General British politics discussion thread

Farage: Reform will put a stop to WFH

Reform:

So much for the momentous events of the last week. The latest YouGov has all parties unchanged (or virtually so) since 1-2 Feb. Note the relatively low rating for Reform; other pollster routinely have them over 30%.

Election Maps UK on X: "Westminster Voting Intention: RFM: 27% (+1) LAB: 19% (=) CON: 18% (=) GRN: 16% (-1) LDM: 14% (=) Via @YouGov , 8-9 Feb. Changes w/ 1-2 Feb." / X

The right wing has become a haven of liars. It is mired in deceit, disinformation and misinformation and populated by people who lie as easy as they breathe. You can even see it on here, where certain posters will rattle off lies like there's no tomorrow and when they're caught out in their lies they run away for a period only to return with more lies.

They have to become liars because the causes they champion compel them to. Whether it's Brexit, Trump, Farage, Israel, Musk, ICE, or any number of issues anyone would care to mention, there's never much time to wait before some lie is uttered.

Their political heroes are also petrified to appear on any kind of real debate situation too because they know they'll get skewered. So they go on specific "talk shows" where they are "questioned" by a host who holds the same positions as the guest and this masquerade gets put forth under the guise of a "discussion". They'll go onto agreeable "news" stations like Fox where they're given a platform for their agitprop. And with the likes of someone like Karoline Leavitt, they'll just go on the attack when one of their lies is called out.

The internet has been the greatest gift to the worst of the right wing. It allows it to parade around on cheaply produced "shows" where it can get to propagate it's lies easily. These lies are then repeated across numerous other "shows" by people filming themselves in their basement or their bedroom so the lies reach millions of people with ease.

The US press has also become progressively weaker over the last 4 decades. They're incapable of holding these figures to account and they are partly to blame for the reality of Trump. The fact that news over there has become a money pursuit, too, means that they have an audience they have to appeal to. So ratings have to be considered. This means that good copy like Donald Trump will never be seriously challenged because why would they damage that source of revenue.

And it's crept into UK politics as well. The likes of GBNews was specifically set up so that those on the right could get to disseminate their lies unchallenged and there's always been a Tory client press willing to repeat their talking points in print.

All politicians are ambitious but you’ve to do a better job than Streeting did of hiding your lust for the top job. It was distracting.

This whole Jim Radcliff dross feels like the UK victim complex coming to a head. A non-domicile British millionaire living in Monte-Carlo to avoid paying UK tax tells Brits they're being colonised.

I wonder what it feels like to be one of those Hong Kongers who took up that asylum visa offer to now be surrounded with accusations of being a coloniser!

So are all the non-Brits on his ManU team colonisers?

Where Brexit was about feeling persecuted by Europeans, now they've moved onto vilifying all foreigners in Britain!

The older brit like Cleese comes from a generation when there was a War Office to keep the colonies like Kenya in check. They were of a mind set that you're either a ruler maker or a rule taker, whereas Europe and former colonies are post colonial.

Jim Radcliff channels this paranoid tension perfectly.

Radcliffe is pretty much giving the position of Reform UK, GB News, the Daily Mail and Telegraph etc. Problem is such people won't be remotely interested in facts or figures - it will be all about their 'feeling' that the country is awash with immigrants and rapidly going downhill.

He now apologized but this is going to have repercussions, especially in the premiership where fighting racism is a constant battle.

Football is like emotional regulator for english society, winners and losers every weekend, drama away from the politics.

Now a major team owner has alienated many of his own players and their families.

I think for the young and energetic who are the target of the far right, sport is the best alternative outlet. If they're not following the premiership they've probably got a local team in some lower tier league.

I really noticed it in the towns around Manchester and elsewhere up north that the lower leagues have a passionate following as ticket prices tend to be very cheap compared to the premiership which for many is inaccessible.

From what I've read the FA will be forced to react to his comments under their own fair play rules.

If they do it will be hard for the far right in England to defend a non domicile billionaire who moved production to the EU.

"sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern".

It's a stretch to consider that an apology.