.
Wrong. If it made no difference to the outcome, which it clearly wouldn’t have, they could have abstained and left room for manoeuvre later on.
SteveH
He’s still obsessed with winning Tory supporters in the once pro-Brexit red wall, this despite the majority of that red wall now thinking Brexit was a huge con and many having buyer’s remorse.
The point being, they are pleasing no one with their flip-flopping.
He’s gone from trying to reverse Brexit(2019); stating membership of the customs union and single market were his bottom lines – to ensure UK prosperity. To being pro-Brexit and falsely claiming leaving has no impact at all on the economy. Which is blatantly untrue. The fact is they didn’t need to vote for Johnson’s crummy deal. The Tories had the votes to carry it without them.
The only consistency with Starmer, is in guaranteed U-turns and a constant flow of lies.
Andy – [Keir Starmer] “falsely claiming leaving has no impact at all on the economy. Which is blatantly untrue.”
Really, I don’t recall Keir saying that. When did he say that, do you have a direct quote and a link?
The fact is they didn’t need to vote for Johnson’s crummy deal. The Tories had the votes to carry it without them.
Most people would accept that a ‘No Deal Brexit’ would have had devastating consequences so it would have been grossly irresponsible to vote against the only deal that was on offer. It would have been stupid for Labour give the Tories the ammunition to attack them on this for years to come and as you point out what would it have gained?
SteveH, the Tories could have carried the vote in favour of Brexit all by themselves without Starmer’s Labour helping them by voting for the Brexit deal on offer.
Maria – I know, that was self evident they had an 80 seat majority. I suggest you reread the second half of my comment above.
SteveH
Just got back…
Last month he stated : re-joining the European Union or being in single market would not benefit the UK economically.
The logical interpretation of that is being ‘in or out’ makes no difference, is it not? How else can his comment be interpreted?
It angered lots of the #FBPE people, who thought Starmer was still on their side, still pro-EU membership and at least favoured looking again at joining the CU or EFTA.
Isn’t the truth, that the pro-EU membership folks would have been better under Corbyn, who at least wanted a softer form of Brexit. The PLP would have crucified Corbyn for rolling over like Starmer has to support Johnson’s hardest possible Brexit deal.
Andy – So the reality is that he didn’t actually say what you claimed. 🤔
I didn’t put it in quotations. You added those.
It’s arguing semantics, but …….if [quote] “re-joining wouldn’t boost the UK economy”.. then that’s the same as saying being in or out makes no difference.
How on earth does he know re-joining wouldn’t boost the UK economy? When nearly all expert opinion is agreed that making trade and free movement of goods and people as easy as it was, as members, would boost trade and the economy. He’s at odds with everyone who has studied the problems the UK faces exporting now.
He’s a lawyer remember, he has no background in economics. Yet makes sweeping false statements, statements that you seek to defend for some ungodly reason.
SteveH what lead you to believe that I didn’t read your second half? Beside it was the only deal that was on offer because Starmer sabotaged the possibility on any other Brexit deal when he advocated for the “constructive ambiguity”.
No matter how you dressed Starmer comes across as dishonest. I don’t expect you to agree with me but, why do you think is the reason for Starmer already starting to lose ground against Sunak? Give it another year and Starmer is going to be behind who ever is the PM once again.
Maria – “Starmer sabotaged the possibility on any other Brexit deal when he advocated for the “constructive ambiguity”.
Really do you have any evidence to support that? I was under the impression that hiding behind ‘constructive ambiguity’ for month after bloody month until neither side believed a word he said was Corbyn and his team’s wonderful idea. Put the blame where it belongs with the pretend lefties who deserted Corbyn to vote for Boris and his lies.
“Give it another year and Starmer is going to be behind who ever is the PM once again.
Is that what you said over a year ago when Labour started there lead in the polls?
Perversion and degenerate politicians….thats the flag of Neo liberals going under the banner of labour and SNP…flip flops libs and all the conservative and unionist party including the B team “The World in one….DAVOS” and they are the chosen leaders “touched” not elected as John Kerry sees life amongst the elite.
