Political Banter and Debate Thread

zaphod79 · **Joined:** 16th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14537

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Campbell is officially "not funny at all" according to his own lawyer. There's a quote for the ages.

I think its interesting that basically his lawyer is also trying to make it clear he is a transphobe but not a homophobe and

https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status ... 1678267392

Mr Sandison says Stuart Campbell continues to be â€œdeeply distressedâ€ by the allegation that he is a homophobe, â€œbecause he plainly is notâ€.
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) March 27, 2019

The fact that someone is calling him a homophobe is disturbing to him

(I keep typing it as homophone instead - lets just suggest that he's one of them as well :-)

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

It should really make one pause and reflect on one's life choices when a lawyer arguing your case can find no better way to describe you than this:

https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status ... 8707771394

On whether Stuart Campbell has a reputation to defend, Mr Sandison says on his own evidence â€œhe is not a polite man, he does not restrain himselfâ€ - but he has a â€œdistinct reputationâ€, which is deserved, as an advocate of gay rights. This is what he is here to defend.
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) March 27, 2019

zaphod79 · **Joined:** 16th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14537

And here's the money shot

https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status ... 5252871168

Mr Sandison says Mr Campbell is to all intents and purposes a public figure; heâ€™s â€œa new kind of public figureâ€ for the digital age. So he has a reputation to defend, and Â£25,000 would be a â€œvery reasonable amountâ€ to award.
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) March 27, 2019

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2019 13:31

https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status ... 2719978501

â€œItâ€™s a good quote, that.â€
â€œIt is.â€
â€œIâ€™m not sure I understand it.â€

Some high-level courtroom bantz going down here.
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) March 27, 2019

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2019 16:35

https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status ... 6480459779

On the matter of damages, Mr Sandison says David Mundell â€œonly obliquelyâ€ called the tweet homophobic, and nobody else in the mainstream media did; just Ms Dugdale. QC says Mr Campbell has a â€œclear reputationâ€ as a champion of equal rights.
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) March 27, 2019

Um... I think "clear champion" is going a bit far.

zaphod79 · **Joined:** 16th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14537

But that's the end for now

https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status ... 0014984192

And thatâ€™s that - Sheriff Ross sends the case to â€œavizandumâ€ (meaning heâ€™s going to go away and think about it) - he says heâ€™d normally try to be back within four weeks, and will â€œdo my bestâ€
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) March 27, 2019

Kern · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2019 16:44

This is clearly the trial of century. We should hire a floor at the Fringe this summer and re-enact it.

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2019 16:45

How much should we charge people to get in?

Kern · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2019 16:46

£2, natch.

NervousPete · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2019 17:21

Four weeks from now Stuart Campbell pulls up and sees a giant banner draped over the side of the justice building proclaiming 'Verdict for S. Campbell: Damages Awarded' with some other explanatory bumph written under it in smaller lettering he doesn't bother to read and excitedly goes and phones around lots of journalists and the like to take a look, only to find upon closer inspection that it says, "Verdict for S.Campbell: Damages Awarded - £2 and no costs, and he's a complete arse for the following detailed reasons..."

Kern · **Posted:** Thu Mar 28, 2019 9:26

There is something charming about the only speech following yet another by-election:

Lord Grocott wrote:

My Lords, as if we had not had enough excitement this week, the drama of a hereditary Peers by-election simply adds to it all.
...
It is a pity that these elections are not more like traditional by-elections, and that we do not allow the candidates—both successful and unsuccessful—to say a few words after the result is declared and thank the returning officer.
...
There were 14 candidates, as we have heard. It was a men-only shortlist. The electorate totalled 28—that is, two electors for each candidate. The cost of the by-election was £600 including VAT; I make that about £21 per vote cast.

Kern · **Posted:** Fri Mar 29, 2019 9:38

Let's let one of the deputy speakers have their chance to shine:

Quote:

Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley) (Con):

I declare an interest, as president of the all-party parliamentary beer group. It is great to follow the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Ruth Smeeth). I do not think she heard, but when she told us that she was the MP for the Titanic brewery, I shouted, “I suspect she’s sunk a few of those.” I know I have.

