The Dictatorship of the Etonariat

[MrGongGong]

More craic than crack, surely?

[eighthobstruction]

....a side feeling that I have is that while Grieve and Letwin have come up a certain type of trumps over prorogment and no deal....I cannot forget the times when (a) in opposition (b) in govt, they turned this same withering clarity and clinical inception to oppose other Bills that were aimed at helping society and supported all sorts of Austerity and the running down of Social Services/NHS/Education budgets/special Needs Budgets since 2010 ....Universal Credit Scandal....not on their radar....

[ahinton]

'Laughter is the best medicine'.

Yes, but apparently a large proportion of the UK population has been prescribed so much of it in recent years that they're now suffering from additions, withdrawal symptoms and the like...

[ahinton]

Now I’ve learnt a new word!

Someone recently said that about "prorogue", which I found rather surprising since Parliament has been quite heavily pro rogue for ages...

[Maclintick]

Maybe it tastes different if you don’t whip the cream.

These young campaigners on the People's Vote March obviously found it unpalatable in any form...

[DracoM]

Looking forward to how historians write up the disaster that has overtaken us.

I live fairly close where the tide takes the sea practically over the horizon when the tide is out and you can wander the sands for hours and have a wonderful time. but beware, beware because it steals back in and suddenly you are engulfed. What Brexit has done in three years.

We are a marginal people on marginal shores and the tide of reality is lapping at our knees.

Have been watching BBC Parliament. 'The Theatre of Dreams'. And then there is Dominic Cummings....................

[gradus]

A trenchant contribution from David Starkey - very exercised indeed about current events - on this morning's Today in 'discussion' with Helena Kennedy. I'd quite forgotten how aggressive he can be when he gets the bit between his teeth.

[Richard Barrett]

And then there is Dominic Cummings....................

He was approached by journalists this morning and said to them "You guys should get out of London. Go and talk to people who are not rich remainers." To which the response of that well-known hard leftist Michael Heseltine was "If you start talking about who are the richest influential people in this campaign – who owns the Telegraph? Who owns the Sun? Who owns the Daily Mail? People with riches, wealth, of untold millions. They are the ones who appoint the editors of newspapers that are frankly propaganda sheets for leave. And for Dominic Cummings to try to shove the blame on to individuals who want to remain because they are rich is a major slip of the tongue."

[DracoM]

Soon, Johnson / Tory hierarchy has to see that Cummings is massive baggage, a true shed-load liability. BUT does BJ have the guts to face that?
Clearly the press loathe him, they are out to trap him, goad him, cartoon him, and sooner rather than later, Cummings is going to lash and get BIGGER headlines than boss. and then......??

[Cockney Sparrow]

A trenchant contribution from David Starkey - very exercised indeed about current events - on this morning's Today in 'discussion' with Helena Kennedy. I'd quite forgotten how aggressive he can be when he gets the bit between his teeth.

Absolutely typical Today programme item. No time for Helena Kennedy to make a sensible contribution, particularly after Robinson had robbed some of those all too few seconds making a contribution of no worth compared to giving her space to develop - or perhaps better described as properly make - her point.

Against that, yesterday's Today allocated a full 4 minutes 53 secs to self promotion of the Henry Wood Prom featuring Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead (no idea who they are but they must have a wide appeal). I was on "ignore - its a trailer" mode but suddenly realised he was extolling the music education he received courtesy of Oxford County Council, acoustic instruments and, joy oh joy, said he still played the Recorder! (My spouse was a long serving primary (esp. music) teacher: fought the fight against ignorant head teachers for decades - "what instrument for £10 can you give each child and if taught properly 90% end up being able to read music").

At 2 hours 19 mins here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000896m

[oddoneout]

'Laughter is the best medicine'. Rarely has this been more the case.
The people who are REALLY going to suffer are satirists, as they surely can't come up with anything to match the shenanigans of recent weeks, topped off as they have now been by the awarding of honours to those who helped the previous PM fail to achieve her principal objective.
'No Brexit means gongs'.

Several of those commenting on John Crace's column in the Guardian have remarked that it's almost become a case of straight forward reportage, so bizarre have things political become. Fortunately he still manages to come up with a bon mot or quirky take on the day's events to prevent despair becoming absolute.

[muzzer]

Radiohead are pretty sound generally and it was great to hear JG crediting the state with his musical education. I don’t believe for a minute he still plays the recorder though. I agree the slot was too long.

[MrGongGong]

[Cockney Sparrow]

Radiohead are pretty sound generally and it was great to hear JG crediting the state with his musical education. I don’t believe for a minute he still plays the recorder though. I agree the slot was too long.

Actually I wasn't inferring the slot was too long, although there isn't a case for the shameless daily advert for the Proms. Despite the consideration that its good of the BBC to financially back them, there is no justification for inserting this amongst what are, or should be, news items. The BBC cannot justify it by pointing to July/August being "slow news" in 2019 given there is so much to report these last weeks. And if they want to diversify their source material, they need to go a good long way further than South Ken (Northumberland, Cornwall, Pembrokeshire and points between ......).

My main gripe is the trivialistation of contributions by the assumed short attention span. I really should play "News Briefing" on my mobile and then some music for the rest of the pre 9 am slot.......

In contrast I have to say I think Evan Davies is doing particularly well in the PM programme - thoughtful, and actually has the time to deliver meaningful content from contributors.

[LMcD]

Actually I wasn't inferring the slot was too long, although there isn't a case for the shameless daily advert for the Proms - although its good of the BBC to financially back them, there is no justification for inserting this amongst what are, or should be, news items. The BBC cannot justify it by pointing to July/August being "slow news" in 2019 given there is so much to report these last weeks. And if they want to diversify their source material, they need to go a good long way further than South Ken (Northumberland, Cornwall, Pembrokeshire and points between ......).

My main gripe is the trivialistation of contributions by the assumed short attention span. I really should play "News Briefing" on my mobile and then some music for the rest of the pre 9 am slot.......

In contrast I have to say I think Evan Davies is doing particularly well in the PM programme - thoughtful, and actually has the time to deliver meaningful content from contributors.

I'm afraid it's that time of year when anything and everything relating to what its followers abbreviate to 'Strictly' is considered essential material for general news bulletins and discussion programmes. The promotion/discussion/analysis of TV programmes given the slightest opportunity is a sign of how desperate the battle for ratings has become.