There’s a quote from the late Malcolm X which is appropriate here:
“You’re not to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it”
In terms of general intent Starmer – currently on the guest list at the WEF Great Reset Death Cult (along with Grant Schaps; Kemi Badenhoch; Zac Goldsmith; Nicholas Lyons, Lord Mayor, City of London; Rachal Reeves; Richard Moore, MI6; and Tony Blair – see here for downloadable PDF list https://dossier.substack.com/api/v1/file/832b9d08-23dc-4036-bbd9-0fdfb80bc465.pdf
……to maintain the unity of the UK – ie the hegemony of England – against any independence of other Nations and their people on these island is, apart from consistency in terms of being a ‘Unionist’ (which is why they are The ‘Loyal’ Opposition after all), is guilty as charged in regards his stance.
A further charge which can be laid at his door is that of (apparent) inconsistency. After all, the Scottish GRC Bill passed with the active support of Labour Party MSP’s and Starmer has been very active and vocal on the matter, particularly at the Pink Awards.
Clearly, in StarmerWorld, Unionism trumps everything else.
However, in terms of the specifics – ie the particular issue at the center of this matter – the actions of the Government – whoever they happen to be – in regards at least three key respects – constitutional, moral and scientific – are, in this specific case, rock solid and, unfortunately*, in the words of Malcolm X, ‘facing reality.’
In constitutional terms the GRA legislation in Scotland clearly has implications which impact on the UK wide Equality Act. Despite all prior warnings and attempts to mitigate via sensible amendments the Sturgeon/Harvie Twitler Youth Cult insisted on full metal implementation of a socially dangerous and unworkable piece of legislation. They have only themselves to blame.
In moral terms, regardless of how many heads dump themselves in the sand, the reality is that people being people will take advantage of this legislation to the point of kicking the arse out of it to the detriment of 51% of the populace. Regardless of how few or many are involved there are already cases of biological men convicted of sex crimes deliberately claiming to be the opposite gender in order to access the female prison estate and then reverting back once released.
Whether anyone does not need an excuse to take advantage is irrelevant. Once official sanction and leeway is provided there will be people who will take that kind of advantage.
This reality is why we have rules and laws which are, at least in theory if not always in practice, supposed to apply to everyone and which attempt as far as practicable to cover as many eventualities as possible.
To take an example:
Even a cursory check of the data will show that the percentage of all vehicle drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs is low. Not, of course low enough even today – there are, as stated above, always some who either ‘kick the arse out of it’ or take unnecessary risks.
The point is, however, that no one would ever in all seriousness suggest that;
A. Because there are a relative few among the whole population of vehicle drivers who do drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs that ALL drivers are likely to do the same.
B. Because there are relatively few drivers in the population who do drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs that there should be no law which protects the rest of the public – be they drivers of other vehicles (whether trucks, cars, motor bikes/scooters or bicycles), passengers or pedestrians – from the consequences of those who do drive under the influence of such substances.*
C. The existence of laws and prohibitions against driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs represents some kind of bigoted attack on ALL drivers and is based on a phobia and hatred towards drivers per se.
Yet, this is in principle the exact stance that those voting supporting this legislation have taken.
From prisons, to personal safety boundaries; sport to personal sexual orientation; legal sanction for conversion of same sex attracted people to safe spaces in toilets, changing rooms etc this legislation provides a legal charter for systemic abuse akin to repealing, for just one example, all road safety legislation up to and including sanctions against driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
It is anti-social and morally and ethically inept in its overreach to tackle an issue for which existing legislation already exists to add to to deal with.
In scientific terms it seeks, Canute like, to deny the reality of the immutability of sex by conflating sex and gender as the same concept.
As Peter A. Bell so eloquently puts it, no one has any issue, problematic, ethically, morally, practically or otherwise, with anyone who wishes to present themselves as a different gender. However, writing into legislation the fictional, anti-reality, unscientific lie, that it is possible for someone to change not their gender but their sex and that the whole of society has to be reconfigured to that fantasy is a whole different ball game.
The matter of whether Starmer is whatever here is a side issue. Clearly his intent, as a Unionist, is a legitimate target for criticism. However, the specific issue is not one which anyone beyond an adherent of the extreme individualism espoused by Ayan Rand and Margaret Thatcher should hang their hat on.
Addendum:
I thought Starmer was inconsitent till I saw this:
https://skwawkbox.org/2023/01/17/silent-starmer-no-better-than-met-police-for-ignoring-abuse-of-women-says-whistleblower/
Make your sodding mind up. One minute, regardless of his very obvious intent (see above post), he’s a Tory toe rag for taking a position which, again despite that intent, will effectively result in challenging a piece of legislation which is dangerous to the safety and health of biological women; the next minute he’s, rightly, castigated for not challenging abuse of women.
