the day after the deadline: can the union survive brexit and other deep questions

I have missed a lot of this political story. What has Milne said?

I do not understand how the UK can stand up to Russia in any military way. In that sense tough talk to Russia doesn't seem to mean much. It seems hollow and I suppose, as Mark S says, takes people to a place they don't really want to be.

I agree, though, with proposals to stop dirty Russian money, etc.

Well this is it - Labour would be the only ones who would be able to formulate policy that could 'hurt' Russian interests - they could freeze assets, seize Russian property from houses to businesses, they could pass policy to regulate contributions to political parties and press ownership. Stuff the Tories could never do.

#nationaliseChelseaFC

I just read this:
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2018/03/jeremy-corbyns-russia-stance-has-reopened-labours-wounds

On this basis, the Labour attacks on JC and Milne are outrageous.

“I think obviously the government has access to information and intelligence on this matter which others don’t; however, also there’s a history in relation to WMD and intelligence which is problematic to put it mildly,” Milne told lobby journalists outside the House of Commons chamber.

“So I think the right approach is to seek the evidence; to follow international treaties, particularly in relation to prohibited chemical weapons, because this was a chemical weapons attack, carried out on British soil. There are procedures that need to be followed in relation to that.”

In response, Chuka Umunna tweeted: “Have read the comments of the Leader of the Opposition’s spokesperson. Mr Milne’s comments do not represent the views of the majority of our voters, members or MPs. We’ll get abuse for saying so but where British lives have been put at risk it is important to be clear about this.”

Another Labour MP, Anna Turley declared: “I’m afraid Seumas doesn’t speak for my Labour or British values.”

This is Brass Eye stuff.

British values, that's why I vote Labour.

please somebody Novichok these cunts

I am watching the 6pm news and walkabout Theresa May has just - I can’t believe I’m writing this - given a fist bump to a young woman on a rope line. *HURL*

must be new dlc

She's obviously been told, "You screwed up Grenfell, make sure you don't fuck up this opportunity."

Eat your words, Stormzy.

We really need a Salisbury rapper to come along and tear off a strip off her...

She's really in her element (milking) situations like this. Get wheeled out to a nice safe(!!) Tory place where she won't be greeted by mobs of Waspi Women/Disabilty/Grenfell/anti-Austerity activists baying for her blood. A nice chance to briefly exhibit a thin veneer of strength and stability.

I wouldn’t go that far, what you could hear of her conversational style was Maybot 101.

it's quite reassuring to hear that tbh!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DYU3D_TXUAAZKnJ.jpg

when you think yr getting tankie putin but the real revolutionary threat lurks within

this makes it look like the Putin doll is subservient to henchman Corbz.

i like corbyn's double-down on this one

“Labour is of course no supporter of the Putin regime, its conservative authoritarianism, abuse of human rights or political and economic corruption,” he said.

“However, that does not mean we should resign ourselves to a ‘new cold war’ of escalating arms spending, proxy conflicts across the globe and a McCarthyite intolerance of dissent.”

can't argue with any of that

the huge difference between the response to this and, say, Grenfell where there must be a proper investigation and the bottom of things must be reached, whereas here strong leadership apparently means acting on the basis of uncertainties but claiming absolute clarity

https://i.imgur.com/ZYynQnK.jpg

what do you think was the question?

Stephen Kinnock doesn't seem to realise everyone is still laughing at him.

The Russian *experts* on Today earlier: Misha "McMafia" Glenny and Hitchens, talk about scraping the barrel! Although Hitchens broadly agrees with Corbyn's approach. .

why does Stephen Kinnock hate our freedoms?

Maybe he should go on hunger strike again to drum up more support.

can't decide if a lot of MPs weren't allowed Action Mans as kids or if they were

Whatever happened to Hilary "Winston" Benn btw?

his Syria air-strikes speech was "it", he didn't have a follow up speech to burnish his rep as a great leader.

https://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lizhq9vCt01qdk155.jpg

Benn is chair of the Brexit select committee and has done things like pressuring the government to release the impact assessments, he has been good in this role imo.

What did he do, threaten to bomb them?

Shouldn't be but really shocked to go to BBC News this morning and it's just a big pic of Corbyn and that this story is mostly all about him.

Meanwhile the Government does what he said they should do anyway...

when you think that he has no power or real role in this nonsense and has said no more than "kneejerkily following the dictats of the intelligence services is not a good look" it's pretty mindblowingly transparent

Corbyn made the story all about him, not anyone else.

how did he do that Fred, failure to shout "nuke Russia" quickly enough?

?

https://d2ffutrenqvap3.cloudfront.net/items/04361O10070j2D1o3I32/bbc_homepage.PNG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEHtbrQAxHc

oh it was failure to shout "Nuke Russia", i thought you were kidding

Fred can you fuck off back to America?

Lol the media has been inane about Corbyn ever since he entered the first leadership race. But why let lack of knowledge or context stop you offering your opinions here too?

so Freddy is with the D:Reamers on this?

If anybody it has been May that has been milking the situation for her own ends, and playing to the gallery rather than Corbyn.

Looked on my phone a couple of hours ago and Corbyn was the main pic - maybe it hadn't refreshed since last night tho.

Just to be on the safe side I do think the Russian Embassy should have their Twitter confiscated and be given their own show on LBC.

it changed around 10am

He screwed up the response. Went too much on the attack against government cuts, his spokesman insinuated that the government might be lying. And he is vulnerable on this subject, because his own opinions are nonsense: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/15/salisbury-attack-conflict-britain-cold-war (note there's nothing about government cuts in there, he knows that was a screwup)

His point is that the UK should avoid a 'drift to conflict', but most people would probably say when a group is spreading nerve gas in your cities, you're already in conflict. And while on the one hand he wants to avoid conflict, on the other hand he supports Magnitsky-like sanctions and financial reform, which of course would intensify the conflict. It's stupid and nonsensical. I'm sorry, but it's stupid on the face of it. No need for 'context' (and we get news stories about Britain in Denmark, I'm aware of the context)

so what's your suggested response? britain pulls up its britches and sends the tanks into moscow?

It was a vmic response and it changes nobody's opinions on him or the situation. Oh man how will he ever recover...

How about Magnitsky-like sanctions and financial reform, perhaps suspending RT license. Basically what he says he would, without posturing about how stupid the government and the intelligence service is, and how peace loving we all are compared to them.

https://i1.wp.com/gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/leaving-now-grandpa-simpsons.gif?ssl=1

without posturing about how stupid the government and the intelligence service is, and how peace loving we all are compared to them.

So none of that is true then?

how dare the leader of the opposition attack the government and our noble intelligence service. they are fucking hawks, when it suits.