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3 hours ago, kumnio said:

Interesting, is this not quite contrary to what he usually writes?

While P Hitchens is undoubtably a very talented writer, debater and conversationalist, theres something quite dislikable about him. He certainly comes across as very forthright, and closed to opinions that don't agree with his.

He’s been really critical of the Tories anytime he talks about them from what I’ve seen. 

I’ve a lot of time for Hitchens. Don’t always agree with him but he seems pretty genuine in his views. 

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On 2/4/2020 at 5:58 PM, Alan said:

I've popped into this thread now we are out the EU and in the transition period.

To manage the mob. I voted Remain.  I donated to Remain.  I even campaigned on phone and door chapping. I always classed myself as a Euro sceptic but shat it as campaign went along.  In Glasgow it was Remain in better off areas to ambivalence and Leave in worse off areas.  Pretty low turnout.  The grievance and blame has been packaged, owned and marketed by Scottish nationalism and a First Minister who is so proud of her European identity she joined a small anti-EU party in her teens, has never lived or worked in Europe and doesn't even holiday there.  Always cringe as politicians do a "staycation" for politics.

Labour, Lib Dems and SNP royally fucked up granting a General Election.  Boris was boxed in and they let him off.  We could have had a soft brexit be it Mays deal or even closer to Norway but the opposition failed and will be judged in history books. 

Unfortunately the electorate has been blinded by our politics of slogans and flags across the UK.  Any real Remainer/Pro European should have struggled to vote for a nationalist party that allowed a GE to be called.  The SNP helped "drag the Scottish people out." 

If indyref2 is called the voters who stay away at elections will be micro targeted to swing it as they were by Yes movement.  However do you think some ordinary punter in a scheme will be attracted to higher immigration, €uro currency, Donald Tusk, VAT on childrens clothes and the "woke" movement of transgender, vegans and the luvvies this time?  Events have moved the political spectrum. 

 

 

If you can put aside your grievance with particular parties and individuals aside for a moment, and look at the bigger picture, we can see many successful Scotland-sized countries happily in the EU. 

It's curious that defeated Remainers give up the fight to keep your own country in the EU, but prefer the flag waving, flag burning nationalism of Brexit Britain.

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On 2/4/2020 at 5:58 PM, Alan said:

I've popped into this thread now we are out the EU and in the transition period.

To manage the mob. I voted Remain.  I donated to Remain.  I even campaigned on phone and door chapping. I always classed myself as a Euro sceptic but shat it as campaign went along.  In Glasgow it was Remain in better off areas to ambivalence and Leave in worse off areas.  Pretty low turnout.  The grievance and blame has been packaged, owned and marketed by Scottish nationalism and a First Minister who is so proud of her European identity she joined a small anti-EU party in her teens, has never lived or worked in Europe and doesn't even holiday there.  Always cringe as politicians do a "staycation" for politics.

Labour, Lib Dems and SNP royally fucked up granting a General Election.  Boris was boxed in and they let him off.  We could have had a soft brexit be it Mays deal or even closer to Norway but the opposition failed and will be judged in history books. 

Unfortunately the electorate has been blinded by our politics of slogans and flags across the UK.  Any real Remainer/Pro European should have struggled to vote for a nationalist party that allowed a GE to be called.  The SNP helped "drag the Scottish people out." 

If indyref2 is called the voters who stay away at elections will be micro targeted to swing it as they were by Yes movement.  However do you think some ordinary punter in a scheme will be attracted to higher immigration, €uro currency, Donald Tusk, VAT on childrens clothes and the "woke" movement of transgender, vegans and the luvvies this time?  Events have moved the political spectrum. 

 

 

Very good post.   

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Just dipping into the Irish election results - not that there are any actual results yet.   However, looks like its going to be a very good night for Sinn Fein.  They can't get an overall majority as they're not standing enough candidates which looks now as if it might have been a mistake, however it looks like it'll be close between them and Fianna Fail as to who will be the largest party.   The other interesting point is where the SF transfers will go - and it looks like there will be a lot of them - most likely to other left wing parties.