Starmer may be all over the place here. But that is no reason for Skwawkbox to be all other the place at the same time on the issue of women’s safety.
If you are more serious than Starmer about this issue, which I reckon you are, you need to be more consistent than Starmer rather than adopting similar inconsistencies.
Starmer is very well suited to be a Right Wing Labour MP and Leader of a Party so far removed from the values of a Proper Labour Party they actually come across as Nazi Despots. As for the Press and TV news Media well history will crucify this corrupt bent gang of Criminals they are a disgrace to journalism and misuse the freedom of the press all day every day. The way these mad dogs set about destroying the Greatest Labour Leader since Clem Attlee was National Socialism Propaganda at its worst Mr Corbyn our dear Jeremy was Sacrificed on the Alter of the SCUM Press and TV Media. Mainly The Sun The Express The Daily Mail The Guardian, The Observer The Times The Telegraph The London Standard The Daily Record The extreme Right Wing BBC, ITV, CH4, Sky News. All the mentioned are Enemies of THE WORKING PEOPLE and Traitors to THE POOR. Disgusting Bastard Starmer being the Commander in Chief of all the Disgusting Bastards I Personally detest this excuse for a human being and an absolutely useless incompetent Corrupt Lying Bastard Leader of a Dystopian Nightmare Party this Smarmy slavering GIT has no Labour Values no empathy with the Workers and doesn’t know one Fucking thing about being hungry destitute and living in abject POVERTY the description I give is not of homeless people unemployed elderly disabled people but of WORKING PEOPLE living in abject Poverty the rest are MUCH WORSE OFF.
peej1952 – Most of the electorate don’t appear to agree with your histrionics, have you seen the polls?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_United_Kingdom_general_election#2023
The last one I saw was from December 2022.
It had the Tories 20 points behind.
When Sunak became PM they were 30 points behind.
It’ll be interesting to see where they stand in 2024.
Two Cheeks
Most of the electorate will not turn out to vote for two Cheap and Nasty Tory parties, now that’s a fact
The war criminal lost 5 million votes
Doug – Oh dear, yet more playground insults in a feeble attempt to prop up a terminally weak argument.
SteveH
You do realise that if the polls stay as they are, they’ll bring Boris Johnson back to be leader months before an election. Those on the Tory backbenches opposed to his return will be told to quit at the upcoming election so others can be selected.
It’ll be straight into an election campaign and Johnson will be presented as a fresh start. You know full well Tories are ruthless enough to do this.
Andy – Really, 🙄
Don’t forget to come back and tell me ‘I told you so’.🥱
I think starmer and his misfits will be strolling into drowning street this year or next year going on past Tory support from the nightmare unelected one percent….who favour a change..!
“.the rules based world order” the puppetmasters which includes fermenting a military alliance between China and Russia and provocative actions to force a nuclear war will help to get through the door of Downing street Sir Keir Roderick Starmer .and his appalling Nationalist labour party.IF the people prefered a public schoolboy for government rather than jeremy Corbyn then the knight of the realm ticks all the boxes…Time to pick a side and note times running out along with political system of establishment politics..
Two Cheeks
Poll on CH4 News
Who can fix the NHS
Tories 14%
Red Tories 34%
Neither 38%
Now you prick what were you claiming
Doug – I see you are still trying to prop up comments with the language of the playground – Grow Up
So what, have you perhaps lost track of what you are trying to prove?
Two Cheeks
Remember Red Tory faces after 2017 GE, that’s you after next one
Rictus smile as you fill your nappy
Reply to Peej1952
You are absolutely right about the roles the MSM and the State Broadcaster, the BBC, had in the demonization of Jeremy Corbyn but it is important to remember that they were simply the willing instruments of those who feared a government led by a man who could not be bought or bullied into abandoning his lifelong socialist principles or his support for Palestinians whose human rights including the right to life have been so viciously and so frequently violated by Israel.
As I have posted previously Jeremy had the establishment, the PLP, Southside, the Zionists and the Tories lined up against him and it is the concerted efforts of these people who using a dishonest unscrupulous State Broadcaster and MSM exploited the fears and prejudices of a gullible electorate and effected a 2019 victory for the Tories.
We are all now paying a heavy price for this now.
Just saw Max on the box. He was giving the, I’m from a humble background, rubbish again. He had the gall to mention the word ‘passion’. Very hard to sit through it all, can’t remember much else. I shall leave the sophisticated analysis to the guardianistas. I thought that it was a load of meaningless bollocks! Julie agreed so that’s that.
