General British politics discussion thread

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120346705#Comment_120346705

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120346707#Comment_120346707

Because it is not part of the series. It was announced initially as a five part series and that is what they are broadcasting.

BBC did not need to option it at all. I'm glad they did. But you could equally ask why they moved BBC3/4 to online only. Its not part of some conspiracy.

They have utterly screwed up the Lineker situation and have undue influence from the current govt and their governing board is not fit for purpose. That is enough. It is not necessary to make things up to attack them over - the entire point here should be that the truth is what matters.

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343987#Comment_120343987

Oh I'm pro Tory now. I'm Irish and don't vote nor care who is in government in Britain.

But it is heartwarming how many Irish people have such strong devotion to Gary Lineker and the BBC.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347345#Comment_120347345

Bullsht. You are constantly on here defending the Tories so even if you don't vote for them at least have some respect for yourself and own your allegiance.

And don't bother with the pathetic over used tactic of trying to shame the Irish for having an interest in the UK when it suits you.

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347408#Comment_120347408

I haven't defended anything. I said that his point could have been made without the German reference.

You lot have got outraged as usual over an English drama.

Hermy

How could he liken some of the rhetoric coming from his government to 1930’s Germany without the German reference?

Tom Mann Centuria

Just a by the by regarding the Attenborough series, the BBC initially listed it as 6, not 5 episodes in one of their online sites. Didn't explicitly say all episodes were due to be broadcast on tv, but also doesn't mention anything at all about one episode supposedly being online only.

https://twitter.com/BillNeelyReport/status/1634567023865868295?t=h6PdXA0hCj8erUSAObiVDg&s=19

The BBC have been a lovely distraction from the actual politics so I'm sure the Tories are quite happy with that.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347483#Comment_120347483

Stay away from the British politics thread then if you are so upset by Irish people talking about England.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347345#Comment_120347345

If you don't care who is in government in Britain, why are you taking part in a discussion on British politics?

As for Lineker, I don't care about him. I do care about a government who are have adopted an approach towards migrants that is as Lineker described including what looks to be controlling the media

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347483#Comment_120347483

You lot have got outraged as usual over an English drama.

I find this site a bit "schizophrenic" when it comes to British politics.

Across the whole scope of the site you will see many many of the problems of this country (Ireland) country being blamed on the (Irish) government immigration policy.

The main take is being that they are letting too many in and it's causing the housing crises, and overcrowding in health, and increases in crime etc etc.

And that these people who arrive without documents seeking refuge should be turned around immediately and dropped as far away as possible.

And how RTE never say a bad thing about government policy on immigration etc.

But when the British government make the news with a new immigration policy or such like it's suddenly all "evil Tory" this and "evil Tory" that, and the BBC who are in the pocket of the Tories etc

There are many on this site, and in this country that would love a Suella Braverman.

And don't get me started on people's attitudes to travelers.

mattser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348132#Comment_120348132

Great post. Sums up the anti brit hypocrites on here perfectly.

peter kern

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347345#Comment_120347345

this one is funny, posting in a thread where one tells others, its of no interest to post in that thread ....

you say you totally agree with what he says but dont like one word, how would you have said it then, i wonder.

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347805#Comment_120347805

I didn't say I don't care. I find it interesting of course as we're all interested in these kinds of dramas.

But I've had to endure several posts shouting me down as some Tory supporter.

I'm trying to remind those here that we're just here for a bit of banter - English drama happens all the time.

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348132#Comment_120348132

Yeah I have met people in real life who have said The Tories are terrible and racist, but then on our immigrants issue, they've said we should introduce a cap and not allow any more in as we don't have the space.

Christy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348177#Comment_120348177

Ah yeah different people having different opinions is a sign of hypocrites. Strongly suspect that those who are protesting immigration here are not the ones defending Linekar. Just because some in the country/site want a Suella Braverman does not mean that everyone does.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348200#Comment_120348200

Ok I apologise. You are not a Tory supporter and it is purely coincidental that your views align with them and your defence of their policies and or criticisms of theirbopponents is also purely coincidental.

CelticRambler

What I find most amusing about all of this is the reaction on this "General British politics" thread of so many non-regular contributors to a story about a footballer and a TV company.

Over 100 posts in two days, to get from post #8361 to #8461 ; it took ten days to get from post #8331 to #8361, and 20 days to get there from #8301. I'd say the month of February (and the first week of March) was far more interesting in terms of the shaping of British politics than anything concerning a retired footballer in the last week.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348347#Comment_120348347

Of course opinions differ.

