Caroline Derbyshire

I would have happily seen the demise of The Conservative Party when they were in government, but the way in which a far right party like Reform has crowded into their opposition space is not the outcome I had hoped for. Be careful what you wish for.

All of this has been rewritten as ‘schools were closed’. No they were not. They were open to some children and trying to operate online at the same time. I was there between 8am and 5 or 6 pm everyday and writing constant letters to parents about guidance during my weekends.

Yep

“Yet another colleague (from his school) described how, at a camp organised by the college, Farage and others had marched through a quiet Sussex village very late at night shouting Hitler Youth songs.”
Reform can deny it all they like, but the reliable source is the teacher.
Don’t back down David.

Interesting point. We raised it enough times though because in schools there were still dozens of children going in. Some staff had to be protected from face to face contact with them and what we were given was social distancing rules and stuff about masks and hand gel.

Always. Or group. Deaths in one war can be privileged over all others by pressure groups too. Most people not even aware there is Civil War in Sudan.

When discussions are had about whether it was right to close schools during the pandemic, I hope that it is remembered that school colleagues died of COVID when schools were open and that employees in school were not prioritised for vaccination. I never understood that decision.

Not to make light of the editorial failure, but look how far Twitter lies now permeate in to normal discourse. We think we know about the racism but the utter contempt for truth since Musk bought the platform is deliberate & very dangerous. You can’t foment racism with fact checkers in the building.

Civil War in Sudan resulting in 75 killed in a mosque, more dead following Putin’s attacks on Ukraine, mass killings in Gaza and now murders in Manchester. Sometimes it does not feel that human beings have evolved sufficiently. #HopeNotHate

I want this to be a succession strategy not a schism. Own the need for a ten year plan and control the narrative. That strategy would, of course, include evolving leadership to meet the needs of each stage.

Respectable English Fascist Organisation Recruiting Mugs.
If only we could read between the lines.

I don’t particularly enjoy watching golf on television. But The Ryder Cup victory wasn’t golf. It became politics. And we won the argument.

Whoop! I wonder how many of those obsessed with England flags have been watching! Wait….they haven’t have they.

Billy Bragg on fire

Grabbing brekko at Coventry station on my way back from Question Time. Didn’t expect to see this stirring evocation of the defeat of fascism adorning the wall of Coffee #1 #AllYouFascistsBoundToLose

Most people would say that was pretty rude

You said “it must be lovely to live by trite quotes”

We can argue without being rude about things in a personal way, surely.

I was not scolding. I was arguing which is what you engaged in when you challenged a position I presented about my fears over the rise of the far right when the left is divided. You then called what I said ‘trite’ and with derision suggested that ‘it must be lovely’ to have my perspective.

Hmmm. We were having quite an interesting discussion and then you became rude and began imposing views and positions on me. What a shame. By the way, Oscar Wilde was not trite. He was awesome.

I hope you never get to test that hypothesis

I wouldn’t. I detest body fascism and the oppression or petty judgement of people who don’t conform to expected trends and socially curated stereotypes. Too many people want to define and label groups. Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.

Sorry, had forgotten the Lib Dems as an option, but that is somewhat ironic.

If you think there is no difference between Labour and Reform then I guess we are truly doomed. Who would you vote for? A Green Party leader who allegedly agreed to do hypnosis to enlarge the breasts of a Sun journalist ? An Our Party who could not organise one of those in a brewery? Or not vote?

Yes, I agree. But a far right take over will not deliver that and division will lead to it. We will only have our selves to blame for not thinking big picture.

Well done to Bridget for speaking openly about this. Most women in any powerful role have experienced this. I do wish the media would drop the Burnham vs Starmer factionalism. I bet Bridget gets on well with both of them. The agenda is not driven by the preferences of the males.

An analysis of how we became complacent about the democracy and social justice that was established in the second half of the 20th Century and why reactionary philosophies have returned. Thank goodness for the “Yes We Can!” In his conclusion.

So excited! Off to listen to Obama this evening!

Nasty piece of work manipulating people the way he does

A telescopic pruner has been useful!