The Shadow Home Secretary reckons the government should get a grip on the police abusing their position to abuse women. Now, just remind me when Carrick started abusing women, and which governemnt was in power the and for the next NINE YEARS?
Expecting Andrew Tate to be announced as the new Commissioner in the next few days.
Re: This bill.
I must confess that I can’t follow what the current legislation permits. All I can see is that, whatever it permits at age 18, the Scottish Parliament wanted to permit at age 16.
Don’t know whether or not I’d be in favour of the current legislation or not.
Do know that, whether or not I’d support the legislation, the Scottish Parliament should have the right to make their own judgement on this without England interfering.
Well then so be it. Why do we have to fund them?
Dave Hansell has already eloquently expressed my views about the Scottish legislation, Steve. My comments are addressed to you. You have posted some great stuff today regarding Starmer and his nemeses Lynch and Corbyn. This post let you down badly. Sturgeon is a bourgeois nationalist politician leading a coalition of petty bourgeois brain donors, at least as far as this idiotic legislation goes. It’s a charter for paedos and rapists offering little in the way of real help to people, particularly the young, struggling with gender dysphoria. As for being to the left of Starmer, a range of people from Caroline Lucas to Tommy Robinson could fit that bill. Despite them being enemies of Corbyn, I’m with Rowling and Duffield on this one and, for the first time in my life, even the Tory Party. I hope it’s the last time too.
The SNP like children.
I agree entirely with you there LG – furthermore the LGBTQ
Community is split on the matter which is not in line with public
opinion in Scotland. There are Lesbians who disagree and
also some Trans-sexuals.
There is certainly a lot of disagreement among the Sports
fraternity with some very enthusiastic and some in
disagreement ..
It has not really been thought through by the Scottish Parliament
Like you LG – I am amazed to find I am in agreement with
many Tories on the matter.
Looks like Starmer is attending Davos with his Tory friends.
https://twitter.com/MrSlow33/status/1615411310434390033/photo/1
Just a one-party state masquerading as a two-party state.
Downloadable attendees list #1
https://dossier.substack.com/api/v1/file/832b9d08-23dc-4036-bbd9-0fdfb80bc465.pdf
Dave, thanks.
Downloadable attendees list #2
https://dossier.substack.com/api/v1/file/f2036535-45cc-46b3-9859-32cbc2d88bab.pdf
Finland’s Sanna Marin is widely viewed as a WEF puppet.
She’s claiming freedom itself is at stake in Ukraine, pushing for more heavier arms, as if Russia will back down and it won’t just prolong the agony. As much as I think invading was a terrible idea for the Russians. This recasting of Ukraine as a shining beacon of freedom and democracy is utter nonsense.
Post-2014 maidan coup(and arguably before), as someone else pointed out : Ukraine has been a kleptocracy run by cartels. On the level of a nation-state, it’s like the Mexico of Europe. The only people who believe otherwise are liberal internationalists with their heads jammed firmly up their backsides.
Er hat einen Gott-Komplex!
Doesn’t take much translation.
What those who work with WEF’s chairman, Klaus Schwab. think of him. No wonder Blair can relate and is so enthusiastic.
This is the real threat to the West, not Russia. Out of touch elites acting like gods,lying, ignoring democracy and accountability. If the west as we’ve known it falls it’ll be because of these types of people, who’ve elbowed there way to the top usurping democracy.
Davos is being dominated by Ukraine.
Will Germany send tanks? Zelensky given centre-stage.
isn’t this supposed to be an Economic summit?
It’s as though unelected (at least not directly by the people) elites, like Commission President Ursula von der Leyen( German Conservative CDU) – who was picked by heads of state in a backroom deal, the WEF’s Schwab (unelected) et al, hate the little people and want to decide everything without reference to pesky electorates. This war is costing Europeans tens of billions in financial loans to Ukraine that will never be repaid.
At least 25% of the European public, and growing, think nothing good can come from fuelling this war with ever more weapons. It’s bloody stupid, considering Russia could end it all in five minutes throwing the world into crisis by taking the gloves off and using its more powerful nuclear weapons. Notice how Kyiv’s historically important(for tourism) buildings are relatively unscathed.
This urging to send ever more sophisticated weaponry is like dancing on the rim of an active volcano.
“Out of touch elites acting like gods,lying, ignoring democracy and accountability.”
