The Politics Thread

[fatshaft]

Anyway, for the Kay Burley fans who may have missed her incisive brand of journalism yesterday, I will quote as near as I can remember, the killer line is verbatim though....

Kay: So Mr Balls, the Labour party has the highest number of women MPs, but no candidate for leadership? Where's the equality?

Balls: None yet Kay, there may be of course. I actually asked my wife is she was going to stand, she is as you know, an MP of longer standing than I, and an excellent one who would make a very capable leader. I would have totally suported her if that was her wish, but she chose not to, so I am now standing because of her decision.

Kay: (laughing) Well you'll be getting a nice tea tonight

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Somebody help me out here - is it really outrageous to say, without any hint of pejoration, that somebody looks like they have some Jewishness in their ethnic make up?

(As it happens, Miliband's parents were Jewish)

Nope, not at all, it is just a sign of the over-sensitive bollocks to the most innocent of comments that pervades society today.

you talkin 'bout me?

[thebish]

Somebody help me out here - is it really outrageous to say, without any hint of pejoration, that somebody looks like they have some Jewishness in their ethnic make up?

(As it happens, Miliband's parents were Jewish)

Nope, not at all, it is just a sign of the over-sensitive bollocks to the most innocent of comments that pervades society today.

I think mummy's comments were unfortunate, but not knowingly racist or intended to be offensive. I would gently suggest that to describe features as "jewish looking" is probably something a Jew could say - but sounds very different from a non-Jew...

however - if you think WtW's reaction to it is extreme or "over-sensitive bollox" - then I think you probably overlook how serious this kind of comment has been in our European history - and you make the mistake of thinking it has gone away... people have been killed for "looking jewish".....

it doesn't take more than 5 seconds to find discussions like this all over the net:

(don't look if you are easily offended and don't want to be)

http://www.stormfront.org/forum/t2947/

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Somebody help me out here - is it really outrageous to say, without any hint of pejoration, that somebody looks like they have some Jewishness in their ethnic make up?

(As it happens, Miliband's parents were Jewish)

Nope, not at all, it is just a sign of the over-sensitive bollocks to the most innocent of comments that pervades society today.

I think mummy's comments were unfortunate, but not knowingly racist or intended to be offensive. I would gently suggest that to describe features as "jewish looking" is probably something a Jew could say - but sounds very different from a non-Jew...

however - if you think WtW's reaction to it is extreme or "over-sensitive bollox" - then I think you probably overlook how serious this kind of comment has been in our European history - and you make the mistake of thinking it has gone away... people have been killed for "looking jewish".....

it doesn't take more than 5 seconds to find discussions like this all over the net:

(don't look if you are easily offended and don't want to be)

http://www.stormfront.org/forum/t2947/

i really don't think mummy was planning to kill David Milliband, or suggest that any of the rest of us kill him

[ratbert]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

[fatshaft]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

Times have changed ratty, hence why Blair was such a success, you hav to be photogenic nowadays, or at least it helps. I'm pretty sure Mummy wasn;t suggesting his Jewishness was an issue, it was his look, but if you think it doesn't matter, then you only need to recall how often the fact Gordon Brown was Scottish was quoted as an issue with his PM-ship!

[Lennon'sEleven]

So is this Labour leadership race purely Milliband vs Milliband or does an outsider like Burnham stand a chance of upsetting the odds?

Ed Balls must be having a laugh though.

Strangely, I've a lot of time for Balls.

I've interviewed him about 10 times (I work in education journalism), and he's always come across as genuine, passionate, and knowledgeable - even in education, which is frequently viewed as a stepping stone to higher office. I first thought he was a smarmy politician stereotype, but I'd say I was wrong on that.

Not that he wouldn't have left in a second to be chancellor, mind you, but since that didn't happen, it becomes a moot point.

He will appeal to some of the trade union vote, however, which forms a large part of the leader election process. And he has the Fabian / Co-operative movement connections.

Anyway, he probably doesn't have a chance against David Milliband (who has the face for it).

Seriously, guys, five posts and no-body giggling at this? I'm not angry, I'm disappointed.

I was preparing for a similar reaction, Pru. Whatever happened to good old knob gags? You people should be ashamed of yourselves.

[thebish]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

in what way are christians predominant?

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

in what way are christians predominant?

