hellothere

@hellothere@sh.itjust.works

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Council removes almost 1,000 flags from Derby streets⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

  You’re getting into silly reductionism now.

  To an extent, but, it’s only silly because of where you draw the line compared to where someone else might.

  Going back to the ref results, the borders in general had some of the highest No votes. Border psychology is a fascinating thing, and what you usually see in countries with adversarial relationships is an increasing level of self-identification and expressed difference, rather than less. People in Hawick not wanting to lynch every bastard from Otterburn is - internationally speaking - a rarity.

  I guess my point overall is that Westminster absolutely need reform, FPTP needs to be fucked off, as do the Lords, and we need to move to a much more federalist system with substantial devolution. A Union of Equals would also mean that English regions get the same levels of devolution, and if we did that on population there would be 10 of those, plus Wales and NI.

  But I think we also need to seriously pay attention to the lessons we’ve learnt from Brexit. Barriers to trade are a fucking nightmare. As are trade negotiations. The majority of Scotland’s total trade is to rUK, much like how the UK’s trade was to EU. In a dynamic where you’re the smaller market exporting to a larger market, you’re in a weaker negotiating position. Political, maybe spiteful, reasons give the other block reasons to drag their feet. Disentangling laws over 50 years take forever, 400 even more so.

  I sincerely don’t believe that independence meaningfully improves Scotland’s position or abilities in the world. Let’s assume an independent Scotland is allowed to immediately rejoin the EU, by pretty much any measure it would be in the middle of the pack, around the same position as Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, that sorta thing.

  Have a look at EU policy, what is decided, even with a more (but still pretty bad) proportional system, where money is spent, who has the most influence, etc, and I don’t see how that would be a meaningful improvement.

  But that’s just where I draw my particular line - give me a federal UK within a federal EU, and I’d be content.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Council removes almost 1,000 flags from Derby streets⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

  Christ alive.

  I completely agree my home town is fucked, it’s part of the reason I left. My point re Barnett is that Holyrood gets additional money from Westminster for all the cash it spaffs in London, while the bit a few miles south of the border I now live in doesn’t and has all the same problems.

  I’m a massive supporter of devolution and local decision making, and a lot more powers - especially tax raising - do need to be devolved.

  Yes a lot has changed since 2014, but where you are drawing the lines on the map to decide whether something is ours or theirs is something to consider.

  It’s clear that you think an independent Scotland would benefit from oil wealth - I’d agree, if for no other reason than I can’t see Holyrood selling off the drilling rights to their executive mates in BP and Shell - but if the central belt votes for independence, and everywhere else doesn’t, but due to population distribution the overall vote is Yes…well, then what?

  Is that self determination?

  Or is the same madness we saw with brexit, of majority rule forcing everyone else to follow them?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Council removes almost 1,000 flags from Derby streets⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

  Am not a yank.

  For my sins I live a bit south of the border, and Aberdeen before that.

  Thanks for proving the emotive part of my point though.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Council removes almost 1,000 flags from Derby streets⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

  Scots Independence is a nationalistic endevour, it’s pushed on an us and them basis with the usual strength and weakness contradictions and ahistorical myth making.

  Westminster is fucked, absolutely, and the current system does not work for anyone outside of south east England and London. But imagining that a unified Scotland even existed pre-1603 is something my Isles ancestors would dispute rather strongly, especially if insisted on by lowlanders.

  We should be proud of our history, there is nothing wrong with that, but pretending that there is any genuine factual case based in history, economics, political structure, or anything other than emotion, is foolish.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Council removes almost 1,000 flags from Derby streets⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

  Nationalism is still nationalism.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Three prisoners charged with murder of child killer Kyle Bevan⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I agree the bloke is awful, and his actions reprehensible.

  But you do get how you’ve, literally, had to dehumanise him to justify your view, yeah?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Head of UK’s largest union says she doesn’t know if Starmer will remain Labour leader⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Look, I’m not happy with what Starmer and Co have done so far in aggregate, but the PLP would be signing it’s own death warrant if they engaged in the type or psychodrama which the Tories did over the last 5 years.

  A good amount of MPs already know they will likely lose their seats in 2029, but trying to accelerate that is not in their interest.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Man sent to France under ‘one in, one out’ scheme returns to UK on small boat⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  King. Shit.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I completely agree with not wanting the UK to be China.

  But I do see these as separate things - the same issues you describe could be done with driving licences, if someone was mad enough to try.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I honestly don’t get the resistance to a standard ID card.

  We already have passports, driving licences, and national insurance as work arounds to prove identity, so in and of itself I don’t get why a proper one is a problem.

  I’ve literally had to carry a driving licence for over two decades just to get a beer.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Elon Musk tells Tommy Robinson protest ‘violence is coming’ in call for change in UK government⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Clear cut incitement of violence, time to ban his companies outright.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Investigation reveals Starmer's general secretary's marriage to Israeli arms lobbyist⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I wonder if the canary realise that they are making the same argument here as was made to not give women the vote. Namely, that a married couple will have the same views.

  Granted, I do struggle to see how anyone could be married to a lobbist - let alone for arms - but association is not proof of a view.

  Is there a risk? Sure, and it needs to be recorded as a potential conflict of interests and managed correctly - and, again, given all the other dumb shit that has happened this week I am sceptical that that has happened - but the assertion being made here is not a good look, at best, and arguably misogynistic at worst.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Assisted dying bill is a ‘licence to kill’, Theresa May says⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  So, she’s in favour?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Left unable even to get into deputy leader contest proves Labour is dead⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  There are many, many, things you can criticise Labour under Starmer for, but “neo-Tatcherite” is laughable and about the level of political insight as I’d expect from the canary.