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3 hours ago, aaid said:

Just dipping into the Irish election results - not that there are any actual results yet.   However, looks like its going to be a very good night for Sinn Fein.  They can't get an overall majority as they're not standing enough candidates which looks now as if it might have been a mistake, however it looks like it'll be close between them and Fianna Fail as to who will be the largest party.   The other interesting point is where the SF transfers will go - and it looks like there will be a lot of them - most likely to other left wing parties.

Some on twitter are salivating at the prospect of Mary Lou McDonald becoming Taoiseach and the UK Govt having to deal with Sinn Fein

I cant imagine the hornets nest that will burst open with that - particularly with regards Scottish Independence

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44 minutes ago, Ally Bongo said:

Some on twitter are salivating at the prospect of Mary Lou McDonald becoming Taoiseach and the UK Govt having to deal with Sinn Fein

I cant imagine the hornets nest that will burst open with that - particularly with regards Scottish Independence

I saw a clip from the leaders debate last week where she pointed out - probably with some justification - that no party has more experience of dealing with the U.K. Government than Sinn Fein.  

 

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4 minutes ago, aaid said:

I saw a clip from the leaders debate last week where she pointed out - probably with some justification - that no party has more experience of dealing with the U.K. Government than Sinn Fein.  

 

Just saw the last time Sinn Fein won was 1918 - they declared Independence and England invaded lol

The BBC are doing everything at the moment trying to ignore whats going on

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6 hours ago, aaid said:

Just dipping into the Irish election results - not that there are any actual results yet.   However, looks like its going to be a very good night for Sinn Fein.  They can't get an overall majority as they're not standing enough candidates which looks now as if it might have been a mistake, however it looks like it'll be close between them and Fianna Fail as to who will be the largest party.   The other interesting point is where the SF transfers will go - and it looks like there will be a lot of them - most likely to other left wing parties.

I've given SF my first preference for the last couple of elections. Had the family in the gaff today for my daughter's birthday party. Was great fun watching the election results with my FF/FG voting inlaws.

When Mary Lou McDonald appeared on the telly i said to my sister-in-law :

"There's our new Teoiseach"

"But Sinn Fein want to put our tax up to 56%"

"Well, it's what...52% already."

"It's still 4% of our salary!!"

"Good job you're rich and can afford it then".

 

My sister in law is a fucking millionaire that lives in Foxrock and owns 10 rental gaffs in Dublin 🙄

 

 

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4 hours ago, Ally Bongo said:

Just saw the last time Sinn Fein won was 1918 - they declared Independence and England invaded lol

The BBC are doing everything at the moment trying to ignore whats going on

...although to some extent they HAVE to report it, at least. Because they can't hide an election and covered a bit of the build up but weren't expecting to have to suppress the story.

Whereas the BBC can very easily suppress any Scottish story, of things like favourable indy polls, huge marches, FM speeches abroad, etc. And no one (who only followed BBC) would even know they took place.

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19 hours ago, exile said:

...although to some extent they HAVE to report it, at least. Because they can't hide an election and covered a bit of the build up but weren't expecting to have to suppress the story.

Whereas the BBC can very easily suppress any Scottish story, of things like favourable indy polls, huge marches, FM speeches abroad, etc. And no one (who only followed BBC) would even know they took place.

BBC editorial policy is not to report any polls in their own right, they'll only refer to them as part of another story, not as a story themselves.  

Anything that happens at weekends, eg marches, is unlikely to get much in the way of coverage due to there being less general news coverage at weekends,  

 

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Dublin Dave, what's the chances of Sinn Fèin being able to cobble together a loose coalition/agreement with other parties? Slim to none? I had a peak on RTÈ and see they are speaking to the People Before Profit and Green party.

