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

Every time I read something by Louis Allday I want to link to that 'Anti-Imperialism of Idiots' article again and again and again.

here it actually is: https://leilashami.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/the-anti-imperialism-of-idiots/

there's no way I'm going to read allday denouncing mason or jones again, but I didn't find reading this polemic against grand narratives from someone who wrote a book with robin 'corbyn is a stalinist/putinist/assadist worm who should be put to sleep' yassin-kassab v edifying either. I don't think ppl on either side of the regime change issue have a monopoly on placing grand narratives over lived realities, supporting brutal regimes in far off countries, or peddling racism, conspiracy theories and atrocity denial

Boris to be investigated by a Tory party panel. The 1.5d chess view would be that losing the whip and being ineligible for this year's leadership challenge would probably be a good thing for him.

can't wait to find out whether there's a place for racist cunts in the Tory party

Baroness Warsi found out that certain types of Asian MPs (i.e. ones that stfu about Tory Islamophobia) are tolerated, but not her type.

Source close to Boris Johnson: “The world has gone mad. Or specifically the people at Matthew Parker Street (Conservative Central Office) have gone mad. They and Number 10 would be very, very wise to calm this down very, very quickly.”

— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) August 9, 2018

BJ is like 2 steps from going full Mosley

You can just smell the desperation coming off him.

i expect a glowing Channel 4 documentary will be next

That statement looks like a threat.

Can see them working on an update to that Boris doc just about now.xp

These Fuckers

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/09/revealed-detail-of-exclusive-russian-deal-offered-to-arron-banks-in-brexit-run-up

Atkinson wrote in a letter to The Times: “As a lifelong beneficiary of the freedom to make jokes about religion, I do think that Boris Johnson’s joke about wearers of the burka resembling letterboxes is a pretty good one.” Describing it as an almost perfect visual simile, he added: “All jokes about religion cause offence, so it’s pointless apologising for them. You should really only apologise for a bad joke. On that basis, no apology is required."

I assume that was Ron Atkinson?

Idly wondering if there some taxonomy of which papers call him a Blackadder star vs Mr Bean.

Whatever the exact opposite of a surprise is:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/aug/09/britains-richest-man-to-leave-uk-for-tax-free-monaco

Sorry for a link to the Express, and sorry for a link to the Express very slightly rewriting a Telegraph story, but I thought it worth noting as one of the very occasional times when you feel a stab of sympathy for May.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1001590/Brexit-news-EU-leaders-compromise-deal-Theresa-May-free-movement

may has sent messages to irish govt asking them to stop taking the border so srsly pls

great diplomacy at work

As a lifelong beneficiary of the freedom to make jokes about religion white privilege

Fixed.

BJ is like 2 steps from going full Mosley

swear to god i read that 'going full Morrissey'

Yeah he's not that extreme just yet.

Atkinson has made some funny programmes in the past. It is odd that he sees BJ's comments as 'good jokes'. I think they are not really jokes at all - leaving aside the offence they have caused.

"Ratcliffe was ranked the UK’s richest person in May after he contacted the editor of the Sunday Times rich list to complain that his wealth had been drastically underestimated."

"Ratcliffe’s preferred superyacht, Hampshire II, features a “beach club”, and a helicopter pad that can be converted into a playing field for ball games. Guests can zip-wire from the crows’ nest down into the sea."

how does that work? how does he tether the other end?

this is probably why he's worth bns

Ratcliffe & Maconie

Reflecting on BJ's offence.

I think part of it comes down to how he is a person who has never been properly challenged about anything - his life has been easy - he has never had to challenge any preconceptions - never had to 'put himself in another's shoes', 'see himself as others see him', or even just be humble or reflective about anything.

OK, that's lucky - nice work if you can get it - keep it to yourself.

The thing not to do, then, is lecture others, tell them that they must conform to your very limited world.

It seems wrong that a person like that should tell others that he doesn't like what they do; imply that they should change. He has never considered changing himself. He has never really considered why others might act and think differently from him.

He doesn't seem like someone who has earned the right to an opinion about others.

so you're saying he's a rich guy

guys you're missing the big issue

Del Boy would have 'BACKED BREXIT' claims Only Fools and Horses star Sir David Jason

new footage of brexit:
https://i.makeagif.com/media/9-19-2015/hQvMmH.gif

(tbf to jason that may actually be his point)

i think he's v wrong about Del but perhaps Mr Bean has already proved the point on the political smarts of comedy actors

all comedy is bad

(except ilxor flamewars)

almost completely true

Myles na gCopaleen, King of the Hill and The Larry Sanders Show are good not bad but beyond that I accept your premise

Seinfeld, Simpsons seasons 3-9, Columbo

now we are become lex, the destroyer of lols

xp also otm

It’s an old (and bad) joke. The response to it seems really unnatural to me - though I’m not sure what anyone’s motives are. It was a terrible thing to say, but pretty low down on stuff he’s said. It seems like a distraction, but I don’t know what from.

I remember the letterbox thing coming up in columns by old (and bad) racist Julie burchill

Silly season?

it's a terrible thing to say but everybody seems fine repeating it, ffs.

and it's obvious BJ means niqab when he's saying burka.

probably not obvious to him tbf (or any of the other fuckwits who get exercised over the issue)

meanwhile, in 'jk rowling sucks' news

from the woman who created a race of secretive banking goblins https://t.co/6rlwliluQP

— raw milk truther (@dentristcad) August 9, 2018

New poll, 10 years on from Your favourite Tory

Viva hate: the worst Tory big beast

Brokenshire was given quite a rough ride on Today (by their shit standards) by Justin Webb over this hundred mill they've just found to alleviate their own homelessness epidemic by 2027 (bit of an earworm), which is obv a very "complex" issue, and nothing to do with housing benefit cuts, UC sanctions regime... etc. Interesting that Webb mentioned there are further housing benefit cuts to come to social housing as well, which will mean more evictions. The only realistic way they will end it by 2027 with a paltry hundred mill, will be by sending armed outreach workers onto the streets, rounding them up for the Soylent Green transports!

'Classy' - ITV

If you’re not going to answer questions this is the classy way to do it. https://t.co/T9sf3MRXRa

— Carl Dinnen (@carldinnen) August 12, 2018

I realize that the video is increasingly familiar, and unpleasant; I just note the fact that ITV's political correspondent comments on it this way.

Not convinced by this either. JC is always nice to people at least until they are nasty to him.

It would be a classy thing to do. But the best we usually get there is heavy sarcasm. Which from his point of view is a shame. https://t.co/QV3We3oRmu

— Carl Dinnen (@carldinnen) August 13, 2018

Thinking about BJ yet again -- his 'no comment' stance is part of his bold 'refusal to apologise'.

But no -- wait -- his column was, as it presumably always is, about boldly speaking his mind, sounding off, being himself. The fact that he is now reduced to (in effect) 'no comment' on the very issue that he was proud to sound off about, is itself a kind of defeat.

It's as though his column had been blank or had said 'I'm afraid I'm not going to comment on this issue as it might be controversial'. No longer being prepared to follow through and defend the same, supposedly strongly held, position invalidates the status that he has sought as a fearless maverick and shaper of public opinion.

Or, he prefers to get paid for his 'pinions

About £4800 per column, as it goes. After two or three weeks he’d have enough cash to pay for the moob reduction he so desperately needs.

good to have an estimate on that :(