Mr Deputy Speaker (Sir Lindsay Hoyle):

It was not a good joke the first time you said it.

Kern · **Posted:** Fri Mar 29, 2019 14:35

Conspiracy news now!

Lights going out across Bristol. Foul play suspected:

Guardian wrote:

Bristol city council has halted a programme of removing old lamp-posts from a street after neighbours expressed suspicions that they were being transferred to more upmarket areas.

Findus Fop · **Joined:** 14th May, 2009 **Posts:** 4394

Unfortunately I don't know how to do the embedded tweet, but this is good.

https://twitter.com/rhodri/status/1111254719777914881

I'm now so obsessed with Bercow saying "Mr Peter Bone" that I've spent a period of time setting it to the opening of Beethoven's 5th. Brexit is literally driving me mad. pic.twitter.com/P5w31OWkWi
— Rhodri Marsden (@rhodri) March 28, 2019

Edit: Fancy that! I DO have the power. I can do anything! ANYTHING!!

Grim... · **Posted:** Fri Mar 29, 2019 16:36

Turns out you do!

Grim... · **Posted:** Fri Mar 29, 2019 16:37

Also: https://twitter.com/rhodri/status/1111346365274177537

In my replies today, a number of people have expressed their delight at Bercow saying the name "Bambos Charalambous", which of course prompts me to do the following, which probably won't last on here longer than 2 minutes but it's worth a crack. pic.twitter.com/Ew0cDY4yQ0
— Rhodri Marsden (@rhodri) March 28, 2019

Findus Fop · **Joined:** 14th May, 2009 **Posts:** 4394

Grim... wrote:

Turns out you do!

You're a magician.

Findus Fop · **Joined:** 14th May, 2009 **Posts:** 4394

Grim... wrote:

Also: https://twitter.com/rhodri/status/1111346365274177537

In my replies today, a number of people have expressed their delight at Bercow saying the name "Bambos Charalambous", which of course prompts me to do the following, which probably won't last on here longer than 2 minutes but it's worth a crack. pic.twitter.com/Ew0cDY4yQ0
— Rhodri Marsden (@rhodri) March 28, 2019

Excellent!

Hearthly · **Joined:** 11th May, 2008 **Posts:** 13386

Just some British soldiers shooting live ammunition at a Jeremy Corbyn target.

https://twitter.com/AliBunkallSKY/statu ... 0037398528

Video has emerged of soldiers on a shooting range in Kabul firing at a target of Jeremy Corbyn. MOD confirms it as legit: pic.twitter.com/qOr84Aiivj
— Alistair Bunkall (@AliBunkallSKY) April 3, 2019

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38776

Did I fall asleep and miss the announcement that the world is now to be run and managed by Right-Wing fuckheads?

I blame sub-prime mortgages, quite frankly.

MaliA · **Posted:** Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:20

Hearthly wrote:

Just some British soldiers shooting live ammunition at a Jeremy Corbyn target.

https://twitter.com/AliBunkallSKY/statu ... 0037398528

Video has emerged of soldiers on a shooting range in Kabul firing at a target of Jeremy Corbyn. MOD confirms it as legit: pic.twitter.com/qOr84Aiivj
— Alistair Bunkall (@AliBunkallSKY) April 3, 2019

It's just some light hearted fun and bringing out the inner child in us all.

Kern · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2019 17:00

Charmingly, the Green candidate for my district election in May is R Nixon.

Disappointingly, he's a Robert, however.

MaliA · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2019 17:38

Kern wrote:

Charmingly, the Green candidate for my district election in May is R Nixon.

Disappointingly, he's a Robert, however.

