The UK Politics and EU Referendum thread - merged

[muckthenuts]

With campaigning suspended, and the news agenda moving on once it resumes, last night's bombing will surely impact upon the general election.

Theresa May's worst day by far (U-turn, rabbit in the headlights press conference, then roasted for 30 mins at gas mark 8 at Chez Brillo) will fade into the background and she'll get a couple of days of looking prime-ministerial again.

The one cloud for her might be that this might (and only might) see a bit of a flow of voters back to UKIP from the Tories, which could turn a few marginals.

I think whatever gains Labour made will be undone by this. Corbyn is already seen as soft on terrorism at best and a sympathiser at worst. The fact that children were targeted will, IMO, see some parents who would have voted Labour having a last minute change of heart. But you are probably right on the UKIP thing too.

Could get quite ugly for the rest of the campaign, as many of us were already expecting the Tories to ramp up the 'friends with Hamas/IRA' angle towards the end of the month.

And isn't that part of the problem? 

Being hard on terrorism clearly isn't working it isn't a detterent. 

Why not try a different path, even if we accept that Corbyn was asupporter of the RA he alongside others were  in part responsible for bringing key players to the table. 

The state cn play down his involvement all they like, but SF politicians and supporters of a United Ireland on these shores were making hay with members of the Labour Party in the  UK, Democrats in America and othhers who were seen as progressive. 

I don't see Mrs May as being hard on terror or strong and stable.  Being prepared to detonate a bomb on another country for the sake of showing you are a strong leader isn't themark of a leader in my view. 

I won'tote Labour, but I really am tired of all the mud slinging in politics.  More alarmingly, I am concerned about how the media control the agenda.

I think we've just got to accept that terrorism is part and parcel of living in the UK in the 21st century.

There is no solution as far as I can see.

*lives in a country which has bombed the Middle East relentlessly for the last 50 years*

The Camel: But I just can't see any solution to terrorism

You could try and vote Corbyn, hoping that starts a trend of less war-mongering PM's down the line. With no pointless wars terrorism will end, that is a guarantee. But your future generations will be significantly less well off for it.

[AndrewT]

There are only two instances in modern history where the 'fight' against terrorism has been 'won'. In Northan Ireland and in the Spanish Basque region, neither were overcome by war but by bringing them to the negotiating table.
Granted this form of terror is somewhat different and maybe can't be solved in the same manner but, its food for thought. Because what the west has been doing for the last 10 years clearly isn't working, perhaps we should try something different. So agree with some of the sentiments here.

In Sri Lanka the Tamil Tigers were militarily defeated.

Nevertheless, you're right in that ISIS is different - they aren't a politically motivated group, but a purely religious ideology which would be unable to compromise (as anyone who did would be branded a traitor).

[AndrewT]

*lives in a country which has bombed the Middle East relentlessly for the last 50 years*

The Camel: But I just can't see any solution to terrorism

You could try and vote Corbyn, hoping that starts a trend of less war-mongering PM's down the line. With no pointless wars terrorism will end, that is a guarantee. But your future generations will be significantly less well off for it.

There are plenty of reasons to vote Labour at the election but I'd guess that 'appeasing ISIS' isn't the strongest one.

[Jon MW]

There are only two instances in modern history where the 'fight' against terrorism has been 'won'. In Northan Ireland and in the Spanish Basque region, neither were overcome by war but by bringing them to the negotiating table.
Granted this form of terror is somewhat different and maybe can't be solved in the same manner but, its food for thought. Because what the west has been doing for the last 10 years clearly isn't working, perhaps we should try something different. So agree with some of the sentiments here.

In Sri Lanka the Tamil Tigers were militarily defeated.

Nevertheless, you're right in that ISIS is different - they aren't a politically motivated group, but a purely religious ideology which would be unable to compromise (as anyone who did would be branded a traitor).

Also the Baader Meinhof group, the Red Brigades of Italy and the Weather Underground Organization were terrorist groups who were defeated as opposed to negotiated with.

Peaceful negotiation is clearly the best way to defuse people who have been radicalised into terrorism - but also clearly not the only way or always the 'best' way.

[muckthenuts]

*lives in a country which has bombed the Middle East relentlessly for the last 50 years*

The Camel: But I just can't see any solution to terrorism

You could try and vote Corbyn, hoping that starts a trend of less war-mongering PM's down the line. With no pointless wars terrorism will end, that is a guarantee. But your future generations will be significantly less well off for it.

There are plenty of reasons to vote Labour at the election but I'd guess that 'appeasing ISIS' isn't the strongest one.

Yah, lets not vote for someone who wants to deviate from the policy of bullying, robbing and murdering people in foreign countries because it might appease ISIS.

[The Camel]

UKIP MEP demands the reintroduction of the death penalty for suicide bombers.

[TightEnd]

Matt Singh in the FT (famous for getting 2015 right)

Based on the fundamentals, the likeliest outcome is a convincing Conservative victory http://on.ft.com/2qNCaw7

Click to see full-size image.

[The Camel]

*lives in a country which has bombed the Middle East relentlessly for the last 50 years*

The Camel: But I just can't see any solution to terrorism

You could try and vote Corbyn, hoping that starts a trend of less war-mongering PM's down the line. With no pointless wars terrorism will end, that is a guarantee. But your future generations will be significantly less well off for it.

There are plenty of reasons to vote Labour at the election but I'd guess that 'appeasing ISIS' isn't the strongest one.

Yah, lets not vote for someone who wants to deviate from the policy of bullying, robbing and murdering people in foreign countries because it might appease ISIS.

I don't think it would matter if we stopped.

Jihadi attacks are indiscriminate http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/17/world/mapping-isis-attacks-around-the-world/

[TightEnd]

The Prime Minister changes direction on social care. But will the cap fit? - new briefing note by Resolution

really good if you want to understand it all

http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/media/blog/the-prime-minister-changes-direction-on-social-care-but-will-the-cap-fit/

Click to see full-size image.

[TightEnd]

latest research shows the extent of negative press coverage received by the parties this campaign http://bit.ly/2ryUyqH

Click to see full-size image.

[Geo the Sarge]

The recent piece doing the rounds  http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/police-officer-theresa-may-cuts-james-obrien/

First time I had seen this and am gobsmacked.

Can this dent Mays "credibility" to lead further?

Geo

[Cavey007]

Fucking hell. This seems chillingly prophetic. https://t.co/qEkB6Pdbg1

On a similar note... Tory voters won't give a crap. Mainstream media won't report it. I doubt it'll hit her at all

[kukushkin88]

Fucking hell. This seems chillingly prophetic. https://t.co/qEkB6Pdbg1

On a similar note... Tory voters won't give a crap. Mainstream media won't report it. I doubt it'll hit her at all

If you work in the public sector, this government are your biggest and most dangerous enemy. To have the capacity to do your job undermined and destroyed in the way that it has been is heartbreaking.

[Cavey007]

Fucking hell. This seems chillingly prophetic. https://t.co/qEkB6Pdbg1

On a similar note... Tory voters won't give a crap. Mainstream media won't report it. I doubt it'll hit her at all

If you work in the public sector, this government are your biggest and most dangerous enemy. To have the capacity to do your job undermined and destroyed in the way that it has been is heartbreaking.

I don't need convincing. I'm strongly against this government. But for that guy to have what he said come so horribly true a few years later is worrying.

[The Camel]

Jeepers Weepers.

Click to see full-size image.

Tory lead down to 5 (five) pts!