Still, let’s consider the press offerings, however lame they are. The Sunday Times claims “Elphicke ‘asked lord chancellor for favour over husband’s trial’ … Defector MP wanted case moved to lessen publicity”. Looks like those all-important quotation marks are doing some rather heavy lifting there.
Over at the Mail on Sunday, we get “As Starmer faces backlash over Natalie Elphicke’s defection, another bombshell … TURNCOAT MP ASKED MINISTER TO PULL STRINGS FOR HUSBAND’S SEX ABUSE TRIAL”. TURNCOAT! TRAITAH!! Telling readers what to think once more, and remember, the Mail titles were the ones that refused to be persuaded of New Labour’s case back in 1997. They were Tory then, and will be next time.
So, predictably, we also get “The claims are likely to prove embarrassing for Sir Keir, a former Director of Public Prosecutions”. What the merry fuck has his time as DPP got to do with it? Over to the BBC: “Natalie Elphicke, the new Labour MP for Dover, has been accused of lobbying ministers over her then-husband Charlie's sexual assault case”. Yes? Yes yes? Yes yes yes?
“Ms Elphicke is accused of asking Sir Robert Buckland, the then Justice Secretary, to help move the date of the case, apparently to avoid publicity. A spokesman for Ms Elphicke, who defected from the Conservatives last week, said the claims were ‘nonsense’". And then the $64,000 question. “Labour questioned why they were not raised earlier”. I’ll bet they did.
Darren Guy was one of those not persuaded by the timing of this allegedly exclusive piece of allegedly investigative journalism. “Its amazing how the tory press ignored her while she was sitting on the ‘correct’ bench but turned on her the minute she was sitting on the ‘wrong’ bench. Makes you wonder what else they have on current tory MPs but are keeping quiet about it”.
Liz Gerard mused “Buckland and the Tories now have questions to answer. He may have acted properly, but they shielded her”, and John Crace was on the same page: “Curious that Robert Buckland didn’t remember Natalie Elphicke had lobbied him over her husband’s court case when she was still a Tory MP”. LBC host James O’Brien was yet more unimpressed.
“This is an incredible illustration of how completely bent the Tories are & how completely commonplace it is now. Here, they’re saying, is a ‘scandal’ we have kept secret for four years - please use it to attack Labour, who knew absolutely nothing about it”. The potential blowback for Buckland is worse.
If Ms Elphicke has broken the law, he has potentially broken it too - for covering up her alleged misbehaviour. And with the Tories 30 points behind Labour in the opinion polls to add to a shockingly bad series of local and Mayoral election results (plus another of those Parliamentary by-election upsets), all that an already weary electorate is going to see is yet more Tory Sleaze. The same thing that did for John Major all those years ago.
Crap politics, meet crap journalism. The electorate has stopped listening.
https://www.patreon.com/Timfenton
31 comments:
It's true corruption did for'' Major. As it did for Thatcher, Bliar/Brown, Cameron, May, Johnson, and Truss, and is doing for Sunak, and will do for Starmer/Reeves.
There are plenty of other candidates in Britain's rotten to the core Parliament.
Meanwhile, there's black comedy watching blue, red and yellow tories picknicking on each other.
Pity they've turned the country into a far right racist shithole though.
And one where the comma and the hyphen are evidently moribund, my old Tankie.
Having just had a few days elsewhere myself, could I suggest you get out more; preferably out of the country; and, best of all, to a genuine far-right, racist shithole where you will hopefully be afforded a warm reception and provided with a greater degree of political perspective?
Mrs Elphicke is denounced by Buckland and co.
No mention of Sir Roger Gale and Theresa Villiers who were sanctioned by the Commons for also pressing claims on rapist Elphicke's Judge. Both of whom remain sitting Tory MPs.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jul/21/tory-mps-suspended-for-trying-to-influence-judge-in-elphicke-case?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
I do remember dodgy ness being reported in some sections of the media wher her knickertampering hubby first came up for trial. But as usual it quickly got swept under carpet n no more said. The amazing thing for me is how thick the toadies and the gutter press think the average joe and Josetta is!
"so desperate is it to take its readers for mugs."
The comments said readers post proves they are.
'Ere, wot's orl vis abaht Elfick.
Sheez ded clever she iz. Joined the proper paytreeotik Tories she az, nah that Sewnak an co av gorn orl fackn commie. Gud owld Tommy Robberson an the gryte Nigle will join er soon.
