Questions Of The Day (Politics)

[Wile E. Coyote]

I really would doubt that Sadiq is any more a Muslim than Lee is a Christian, or Rishi is a Hindu.

It's mainly a case of weddings and funerals, and the odd festival.

It most probably doesn't define them in the way that Blair wanted his Christianity to, but gave up on. CF Tim Fallon.

At least that is my impression.

Who really knows?

[Mick Harper]

Biden beat Trump in 2020 but it looks like Trump will beat Biden in 2024. They can't have a best-of-three in 2028 because Trump will have served his two terms. But Biden won't so he'll have a clear run against some lesser opponent. But sorry, Joe, you'll have to sit 2032 out 'cos you'll have done your eight stretch by then as well. Unless you've got a son. That could be a runner, with you pulling the strings.

[Wile E. Coyote]

[Mick Harper]

Could you spell that out for us duffers, Wiley. If there's only the two of them doesn't it go down to the Electoral College, with one of them by definition beating the other. Unless there's a tie, is that it? Or are you anticipating a Trump victory and Biden doing a Trump? Then it will be all down to Kamala as pro tem leader of the Senate to sort it. Yes, I see what you mean.

[Wile E. Coyote]

It is a two horse race in Iran to choose Members of Parliament and Members of the Assembly of Experts, who are responsible for appointing, dismissing, and overseeing Iran's Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is now approaching age 85), the country's most powerful figure and commander-in-chief.

Will it be the Conservatives? Or.... "None of the candidates above?"

The problem for reformists is that the good folks that vet candidates have only allowed 30 reformists to stand for the 290 seats.

The problem for Conservatives is that only about 25% of the population support their candidates, so you need very thorough vetting to win and, when you do, the low turn out, 30-40%, looks a tad suspicious.

This is a similar problem to American Democrats, you stop someone standing (Iran has stopped 4 former presidents) and it just leads to you becoming more unpopular, and more protests, and a possible boycott of the poll.

[Mick Harper]

Al-Jazeera (or Channel 4 News who have unexpectedly shifted their operations to Iran for the duration) is predicting that the announced turn-out will be just slightly more than the 47% of last time, thereby proving the election is not only legitimate but things are improving. In the good old days, when liberal mullahs were allowed to run -- or even illiberal but independent figures like Ahmadinejad -- it was regularly 65% plus.

Some great comedy was provided by news that the authorities were constantly extending the time the polling booths were going to stay open (they'd got to the third time and midnight before we went back to the studio). This is usually because of an unexpected surge causing queues but I presume on this occasion was to allow the Revolutionary Guard to round people up off the streets, not to order them to wear their hijab or else, but to go and vote or else.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Hurrah, Nikki has taken the capital. This is the second time since Jan 6th 2021, that Donald has failed to capture Washington. They really should call off the contest now, and just give it to Haley.

[Mick Harper]

[Mick Harper]

The Tories will have to give ten million pounds back to their top donor, according to everyone except the Tory party. Who is he and why do they have to? Some geezer nobody's ever heard of who's been outed as a racist and sexist swine. Oh God, what's he done now whoever he is. Well, nothing at all but many years ago when addressing some people in his company he said he was fed up to the back teeth with Dianne Abbot and she should be shot.

I hardly think he should be rewarded for such behaviour by being given ten million pounds, do you?

[Wile E. Coyote]

If he had been a football fan, everyone would have agreed it was unacceptable.

Robert Garland, 44, of Croydon, made a racial gesture after Son Heung-min, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, when Son was substituted in the 89th minute against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on 6 May, 2023.

Garland pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on 25 August 2023. He was given a £1,384 fine and ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work, as well as £85 costs.

Spurs and the Met felt this was too lenient.

Garland was later banned from attending any regulated football match for three years.

Garland's mistake was to be part of a crowd, mob, watching the beautiful game.........

The idea that considered remarks by a company boss about a politician should be met with the same sort of punishment as a football fan, is ludicrous. It suddenly becomes a case of:

[Mick Harper]

I'll put up the full Medium story since it covers some other areas that I think important, including a response

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Tory in sexist, racist rant outrage
So what’s new?

The Tories are stuffing their campaigning boots with cash for the upcoming election, and they’re not choosy where the spondoolicks come from. But they have to be a bit careful all the same. For example, having a leader who is the son-in-law of the world’s richest man (or up there anyway) will do them no good. Pops is not a British citizen so his money can’t be touched, that’s the rules. He’ll just have to take the kids to Chessington World of Adventure like the rest of us.

So Conservative Central Office has turned to Frank Hester, who is not quite so rich but is native, born and bred (albeit in Yorkshire). He was good for ten million pounds which in madcap, cheapskate Britain pays for a whole general election. Or will it?

Everyone and his dog is demanding the Tories give it straight back. ‘Tainted money.’ Not so much the money as the man. Frank Hester has been outed as a racist and a sexist. As it happens I’m a bit of an expert on this. Only yesterday I was rebuked by those nice people at medium.com for being racist and sexist so I know what I’m talking about.

But what did this Hester chap do? Well, five years ago he told a gathering of his workforce that Diane Abbott made you want to hate all black women and should be shot. I ought to explain for the benefit of those outside the Westminster bubble that Ms Abbott is an outspoken long-time Member of Parliament who is (a) very left wing and (b) currently suspended from the Labour Party for being anti-Semitic. I should also make clear to anyone living in an English-speaking gun culture that when we say ‘They should be taken out and shot’ we generally mean it metaphorically.

So where do I stand on the brouhaha? I’m not concerned about the Tories. They’re going to lose the election by epic proportions even if they have the IMF backing them. No, I’m concerned with Frankie boy getting his money back. Do we really want to reward a known racist and sexist to the tune of ten million pounds? If so, I wouldn’t mind a slice of that action.
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[Wile E. Coyote]

It is a case of "pecunia non olet", so there is no need to return it, or keep it. I couldn't give a coin toss about its return or not. If he has committed a crime he should pay his £1000 fine and do his 60 hours community service.

[Grant]

Sunak is so useless he has achieved what was thought to be a complete impossibility: to make the British public feel sorry for Diane Abbott.

And the speaker is just as crap at his job. There is a long debate about one of the longest-serving ladies of the house. She's sitting there, aching to be called, and he ignores her. She's a woman, and she's black. And he can't see her.

This country has gone beyond parody

[Mick Harper]

I have just posted up on Medium about this

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We need a new Speaker, are you man enough for the job? Just fill in this form

The governing party (to your right) is being financed by someone who is recommending a prominent member of the opposition (to your left) be shot. Select your proposed actions from the following:

A. Order the miscreant to be arrested by the sergeant-at-arms, acting in conjunction with the civil power, for abuse of Parliamentary privilege and the criminal offence of uttering threats likely to cause actual bodily harm.

B. Order an emergency debate in the chamber and call members to speak on the basis of their knowledge of, responsibility for and interest in the matter for debate, e.g. the Leader of the House, the Treasurer of the Conservative party, the MP who has been threatened etc etc

C. Order an emergency debate in the chamber and call members to speak on the basis of who is jumping up and down most, waving their order papers around and generally attempting ‘to catch the Speaker’s eye', but resolutely avoid the Leader of the House, the Treasurer of the Conservative party, the MP who has been threatened etc etc

D. Do nothing. It was five years ago, before the geezer was a donor to anything beyond his local Rotarians, and he was only joking. You can’t for the life of you see what all the fuss is about.

If you selected C you’re in with a shout.

[Hatty]