See the clip of John Kerry here starting at 7 minutes 11 seconds:
https://www.rokfin.com/post/118538/WEF-Ursula-warns-Russia-Sanna-Russia-must-lose-Kerry-saving-the-planet-Medvedev-mocks-U1
Remember, Starmer, Reeves and Blair are all attendees at this annual BlofeldFest piss taking event of people with a Messiah Complex big enough to envelop the Universe. Such is the ego on display that nothing short of a suitably sharp guillotine will ever convince them they are the problem rather than being anywhere near a solution.
News flash: working girls arrive at Davos en mass. To be fair and boys. I doubt that they meant the attendees.
Really do you have any evidence to support that? I was under the impression that hiding behind ‘constructive ambiguity’ for month after bloody month until neither side believed a word he said was Corbyn and his team’s wonderful idea. Put the blame where it belongs with the pretend lefties who deserted Corbyn to vote for Boris and his lies.
Or rather the entire political spectrum who derided keefs’ six tests as the unworkable pile of shite that they were.
Just about everyone panned them.
And then keef became the biggest brexiteer of the lot, having tried convincing everyone (and failing yet again) that brexit wasn’t ever gonna happen on his watch.
Now he’s a bigger advocate of your tory wet dream than most tories.
Them’s the cold, hard facts. Deal with ’em.
Toffee – ” brexit wasn’t ever gonna happen on his watch”
Really, when did he say that? 😲
Do you have a direct quote and link to substantiate your ‘assertion’?🤔
Corbyn was trying to hold the ship together while most the PLP had a devil may care view. They weren’t bothered because they’d rather see the party destroyed rather than have it be socialist.
For the RW PLP the only thing that mattered as destabilizing Corbyn’s grip on the leadership. The ‘remain’ people were just their useful idiots, chosen because the RW PLP don’t have a base or constituency of support or any principles; for them getting the party back was all that mattered. Hence why Starmer could drop the whole ‘I’m pro-EU’ act like a bad habit and never mention it again.
A ruthless, cold golem of a man. Sent to do others’ bidding.
I don’t need to. 😏
Toffee – Or more to the point, we both know you can’t produce what doesn’t exist.
Looking at Rachel Reeves’ Declaration of Interests for 2022-2023, what we see is peanuts compared with the Davos crowd, but it is revealing. Here it is.
Sir Maurice Victor Blank businessman and philanthropist. He is the former Chairman of Lloyds TSB and the current Chairman of several educational and charitable organisations including the Social Mobility Foundation, UJS Hillel and Wellbeing of Women.
£100k
David Sainsbury
£70k
Gary Lubner was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the company in May 2000. Belron®
£42k
Labour Together
£14,571.70
Richard Parker
£10k
[can’t find him, though Richard Parker was the name of the tiger inThe Life of Pi]
Commercial Estates Group Ltd (CEG manages the investment in workspaces, land, and homes )
£4,897.80
This was an inaccurate and late entry to which the rectification procedure was applied on 31 March 2022.
Tim Allen
£15k
[The only Tim Allen I can find teaches at LSE so it’s probably not him]
Clive Hollick
£7,500
He is ex-CEO of JH Vavasseur Group, a failing moneybroker caught up in the 1973-4 secondary banking crisis. Founder of the Institute for Public Policy Research and a a director of Honeywell International Inc and a director of The Bureau of Investigative Journalism. [This last one is surely rather inconsistent with Vavasseur]
Neil Goulden
£10k
Is it this Neil Goulden? – Remunerated Interests
• Marston’s Plc (Non-Executive)
• Neil Goulden Consulting Limited (Director)
• Association of British Bookmakers (Chairman)
• Boardmentoring.com (Mentor)
• Burlywood Capital (Non-Executive)
Alison Wedgwood
£20k
Is it this Alison Wedgewood? – Co Founder & Chief Executive Officer · eWater Services
Plus –
Chelsea Flower Show, total value £360 – Lloyds Bank PLC
Adele concert, value £699.90 – UK Music
Wimbledon tennis championships, value £580 – Lawn Tennis Association
Total £295,605.40
Quite a lot of quid. Pro quo?
goldbach
No, no strings attached, in fact go by TSB HQs : Henry Duncan House, 120 George Street, Edinburgh and if they like your smile, £50 notes will start to rain down on you..