I ad dat Jeremee Ant in the backer me cab once. Worra geezer, cudn stop grinnin an laffin at orl the pessents we past. Sed samming abaht Yewv Gorrit Cammin.
Gawd bless d'King an d'Prince an Princesser Wyles. Deyd piss the Perly King an Kween contest dey wud, an at no cost.
BBfB: I'm reminded of "Holiday in Cambodia" - I'd recommend Orban's Hungary.
Superb unintended comedy today from Nastzi Sunak and Quisling Starmer as they shouted far right Yahboo frighteners at each other.
The Nastzi spoke from the Fourth Reich propaganda unit at "Policy Exchange" and boasted - no, really - of "the achievements of the last 14 years". While the woodentop Quisling muttered the usual compliant weasel words...... still wearing the ludicrous glasses recently recommended by the Barbie PR agency. A tremendous comedy combo prop, quiff and glasses.
The script was of course the same old far right racist blue and red tory shite.
What a disgusting thing to write.
Oh dear, Balls, what nasty -ism have you found me guilty of now (his comment at 21.38 refers to mine at 16.28 above)?
I can assure you that I found it not at all 'disgusting to write' but it appears that, for God alone knows what reason, you found it 'disgusting' to read.
As you have prissy form in this regard, could I suggest that in future you regard my moniker as a trigger warning, go and read something else instead and thus avoid any more embarrassingly pearl-clutching posts like this?
Triple B, maybe some reflection on your end would ne nice fella.
Not all your words are velvet, some are more akin to manure. Cannot be avoided, so the best I can do is make clear I won't swallow it.
Very easy to avoid, in the way I suggested. If you don't want to have to swallow it's best not to open your mouth.
But still no attempt to justify that ridiculous comment I see.
If you think someone shouldn't criticise the country they live in, and wish fresh hell on them for doing so, and you need that explaining to you, then you're lost.
And I can only wish you well in being found.
The point I was making, which you seem incapable of grasping, was that someone who regularly describes this country, in characteristically juvenile Spart-ian terms, as a 'far-right, racist shithole' might benefit and gain a little perspective from spending some time in an *actual* country of that kind.
I would tentatively suggest that there is a distinction discernible by grown-ups, in the areas cited by our friend Anonymous, between, for all its obvious defects, this country and countries such as, for example, Hungary, or Poland, or India, or large areas of the US, or Israel, or, despite its aspirations, South Africa, or Russia; need I go on?
If you, like Anonymous in his tedious rantings, are unable to see that distinction, then your coarseness of analysis, like his, discredits the cause which you presumably purport to represent. Apart from it being plainly laughable.
(As for your 'wishing fresh hell' on him bit, don't be so bloody pathetic, man).
It'd help if the tedious fool showed some sense of proportion. But to that crybaby, everyone is "far right" in his tiny, deluded brain except for Corbyn - a man who condemned us to five more years of Johnson et al.
Bertie, I'd very much like to meet you for a picnic or something. I live in the south, but I have some time off.
You remind me of me 10 years ago. I know I needed a comforting voice,perhaps I could be yours?
Bertie, do me a favour and please put your name in the comments. You no longer have to ask for the Billpayer's permission
You can always rely on the Micawber Tendency to to score a comical own goal. All that's necessary is to wait for them to stop whining to the referee and the linesman. Their bullshit follows naturally.
Take this, "But look over there at those nasty forrins!" bucket of rotting xenophonbia. As if that lessens the far right racist shithole this country has become. That's the country denounced by a UN rappoteur for its far right policies. The country with a capital exposed as "the most corrupt in the world" by mafia expert Roberto Saviano. With "leaders" just as nasty as the "forrins", often a whole lot worse.....proper allies in dishonour.
All of which makes the Micawber Tendency as effective as a rabid moth.
12:46.
Read the Forde Report.
You'll see it was the far right racists in the "Labour" Legal And Governance Unit who deliberately got the blue tories back into Downing Street. Some of their emails can only be described as fascist. That's the gang later paid off by the Starmer Quisling.
That's the same Starmer Quisling who just welcomed far right racist Elphicke into the red tories.
Buyt don't let facts get in the way of your white flag waving.