In a predominant way

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

I have no idea whether Miliband practices Judaism or any faith - I wasn't saying his looks suggest a certain faith, but a certain ethnicity.

The funny thing in all of this is that I have only good things to say about David Miliband and indeed was just responding to somebody's suggestion that he has some superficial advantage based on his appearance, which I don't think he does.

[thebish]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

in what way are christians predominant?

In a predominant way

voters are predominantly christian in a predominant way?

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

in what way are christians predominant?

In a predominant way

voters are predominantly christian in a predominant way?

Its a tricky one...at what percentage of population does predominant no longer apply?

[thebish]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

in what way are christians predominant?

In a predominant way

voters are predominantly christian in a predominant way?

Its a tricky one...at what percentage of population does predominant no longer apply?

I thought christians were quite a bit less than 10% of the electorate - I'd not describe that as "predominantly christian" - I'd use another phrase - "significant minority" perhaps...

[Hoboh]

Somebody help me out here - is it really outrageous to say, without any hint of pejoration, that somebody looks like they have some Jewishness in their ethnic make up?

(As it happens, Miliband's parents were Jewish)

Nope, not at all, it is just a sign of the over-sensitive bollocks to the most innocent of comments that pervades society today.

I think mummy's comments were unfortunate, but not knowingly racist or intended to be offensive. I would gently suggest that to describe features as "jewish looking" is probably something a Jew could say - but sounds very different from a non-Jew...

however - if you think WtW's reaction to it is extreme or "over-sensitive bollox" - then I think you probably overlook how serious this kind of comment has been in our European history - and you make the mistake of thinking it has gone away... people have been killed for "looking jewish".....

it doesn't take more than 5 seconds to find discussions like this all over the net:

(don't look if you are easily offended and don't want to be)

http://www.stormfront.org/forum/t2947/

Been much easier to say he was too ugly for a poster campaign

[ohjimmyjimmy]

in what way are christians predominant?

In a predominant way

voters are predominantly christian in a predominant way?

Its a tricky one...at what percentage of population does predominant no longer apply?

I thought christians were quite a bit less than 10% of the electorate - I'd not describe that as "predominantly christian" - I'd use another phrase - "significant minority" perhaps...

Really?? In a country where Christians still make up around 70% of the population? (figures about 5 years old) - i can't beleive they'd make up less than 10% of the electorate!

[CAPSLOCK]

Disraeli was of Jewish extraction; so was Michael Howard. Didn't stop them holding high office and leading their parties. A leader's faith isn't that much of a political issue as they have to appeal to all voters, not just the predominant Christians. For the Milibands it might be a slight issue when it comes to Muslim Labour voters, but I suspect not much.

I have no idea whether Miliband practices Judaism or any faith - I wasn't saying his looks suggest a certain faith, but a certain ethnicity.

The funny thing in all of this is that I have only good things to say about David Miliband and indeed was just responding to somebody's suggestion that he has some superficial advantage based on his appearance, which I don't think he does.

I don't know why you rise to it

It really isn't worth the effort

Just say, he's got dark hair and a big nose - a stereotypical western Jew

I know, I went to school with hundreds of 'em

[CAPSLOCK]

And before anybody accuses me of being anti-semitic, fcuk off

I watched Schindlers List

[thebish]

Really?? In a country where Christians still make up around 70% of the population? (figures about 5 years old) - i can't beleive they'd make up less than 10% of the electorate!

on what possible measure are 7 out of every 10 people in the UK "christian"?? that's utter bollox (if you don't mind me saying so!)

(unless you are redefining "christian" to mean "white english" - in the vague woolly way that some people do)

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Bish, unless you and i want to go ask everyone, we can only rely on census and t'internet.

The following statements would thereby render you 10% statement also 'bollocks'

There are 37.3 million people in England and Wales who state their religion as Christian. The percentage of Christians is similar between the two countries but the proportion of people who follow other religions is 6.0 per cent in England compared with 1.5 per cent in Wales.

From http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001 ... p#religion

2004 data:
A government report revealed that about 74% of adults in England and Wales regard themselves as Christians.

From http://www.religioustolerance.org/uk_rel2.htm

But obviously, you know better

[ohjimmyjimmy]

(unless you are redefining "christian" to mean "white english" - in the vague woolly way that some people do)

Not changing the goalposts are we ! Nice edit, now if you'd clarified that before..