Joking obviously. Of course there are strings attached, companies and hard-headed business men don’t go around giving hundreds of thousands of pounds away to politicians, expecting nothing in return. It’s why everyone should demand answers from Starmer and Streeting over donations from those with interests in private healthcare.
Which brings us to the fact Westminster is legalised corruption.
Politicians constantly boast we a less corrupt than country X or Y, but in Italy, Spain and other countries judges can actually launch investigations into these things and go after politicians so the comparison is BS. We don’t have a written constitution setting out such a division of powers, and that’s the way Westminster parties like it, nudge, nudge, wink, wink. No constitution means no codified rules to break in other areas too.
Think of it like this: A country with no laws will by definition have no crime, will it not?
Have you seen the comments attributed to Blair, also quoted in John Rentoul’s new book, and reported in the guardian. Blair said that the ‘big defect’ at the birth of the Labour party was its ‘ties to organised labour.”
Blair basically admitting he’s a liberal progressive, he’s previously stated he wanted to turn Labour into the US ‘corporate’ Democrats, many Americans know they have a one-party system masquerading as a two-party system with powerful intel services and military calling the shots.
The ‘progressive’ bit is open to debate too, given their authoritarian reputation and limited constitutional reform of Labour after the first term (1997-2001). This is the key issue many have with the PLP, they’ve got a liberal party to go to, but that’s proving unpopular, so they’ve set up camp and hijacked a supposedly socialist party, wanting to change everything that made the Labour party the party it was and should be.
I wouldn’t even class Starmer as a liberal progressive either, he’s a ‘one nation Tory’ in the wrong party. Yep, he’s to the right of Blair circ. 1997. He and Jeremy Hunt are virtually interchangeable.
Did Bambi/Miranda say that about the formation of the Labour Party? I despair.
Well this is interesting.
It seems that Oleksiy Arestovich appears on the Myrotvorets website.
goldbach
Myrotvorets website? Is that that sinister ‘enemies of Ukraine’ website. Surprised western partners aren’t telling them we aren’t living in the ‘wild west’ with ‘wanted’ bounties and that sort of shit is unacceptable.
Oleksiy Arestovych, Had to look the name up, is that the guy who resigned recently iirc, as Zelensky’s spokesperson or spin doctor, depending on who you ask.
It says on Wiki he’s formerly a member of a Ukrainian far-Right organisation in Ukraine. Which one? there’s Svoboda (ultranationalist political party), Pravyi sektor(right sector) and Azov battalion? He’s apparently been an army officer, actor, psychologist and famous blogger. Zelensky himself is a comedian/actor turned politician.
Have you seen the youtube videos showing a pre-politics Zelensky making cutting remarks about the state of the country? That’s how he won the Presidency. He mocked the looming influence of far right and their worship of the Nazis; the Petro Poroshenko govt’s corruption and the unhealthy nature of American interest in the country.
It’s actually quite funny, and far more honest a commentary back then, as a comedian, than now.
Yes, Andy, you got Myrotvorets in one.
Arestovitch is reported to have been told by Zelensky that he had to resign.
Could it be that his initial statement had been accurate?
From what I have seen, his contention that the missile that hit the flats was one of those huge supersonic ones is likely to have been wrong. I understand that their power is such that one would have completely flattened the whole block of flats. Who knows whether he was right about the attempt to shoot the missile down having gone wrong? Maybe. Maybe not.
What’s a possibility is that the “slip” was a good reason to get rid of someone whom the Ukrainian intel services wanted out. Maybe they even gave him the info. in order for him to put himself in that position.
Arestovich had been a member of the “Brotherhood” Party (which, I believe, mutated into something else) led by Dmytro Korchynsky, who described the party as like an “Orthodox Taliban”.
Myrotvorets have a number of westerners on their target list. Check out the site.
Some are calling it a kill list – is this the sort of stuff the US/UK endorse & want to be associated with – targeting people in the west?
The US’s Iraqi Most Wanted playing card deck was pretty sick also.
——
Off topic, Just watched Newsnight and Labour’s Thangam Debbonaire was on demanding total transparency from Nadhim Zahawi over his tax affairs, Debbonaire was asked if Zahawi should publish his tax returns and she [Debbonaire] said he should. Presenter, Kirsty Wark then asked if Labour’s frontbench would publish theirs, and Debbonaire nearly froze on the spot, replying defensively,’ it’s not about us,’ before stuttering when asked again. She said she hadn’t talked to Keir about it, only about Nadhim Zahawi. Typical New Labour crap! How did she fall into such a trap? Why hasn’t she discussed it with Starmer? You could tell she knew there is no way Trilateral Man Starmer will want to publish anything.
