The Politics Thread

[Prufrock]

Might be miles behind but spotted on the TVs at work that they'd arrested Gerry Adams.

Now events of the last couple of years hardly inspire confidence in the police but they MUST have something big to risk going near this surely?

[superjohnmcginlay]

Might be miles behind but spotted on the TVs at work that they'd arrested Gerry Adams.

Now events of the last couple of years hardly inspire confidence in the police but they MUST have something big to risk going near this surely?

Dunno. Let's hope so. Is he still claiming he was never part of the IRA?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Might be miles behind but spotted on the TVs at work that they'd arrested Gerry Adams.

Now events of the last couple of years hardly inspire confidence in the police but they MUST have something big to risk going near this surely?

Dunno. Let's hope so. Is he still claiming he was never part of the IRA?

Oh yes. What they've got is the confession by the murdering Oirish dunderhead that actually committed the shot to the back of the head, who fessed up on tape that his commanding officer was none other than 23 year old Not of this Terrorist Organisation Honestly Ever, Mr G Adams. The dunderhead who provided said info was under the mistaken assumption that this confession, taken by his American Irish Fifty Five Times Removed Cousins of Boston University US of A, would never be revealed until well after they were all dead. (part of some 'folk study' apparently). And then they could jig to their hearts content on the jolly Irish streets o' boston.
But luckily for justice and truth, this undertaking (not to reveal said 'journalistic' sources) was overturned by a judge, and the Peircing Eye [PSNI] swooped.

[Relentless09]

Adams is being held under the Terrorism Act 2000, already past the initial 24 hour period of arrest and looks like he will be held for 48 hours, anything longer than that has to have court approval.

Adams offered to come in voluntary to answer questions on this a month or two ago, Sinn Fein is now blaming the PSNI for trying to disrupt the democratic process for the upcoming elections, which given their past is a bit ironic.

[Bruce Rioja]

[Prufrock]

[Prufrock]

Right, to get this in now so no-one can make accusations of moving the goal-posts afterwards:

I keep reading about how if UKIP 'win' the EU elections then Labour will have no choice but to commit to an in-out referendum. Why? Surely this is essentially a referendum on having a referendum? If you want to vote 'out', surely you're voting UKIP in these european elections? If they don't get a lot nearer 50% than the 31% they're currently predicted to get then surely that says not enough people give a shit about leaving to make it worthwhile?

[bobo the clown]

Right, to get this in now so no-one can make accusations of moving the goal-posts afterwards:

I keep reading about how if UKIP 'win' the EU elections then Labour will have no choice but to commit to an in-out referendum. Why? Surely this is essentially a referendum on having a referendum? If you want to vote 'out', surely you're voting UKIP in these european elections? If they don't get a lot nearer 50% than the 31% they're currently predicted to get then surely that says not enough people give a shit about leaving to make it worthwhile?

It's fair to say ALL those who vote UKIP are for having a referendum ... and probably all/vast majority know which way they'll vote.

Do you think it's fair to say everyone who votes Labour, Liberal (OK, no-one will, but stay with me) or Tory or PC or SNP necessarily therefore doesn't ?

You know that's wrong .... don't you ??

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Right, to get this in now so no-one can make accusations of moving the goal-posts afterwards:

I keep reading about how if UKIP 'win' the EU elections then Labour will have no choice but to commit to an in-out referendum. Why? Surely this is essentially a referendum on having a referendum? If you want to vote 'out', surely you're voting UKIP in these european elections? If they don't get a lot nearer 50% than the 31% they're currently predicted to get then surely that says not enough people give a shit about leaving to make it worthwhile?

I have never come across such distorted thinking in my entire life*. You sound just like a politician - that's not a compliment, by the way.

* ok, that's an exageration, I admit.

[thebish]

I don't see why UKIP's success or non-success in the European elections has any certain implications for what the Labour Party has to commit to for the UK general election at all.

[Prufrock]

If we're going to have a referendum, I think there needs to be solid evidence that there's a decent chance the 'out' camp might win, otherwise it's a waste of time and money. The key question isn't really 'who wants a referendum' but 'who wants out' because I don't think many people are against the idea of having a referendum, just against having one if it's going to turn out to be a pointless landslide.

So I don't know how many voters of those other parties do or don't want a referendum, but I'd be astonished if more than a tiny handful of Labour, Lib Dem or any of the other 'definitely in, don't even have a referendum' party voters in these elections want to vote 'out'. It's not a general election, or even a local one, it's a European election, if you want out of the EU, you aren't voting Lib Dem! Given their pledge to have a referendum, there'll no doubt be some Tory voters who don't feel the need to vote UKIP, but enough to get it anywhere near half? The last polls I saw had UKIP and the Tories on 50% combined, so that would require every single Tory voter to want out of the EU to even get a draw.

Polls also said 37% would vote 'out', with 40% in, but, if DC 'renegotiated our relationship' whatever that means, then it goes to 25% out and 50% in. Seems to me that 'the people' want us to have a bit of a kick back against Europe but don't want to leave.

[bobo the clown]

So, what you're really saying is you're scared shitless of a referendum because it may result in something you don't want. Again showing you are anti democratic. That's fine, really, but don't fail to see it for what it is.

[LeverEnd]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 11910.html

Had to post this article, simply for its last line.

[thebish]

So, what you're really saying is you're scared shitless of a referendum because it may result in something you don't want. Again showing you are anti democratic. That's fine, really, but don't fail to see it for what it is.

I think referendums are a crap idea - we aren't that kind of democracy - we are a parliamentary democracy which is a very watered down version of what most people think of when they use the word "democratic"...

[Prufrock]

So, what you're really saying is you're scared shitless of a referendum because it may result in something you don't want. Again showing you are anti democratic. That's fine, really, but don't fail to see it for what it is.

How on earth have you come to that conclusion?

The polls suggest people don't want to leave the EU, and IMO an election result giving UKIP, a single-issue party in an election focussed on that issue that they're a single issue party about, around 30% of the vote would also suggest people don't want to leave the EU.

Given that ^ I'm saying it seems a waste of money to be having one.

Let's say next month UKIP actually get 45% of the vote, well then yeah fine, that looks like there's a chance an out vote would win, so let's have it.

[bobo the clown]

^^ then have a fckg referendum. Simple enough.

[bwfcdan94]

"Enjoy away from home excursions somewhere shit up north! Craven Cottage". Woking is full of t*ats most of whom support Manure.

As for the referendum I can say that nearly everybody I have speak to down here including some of the most liberal types about (school teachers) have said they would vote for independence. I think it will be very close.

[Prufrock]

^^ then have a fckg referendum. Simple enough.

AV referendum cost £75m. No point spending that if there's no reasonable prospect of success.

[thebish]

^^ then have a fckg referendum. Simple enough.

why, though? why this issue and not another? we elect political parties to make decisions... that's how it works...

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

^^ then have a fckg referendum. Simple enough.

why, though? why this issue and not another? we elect political parties to make decisions... that's how it works...

Because the political parties have a proclivity to ignore what we want and do the opposite of what they say they will do when trying to get elected.

When the British people agreed to joining a trading club in the 70s, no one voted for what the EU has become. It is like agreeing to go to a poker night next week and once you're in and taken your coat off you discover it's swingers party and you're not allowed to leave. Some folk might like the party, but others may not agree with it. Let the people have a say.

As for the cost Pru - they piss away billions on stupidity, so a few million on something that fundamentally affects the daily lives of everyone in the country doesn't sound too bad to me.