If you want to look as though you're above said poster, then perhaps don't call them, a cry baby? I don't agree with their views either, but let's try pointing out why eh? As for Corbyn, wtf did he have to do with the UK public voting for Johnson? It wasn't Corbyn who pushed through the 'suicidal policy of supporting a second referendum' it was Starmer. It wasn't the left that undermined the party on the doorsteps, that indulged in ridiculing their own leader, it was the right. The same people that undermined, Brown, Ed, and were horrified by the idea of Labour actually being what it was established to be. What they wanted, and still want (so watch out Starmer) is Blair back as head honcho. Thus any leader, be they right (Brown), left (Corbyn) or centre (Ed) was for the chop. Don't believe it? Then I suggest actually reading what Blairs acolytes have to say. It's scary stuff.
I would tend to agree, but you're so constantly rude and condescending it dissipates the argument you make. 😉 As you'll know, from reading my posts, I don't accept the spart viewpoint either, although we are, sadly, heading in the direction of the places you mentioned. I'm sure you've noticed the govt busily restricting rights, and ramping up their attacks on the disabled, refugees, trans people, 'scoungers', which they wouldn't be doing if it didn't win votes. And all of which would make orban and putin proud. Of course, as they're bereft of ideas of their own, where does all this far right rhetoric and action come from? The USA, home of MAGA hat madmen, and the Christian right, and another place on your list. Keep up the good work..
Anonymous 14.46. Not guilty. The 'cry baby' post was not me. Ranting Anonymous regularly seems to imagine that I post anonymously, possibly convinced that no more than one person could ever disagree with him. But I don't.
Anonymous 14.59. Sorry to appear rude and condescending but Ranting Anonymous's relentlessly-grim, one-note bile seems to invite it. Maybe you haven't had to read/skip over his stuff as long as I have.
Ed Balls 11.53 I live in the South too but don't really feel the need to take up your kind offer of either the picnic or a comforting word. Maybe in 10 years.
Still, glad it worked for you.
PS Are you by chance a religious person?
Ed Balls 11.57 You seem to have no problem in addressing me by my name. Would you like me to use an alias instead?
The billpayer bit is lost on me I'm afraid. Was it a joke?
19:21.
The world against you.
Oh my aching sides.
I'm not religious Bertie, but you don't have to be to recognise the lost. It is my job after all.
Touch some grass as they say. I'm off for the weekend to a lovely place on the Cotswolds. I wish you well.
Thanks for the kind words and guidance, Ed. It must be great being able to divine people's state from a few lines on a blog. Like online CBT. My daughter's ex-boyfriend claimed to distance-heal people using crystals.
I'm ok for metaphorical grass at the moment, though, having just had a glorious week in Venice.
Enjoy the Cotswolds. Lovely area. But to my mind a bit like what God was supposed to have done when he created Paris. And then, to balance things up, created Parisians.
Don't get lost!
@BB from Bow I know the cry baby comment wasn't you. Never said it was. I was replying to the poster above. I think I need to take a leaf from your book and point to the time stamp.
As for being bombarded with repetitious rants, I worked with a spart at MAFF Guildford, and boy that record can get wearing. However, after years of using forums and the arrival of anti social media, I find sparts far less annoying than i did of old.
The ever growing (exponentially since 2016) army of puce faced angry right wingers, endlessly parroting an admixture of Qanon conspiracy theories, Trumpite bull, and diversionary lies from our feckless govt, leaves the spart brigade flailing in their wake.
Besides which no spart has ever threatened to attack me, my wife and children, for daring to suggest Nigel Farage may just have knowingly misled people, and that, no, refugees are not here to 'start the jihad'.
So, they do have at least that as a saving grace..
12:46.
Too many barrow boys in Venice:
https://www.foreignaffairsreview.com/home/sinking-or-sailing-venices-overtourism-dilemma-and-the-search-for-solutions
Thanks Bert, it was lovely thanks.
Must admit, I'm a tad confused at your description of those people in the Cotswolds. I've always found them to be lovely people, this weekend being no exception. Maybe it is because I am spending money.
That said, my dad gave me advice once. He said that if you meet people you dislike once a day, you're a tad unlucky. If you meet people you dislike all day every day, well...you can fill in the rest.
Glad you enjoyed it and didn't get lost again, Ed.
And thanks for the implied concern (again) in your dad quote.
The people I had in mind, though, were the types who emerge from the woods as you pass, red of trouser and Purdey of weaponry. Though I'm sure that, after therapy, I could come to believe that, once you get past the privilege and bloodlust, they're not 'types' at all but lovely people.
To clarify Bertie, because you refuse to meet face to face I need to clarify here, I have never been lost physically. My one virtue is I seem to know directions quite well.
I was lost emotionally and I have to take your word for it that you are not. But, though the signs are there, I trust your judgement in this matter.
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