Next Monday will bring more easing of Covid-19 restrictions, with yet more relaxation of the rules slated for late June. Economic recovery can then begin in earnest. To assist in this process, alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson and his pals have decided to bring forward legislation that, er, is totally unnecessary.
Look Uncle Arthur, I'm in the news again!
This, in turn, is being enthusiastically promoted by the right-leaning part of our free and fearless press, so it should surprise no-one that the Murdoch
Times has today splashed on “
New laws to protect University free speech”. FREEZE PEACH! FREEZE PEACH!! So
what is the problem regarding freedom of speech? Did someone take it away?
“
Government calls time on student cancel culture in state opening of Parliament”. Ah, the old circular argument ploy. Someone invents something called “
cancel culture”, so then something must be done about it. But Phil Baty of Times Higher Education has reminded us “
latest OfS figures for the university sector in England show that of 59,574 events organised with an external speaker, 53 were not approved. Yes, that's 0.09% of events”.
Moreover, there is a difference between “
free speech” and any right to be given a platform, which no-one has. Universities, or other organisations, that choose not to offer a platform to potential speakers are exercising freedom of choice. Worse, the measures, to be brought forward by Gavin “
stupid boy” Williamson,
will also include measures for social media companies to “
safeguard freedom of expression”. Which will be done how?
“
Companies such as Facebook and Twitter must provide ‘routes of appeal’ if their messages are removed”. Two things here.
One, Facebook and Twitter already have an appeals process, and
Two, they also have Ts and Cs which they are free to enforce.
Smirktastic, legislation fans!
And from one over-promoted minister to another,
we have the proposal to require photo ID in order to cast a vote, the handiwork of Priti Patel, inexplicably elevated to Home Secretary. Again, two things here.
One, there have been fewer in-person vote fraud cases recently than investigations into Bozo’s potential misconduct. And
Two, those without photo ID (like a driving licence or passport) mostly vote Labour.
As
Private Eye magazine might have put it, I wonder if the two are somehow related? I think we should be told. Meanwhile, something that really would benefit the hoped-for economic recovery
has just been rejected by “
Lord” Frost, our Brexit minister. Upcoming tougher border checks could be mostly eliminated by aligning with EU food standards.
This chart (c) FT
However, “
Diplomatic sources say that the UK has ruled out the most helpful option of aligning food standards with those of the EU … This could have seen a reduction of about 90% of documentary checks and 98% of physical checks conducted at the border, according to recent select committee evidence”. This will make implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol - a Bozo “
solution” - that much more difficult.
Once again, the Tories and their press pals are distracting the public with the pretence that their FREEZE PEACH is under attack (it isn’t) and that there is voter fraud widespread enough to warrant legislation (there isn’t), while potentially hobbling economic recovery.
And when it all fouls up, it will be someone else’s fault.
No change there, then.
6 comments:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3613116/Ask-to-see-my-ID-card-and-Ill-eat-it.html
Guess who wrote this article 17 years ago.
Redraw the voting districts. Make it more difficult for those who won't vote for you to vote at all. Threaten academic freedoms (for students and faculty). Make public protest more difficult, or even impossible. Wave The Flag and blame it all on foreigners.
Georgia Republicans? No, English Tories. They have learned well, haven't they?
In that case, can we see the Sun, Express, Telegraph and Mail be forced to carry explicitly left of centre content? Can they be made to carry anti-Brexit opinion on their front pages?
“If I am ever asked, on the streets of London, or in any other venue, public or private, to produce my ID card as evidence that I am who I say I am, when I have done nothing wrong and when I am simply ambling along and breathing God's fresh air like any other freeborn Englishman, then I will take that card out of my wallet and physically eat it in the presence of whatever emanation of the state has demanded that I produce it.”
- Bloody Stupid Johnson in 2004. Want fries with that, Prime Minister?
And yet Keef Starmer is unable to land a glove on these guys, as he backs them all the way !
And the public were conned by Sir Quisling that the grown ups are back in charge and would be 20 pts ahead ..
Silly billies, forgot people want to know what you believe in ..not fluff, not dead cats nor blame the other guy.
Sadly our political establishment would rather waste time and money on dead catting just to keep Johnson's shenigans off the front pages of the S***, Mail & Daily Diana.
"Moreover, there is a difference between “free speech” and any right to be given a platform, which no-one has."
The right to free speech means nothing without the right also to a platform. We have free speech so good ideas can drive out bad ones; so you can convince your fellow men of your point of view. But that is all pretty meaningless if you can say what you like - but only in your own house, in a whisper, with the doors locked, the curtains closed and the bedclothes pulled over your head. If you genuinely believe in free speech you must believe in the right of someone to pitch their ideas *at other people*.
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