  Last I checked Maggie didn’t nationalise rail companies, or increase workers rights, or a mass house building programme, or make targeted invest in the north, or have an industrial policy, or put billions in to renewable. In fact, come to think of it, she did the exact opposite of every one of these things.

  Am I happy with Labour right now? No. But not everything short of fully seizing the means of production is Thatcherite, and to pretend it is gives the dead bitch far too much credit.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨British soldiers still paying for sex in Kenya despite ban⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  If I was a smart man I’d be able to construct a discharge joke, but I’m finding it rather hard.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Half-a-million members sign up to new left-wing party founded in Britain⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Please re-read my comments, you’ll see what I’ve written is not what you’re claiming it is.

  I’m always happy to talk about routes of how we get to a better place, but if you’re just wanting to argue then I’ll pass.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Half-a-million members sign up to new left-wing party founded in Britain⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  So an independent investigation into our current involvement in Gaza isn’t currently achievable for what reason? What part of a better world are we missing, where a supposedly democratic nation, can’t carry out an independent check on it’s public offices?

  I am continuing to talk about Labour’s manifestos, their electoral results in 2017, 2019, and 2024, and how it’s a frustrating reality that a) you can’t change anything if you aren’t in power, and b) getting in to power requires adjusting the offering based on what is currently possible.

  Pot. Kettle.

  I know you know this, but actually doing something that has an impact is not virtue signalling. We fed over 8k people last year, and that’s much more helpful to the working class than failing to get elected.

  If purity is the reason you do nothing, instead of something, then you’re part of the problem.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Half-a-million members sign up to new left-wing party founded in Britain⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  There will always be tension between where ideology, and hopes of a better world, meet with what is currently achievable.

  What is achievable depends on load of factors; what technology exists, how wealth is concentrated, how divided people are, etc etc.

  It’s the 1500+ days between elections that we must work to shift these factors closer towards where we want to be, so people support policies rather than reject them.

  I’d love to be in a situation where overnight everyone realised it’s the ultra rich that are the problem, and band together to peacefully redistribute based on nerd. But that isn’t where we are.

  I refuse to have the blood of innocent children on my hands

  This is just pure virtue signaling. The idea that by purposefully throwing away your vote is somehow morally better than voting once every 5 years for the lesser of two evils is asinine in the extreme.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Half-a-million members sign up to new left-wing party founded in Britain⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  that it caused people such as yourself to act against your own interests.

  Continuing to vote for someone who lost two elections - regardless of how “fair” the other side fought is much more against my interests.

  Tell me, do you still think ousting Corbyn was the right move?

  I think any leader losing two elections is grounds of them to step down.

  Were there unsubstantiated claims? Yes, absolutely.

  But the report was not about those, it was about the ones that were proven to have happened. Replying to that report by bringing up unproven cases is very #notallmen energy.

  Are we in a better position now under Kiers labour?

  Better than under the Tories? Absolutely. I’m a trustee of a local foodbank, since July this is our first 12 month period ever where usage has reduced. That is directly related to increases in UC, the minimum wage, and DWP being moved to be helping people access benefits instead of finding any excuse to sanction them.

  Is it better than what Corbyn campaigned on in 2017 or 2019? No, it’s not.

  But actual improvements are better for those people who would otherwise be literally starving, compared to hypothetical alt futures.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Half-a-million members sign up to new left-wing party founded in Britain⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  but instead he was smeared and the party showed its true colours by jumping at the opportunity to oust him

  Now then, I voted for Corbyn for leader twice. But his statement after the report in to antisemitism came out was of his own doing. He was asked to remove a single sentence - about it being overblown by fake reports, even though was exclusively regarding substantiated instances - and refused to.

  We really need to stop with this faux persecution narrative. Policywise he was great, but at literally everything else he failed, and often by his own actions.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Half-a-million members sign up to new left-wing party founded in Britain⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens here, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, registering for a mailing list isn’t joining a party.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Barclays Joins Wall Street-Led Exodus From Net-Zero Alliance⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Cowards.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Music venues subject to noise complaints to get ‘greater protection’⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Great news.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Man told fake Russian spies he had ‘useful’ information on Grant Shapps, jury hears⁩ ⁨⁨6⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  But what about Michael Green?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Why, just why?⁩ ⁨⁨6⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I mean, there’s a whole bunch of reasons, but I don’t think it’s simply stupidity.

  Some people didn’t learn the critical thinking skills you have, some may well have “lost their job to an immigrant” (and not realise that it was actually their boss that took it). Some are scared of change, some are suspicious of “outsiders” and haven’t actually met any, and when they do realise everyone is just people.

  And some are just dirty fucking racists, and they are absolutely stupid.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Why, just why?⁩ ⁨⁨6⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Presuming you’re asking in good faith…

  Because working class - read: poor and routinely fucked over - people have been repeatedly lied to that the reason they must remaining living in poverty and dying young is because of people receiving £49.18 per week.

  Not the bosses, landlords, or billionaires, to whom 49 quid is a cheap lunch.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Fly-tippers’ vehicles to be crushed in bid to save England from ‘avalanche of rubbish’⁩ ⁨⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I mean, this is so over the top, but I kinda love it as an idea.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨"Reach" news websites⁩ ⁨⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  There are nearly eight dozen of us!

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨"Reach" news websites⁩ ⁨⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Sorry, but you appear to have made the same typo a few times.

  It’s spelt Retch.

  Hope that helps!

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨AI-based automation of jobs could increase inequality in UK, report says⁩ ⁨⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  As the trainer said to the bear.