Posts by John Palethorpe

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  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit, in reply to Matthew Hooton,

    Ah, there's more to that though, isn't there? Respecting the result and being happy with your choice are two different things. I know some Leave voters who aren't happy with the potential chaos but are willing to show optimism that there's a way out of it.

    Also, relying on UK polls after the last few complete messups is - unwise?

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit,

    Yeah - that one grinds my gears too.

    Just because neoliberalism is dying on its arse, it doesn't mean that the outcome will be some new sort of socialism - especially when nationalism is so powerful and toxic, and comes with it's own well practiced identity, language etc.

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit,

    I'd say I'm surprised, but I'm not.

    Credit to John Key, when he goes for a referendum at least he doesn't risk the constitutional fabric of the entire country.

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Len's smarter than that - he's not saying UNITE would, they don't have that swing. They've got the union funding though.

    It's the membership, and supporters, that 250k of them that could deselect MPs. That's been a Blairite fear since Corbyn got in - they need to get him out before the re-selection stuff comes up, because otherwise a lot of them may get binned off by their own local membership.

    Ironically they're claiming they're resigning to save their seats, but in doing so and Corbyn refusing to quit, they're endangering themselves even more.

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit,

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit,

    On the Labour coup, they're 11 shadow cabinet members down and those resigning and organising the whole thing are utterly reliant on Corbyn resigning himself, rather than forming an official leadership challenge to him. That's because they don't have the support in the membership to win a leadership contest with Corbyn as one of the candidates.

    The majority of those resigning and organising against him are former Blair and Brown ministers who have spent their six years in opposition undermining first Miliband and now Corbyn, in the belief that if they were in charge the path to victory would be assured - even though the current decline started a long time before either were elected leader of the party.

    Except they're a Parliamentary Labour Party without the support of their actual party membership, organising against a leader who garnered 250,000 votes in the leadership election just under 10 months ago. Len McCluskey of UNITE Union has said that any attempt to keep Corbyn off the ballot would break the party, it'd certainly see some serious problems relating to their funding.

    There's also the Chilcot angle. The Iraq Report comes out next week, and Corbyn has repeatedly insisted that Blair be held to account for the contents and his actions. Some of his acolytes in the PLP aren't happy that they'll be tarred with the sticky brown stuff.

    All Corbyn has to do is not resign. He's got 200+ MPs to choose a cabinet from. He tried conciliatory appointments, and this is where it's got to. If he doesn't resign, they can't beat him. He knows that, and so do they.

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit,

    My parents both voted Leave. I asked them why yesterday, after they'd told me they were horrified at people implying they were racist or xenophobic - I did point out that not all the 52% were that, but the proportion that were felt that they had 52% of Britain supporting them now.

    Their reasoning was as follows. When you ask a British politician, in Government, about things they are implementing - they always refer to the E.U and European Directives. By voting Leave, they take away the option for MPs to simply shuffle the blame onto the E.U - making their elected politicians more accountable for their actions.

    If the politicians aren't accountable, they can be voted out. There was also mention of the money that went to Europe remaining in the UK. Although that relies on the current or future Government making the same sort of investment decisions as the European Union, which runs counter to the last six years of Government policy.

    A tiny little window into a Leave voter there, with no weighting or implication for the whole.

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit,

    Another Labour shadow cabinet minister has resigned, with many more to come apparently. Corbyn has issued a statement saying he's not resigning.

    I'm utterly amazed Labour's decided now is the optimal moment to start eating itself. And yet not surprised.

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit, in reply to John Farrell,

    I do.

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

  • Speaker: A Disorderly Brexit, in reply to John Farrell,

    Economic migrants and refugees are not the same as a colonial power, you silly goose.

    Auckland • Since May 2015 • 83 posts Report

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