But there is an attitude here that we are way smarter than the Brits.

The underlying attitude in Ireland that has been around for as long as I can recall is that no matter what the Brits and especially the tories can do no right.

And it's not just the politicians.

I've seen people here sneer at the gullibility of British voters for believing the promises of the tories, yet we ourselves elected Bertie Aherns FF three elections in a row.

We then gave FF far more of a vote share than they deserved in 2016 when they decided mid campaign that they were against the very water charges they themselves agreed to introduce.

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348378#Comment_120348378

Sorry, you're equating Brexit with electing FF?

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348415#Comment_120348415

Yeah, actually I am, it's more or less the same thing.

Brexit promised the moon and stars as did FF back in the day.

Just like SF are promising the moon and stars right now.

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348438#Comment_120348438

So... political promises are all the same - the moon and the stars?

Some parties were anti-Brexit in the UK; were they promising the moon and the stars as well?

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348378#Comment_120348378

I would suggest we are better at addressing mistakes. Bertie Ahern quickly became a hugely discredited figure and the biggest takeaway of the Irish financial crash 2008-10 is that it was 100% self inflicted - nothing to do with the EU or outsiders or anyone else, it was caused by Irish people.

A major problem the UK has is that the right wing press is corrupt and drawn from the same Eton educated / toff / privileged circles as the Tory Party. It's virtually impossible for them to get their house in order with a Conservative govt with an 80 seat majority and a press who sees its sole role as keeping the Tories in power.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348371#Comment_120348371

He isn't a footballer, he's a tv presenter hosting the most popular football show. For this, he is (I think) the BBC's highest paid presenter.

Plus it is also a case of blatant political interference with the media.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348371#Comment_120348371

If he was simply "a retired footballer" then this would indeed a non-issue. He's not though and the bits of this story that you omitted with that reductive description are what make it interesting.

PommieBast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120345700#Comment_120345700

The BBC has been undermining itself long before the current rabble got into office. The quality of its journalism nose-dived after Hutton and political insiders tell me that QT has long been a cesspit that those in the thick of it prefer to avoid.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348378#Comment_120348378

Sorry, the comparison to Ahern's government being reelected here is nonsense. At that time, the economy was growing, living standards increasing for practically everyone in the country and the country's standing on the international stage greatly improving. It is hardly surprising that the government would be reelected under those circumstances, they were also dropped like a hot potato when the wheels came off.

Brexit is doing the exact opposite in the UK yet they are determined to stick with it. Nobody, not even the lead Brexiters, believe in the Brexit promises anymore. They aren't gullibly believing promises, they are belligerently continuing down the same path despite the wheels having long since detached.

Christy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348378#Comment_120348378

I mean Tories != Brits to begin with. I don't think the comparison to Aherne's government works. Up until the crash Aherne's government was to an outside observer incredibly successful. It would be more equivalent to had we kept Aherne's government in power after they had obviously made a mess of things. Certainly I have issues with the Irish government but A: They are not in the topic title and B: they just aren't in the same league of destruction as the Tories are. The entire thing is just reductive nonsense, equating bad things as all the same level so please stop talking about this bad thing. I saw the same comments with Trump, including the oh you just hate his voter base and you must think he can do some good, please stop pointing out bad things about him.

I would also argue that my opinion is not that the Tories can do no right, it is that they won't. I know some British people with the same opinion.

To finish I don't think we are way smarter than the Brits, the rise of the far right is something I have been wary of since 2016 precisely because I don't think the population is smarter than the Brits and anyone who can't say it can't happen here has their head in the sand.

Leroy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351101#Comment_120351101

This would be an non issue if he had said he agreed with the government. Everything flows from the fact he raised clear concerns.

The Government has already restricted FoM, the right to protest and now they want to control freedom of speech.

There is a clear trend with the tory party in government, they do not accept criticism.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352176#Comment_120352176

It's the usual tactic around here when Tory fans don't have an actual counter argument.

We are either arrogant "Brit haters" or we are losers for having an interest in British politics. Either way the hope is to shame us into dropping the topic.

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352220#Comment_120352220

The tactic here to label people you don't agree with as Tory fans.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354568#Comment_120354568

No not people I don't agree with. I don't agree with some Labour fans here.

The only people I label Tory fans are the ones constantly trying to defend the Tories or shut down or rabbit hole any bad stories for the Conservatives