Anna key is in the Uk

http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/mgU ... ?UID=32355

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Cor. That's a thing.

https://twitter.com/redhistorian/status ... 8745302016

Voters know they're not up to it. MPs know they're not up to it. But our antiquated political system shuts down any other choice. pic.twitter.com/yHzzt8QhVX
— Robert Saunders (@redhistorian) April 5, 2019

JBR · **Joined:** 2nd Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 3336

It must be time to ask that question with "someone else Labour" and "someone else Conservative" as options; I'd be interested to see whether that 47% would all actively want someone else. I mean, the Tories have few sane, but there are several Labour MPs I'd give a go.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Very good twitter thread taking a data driven approach to the problem the Conservative party has created for itself with younger voters. It's not too hyperbolic to describe this as "a conveyer belt to oblivion."

https://twitter.com/JamesKanag/status/1 ... 0149396480

Dire Tory performance with young voters is I think driven by 8 factors. 1) % of electorate which is BME 2) Expansion of Higher Education 3) Changing av age of areas 4) â¬†ï¸House price/income ratios 5) Tuition Fees 6) Financial Crash 7) Brexit 8) Rise of Social Liberalism (1/10) pic.twitter.com/NUIQSsItyq
— James Kanagasooriam (@JamesKanag) April 8, 2019

zaphod79 · **Joined:** 16th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14537

I think these link quite well to that

https://twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/stat ... 5612333056

How a General Election would look over 65's only were allowed to vote:

Seats || Votes

CON: 498 || 51.3%
LAB: 88 || 18.0%
SNP: 29 || 2.9%
LDM: 14 || 8.7%
DUP: 11 || 1.0%
SF: 4 || 0.4%
PLC: 2 || 0.6%
SDLP: 2 || 0.3%
GRN: 1 || 3.0%
UUP: 1 || 0.4%
UKIP: 0 || 11.0% pic.twitter.com/CEdHmtEIe9
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) April 6, 2019

https://twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/stat ... 5405076480

How a General Election would look if 18-24's only were allowed to vote:

Seats || Votes

LAB: 541 || 55.0%
SNP: 56 || 4.5%
LDM: 25 || 14.0%
SF: 10 || 0.9%
PLC: 4 || 0.7%
DUP: 4 || 0.4%
CON: 3 || 14.5%
IND: 2
GRN: 1 || 2.0%
UUP: 1 || 0.4%
ALL: 1 || 0.4%
SDLP: 1 || 0.3% pic.twitter.com/yIkpL8OUhC
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) April 5, 2019

Dr Zoidberg · **Joined:** 15th Oct, 2010 **Posts:** 5567

I'm slightly surprised to see 3% Green in the pensioners, and only 2% for the kids.

Kern · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2019 14:42

Virgin Trains permanently cancelled.

Nik · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 1982

That’ll be Virgin trains who are half-owned by NHS-suer Richard Branson, and half by Stagecoach, co-founded and chaired by Section 28-supporter Brian Souter.

I’m so sorry to hear they’ll no longer be allowed to operate a monopoly public transport service.

Kern · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2019 20:46

What's interesting is if the government's insistence on pushing pension liabilities onto contractors makes bidding for a franchise less appealing to other potential bidders too and thus undermining any 'competition' arguments for the current system.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Kern wrote:

What's interesting is if the government's insistence on pushing pension liabilities onto contractors makes bidding for a franchise less appealing to other potential bidders too and thus undermining any 'competition' arguments for the current system.

"We've nationalised the railways by mistake."

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2019 21:29

Nik wrote:

That’ll be Virgin trains who are half-owned by NHS-suer Richard Branson, and half by Stagecoach, co-founded and chaired by Section 28-supporter Brian Souter.

I’m so sorry to hear they’ll no longer be allowed to operate a monopoly public transport service.

So will I, as they actually run one of the good ones.

The Dutch state railway is taking over, though.

MaliA · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2019 22:17

I don't have an issue with people/companies taking the NHS to court. It is a branch of the state and shouldn't be beyond reproach

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49252

MaliA wrote:

I don't have an issue with people/companies taking the NHS to court. It is a branch of the state and shouldn't be beyond reproach

Suing them for preventing you from making enough money out of sick people not so much.