There is no chance Starmer will publish. He recently sold that plot of land in Surrey, the estimated value of which was £10million – Afaik, all they have to state is above 100k, has Starmer declared truthfully? The category states:
Land and property (excluding that used only for residential purposes by the MP or their close family)
Any part of a portfolio worth over £100,000, or any part of a portfolio which generates an annual income of over £10,000
Andy – One of those listed by Myrotvorets is Roger Waters.
Maybe they don’t like his music.
Kill lists – Thuggish, primitive behaviour, isn’t it.
Ukraine has a horrible human rights record under Zelensky and Poroshenko – even before the invasion. They’ve banned and harassed all sorts of people and groups, even trade unions are banned afaik.
And Finland’s Sanna Marin paints Ukraine as a typical western-type European state defending freedom/ liberty? What planet is she on?
Don’t forget the decree that Zelensky made a few weeks ago which says that it is illegal for Christians to worship in a way that does not have state approval. There are prison sentences for non-compliance. This means that adherents of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church may not legally practice their religion. The only approved practices are those of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine – the small break away faction that was created last year.
Democracy?
goldbach – But is that what really happened, or is that your own interpretation of events?
goldbach
The independent online has been very gung-ho in support of this war. This is what they were saying in mid-2014, after the coup:
“Ukraine’s divisions still run as deep as the Dnieper. If you credit a range of polls, support for the anti-government demonstrations since the abrogation of an EU co-operation deal on 21 November has stayed at or just under 50 per cent. Backing for the Yanukovych camp has hovered around, or just above, 40 per cent. In some parts of the west, fewer than 15 per cent wish to toe the Russian line; in the east, it’s a mirror image – with comparable figures.”
Andy – I’m surprised you didn’t post the link
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/ukraine-is-a-country-divided-against-itself-watch-out-scotland-9144967.html
SteveH
Would you agree, that kind of honesty in reporting on Ukraine’s polarisation is being suppressed today, in order to suit western narratives and paint a false picture of a happy united Ukraine that hasn’t existed in a long time?
The US now pondering letting Ukraine attack Crimea – where Russian support is solid according to even western independent polling , Russia’s leaders (at all levels) have warned the nuclear option guarantee of victory is waiting, and Ukraine can’t win. Do you want a nuclear war in Europe? Do you think this clearly thuggish , far-right dominated kleptocracy, this divided country, is worth sacrificing everything for?
At the moment this is still a military operation(a stretch I know), If Russia declares war on Ukraine Kyiv is bye-bye and Zelensky will be gone. Yes, NATO can respond but Russia will be prepared for that.
SteveH
I didn’t post the link because I don’t think the analogy holds with Scotland. Even passionate unionists wouldn’t fight for rule from the increasingly hated and discredited Westminster, so his analogy is BS. If a majority of Scots voted for inde the the most zealous patriots would probably be those who’d opposed independence.
The UK (media, military, and political class) is the most uniformly unquestioning in its support for the war. You see alternative views starting to gain traction in Germany, France and the US and in many of the smaller EU countries like Greece and Bulgaria, but not here. So it’s no surprise that the Indie won’t break ranks.
goldbach
Yes, that’s correct. Widespread opposition now in the US since the bill for this proxy war is over $100bn and rapidly rising, this while schools crumble, bridges fall down and homeless people sleep in the streets. Huge unreported demos too in Czech Rep, Hungary and across Europe.
The US politicians want to send even more billions and the new speaker in Congress is been told to live up to his promise to rein it all in and audit it. Ukraine is a bottomless financial pit, it had a terrible economy before the war and Zelensky is taking on hundreds of billions in loans which they can never pay back.
It’s costing the EU £4bn a week to keep Ukraine afloat(iirc ?) and unelected Ursula von der Leyen is gung-ho to send more and more – UNELECTED and the guardian boasts she’s ‘the most powerful woman in the world’ WTF? – anyone in Europe see the problem with an unelected person wielding so much power?
And before SteveH says was confirmed by a vote of elected MEPs – that was a straight accept/ reject vote with the threat of throwing the EU into turmoil if they rejected the whole Commission. That is not democratic accountability in the direct sense.
There has always been alternative voices in Europe. There have been and are still many demonstrations by thousands. We have been kept in the dark, so they believe, from the outset.
