The Dictatorship of the Etonariat

[Serial_Apologist]

Unfortunately it might appear from.the linked article that Piers is rather more deluded than his brother. Seems like a 100% climate change denier.

I knew Piers slighly, once. He appears to have completely flipped since back then.

[Richard Tarleton]

....yes that's good....

+ very helpful.

[Serial_Apologist]

From all the current political accusation and counter-accusation anyone would think that antisemitism is a relatively recent issue, but certainly in this country dislike/distrust of Jews has been part of the national psyche for centuries and runs deep. Christianity hasn't exactly been helpful.

While I can't speak for Christianity, I can say to that is that all the time I was active on the far left, which was from the early 1970s to the mid-'80s, I never, ever came across any antisemitism. To have been antisemitic wold have been totally beyond the pale, if not completely bonkers. Criticism of the state of Israel, and supportive of the Palestiniians, yes, but that is an entirely different matter the likes of Ruth Smeeth have conflated with antic-semitism because they prefer having the Tories in power. And I knew and would argue with people right across the far left spectrum.

[ahinton]

the accusations have some other motivation than exposing the truth

Of course, but the accusers are not alone in levelling them; as I said, much the same could be said about Tory Party Islamophobia and lying, of which I understand that the former is to be subject to an enquiry and the latter has yet to see anyone convicted in Court.

[Bryn]

While I can't speak for Christianity, I can say to that is that all the time I was active on the far left, which was from the early 1970s to the mid-'80s, I never, ever came across any antisemitism. To have been antisemitic wold have been totally beyond the pale, if not completely bonkers. Criticism of the state of Israel, and supportive of the Palestiniians, yes, but that is an entirely different matter the likes of Ruth Smeeth have conflated with antic-semitism because they prefer having the Tories in power. And I knew and would argue with people right across the far left spectrum.

This was very much my experience, too. I may have mentioned this before, but in the cause of lightening the mixture here, I will recount the marriage, after a long-standing relationship. of two comrades, the man from a Greek Orthodox family, the woman from a Jewish Orthodox family. The pair were, of course, committed atheists. There was much opposition to the forthcoming nuptials from both families. However, many turned up for the civil ceremony and the Jewish matriarch was heard to remark of the groom's family, "Well at least they're orthodox".

[Richard Barrett]

This was very much my experience, too.

And mine. (The Socialist Workers' Party was of course founded by a Jewish immigrant who arrived in 1947 from Palestine.)

[Serial_Apologist]

This was very much my experience, too. I may have mentioned this before, but in the cause of lightening the mixture here, I will recount the marriage, after a long-standing relationship. of two comrades, the man from a Greek Orthodox family, the woman from a Jewish Orthodox family. The pair were, of course, committed atheists. There was much opposition to the forthcoming nuptials from both families. However, many turned up for the civil ceremony and the Jewish matriarch was heard to remark of the groom's family, "Well at least they're orthodox".

In the IMG, (Tariq Ali's "lot"), of which I was a member, we had a Polish woman, who was a Catholic, whose boyfriend was a Croatian, generally quietly spoken and polite in his studious demeanour, who was strongly supportive of Tito! I had the two of them round for dinner, and will never forget his reaction when I suggested we listen to my recording of Shostakovitch 2: "ARRRRGH!! How I HATE..." (dramatic pause) "RRRRRUSSIANS!!!!!"

(I should add that he was all right with the two Prokofiev pieces which were also on the LP!)

[Bryn]

In the IMG, (Tariq Ali's "lot"), of which I was a member, we had a Polish woman, who was a Catholic, whose boyfriend was a Croatian, generally quietly spoken and polite in his studious demeanour, who was strongly supportive of Tito! I had the two of them round for dinner, and will never forget his reaction when I suggested we listen to my recording of Shostakovitch 2: "ARRRRGH!! How I HATE..." (dramatic pause) "RRRRRUSSIANS!!!!!"

(I should add that he was all right with the two Prokofiev pieces which were also on the LP!)

Well, Prokofiev was, after all. only a Little Russian.

[LMcD]

Who on earth thought it would be a good idea to film the PM leading a bull by a ring through its nose? Or is it a not very subtle way of telling us that's the way things are and are going to be?

[Richard Barrett]

Who on earth thought it would be a good idea to film the PM leading a bull by a ring through its nose? Or is it a not very subtle way of telling us that's the way things are and are going to be?

Ditto the speech in front of rows of uniformed police; an extremely bad look (though one Trump has also used).

edit: and today another Tory ex-minister has signalled her intention to leave parliament, and Johnson after his photo-op with the bull seems too tired to put a coherent sentence together. Being prime minister is clearly not as much of a doddle as he was expecting - I see him following his Bullingdon chum Dave by making a catastrophic mess of everything and then cheerily walking away. And yet you still find people who think he makes a better prime minister than Corbyn would. Really?

[ahinton]

Ditto the speech in front of rows of uniformed police; an extremely bad look (though one Trump has also used).

Indeed; what with all of that and his seemingly obsessive desire for a GE against all the odds for his party, the notion of wilful political suicide seems hard to cast aside...

[eighthobstruction]

....waiting for lots of clever techies to make memes of BJ leading bull....

....just suggested tobbc PM prog if they will do a Paul Mason Everyday Desk of EU Negotiation....denoting if any uk delegate turned up or offered a plan....

[Cockney Sparrow]

Wondered if you heard Paul Mason om PM yesterday suggesting (with great vehemence) the slogan to be used against Johnson at the forthcoming election "Liar, Loser..." - to some discomfort on the programme presenter side (presumably because they immediately get a complaint from the political press arm of 10 Downing Street.....and have to think how they will redress the balance in respect of statements which are, of course, true....).

[eighthobstruction]

....just listened on iplayer....yes, it's a shame Paul Mason is no longer bbc he is amusing when talking on the hoof....I did of course mean Chris Mason....

[DracoM]

If they get a protes from No 10, get Cummings on to Face the Press - as bloomin; if.
Glad to hear the rising tide of displeasure and resentment on just the TORY benches over the behaviour, language and influence of this dangerous entryist.