Kern · **Posted:** Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:42

Kern wrote:

What's interesting is if the government's insistence on pushing pension liabilities onto contractors makes bidding for a franchise less appealing to other potential bidders too and thus undermining any 'competition' arguments for the current system.

That's a stunningly poorly structured sentence. In mitigation, I wasn't even drunk.

As for nationalised trains, the new LNER is all well and good but the dynamic 'N' on their logo points north-west. That irritates me.

Satsuma · **Joined:** 20th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14473

Re: Shamima Begum case

Satsuma wrote:

What I expect: She gets legal aid, she applies to court, the case wins, she gets let back in. The tax payer picks up the tab for the government showboating. Again.

And it’s begun: she’s got legal aid.

Hearthly · **Joined:** 11th May, 2008 **Posts:** 13386

President of the United States, folks.

Attachment:

trumpoo.JPG

https://twitter.com/brianklaas/status/1 ... 8396530688

How far weâ€™ve fallen. pic.twitter.com/oRXRMwrBOT
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) April 15, 2019

Hearthly · **Joined:** 11th May, 2008 **Posts:** 13386

That was not supposed to be so big.

myp · **Posted:** Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:22

Hearthly wrote:

That was not supposed to be so big.

Title of your sex tape, said no one

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:35

Hearthly wrote:

President of the United States, folks.

The response from the French civil service was absolutely cutting.

https://twitter.com/SecCivileFrance/sta ... 4268376064

Hundreds of firemen of the Paris Fire Brigade are doing everything they can to bring the terrible #NotreDame fire under control. All means are being used, except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.
— SÃ©curitÃ© Civile Fr (@SecCivileFrance) April 15, 2019

Sir Taxalot · **Joined:** 5th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 4948

Could build a really nice sky scraper hotel there instead, prime real estate.

BikNorton · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 10235

In the meantime follow New York's lead and do an art.

An enormous middle finger turned towards the UK but that briefly rotates at the US every time Trump tweets, maybe.

devilman · **Posted:** Wed Apr 17, 2019 13:59

Kern wrote:

This is clearly the trial of century. We should hire a floor at the Fringe this summer and re-enact it.

And, it's over

myp · **Posted:** Wed Apr 17, 2019 14:02

devilman wrote:

Kern wrote:

This is clearly the trial of century. We should hire a floor at the Fringe this summer and re-enact it.

And, it's over

Everyone wins!

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

devilman wrote:

Kern wrote:

This is clearly the trial of century. We should hire a floor at the Fringe this summer and re-enact it.

And, it's over

He's taken the news with grace and dignity.

Quote:

My legal team and I have just received, unexpectedly early, the sheriff’s verdict in my defamation case against Kezia Dugdale. The short and paraphrased version is that yes, she did defame me by inaccurately calling me a homophobe, but because she’s an idiot who doesn’t know what words mean, she’s allowed to, so we lose.

https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-severed-baby/

Satsuma · **Joined:** 20th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14473

From the judgement:

Quote:

Had I been awarding damages, those damages would have been assessed at £100.

Lulz

I’m not sure how costs work in Scotland but at the very least he’s thrown a shitload of cash at his own lawyers.

Hearthly · **Joined:** 11th May, 2008 **Posts:** 13386

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

He's taken the news with grace and dignity.

Quote:

My legal team and I have just received, unexpectedly early, the sheriff’s verdict in my defamation case against Kezia Dugdale. The short and paraphrased version is that yes, she did defame me by inaccurately calling me a homophobe, but because she’s an idiot who doesn’t know what words mean, she’s allowed to, so we lose.

https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-severed-baby/

In fairness, that's not actually a bad summary. The judgement seems very inconsistent to me, I'd certainly say it's a moral victory for Stu.

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Apr 17, 2019 14:23

Satsuma wrote:

From the judgement:

Quote:

Had I been awarding damages, those damages would have been assessed at £100.

Lulz

I’m not sure how costs work in Scotland but at the very least he’s thrown a shitload of cash at his own lawyers.

Damages != costs, right?

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