Big effort to class the anti-war movement as pro-Russia.
I think being anti-war is perfectly honourable and being consistent.
I don’t know if Ukraine has a chance of winning? As the reporting is so woefully biased, everything coming out of west( incl. the DoD and MoD) should be taken with a huge pinch of salt.
People like Sanna Marin and NATO propagandist Paul Mason, may shout ‘moar gunz! moar tankz! ‘forwards, attack, attack!’ from their respective comfy chairs. But they all seem to share a casual disregard for people’s lives; namely Ukrainian. Weapons are meaningless if Ukraine are running out of soldiers to throw into the meat grinder?
If Mason had volunteered himself for the eastern front, even as a pro-Ukraine journo/reporter blogger, I’d have more respect.
Though, I reckon the first crack of gunfire would probably see him soiling himself.
Wobbly
This from a German left-wing MP, Sevim Dagdelen, who is a Member of the German Bundestag since 2005. She is the spokeswoman for the Left Party parliamentary group on the Bundestag’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, a deputy member of the Defence Committee and spokeswoman for international policy and disarmament.
“…those now promoting the path to war with ever more, ever heavier weapons, sparing no thought for the costs, are the expression of a veritably apocalyptic mood in our society which no longer believes in real social progress and is being swept along by a destructive oligarchisation in the economic and political spheres while masses of people slip into poverty.
But anyone who is really interested in defending democracy in Germany cannot leave the stage to the mouthpieces of a bored bourgeoisie just because they are afraid to be derided as stooges of the enemy. That is what happened in the First World War, and it must not happen again. We must do all we can to put a spanner in the works for Germany’s warmongers.”
Andy – Or Putin could end what he started by taking his ‘soldiers’ and convict mercenaries back home.
He won’t. There are two possible outcomes.
1. A negotiated end to the conflict.
2. A Ukrainian defeat and an imposed settlement.
Didn’t someone once say “Jaw. Jaw. Is better than War, War”?
P.S. Two senior serving members of the German Army (Generals Vad and Kujat) have recently come out strongly against trying to extend the war and are advocating the need for a negotiated settlement.
The US and EU want to give all seized property of private Russian citizens, and confiscated Russian central bank assets, valued at over $300bn to Ukraine. Surely that’ll act as an incentive; making Russia will feel they have to win so that there’s is no Ukrainian govt to give it to?
Imagine had Iraq and Libya had the sort clout to a claim on the US and UK that Ukraine appears to have. Basically some in the west want a world in which only the US and its allies – usually only the UK – have the right to wage war ,anywhere, without lasting criminal or financial consequences, and have it all be classed as completely righteous.
….Quite scary really, because it lowers the financial risk for Russia from any use of tactical nuclear weapons – if they think they will ensure victory. And secondly, the west will have no leverage over Russia regards that country joining China in any attempt to invade Taiwan.
Though, on that, I read that the US is desperate for China to to make a move, because upcoming elections in Taiwan, in January next year, are favouring and look like bringing to power, a party (KMT) that wants dialogue with China and possibly peaceful reunification. The US may try to provoke China.
goldbach
Interesting read about the German Greens: German Green Party in a war frenzy
Infiltration? It’s truly bizarre this hawkishness, like the UK Lib Dems under the Orange book people. Donald Rumsfeld would stand and applaud.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/10/19/b918-o19.html
The German Greens are strangely interesting.
They are ostensibly a pacifist party.
???????????
They ‘were’ a pacifist party.
Now Robert Habeck, their leader and Vice Chancellorof Germany, and Annalena Baerbock Germany’s US/UK educated(trained?) Foreign Minister have ‘done a Starmer’ and seem to have pushed out party dissenters, as has happened here at Labour’s wholly artificial pro-Starmer conference.
Today’s progressives are weird, very, very hawkish. Look at WEF’s new pin-up girl Sanna Marin. The Baltic states have leaders with a ‘bring it on’ attitude to war with Russia too, as do the ever-hawkish Poland(RW). European citizens never got a vote on NATO expansion and whether we want to defend those sticking two-fingers up at Russia, because that ‘s what the US and UK wan them to do.
Maybe there’s some secret baphomet worshipping death cult they’re all members of? Joking, I hope?
Can’t quarrel with that.
One thing we must note, however, is that the country that has been, by far, the most energetic in pressing for war in Ukraine has been the UK and, in particular, the buffoon, Johnson.