I was listening to Radio Ulster a few days ago and it was quite funny hearing the Unionists in NI about this. The DUP have really shat themselves and moved the possiblity of an united Ireland within 20 years from 4 to 7 with their handling/arrogance over Brexit. Still absolutely gobsmacked that they backed a hard/clean break Brexit considering Dublin is only 2 hrs away.

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1 hour ago, weekevie04 said:

Dublin Dave, what's the chances of Sinn Fèin being able to cobble together a loose coalition/agreement with other parties? Slim to none? I had a peak on RTÈ and see they are speaking to the People Before Profit and Green party.

 

I've no idea, tbh. 

80 seats needed to form a government. To form one without FG and FF means a 'rainbow coalition' of the left of centre parties. That has been made less likely today with the Labour party deciding not to play any role in the next government.

So who knows. Weeks of negotiations ahead i think.

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13 hours ago, Dave78 said:

I've no idea, tbh. 

80 seats needed to form a government. To form one without FG and FF means a 'rainbow coalition' of the left of centre parties. That has been made less likely today with the Labour party deciding not to play any role in the next government.

So who knows. Weeks of negotiations ahead i think.

I guess if anyone from FG or FF is thinking "Sinn Fein can run a minority government, they'll make a mess of it and it won't last six months and then we can have another election" they only need to speak to Jack McConnell for some advice on how that played out for him in 2007. 

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On 2/8/2020 at 7:10 AM, ParisInAKilt said:

He’s been really critical of the Tories anytime he talks about them from what I’ve seen. 

I’ve a lot of time for Hitchens. Don’t always agree with him but he seems pretty genuine in his views. 

I find he talks in absolutes when things are more complex.  But he does have his own views and speaks them, fair play to him.  I don't think he's becoming to any other force than himself.

He's really in his brother's shadow though.

 

 

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44 minutes ago, aaid said:

I guess if anyone from FG or FF is thinking "Sinn Fein can run a minority government, they'll make a mess of it and it won't last six months and then we can have another election" they only need to speak to Jack McConnell for some advice on how that played out for him in 2007. 

Hah, exactly. I've been telling every Irish pal who'll listen about Scotland's experience of a minority nationalist government. Mainly to calm their fears.

Of course the odd Sinn Fein TD belting out rebel songs at the count, and shouting "Up the 'RA!' in their victory celebration speeches hasn't exactly helped! :blink:

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4 minutes ago, TDYER63 said:

Javid was told he had to sack all his advisors. He refused so quit.

He ‘s replaced by Rishi Sunak. Whoever he is. Ex Goldman Sachs and hedge fund. 

He's an up and coming Tory and was the one they wheeled out for one of the election debates.  He must be a real short arse as even in her heels, the FM is toaty and he was shorter than her.  Probably about Ramy's height then.  

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13 minutes ago, aaid said:

He's an up and coming Tory and was the one they wheeled out for one of the election debates.  He must be a real short arse as even in her heels, the FM is toaty and he was shorter than her.  Probably about Ramy's height then.  

😂,  in that case I suppose ‘up’ and coming is the only way he can go. 
 

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"The Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory, is to be put on an EU blacklist of tax havens, less than two weeks after the UK’s withdrawal from the bloc..."

"...Last year the UK and its “corporate tax haven network” was judged to be by far the world’s greatest enabler of corporate tax avoidance by the Tax Justice Network.

British territories and dependencies made up four of the 10 places said to have done the most to “proliferate corporate tax avoidance” on the corporate tax haven index.

The status of the Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands had been up for review since being placed on a “grey list” in 2018..."

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/13/eu-to-put-cayman-islands-on-tax-haven-blacklist

Edited by phart
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A tale of two tweets.

"Brilliant weekend celebrating Brexit. Not been on here much. Sank a few yesterday down the local after an enthralling match down the King Power. Where are all the remoaning cyclists who were laughing at me months ago. He who laughs last laughs the longest."

 

 

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Edited by phart
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